Los Angeles Poverty Department’s Performance Projects and Exhibitions

2023

2022

2021

2020

2019

  • January 19 – March 23: Bridging the Divide – Manuel Compito & Scott Taylor – exhibition @ Skid Row History Museum & Archive.
    March 15: presentation by Manuel Compito aka OG Man of his comic book, “PEACE N HOOD” – Working with Gang Members to End the Violence.
  • May 11 – June 29: Visions Of Freedom and Independenceexhibition by Studio 526 @ Skid Row History Museum & Archive.
    Creative I Art Workshops – Saturdays, Writing Workshops by Nick Paul – Thursdays, Artists Panel Discussion,  Zine Fest + Open Mic.
  • April 4, 5, 6: I Fly! – or How To Keep The Devil Down In The Hole performances @ REDCAT theater
  • May 23: I Fly! – or How To Keep The Devil Down In The Hole performance featuring LAPD, the Skidro Playaz, the LA Playmakers and Crushow @ Central City Church of the Nazarene.
  • August 17 – October 26: DOGS IN THE HOUSE – exhibition @ Skid Row History Museum & Archive.
    Pet champions and the visual artists: David Askew, Helen Kim, Marissa de la Torre, Emma Newton, Diane Prado, Lori Weise and James Gilliam.
  • October 22-27: Worlds of Homelessness Goethe-Institut organized the event series, including discussions, music and film screenings, that began at LA Poverty Department’s Skid Row History Museum & Archive (with additional sites at Sci-Arc and Navel). The project brings together local and international artists, architects, scholars and others and culminates with the 2 days of the Festival.
  • October 26 & 27: 10th Festival for all Skid Row Artists in Gladys park.
  • Nov. 8 – Jan. 11, 2020: Nick Paul & Diane Prozeller – exhibition @ Skid Row History Museum & Archive.
  • Nov. 13 How to house 7,000 people in Skid Row Community conversation with Molly Rysman, Eric Ares, Jerry Jones @ The Skid Row History Museum & Archive.

2018

2017

2016

2015

  • January 15: Red Beard/Red Beard @ McClintock Theater, USC, Los Angeles.
  • January 23 and 24: Red Beard/Red Beard @ Highways Performance Space, Santa Monica.
  • March 29: Red Beard/Red Beard @ Agape International Spiritual Center, Culver City.
  • March 12 – April 23: Site Unseen: Incarceration Guest-curated by Sheila Pinkel @ Los Angeles Valley College Art Gallery. A group exhibition that deals with the issue of imprisonment. LAPD contributed 5 blow up pictures from State Of Incarceration.
  • April 11: opening of the Skid Row History Museum & Archive on 440 S. Broadway, Los Angeles, CA 90013 ~ Mezzanine Level.
  • April 11 – July 31: “Blue Book / Silver Book” @ Skid Row History Museum & Archive.
    The exhibition juxtaposes dueling city development plans for the future of Skid Row, both created in the mid 1970s, as a way of making transparent the role urban design plays in determining the fate of communities.
  • April 17 – If The SHU Fits, Voices From Solitary Confinement @ Skid Row History Museum & Archive. By Andy Griggs and Melvin Ishmael Johnson, Directed by Melvin Ishmael Johnson and Co-produced by Dramastage Qumran and Los Angeles Poverty Department.
  • May 22 – Ron Allen Fried Poetry Prize @ Skid Row History Museum & Archive.
    Co-produced by Dramastage Qumran and Los Angeles Poverty Department.
  • August 5 – 31: LA History Keepers: storied objects from collections across the region
@ Pio Pico House, El Pueblo, Los Angeles. LAPD contributed from our archive a Fact Sheet and Flier for Tent City Homeless Protest at LA City Hall, Homeless Organizing Team, December 1984.
  • Sept.8 – Nov.21:Inside/Outside: Prison Narratives @ Wignall Museum of Contemporary Art
, Chaffey College in Rancho Cucamonga. An exhibition that looks at the United States system of incarceration. LAPD contributed a 3-hour long movie of the Plata Law Suit reading we filmed during State Of Incarceration.
  • October 3 – December 18: “General Dogon: Screaming Two Wheelers@ Skid Row History Museum & Archive. An exhibition featuring three customized low-rider bicycles created by Skid Row artist General Dogon. In videos, Dogon articulates his linked strategies as maker and activist.
  • October 17 & 18: 6th Festival For All Skid Row Artists in Gladys Park.
  • November 12, 13, 14: Chasing Monsters From Under The Bed @ Skid Row History Museum & Archive. The performance explores the means and process of recovery from mental illness and homelessness at a time when thousands of homeless mentally ill are not only abandoned and feared but also threatened by aggressive policing.

