Los Angeles Poverty Department’s Performance Projects and Exhibitions

2025

2024

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 Independence Exhibition by Studio 526 @ Skid Row History Museum & Archive.
    Creative I Art Workshops on Saturdays, Writing Workshops by Nick Paul on 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 directed by John Malpede and Henriëtte Brouwers, featuring LAPD, the Skidro Playaz, the LA Playmakers and Crushow @ REDCAT theater
  • May 23: I Fly! – or How To Keep The Devil Down In The Hole Performance @ Central City Church of the Nazarene.
  • August 17 – October 26: DOGS IN THE HOUSE Exhibition curated with Helen Kim @ 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 Conference. 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.
  • November  8 – January 11, 2020: Nick Paul & Diane Prozeller Exhibition @ Skid Row History Museum & Archive.
  • November 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 Performance directed by John Malpede and Henriëtte Brouwers @ McClintock Theater, USC, Los Angeles.
  • January 23 and 24: Red Beard/Red Beard Performance directed by John Malpede and Henriëtte Brouwers@ Highways Performance Space, Santa Monica.
  • March 29: Red Beard/Red Beard Performance directed by John Malpede and Henriëtte Brouwers @ Agape International Spiritual Center, Culver City.
  • March 12 – April 23: Site Unseen: Incarceration Exhibition 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” Exhibition @ 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 Performance by Andy Griggs and Melvin Ishmael Johnson, Directed by Melvin Ishmael Johnson @ Skid Row History Museum & Archive. 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
 Exhibition @ 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.
  • September 8 – November 21: 
Inside/Outside: Prison Narratives
 Exhibition @ 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” Exhibition @ Skid Row History Museum & Archive 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 Performance directed by John Malpede and Henriëtte Brouwers @ 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 Performance @ Walker Art Center, Minneapolis. Co-production LA Poverty Department and Wunderbaum.
  • January 17 & 18: HOSPITAL Performance @ HOP, Dartmouth, New Hampshire. Co-production LA Poverty Department and Wunderbaum.
  • January – May 11: Do You Want the Cosmetic Version or the Real Deal?: Los Angeles Poverty Department 1985 – 2014 Exhibition A large retrospective gallery show @ The Queens Museum of Arts, Queens, New York.
  • January 31 and February 1 & 2: State of Incarceration Performance @ The Queens Museum of Arts, Queens, New York.
  • February 28:Agentes y Activos Performance @ the Queens Museum, Queens, NY.
  • March 1: Agentes y Activos Performance @ Langston Hughes Library, Queens, NY.
  • March 2: Agentes y Activos Performance @ 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 Performance @ 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 in 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 in Little Tokyo.
  • October 18 and 19: 5th annual Festival For All Skid Row Artists @ Gladys Park, Skid Row.

2013 

2012

  • January 27 & 28: LAPD produced the 3rd Festival for All Skid Row Artists in Gladys Park.
  • February 24: COLD WAR Performance of a work in progress performance in the archives of Wende Museum in Culver City. Co-production LAPD & PeerGrouP.
  • WALK THE TALK talks 
    • March 19 @ Central City Church of the Nazarene: Faith 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 in 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 Performance @ Noorderzon Festival, Groningen, the Netherlands. Co-production LAPD & PeerGrouP.
  • October 20 & 21: 2nd Festival for All Skid Row Artists in Gladys park
  • October – November: Biggest Recovery Community Anywhere Film screenings and Discussions in Skid Row @ Inner City Arts.
  • November 2012 – February 2013: Biggest Recovery Community Anywhere Performance directed by John Malpede and Henriëtte Brouwers @ Inner City Arts.
  • 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 Performance directed by John Malpede and Henriëtte Brouwers
    • January 28-29 & February 4-5 @ Highways Performance Space, Santa Monica.
    • June 15-18 @ RADAR LA, Los Angeles
  • February 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‘ Film 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

