As angry protestors across the country demand an end to police brutality, nationally syndicated African-American cartoonist Keith Knight has increasingly become a sought-after speaker on U.S. race relations, a frequent topic in his storytelling cartoons. Knight, the creator of three comic strips, The Knight Life, The K Chronicles, and (th)ink, is scheduled for a number of U.S. speaking engagements in 2015, including a special guest presentation on police brutality at the inaugural Black Comix Arts Festival in January and a civil rights panel discussion at the California School Library Association Conference in February. In his provocative speaking engagements, a unique blend of lecture, activism, and comedy, Knight addresses issues of race, politics, media, censorship, and the importance of social activism.  Read the rest of this entry »

Bezerk Productions and Highways Performance Space present Melody of Chaos, an evening of free-spirited and psychologically intense visual and performing art, on Saturday, January 17, 2015. The event features the work of Linda Carmella Sibio, who was diagnosed with schizophrenia in 1977 and is known for her cathartic performance and visual art that explores madness and creativity. The evening will start with an original new performance piece by Sibio, “Human-Pig Hybrid.” The work is a nonlinear exploration that juxtaposes cultural notions of “the pig” with mental illness. The night also features a performance by the Spontaneous Combustion Choir, conducted by O-Lan Jones. Read the rest of this entry »

Nationally syndicated African-American cartoonist Keith Knight has become a sought-after speaker on complex social and political situations through the perceptive and hilarious lens of his storytelling cartoons at college campuses, conventions, festivals, and fundraisers across the US and beyond. Knight has been tapped to tour five German universities, in November 2014, for a series of provocative comic strip slide show presentations, They Shoot Black People Don’t They?, on the topic of police brutality in the US. Knight is the creator of three comic strips, The Knight Life, The K Chronicles, and (th)ink. Read the rest of this entry »

Théâtre Raymond Kabbaz is pleased to present 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, a steampunk-inspired puppet theatre performance based on the classic 19th century Jules Verne science fiction novel by Portland-based Tears of Joy Theatre, on Wednesday, November 19, 2014. The story investigates a wave of mysterious sinkings encountered by the advanced submarine, the Nautilus, commanded by Captain Nemo. Tears of Joy’s 60-minute performance is full of fun, with humor for adults as well as children (ages 4+) to enjoy. Read the rest of this entry »

Local creative organizer Wyatt Closs, visual street artist Patrick Martinez, and fashion photographer Colin Young-Wolff have joined forces in an artful call to action, Embrace Your Power, Embrace Our Communities, to promote voting in Los Angeles.  Particularly aimed at young people and disaffected communities who are apathetic about voting, the campaign centers on a neon artwork with text that urges passersby to “Embrace Your Power.” The sign, a whimsical play on neon palm reader signage, was positioned and documented in diverse communities around Los Angeles; the resulting images and videos are being distributed online through a variety of social media platforms to serve as a catalyst for political action.

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Pasadena Arts Council (PAC) is proud to announce AxS Festival 2014 | Curiosity, in diverse venues throughout the greater Pasadena area from Friday, September 19, 2014, through Sunday, October 5, 2014. AxS [ak-sis], produced by Pasadena Arts Council in partnership with numerous Pasadena arts and science institutions, is a two-week+ citywide festival spanning three weekends that explores the nexus of artistic and scientific inquiry, promoting experimentation and cross-fertilization between these disciplines. Programming is saturated with innovative visual art, theatre, dance, music, photography, history, science, literature, film, and architecture. The 2014 theme, Curiosity, was inspired by the NASA/Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL)-built Mars Rover, “Curiosity,” which is currently exploring the Martian surface some 50 million miles above us. The goal for the festival is to create audience experiences that bridge the boundary between art and science. Many events are free.  Read the rest of this entry »

Los Angeles-based arts and culture promoter Green Galactic is proud to offer its first-ever class, Marketing, Promotion & PR Basics for Emerging Cultural Creatives, through Trade School LA on Saturday, September 27, 2014, from 2:00pm to 6:00pm. Green Galactic instructors, Founder Lynn Tejada and Marketing Consultant Charlene Boehne, will guide participants through an introduction to marketing and promotion, with a particular focus on public relations and online marketing. The four-hour class has been developed with the needs of emerging visual artists, musicians, filmmakers, playwrights, chefs, choreographers, community space/event organizers, and other creative folks in mind. Read the rest of this entry »

Overtone Industries, a celebrated force in the evolution of contemporary music theatre and experimental opera, will share the stage at REDCAT, CalArt’s downtown center for contemporary arts, with two other Los Angeles-based arts organizations during the kick-off weekend of the New Original Works Festival 2014 (NOW Festival), Thursday, July 24, through Saturday, July 26, 2014. Overtone Industries will present the first glimpse of ICELAND, a new multidisciplinary work, written, composed, and directed by O-Lan Jones in collaboration with critically acclaimed singer-songwriter Emmett Tinley. The production will feature a fourteen-member cast, with two soloists, a twelve-member choir, and a chamber orchestra. ICELAND is a modern love story, set in a mythical and timeless world, where elemental forces and ancient creatures challenge the hero and heroine on an archetypal journey.  Read the rest of this entry »

Grand Performances announces its 28th annual season with a line-up full of fan favorites, new musical obsessions, and events at the gorgeous California Plaza under the spectacular Downtown Los Angeles skyline. Starting Friday, June 13, 2014 and running through Saturday, September 13, 2014, the Grand Performances 2014 Summer Concert Series brings artists and audiences together for an array of music, dance, film, and spoken word featuring performers from around the globe and the streets of Los Angeles. Every show is free; no advanced reservations are required.  Read the rest of this entry »

Arts organization Create:Fixate (C:F) presents Serendipity on Saturday, May 17, 2014 at Lot 613 in Downtown Los Angeles. For over a decade, C:F has established its unique signature blend of presenting vibrant visual art and music in an immersive cultural experience. These one-night-only events feature top emerging talent from around the globe, with an emphasis on the local talent of Los Angeles. The excitement begins at 4:00pm with a three-hour gallery preview. The main event starts at 7:00pm and closes at 2:00am. Admission is $15.00 before 9:00pm and $20.00 for the remainder of the night.

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