2014

  • January 9, 10, 11: HOSPITAL @ Walker Art Center, Minneapolis.
  • January 17 & 18: HOSPITAL @ HOP, Dartmouth, New Hampshire.
    Co-production Los Angeles Poverty Department and Wunderbaum.
  • January – May 11: Do You Want the Cosmetic Version or the Real Deal?: Los Angeles Poverty Department 1985 – 2014
    A large retrospective gallery show @ The Queens Museum of Arts, Queens, New York.
  • January 31 and February 1 & 2: State of Incarceration @ The Queens Museum of Arts, Queens, New York.
  • February 28: Agentes y Activos @ the Queens Museum, Queens, NY.
  • March 1: Agentes y Activos @ Langston Hughes Library, Queens, NY.
  • March 2: Agentes y Activos @ Clemente Soto Vélez Cultural Center, Flamboyán Theater, NY.
    During a month long residency, LAPD engages Drogadictos Anonimos, a Corona, Queens-based recovery group, in a unique partnership creating the North American, Spanish spoken premiere of Agentes y Activos (Agents & Assets) with English Supratitles.
  • April 4, 5 and 6: SETTLEMENT @ the BOX gallery. Directed by Hans van den Broek.
    Co-production SOIT and Los Angeles Poverty Department.
  • May 14: WALK THE TALK Come Together @ LA Mission.
  • May 24: WALK THE TALK parade / performance on Skid Row.
  • May 29 – June 16: WALK THE TALK ~ LAPD’s SKID ROW HISTORY EXHIBITION
    Inside the MIKE KELLEY Mobile Homestead in front of The Geffen Contemporary at MOCA at 152 N. Central Avenue in Little Tokyo.
  • October 18 and 19: 5th annual Festival For All Skid Row Artists @ Gladys Park, Skid Row.

2013 

  • January 26: Biggest Recovery Community Anywhere – Happy Birthday Recovery @ the Cecil Hotel, downtown LA.
    Collaboration between Los Angeles Poverty Department and OTIS Public Practice students.
  • May 3, 4, 5: Biggest Recovery Community Anywhere and the REEL Recovery Film Festival ~ the Skid Row Edition @ Inner City Arts, Skid Row.
  • June 15: Biggest Recovery Community Anywhere @ MicroFest, Honolulu, Hawaii.
  • September 24 – 29: HOSPITAL @ RADAR.LA in The Tower Theater.
    co-production Los Angeles Poverty Department and Wunderbaum.
  • October 12 & 13: 4th annual Festival For All Skid Row Artists @ Gladys Park, Skid Row.
  • October 26 & 27: A (Micro) History Of World Economics, Danced
    4 performances @ Pershing Square. Written and directed by Pascal Rambert. Co-production Los Angeles Poverty Department and Theatre de Gennevilliers.
  • November 16 & 17: HOSPITAL @ De Rotterdamse Schouwburg, Rotterdam, the Netherlands.
    Co-production Los Angeles Poverty Department and Wunderbaum.

