San Pedro Waterfront Arts District Paints More DOT Boxes

San Pedro Waterfront Arts District Paints More DOT Boxes

San Pedro, CA – The San Pedro Waterfront Arts District, in a partnership program of the San Pedro Chamber of Commerce and the CRA funded Arts, Culture, and Entertainment Committee, is proud to announce five more Department of Transportation (DOT) utility boxes have been painted on Harbor Boulevard, between 5^th and 7^th Streets.

The five artists were chosen from a field of 16 submissions by the Arts District Design Advisory Panel – a group of 10 artists, gallerists and arts administrators dedicated to promulgating quality public art in San Pedro. The selected theme is “Unexpected San Pedro.”

The Artists’ DOT Box locations and artists are:

Harbor and 5th (SE Corner, 2 boxes) – Miriam Jackson and Julie Bender
Harbor and 6th (NW Corner, 2 boxes) – Adrienne Wade and Kimberly Kohler
Harbor and 7^th (NE Corner) – Monte Thrasher

Each DOT Box will carry a sticker, equipped with a QR code tied to the Arts District web site, so visitors can read more about the artist’s intentions.

The San Pedro Waterfront Arts District is a new 501c3 non-profit organization with a six member, volunteer Board, an Advisory Council, and a ten member Design Advisory Panel to assist with public art related projects. The goals of the new Arts District are to:

cultivate new sustaining partnerships;
evolve from the accomplishments of the past;
leave a lasting legacy via public art projects;
generate new opportunities to support local arts, culture and entertainment;
fulfill our mission to nurture the cultural roots of San Pedro through arts advocacy, education and promotion.

In order to remain a viable organization, the Arts District is committed to raising funds for by applying for grants, soliciting for sponsorships and asking for community support. The challenge is to differentiate the Arts District goals and activities in a very crowded non-profit marketplace and to raise funds for more projects, along with the staff to manage them.

For more information, please visit: SanPedroWaterfrontArtsDistrict.com

About the San Pedro Waterfront Arts District: (www.sanpedrowaterfrontartsdistrict.com) – In 2009, the San Pedro Chamber of Commerce, the former CRA/LA and a group of local artists, restrateurs and arts organization leaders teamed to create the San Pedro ACE District. This organization developed an ACE Plan and implemented a five-year, funded economic strategy for historic downtown San Pedro, designed to put the arts first. Since then the ACE District Advisory Committee and the Chamber of Commerce, have developed more than fifty projects/collaborations providing more than $321,000 in grant funding to assist San Pedro artists, galleries and arts organizations.

The mission of the Arts District San Pedro Waterfront is to promote San Pedro’s authentic arts, culture and entertainment character, through Advocacy, Marketing and Education activities. This San Pedro Chamber of Commerce Partnership Organization is transitioning from the CRA funded San Pedro Arts Culture and Entertainment (ACE) District to an independent nonprofit group supporting the arts in San Pedro.

Our Partners:

San Pedro Chamber of Commerce – Originally in partnership with the former CRA/LA, now the San Pedro Chamber of Commerce and the San Pedro ACE District Advisory Committee administer the organization, planning and disbursement of remaining funding of a 5-year effort of the ACE District — to assist San Pedro-based artists and arts and cultural organizations to remain in the San Pedro Area and to implement the goals of the overall ACE District Plan:

Halt the loss of artists and art galleries brought about by rising rents.
Establish ways to make the area more business and permit-friendly to working artists, performing arts venues, art galleries, restaurants and merchants.
Preserve downtown San Pedro’s pedestrian-friendly and historic infrastructure.
Explore affordable artist-housing options.
Continue to build and promote San Pedro’s ACE District as a recognized and respected cultural destination

Clean San Pedro (www.cleansanpedro.net) is a grass roots organization formed to improve the environment and quality of life in San Pedro. The organization began with a group of life-long San Pedro residents, tired of the declining conditions of the downtown area getting together and cleaning Pacific Avenue on weekends. It was then realized with a concerted effort and consistent follow up cleaning, San Pedro could be transformed to the beautiful city it deserves to be. Clean San Pedro was formed as a 501C3 nonprofit corporation. CSP was created to provide a two-pronged attack to revitalize the area in San Pedro referred to as the Pacific Corridor. This effort would include a volunteer effort to assist in community clean ups backed by a more important effort of follow up, consisting of a full time cleaning crew policing the Pacific Corridor. Clean Pedro is valued partner of the Arts District by their willingness to prepare the DOT boxes by cleaning them, adding a primer coat and when the artists have completed painting, applying a graffiti coating.

Council District 15 (www.la15th.com) is a dynamic and diverse district, stretching from the picturesque Simon Rodia Towers in Watts to the historic Point Fermin Lighthouse on the cliffs of San Pedro and including the proud, thriving communities of Harbor City, Harbor Gateway, Watts and Wilmington. The residents, businesses and community groups of the 15th District are hard-working and focused on the City’s most important issues: improving City services in our neighborhoods, enhancing education and after-school programs for youth and ensuring public safety and quality of life for all who live, work and play in our beautiful district.

Arts District Accomplishments to date:

Formed a 501c3, nonprofit organization with new By-Laws, a revitalized Board and a mission focused on leaving a lasting legacy via public art projects.
Worked with the CD 15 Office and Clean San Pedro to sponsor 5 artists to paint DOT utility boxes on Pacific Avenue – the theme is “Unexpected Pedro.” The ACE Committee has encumbered funds to continue this project to have artists paint 5 more boxes in 2015, along Harbor Blvd.
Developed a new web site and social media platform
Organized a Design Advisory Panel – assists with public art choices and is comprised of visual artists, gallerists and arts professionals.
Planning a number of large Mural Projects – Working with a Segerstrom Teaching Artist on a community mural. Later in 2015, we are planning a second mural in the Lilyan Fierman Walkway. The LA Neighborhood Initiative, Clean San Pedro, the Segerstrom Center and Peninsula Family Wellness (representing the wall’s property owner) are willing collaborators.
Implementing various Arts Education efforts to engage the community – our first event was to screen the film Iron Giant, along with a panel discussion about the Art of Animation. The San Pedro International Film Festival (www.spiffest.org) and the Grand Vision Foundation (www.grandvision.org) partnered with the Arts District to produce this event.
Hired Managing Director, Linda Grimes for one year 2015 contract
Seeking Local Collaborators for Additional Projects/Funding