Beacon Arts Building
Backgrounder

Beacon Arts Building –
The Beacon Arts Building is an iconic, four-story, solid reinforced concrete monolith in Inglewood, California representative of classic 1950s architecture. Cast in-place, the structure is as much a singular sculpture as an inhabitable building. Outside and inside of the building, signs of its creation are evident – from the wood grain impression made by the plywood that was used to build the forms to the air bubbles in the concrete. The massive 32,400 square foot structure is self-supporting by design, with strong, “open capital” columns – a modern reference to the columns found in early Egyptian ceremonial temples.

Beacon Arts Building Fourth Floor - “Open Capital” Columns (photo credit: Renée Fox)

The structure is located in the heart of the burgeoning Inglewood Arts District. Having stored inanimate items for close to sixty years, originally as the legendary Bekins Moving and Storage Company, this dramatic 1951 edifice is now transforming into a springboard for artistic expression.  In addition to ground floor gallery and retail spaces, the building offers a gorgeous New York warehouse-style environment for professional artists, with spaces in various sizes up to 8,000 square feet with high ceilings and polished concrete floors.  Remodel efforts have entailed reusing existing materials and structural elements, as much as possible, in order to strip down the space to highlight its inherent beauty.

The Beacon Arts Building provides:
• A community for professional working artists
• Private studios in sizes from 425 to 8,000 square feet
• 24/7 access
• Gated parking
• Wi-Fi (included)
• 11’6″ ceilings
• Oversized safety glass doors
• Common area with kitchenette, washer/dryer, eating area, wash sink, men’s and women’s bathrooms
• High rear-loading facility sheltered by a 20’ x 60’ steel canopy
• Large freight elevator
• Shared outside work area
• Sprinkler system throughout
• Building alarm system
• Extra storage availability
• Utilities included
• Natural and daytime fluorescent lighting
• Ventilation
• Professional building management
• Flexible lease options at competitive prices (month-to-month or yearly)

Plans for a ground floor vestibule are in the works.

The property sits prominently on La Brea Avenue, located just 11 minutes south of the 10 Freeway (I-10). On-site parking is available or found on the adjacent streets.

Beacon Arts Building Remodel (architectural renderings by Rees Associates)

Beacon Arts Building is in the process of curating new tenants.  Occupants must be productive fine art professionals who will contribute to the “life force” of the building.  Artist-tenants currently have a unique opportunity to participate in the design of their own studio spaces in order to meet their specific art-making needs. In addition to beautiful new secured studio spaces, ranging in sizes from 425 square feet to 1,200 sq, ft., the Beacon Arts Building also currently offers open floor plans that can allow the possibility for tenants to choose the size of individual workspace up to 8,000 sq. ft.  For further information about availabilities in the Beacon Arts Building, please contact Scott Lane at 310-576-3543 or scottlaneco@yahoo.com.

Beacon Arts –
A brand-new, risk-taking fine arts enterprise, housed within the iconic Beacon Arts Building, the venture offers innovative art programming to enrich the cultural landscape of Los Angeles. Its primary directive is to provide and maintain the integrity of an exhibition space for contemporary art by Southern California artists working in all media, including painting, sculpture, installation, video, and performance art. Works by both emerging and established artists are presented in an effort to provide a variety of ideas in different forms that both challenge and inspire. As a catalyst and advocate for new ideas, the endeavor enriches public understanding and appreciation of contemporary fine art by creating conversations through special events, lectures, symposia, and panel discussions with intellectual commentary on exhibitions. Exhibiting artists are encouraged to forge new relationships and learn from arts professionals through programming such as the gallery’s inaugural Critics-as-Curators series – consecutive shows conceived and curated by art writers and critics. This series runs through the first year of the space, from October 2010 to October 2011. Regular gallery hours are from 1:00pm to 6:00pm Thursday through Saturday, Sundays 1:00pm – 4:00pm.

Critics-as-Curators Series –
Critics-as-Curators is the inaugural art exhibition series at Beacon Arts.  In recognition of the gallery’s first year, esteemed art critics and writers — recognized locally, nationally and internationally — have been invited to conceive and curate shows of their choosing at the Beacon Arts Building in conjunction with discussions, lectures, catalogues, or other ways to reveal the thought process behind why exhibition works are chosen with insight into their importance to the curator. The individual expertise and personal taste developed by the curators’ world-view will be on exhibit throughout Beacon Arts’ first year. Critics-as-Curators strives to enrich appreciation of contemporary fine art by critically engaging in art. This series of shows provides a wonderful opportunity for artists and art audiences to learn what individual critics look for, how they think about the art they choose to focus on, and what catches their eye. The series kicked off in October 2010 with Ghost Stories: Happenings, Hauntings, & Curiosities curated by art writer Shana Nys Dambrot.