2012

  • January 27 & 28: LAPD produced the  3rd Festival for All Skid Row Artists in Gladys Park.
  • February 24: COLD WAR work in progress performance @ Wende Museum in Culver City.
    Co-production LAPD & PeerGrouP
  • WALK THE TALK talks 
    • March 19 @ Central City Church of the NazareneFaith on Skid Row / Faith in Skid Row
    • April 18 @ James Wood Community Center: 30 Years Of Organizing On Skid Row
    • May 9 @ Inner City Arts: Creative Community – the ARTS on Skid Row
    • May 16 @ VOA Rotary House: Creating a Recovery Community on Skid Row
    • May 23 @ The Last Bookstore: Creating Community from the Ground up on Skid Row
  • MAY 26 , 27 , 28: WALK THE TALK parade / performance on Skid Row
    36 Skid Row visionaries celebrated with 3 days of parades, 36 performances and a brass band, traveling 3 routes through the Skid Row neighborhood.
  • August 20 – 25: COLD WAR – BRAIN FREEZE co-production LAPD & PeerGrouP
    @ Noorderzon Festival, Groningen, the Netherlands
  • October 20 & 21: 2nd Festival for All Skid Row Artists in Gladys park
  • October – November: Biggest Recovery Community Anywhere film screenings and discussions on Skid Row.
  • November 2012 – February 2013: Biggest Recovery Community Anywhere – Launch of the Indie Shelves initiative
    LAPD curated a bookshelf with Skid Row based writers about recovery @ The Last Bookstore in downtown Los Angeles.
  • November 11: Conversation with Mike Dolphin @ The Last Bookstore in downtown Los Angeles.

2011 

  • STATE OF INCARCERATION, directed by John Malpede and Henriëtte Brouwers
    • Jan. 28-29 & Feb. 4-5 @ Highways Performance Space, Santa Monica.
    • June 15-18 @ RADAR LA, Los Angeles
  • Feb. 13- May 29: Police and Thieves, exhibition, curated by Karla Diaz and Mario Ybarra
    @ Gallery 4 at the Hyde Park ArtCenter in Chicago, IL.
  • July 5-31: ‘PORTRAITS IN DRAMATIC TIME’ by David Michalek
    Commissioned by Lincoln Center Festival 2011. Los Angeles Poverty Department is featured in a large scale public art installation of slow motion video performance-portraits @ Avery Fisher Hall, New York.

2010

  • Jan. 25: Making the Case for Skid Row Culture – Findings from a Collaborative Inquiry by the Los Angeles Poverty Department and the Urban Institute
    Published on the Animating Democracy Initiative web page of Americans for the Arts. Presentation of the paper @ the Japanese American Cultural and Community Center for the Skid Row Community.
  • May 20: Parole Reform Shakeout: Who Wins and Who Loses?
    PANEL & DISCUSSION about the Effects of California’s Parole Reform on Parolees, People Getting Out and Transitional Programs Downtown.
    @ the Central City Community Church in Skid Row.
  • STATE OF INCARCERATION, directed by John Malpede and Henriëtte Brouwers
    • June 9 @ Central City Community Church on Skid Row.
    • June 10 @ LA Community Action Network on Skid Row.
  • July 22: REWEAVING THE SOCIAL FABRIC OF SKID ROW
    A conversation about LAPD’s ‘Walk the Talk’ a theater project that chronicles the emergence of a permanent community and culture in Skid Row @ the ALOUD series of the LA Public library.
    Panelists: Pete White (LA Community Action Network), OG man (Skid Row 3 on 3 basketball), Clyde Casey (Another Planet), Jeff Dietrich (LA Catholic Worker) and John Malpede (LA Poverty Department), moderator: Maria Rosario Jackson (Urban Institute).
  • Dec. 4: LAPD produced the Festival for All Skid Row Artists in Gladys Park.
  • STATE OF INCARCERATION, directed by John Malpede and Henriëtte Brouwers
    • Aug. 12 @ Behavioral Systems SW Inc, van Nuys
    • Aug. 14 @ Jonahproject, Skid Row
    • Aug. 21 @ AMITY Foundation Re-entry Program, LA
    • Nov. 6 – Nov. 20: Installation and Performances @ BOX Gallery, Chinatown, LA
    • Dec. 17 @  Chuco’s Justice High School, Inglewood

