Downey Art Vibe

10/24/2015

Some people continually perceive that our city is on a down swing, a Warren High School student says otherwise.

"The mural is both a memory, and an exciting preview. This is only the beginning, and although Downey is taking on a new aesthetic, it will never change what truly has made this city what it is, its caring community, and the kids who grew up in the city painted on Downey Avenue are eager to see and be part of what is to come."

One brief look, and I am immediately flooded with memories of my childhood. Stitched together before me is my hometown as I remember it. I see the YMCA, where I spent my summers learning to swim; Del Rio Lanes, where so many of my classmates celebrated their eighth birthday, cosmic bowling style. I…

09/01/2015

Did you know? Creative placemaking work can tackle a variety of community issues beyond improving the aesthetics of a place. The Illuminating Trinity project led by Providence Art Culture Tourism will develop physical and programmatic approaches in response to public safety concerns in the Trinity Square neighborhood of Providence, RI. Check out their page on our website to learn more about this unique undertaking!

Trinity Square is a neighborhood gateway that connects downtown Providence, RI to one of the most diverse neighborhoods in the city. At the center...

08/31/2015

Today, President Barack Obama announced the Community Development Investments—$18 million for six organizations across the country to integrate arts and culture into their community planning and development work. Such an exciting way to kick-off this new program that will engage the full range of community development priorities, including community resiliency, economic development, housing, open space, public health, and youth opportunity!

Today we announced an $18 million investment in six place-based organizations around the country to incorporate arts & culture into their community development work. In this post, our Deputy Director and Community Development Investments Program Manager Lyz Crane reflects on the moment.

07/25/2015

What makes a smart city really smart? Arts and culture add a sense of place. Identity. History. Imagination. Civic pride. These characteristics are what make a city a desirable place to live, work and visit.

Arts and culture form the very fabric of a community and are the characteristics that encourage engagement, foster human interaction and make a community...

06/18/2015

Food vendors bring positive activity to the street and add a festive, people-oriented feel that improves public safety.

Leaders in L.A. have long considered legalizing street vending but have yet to pass an ordinance. Pasadena and Santa Ana have had limited policies for years.

06/12/2015

"In coloring, you've got this physical sensation of the tool you're using touching on the paper. You also have the feeling in your hands and fingers holding this tool, and moving in different rhythms as you fill in the space. You're being mindful, and when you move in a rhythmic fashion for an extended period of time, that becomes a meditation."

Coloring for adults is an activity surging in popularity. Commentator Barbara J. King discovers that coloring engages her senses, even easing, a bit, her grief at the loss of a parent.

06/11/2015

Unlock the door with the key of imagination. Beyond it is another dimension - a dimension of sound, a dimension of sight, a dimension of mind. You're moving into a land of both shadow and substance, of things and ideas. You've just crossed over into the Twilight Zone.

Great performance last night. Congratulations to Warren High's Drama Department for the wonderful year!

05/23/2015

Today, the inaugural ’Steam Festival’ was hosted by Downey Federal Credit Union and organized by students from both Downey and Warren High Schools to inspire the next generation of inventors in science, technology, engineering, art, and math.

04/30/2015

Many cities are trying to activate—or re-activate—their alleys and make them human-scale places, sometimes with restaurants, retail and outdoor art.

This might just be the most desolate alley in Denver. Under the Evans Avenue Bridge and a stone's throw from the railroad tracks, this is an absolutely forgotten urban place, complete with the requisite tires, mattresses and beer bottles amidst the waist-high tumbleweeds.

04/04/2015

Stay Gallery Team giving presentation at Griffiths Elementary school. All middle schools will be participating in District-wide middle school art exhibition on April 30th. This will be one of 5 student exhibition during the next 2 months to celebrate the 'Stay Young' Initiative.
The Stay Young Initiative aims to prepare today's future for the 21st century by integrating the arts into current educational standards. By providing various avenues for the City of Downey to become the creative capital of Southeast Los Angeles County.

03/24/2015

When we think of good places to live, some pretty basic questions often come to mind.
Is there evidence of a community's capacity to be expressive, tell
its own story and control its own narrative?
Is there evidence that people are civically engaged and care about their community; that they are proud of it and feel like they belong?
Are there high performing schools?
Is there access to good jobs and commercial amenities?
Is there adequate open space?
Is the quality of public services good?
Does a community have cultural vitality and character?
Is it distinctive, special, or interesting?


Watch how Creative Placemaking Plays a Role in the Creative Economy.

The concept of "creative placemaking," the integration of a community's artistic and cultural assets in community planning and revitalization, is gaining momentum in places like Boyle Heights.