Ghost Stories performance in the Beacon Arts Building (photo credit: Damon Wellner)

2010 – 2011 Exhibition Schedule at Beacon Arts –

• 10/14/10 – 11/7/10 – Ghost Stories: Happenings, Hauntings, & Curiosities curated by Shana Nys Dambrot*
https://www.greengalactic.com/2010/beacon-arts-ghost-stories

• 11/13/10 – 11/27/10 – Inglewood Open Studios Group Show
http://inglewoodopenstudios.blogspot.com/2010/10/inglewood-open-studioscelebrates-fourth.html

• 12/10/10 – 1/30/11 – Densities: Line Becoming Shape, Shape Becoming Object curated by Peter Frank*
https://www.greengalactic.com/2010/beacon-arts-densities

• 2/5/11 – 3/20/11 – Pieceable Kingdom curated by David Pagel*
https://www.greengalactic.com/2010/beacon-arts-pieceable-kingdom

• 3/26/11 – 5/22/11 – ARATALAND: A Mid-Career Survey of Artworks by Michael Arata curated by Doug Harvey*
https://www.greengalactic.com/2011/beacon-arts-arataland/

• 5/28/11 – 7/3/11 – TEL-ART-PHONE curated by Mat Gleason*

Future BAB exhibitions TBD

* Critics-as-Curators series

1019 West –
Just minutes away from the Beacon Arts Building is its easily accessible sister project, the 1019 West, located on the penumbra, within short driving distance to the trendy, but decreasingly affordable, areas of Venice and Culver City.  1019 West is located just west of the 405 Freeway on the northwest corner of Manchester and Hindry (one intersection west of the iconic LA landmark Randy’s Donuts and the 405 on-ramp). 1019 West is an artists’ compound offering a vast array of studio, showcase, and work spaces of various sizes in a private, secure, yet inviting environment. The unique economic and geographic benefits of 1019 West are fast attracting the interest and attention of highly talented emerging artists and established professionals. Construction is currently underway to further build out studios, upgrade the unique existing spaces, and enhance the privacy, security, and compatibility with artists’ objectives.  The property was previously the location of the first Volkswagen automobile dealership in Southern California.

The 1019 West compound and studios features a wide variety of uniquely sized studios and work spaces, ranging from 430 to 6,500 square feet, for rent offering amenities including:
• Soaring 30’ high Bow Truss ceilings
• Skylights
• 24/7 access
• Concrete floors
• Large roll-up doors
• Outdoor work areas
• Ample gated and secure parking
• WiFi (included)
• Common area wash sinks
• Utilities included
• Eating and lounge areas
• Men’s and women’s bathrooms
• Storage facilities
• Frequent trash pick up
• C-3 and M-1 zoning (ideal for welding)
• Professional building management
• Flexible lease options at competitive prices (monthly or longer term leases available)

The property is located at a signalized corner on a well-traveled commercial boulevard. 1019 West is just 16 minutes from Santa Monica, 11 minutes from Venice, 13 miles from downtown Los Angeles, and proximate to the 405, LAX, Loyola Marymount, and Otis College of Art and Design. For further information about available spaces at 1019 West, please contact Scott Lane at 310-576-3543 or scottlaneco@yahoo.com.

Renée Fox, Beacon Arts Creative Director –
Renée Fox, a contemporary artist working in mixed media painting and drawing, was tapped to run the Beacon Arts gallery space based on her success organizing Inglewood Open Studios. The Open Studios project grew quickly from 7 to 39 participating artists, attracted large crowds, and garnered great press in just a few short years under Fox’s leadership, providing a nexus for the blossoming art community in the area. The firecracker mover-shaker was born in Frederick, Maryland, attended the Corcoran College of Art and Design in Washington D.C. and graduated from Otis College of Art and Design in 2002. She is an experienced curator and owner of art-related businesses (archiving and decorative painting).   She has participated in and curated art exhibitions in Washington DC and Los Angeles.  Fox currently directs the new Beacon Arts gallery space in Inglewood, CA and continues to organize Inglewood Open Studios.

Scott Lane, Beacon Arts Building/1019 West Projects Manager –
Scott Lane is responsible for the creation, development, and leasing of Highwood Properties’ Beacon Arts Building and 1019 West projects. A graduate of the University of Southern California (USC) School of Business, with graduate studies at the Annenberg School of Communications at USC, Lane has over twenty-eight years of commercial retail real estate experience in California, the Pacific Northwest, and Southeast United States. His professional background includes corporate real estate positions with May Department Stores’ Payless Shoe Source, Burger King Corporation, La Mancha Development Corporation, and San Manuel Band of Mission Indians. Throughout his career, his contributions have resulted in the successful development of over one hundred thirty (130) shopping centers and commercial properties throughout California. He also served as Director of Synergy at Clear Channel Communications and Vice President of Business Affairs/Partner of Intercomcon LLC, a broadcast media consulting company.

Beacon Arts Building (photo credit: Dave Teel Photography)

Our goal is to serve as a catalyst for compelling experiences that engage the hearts and minds of Los Angeles art audiences. With that objective in mind, we are embracing smart, risk-taking curators and artists with new perspectives and fresh ideas. – Renée Fox, Beacon Arts Creative Director

BEACON ARTS BUILDING 808 N. La Brea Ave. Inglewood, CA  90302
1019 WEST 1019 W. Manchester Blvd, Inglewood CA 90301

http://beaconartsbuilding.com/