2009 

  • MAY 1 and 2: CPR: a Public Training in Life Saving Skills, directed by Henriëtte Brouwers and John Malpede.
    With a combined cast of OPCC and LAPD – celebrating the 20 year anniversary of Highways Performance Space and 18th Street Arts Center.
    @ Highways Performance Space, Santa Monica.
  • MAY 5:  EMPLOYING HIS TELEPATHIC POWERS, MR. SMALLMAN FIGHTS FOR JUSTICE IN THE INJUSTICE SYSTEM
    Presentation of a year-long workshop, directed by Henriëtte Brouwers and John Malpede with LAMP residents and LAPDers.
    @ the LAMP Village, Skid Row.
  • May 17: Los Angeles Poverty Department receives the Otto Award for Political Theatre produced by the Castillo Theatre in New York.
  • Aug. 2 – 24: AGENTES y ACTIVOS, directed by John Malpede.
    Bolivian tour of the AGENTS & ASSETS performance in Spanish.
    Performed in Cochabamba, Oruro, La Paz, El Alto, Sucre, Plan 3000 and Santa Cruz.

2008

  • Jan.: AGENTS & ASSETS in New York, directed by John Malpede.
    @ Housing Works Bookstore Cafe, Manhattan, St. Mary’s Episcopal Church in Harlem and at Housing Works in the East Brooklyn.
  • Feb. – April: RED BEARD/RED BEARD, directed by John Malpede @ Theatre2Gennevilliers, Gennevilliers, Paris.
    Co-production of LAPD and Theatre2Gennevilliers.
  • May 19: ROUND TRIP, LAPD recreates an Allan Kaprow “Happening” on Skid Row.
    In collaboration with The Geffen Contemporary at MOCA: Allen Kaprow- Art as Life.
  • June 13: John Malpede performs “Cruel, Unusual Outrages Upon Personal Dignity, Punishment And Humiliating Degrading Treatment”
    Part of the City of Los Angeles Literary and Performing Fellows Grand Performances @ Cal Plaza.
  • June 21 and 22: La Llorona: Weeping Women of Echo Park, directed by Henriëtte Brouwers.
    @ Echo Park United Methodist Church, Los Angeles.
  • June 28 – Aug. 2Skid Row History Museum
    @ The BOX Gallery in Chinatown, Los Angeles.
  • Live From Skid Row: PERFORMANCE & PUBLIC CONVERSATION 
    • JUNE 28 @ The Box Gallery: Jeff Dietrich and Catherine Morris of the Catholic Worker and the Hippie Kitchen remember remarkable people and initiatives. Music from SS Jones and Oscar Harvey. Performances by Ibrahim Saba and Kevin Michael Key.
    • JULY 18 @ Lamp Community Art Project Gallery: Public discussion with Pete White and Becky Dennison of LA Community Action Network (LACAN). Music from Weba Garretson and Ralph Gorodetsky. Performance by Michelle Autry and Sunshine Mills.
    • JULY 26 @ The Box Gallery: Public discussion with Mollie Lowery, founder and first executive director of Lamp Community. Music from Code Zero. Performance by Tony Parker and Charles Porter.
    • AUGUST 2 @ The Box Gallery: Public discussion with Ted Hayes, founder of Dome Village. Music from Church of the Nazarene Gospel Choir and Lucky Dragon. Performance by Riccarlo Porter.
  • October 11 2008 – January 4 2009:  Espèces d’espace, curated by Yves Aupetitallotarchives @ MAGASIN – Centre National d’Art Contemporain de Grenoble (France).
    The exhibition dedicates a room to the Los Angeles Poverty Department with elements (audio /video, pictures, notes, performance texts, etc.)  of LAPD’s archive from 1985 to 1990.
  • December 20, 27, 28: My Eyes are the Cage in my Head written and directed by Ron Allen @ The Box Gallery in Chinatown, the Church of the Nazarene in Skid Row and the Industry Cafe & Jazz in Culver City.

