Tonight at 7:00 p.m., Community philanthropist Michael C. Wiley, Logan Crow of Long Beach Cinematheque, and Karen Reside, Principal of Reside & Associates will announce the establishment of the Cultural Alliance of Long Beach and the creation of the Cultural Alliance of Long Beach Art Center. The meeting will be held at the Hellada Art Center at 117 Linden Avenue and is open to the general public.
The mission of the Cultural Alliance of Long Beach is to support working artists in all artistic disciplines and connect them with the public in Long Beach, California through innovative collaborations, dialogues, promotions, and education in a cutting-edge art environment.
“The creation of this art center will establish the North Pine Area as an art hub,” said Michael Wiley. “It will bring together artists of all ages and all disciplines in a creative environment to further expand the city’s reputation as an arts destination.”
“I’m very excited to be working with the CALB team,” said Logan, “identifying and addressing Long Beach artists’ dreams, perceived limitations, and needs. One of the things I love about cinema is that a film is a mixed media collaboration – writers, musicians, cinematographers, fashion designers, set designers, and countless other creatives speaking to their respective crafts.
“I would love to see a local arts scene,” Crow continued, “that operates in much the same capacity – a community of creatives working passionately in the media that inspires them, collaborating and supporting each other to build up the Long Beach community as a work of art unto itself – a vibrant community teeming with visionary minds who are actively engaging in creative works, and who feel they are doing so in a community that appreciates and supports their needs and their vision.”
Included in the project will be shared artist office space, an art gallery, a dance studio, meeting space and shared artist studios. Classes will be offered in a variety of art disciplines for all ages and collaborative grant opportunities will be available. The MADhaus at 624 Pacific Avenue will be a part of the project as performance space for visual, performing, and digital artists who affiliate with the Art Center.
“When I was a child,” said Reside, “the arts gave me confidence, a sense of wonder, and a sense of self. Out of that gift, and by watching the Artist/Creative community struggle to move the arts forward for years in Long Beach, I want to give back to the artistic/creative community. It is time to have artists and creatives move the arts forward and to value their contributions to our community.
“I think it is very sad,” Reside mused, “that local artists have to go to Los Angeles to sell their works or move out of Long Beach to survive. We have the resources within our community to be a vibrant art center in California and the world.”
“For years,” said Wylie, “I have been looking down on North Pine from the top floor of my family’s 17-story senior housing project and dreaming of the day that I would see beauty in the form of a true renaissance of places and spaces. While taking up the challenge of trying to figure out what to do with the historic and unique structures owned by my family’s non profit, there has been a great struggle between profit and passion. Today, we are moving in the right direction with a concept that has many benefits for the community.
Having grown up in a family that celebrates and supports the arts,” Wylie continued, “I have dreamed of how we can turn almost 50,000 square feet of indoor and outdoor space in to something that would make people say ‘Ah!!! That’s cool!!’
“Additionally,” concluded Wylie, “as the third generation to run my family’s non-profit, I want to leave a legacy that improves the community, not only for our residence at Park Pacific Tower, but for the City of Long Beach as well, by providing active streets engaged in education, with opportunities for personal expression and urban renewal, while respecting the past history of some the oldest structures in the City. (The home, located at 644 Pacific Ave, was built in 1887) My hope for CALB is that it will support artists big and small, young and old, rich and poor!! It comes down to one word: ‘community.'”
Come meet the CALB team tonight at 7 PM at Hellada, which is located on the West side of Linden between 1st Street and Broadway.