Roll Up Long Beach is a new art collective throwing a multi –media party of creative types bonded together by two things: their love of their city and a desire to add cultural relevance to a town often overlooked by neighboring giants, Los Angeles and Orange counties.
This Saturday from 7 p.m. to 1 a.m., Roll Up Long Beach will combine many different aspects of artistic culture with live music from Thinking Aloud and Summer Darling along with deejay sets by Frankie Alvaro and Relapse. On the more traditionally artistic side of things, RU will showcase works by Carin Gross, Erin J. Regan, and many more. The event will be held at Jet Studios, located at 811 E. 7th Street.
Frustrated by the lack of cohesion between the various artist communities that call Long Beach home, RULB is striving to create a literal and metaphorical hub where ideas and people come together and make their dreams a reality. This “guinea pig” event, which will either make or break a future for the hopeful organization, was masterminded by a group of six Long Beach residents who grew tired with the lack of attention given to the vast array of talent hiding in the nooks and crannies of this city. In the RU’s mission statement, their purpose is clear:
We embrace the fact that Long Beach has always been home to artists who shun the glitz and glamour to the north and the character-less facade to the south. The problem is this mentality has created bedroom artists – those who produce amazing works that are not seen by the masses. It’s our goal to change that.
RU was founded by Erin J. Regan and Ryan Ritchie, two Long Beach residents with a passion for the arts and a yearning desire to bring together all that makes Long Beach diverse. After one night of bonding at Clancy’s, the rest of the team was formed and has been holding meetings every Tuesday for the past five months in order to see this big idea come to life.
“RULB is not and never will be a one-trick pony,” Ryan Ritchie said in a recent press release, “We favor a kaleidoscope approach that centers of the blending of ideas and constant reinvention. From this, we will not only showcase Long Beach’s cultural assets, but the possibility for collaboration between talented people is endless.”
The plans for RULB were truly given structure when sponsors became involved and generously donated free services. The Downtown Long Beach Associates have provided grants for fliers and posters and the Redevelopment Agency is helping with parking at the Museum of Latin American Art and surrounding areas.
Above all else, the main motivation for the project is to create a movement that will inspire collaborations between all the subcultures in Long Beach.
“There is a cross-cultural element in Long Beach,” Regan said. “All the different groups tend to keep to themselves and we want to bring them all together to create something interesting and vibrant.”
After Saturday, RU has officially been put in motion. The organization has their eyes set on sponsorships from local businesses to promote their endeavors, a monthly table at the Second Saturday Art walk featuring artists in upcoming shows and endless promotion. It won’t take long before RULB is more than a local gathering point. The group also hopes to start a non-profit organization that will help put on more events, but right now they just want to break even!
“We love our city and its inhabitants, but our world does not begin at the port and end at the 91 freeway,” Ritchie said. “With intense commitment from our members and the proper amount of promotion, our events will draw like-minded individuals away from Los Angeles and Orange County and into downtown Long Beach. The result is beneficial for everyone involved, particularly the city itself.”
Entry is $ 5 or free with MTA train ticket stamped with April 11 date.
For more information or to submit your art, visit RULongbeach.com.
Jenny DuBois is a contributing news reporter and current journalism student at Long Beach City College.
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