2007

  • Jan. / Feb. / March: LEGAL*ILLEGAL, directed by John Malpede. Performed in former Tax-building ‘de Poel’ in Gent, Belgium.
    Co-production of Nieuwpoort theater and Unie de Zorgelozen, Belgium and LAPD.
  • April – December: UTOPIA/dystopiaLos Angeles.
  • April 19: Is it a crime to be poor? screening of The REAL DEAL, Tom Jones’ film on LAPD at theALOUD series at the Central Library.
  • June- Nov.: Glimpses of Utopia 1 -37: Five evenings of performances and presentations by people who are making “utopian” contributions to life in downtown Los Angeles.
  • Nov. 16: 220 Glimpses of Utopia an Outdoor-Utopian-Movement-Chain from Skid Row to City Hall, directed by Henriëtte Brouwers.
  • Dec. 6 – 8: UTOPIA/dystopia performances directed by John Malpede @ REDCAT theater, Los Angeles.

2006

  • Jan./Feb.: Fried Poetry, directed by poet, playwright, recovery specialist and Buddhist monk Ron Allen.
    @ Bayond Baroque; Literary Arts Center in Venice and the James Wood Center on Skid Row.
  • March/April: Evacuation plan for the city of Charlotte , directed by John Malpede and Henriette Brouwers.
    @ The Urban Ministry Center and Davidson College, Charlotte, NC.
  • May/June: Sleepwalking Democracy ; co-production of LAPD and Made in da Shade. Directed by John Malpede and Maarten van Hinte.
    @ Westergasfabriek, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
  • Oct./Nov.: AGENTS & ASSETS, directed by John Malpede @ The Church of the Advocate Philadelphia, PA and the Theatre Project, Baltimore, MD.
    Co-production of LAPD and Art Sanctuary, Philadelphia, PA

2005

  • May 21 – 29AGENTS & ASSETS, directed by John Malpede.
    @ REDCAT Theatre, the Democracy Forum at JANM and Compton Community College in Los Angeles.
  • Nov. 30 – Dec. 2: AGENTS & ASSETS, directed by John Malpede.
    @ ‘Vrede van Utrecht’ Festival in Utrecht, the Netherlands.

2004

  • Oct./Nov.: AGENTS & ASSETS, directed by John Malpede.Co-production of LAPD and Cleveland Public Theater.
    @ Cleveland Public Theater, Cleveland, OH.

2003

  • August 28-31: La Llorona, Weeping Women on Skid Row, directed by Henriëtte Brouwers.
    @ LA Central City Church of the Nazarene on Skid Row.
  • August: LAPD Retrospective, written and performed by John Malpede for the filming of the documentary the REAL DEAL @ Highways Perfromance Space, Santa Monica.
    Co-production with Highways Performance Space, and Halo Group.
  • September: Malpede received Cornerstone Theater’s Bridge Award for outstanding community-based theater.
  • Nov.14:  La Llorona, Weeping Women on Skid Row, directed by Henriëtte Brouwers.
    @ Scripps College in Claremont, CA.

2002

  • May/June: Is There History on Skid Row?, Directed by John Malpede and Henriette Brouwers. Written by Rickey Mantley, Troy Ragland, and John Malpede.
    @ Winston Street Storefront, Los Angeles. Performance / installation.
  • Sept./Oct.: AGENTS & ASSETS, directed by John Malpede @ First Unitarian Church of Detroit, Detroit, MI.
    Co-production of LAPD and Urban Community Visonaries, Detroit.

2001

  • Jan.: AGENTS & ASSETS, directed by John Malpede @ Side Street Projects, Los Angeles.
    Co-production of LAPD, Old Stories: New Lives and Side Street Projects
  • Red Beard, Red Beard, directed by John Malpede @ The Courtland Hotel, Los Angeles.
    Co-production of LAPD and SRO Housing

1999

  • Race, written and directed by Pascal Rembert @ a rooftop of a parkinglot on Spring Street.
    Los Angeles Poverty Department receives Theater LA’s Ovation Award for “Sustained Achievement in the use of Theater Arts to Impact the Community”.
    Co-production of LAPD and Cal State, LA Graduate Department of Theater.