  • January 25: Making the Case for Skid Row Culture Findings from a Collaborative Inquiry by the Los Angeles Poverty Department and the Urban Institute. Presentation of the paper @ the Japanese American Cultural and Community Center for the Skid Row Community. Published on the Animating Democracy Initiative web page of Americans for the Arts.
  • 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, Performance 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).
  • December 4: LAPD produced the Festival for All Skid Row Artists in Gladys Park.
  • STATE OF INCARCERATION Performance directed by John Malpede and Henriëtte Brouwers
    • August 12 @ Behavioral Systems SW Inc, van Nuys
    • August 14 @ Jonah Project, Skid Row
    • August 21 @ AMITY Foundation Re-entry Program, LA
    • November 6 – 20: Installation and Performances @ BOX Gallery, Chinatown, LA
    • December 17 @  Chuco’s Justice High School, Inglewood

2009 

  • May 1 and 2: CPR: a Public Training in Life Saving Skills Performance directed by Henriëtte Brouwers and John Malpede with a combined cast of OPCC and LAPD – celebrating the 20 year anniversary of Highways Performance Space @ 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.
  • August 2 – 24: AGENTES y ACTIVOS Performance directed by John Malpede. The Bolivian tour of the AGENTS & ASSETS performance in Spanish. Performed in Cochabamba, Oruro, La Paz, El Alto, Sucre, Plan 3000 and Santa Cruz.

2008

  • January: AGENTS & ASSETS Performance directed by John Malpede @ Housing Works Bookstore Cafe, Manhattan, St. Mary’s Episcopal Church in Harlem and at Housing Works in the East Brooklyn, New York.
  • February – April: RED BEARD/RED BEARD Performance 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:  Cruel, Unusual Outrages Upon Personal Dignity, Punishment And Humiliating Degrading Treatment. Performance by John Malpede. 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 Performance directed by Henriëtte Brouwers @ Echo Park United Methodist Church in Echo park, Los Angeles.
  • June 28 – Aug. 2: Skid Row History Museum Exhibition @ 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 Exhibition 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 Performance 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

  • January – March: LEGAL*ILLEGAL Performance 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/dystopia, Los 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- November: Glimpses of Utopia 1 -37: Five evenings of performances and presentations by people who are making “utopian” contributions to life in downtown Los Angeles.
  • November 16: 220 Glimpses of Utopia Outdoor-Utopian-Movement-Chain from Skid Row to City Hall, directed by Henriëtte Brouwers.
  • December 6 – 8: UTOPIA/dystopia Performance directed by John Malpede @ REDCAT theater, Los Angeles.

2006

  • January/February: Fried Poetry Performance 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 Performance directed by John Malpede and Henriette Brouwers @ The Urban Ministry Center and Davidson College, Charlotte, NC.
  • May/June: Sleepwalking Democracy Performance directed by John Malpede and Maarten van Hinte @ Westergasfabriek, Amsterdam, the Netherlands. Co-production of LAPD and Made in da Shade.
  • October/November: AGENTS & ASSETS Performance 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 – 29: AGENTS & ASSETS Performance directed by John Malpede @ REDCAT Theatre, the Democracy Forum at JANM and Compton Community College in Los Angeles.
  • November 30 – Dec. 2: AGENTS & ASSETS Performance directed by John Malpede @ ‘Vrede van Utrecht’ Festival in Utrecht, the Netherlands.

2004

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

2003

  • August 28-31: La Llorona, Weeping Women on Skid Row Performance directed by Henriëtte Brouwers @ LA Central City Church of the Nazarene on Skid Row.
  • August: LAPD Retrospective Performance 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.
  • November 14:  La Llorona, Weeping Women on Skid Row Performance directed by Henriëtte Brouwers @ Scripps College in Claremont, CA.

2002

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

2001

  • January: AGENTS & ASSETS Performance 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 Performance directed by John Malpede @ The Courtland Hotel, Los Angeles. Co-production of LAPD and SRO Housing

1999

  • Race Performance 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? Performance directed by Sonya Mims and Emmanuel Deleage
  • Artifacts Performance directed by David Halenda @ The Carleton Hotel, Skid Row.

1997

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

1996

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

1995

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

1994

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

1993

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

1991

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

1990

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

1989

  • Jupiter 35 Performance 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 Performance directed by Malpede @ Painted Bride Art Center, Philadelphia.
  • LAPD Inspects San Francisco Performance 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 Performance directed by Malpede @ Boyd St. Theater, UCLA, and San Francisco Art Institute.

1986

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