1998

  • Will They Fare Better or Worse? directed by Sonya Mims and Emmanuel Deleage & Artifacts directed by David Halenda
    @ The Carleton Hotel, Skid Row.

1997

  • Temporary Quarters: Hit and Run, directed by Sonya Mims and John Malpede
    @ the Skirball-Kenis Cultural Center, Los Angeles.
  • Souvenirs, directed by David Halenda
    @ Los Angeles County Museum of Art.
  • Wrapped-Up & Buried, directed by David Halenda and Otis Rogers
    @ Los Angeles Theater Center.
  • Taking Back My Place, a site-specific performance on Skid Row with choreographer Sara Shelton Mann and the dance theater group, Contraband.

1996

  • Still at War: the Neverending Battle, directed by Brian Brophy and Otis Rogers
    @ Los Angeles Theater Center, December 5-7.
  • History of the Body, directed by David Halenda
    @ Los Angeles Theater Center & Glaxa.
  • Bone Story, directed by company member David Halenda.

1995

  • I Gave At the Corner, dir. by David Halenda
    @ Los Angeles Theater Center.
  • I Was Sleeping With My Eyes Open, Collaboration with Goat Island Performance Group of Chicago, directed by John Malpede and Lin Hixson
    @ Los Angeles Contemporary Exhibitions.
  • My Virtual Reality, directed by Otis Rogers
    @ Los Angeles Theater Center

1994

  • LAPD Inspects Raleigh, directed by Malpede
    @ Center Stage, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC.

1993

  • Give Up All Your Possessions and Follow Me, directed by Malpede
    @ La Boca, Los Angeles.
  • The Road Show, directed by Halenda
    @ Los Angeles Theater Center.
  • Call Home, directed by Malpede
    @ the Los Angeles Festival.

1991

  • Call Home, directed by Malpede
    @ Beyond Baroque, Venice, CA.
  • LAPD Inspects London, directed by Malpede
    @ London International Festival.
  • LAPD Inspects Amsterdam, directed by Malpede
    @ Touch Time Festival, Mickery Theater Amsterdam, The Netherlands, and Time Festival, Ghent, Belgium.
  • LAPD Inspects the Twin Cities, directed by Malpede
    @ the Walker Art Center and The Southern Theater.

1990

  • Call Home, directed by Malpede
    @ La Boca, Los Angeles
  • LAPD Inspects America: Chicago and Washington, directed by Malpede
    @ New Performance Space, San Francisco.
  • LAPD Inspects Chicago, directed by Malpede
    @ Randolph Street Gallery, Chicago.
  • LAPD Inspects Washington D.C., directed by Malpede
    @ Arena Stage, Washington D.C.
  • Jupiter 35, directed by Malpede and Kevin Williams and Elia Arce
    Presented by the Los Angeles Festival @ Highways Performance Space (Santa Monica, CA)

1989

  • Jupiter 35, directed by Malpede and Kevin Williams and Elia Arce
    @ Highways Performance Space (Santa Monica, CA) and Inner Section For The Arts (San Francisco, CA)

1988

  • LAPD Inspects Philadelphia, directed by Malpede
    @ Painted Bride Art Center, Philadelphia.
  • LAPD Inspects San Francisco, directed by Malpede
    @ Boyd St. Theater (LA), Sushi, Museo del Barrio, On the Boards (Seattle), and Portland Art Institute.
  • John Malpede receives the Adeline Kent award from the San Francisco Art Institute and LAPD receives New York City’s Dance Theater Workshop Bessie Creation Award.

1987

  • No Stone for Studs Schwartz, directed by Malpede
    @ Boyd St. Theater, UCLA, and San Francisco Art Institute.

1986

  • South of the Clouds, directed by Malpede
    @ the Boyd St. Theater, Los Angeles.
    Performer Jim Beame receives an LA Weekly Best Actor award.