Downtown L.A.'s Annual Free Event Highlights The Rich Arts & Culture Of Grand Avenue

Grand Ave Arts: All Access, the fourth annual, one-day, free community event, returns on Saturday, November 3, 2018, from 11:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m. with a diverse program of family-friendly activities, interactive workshops and tours that highlight and offer access to the world-class arts and cultural organizations on Grand Avenue between Temple and 6th Streets.

Grand Ave Arts: All Access is a collaborative, community-inspired endeavor initiated by participating arts institutions to celebrate their commitment to the cultural landscape of Los Angeles and its many communities, and to spotlight the world-class architecture and programming that define the Grand Avenue corridor and Los Angeles' cultural center.

The range and scope of events taking place underscore the diversity and breadth of museums, performing arts organizations, theatres, schools, institutions and public venues within a five-block area of Downtown Los Angeles. Events include live music performances, docent-led architectural tours, family-friendly readings and films, educational opportunities, scavenger hunts, exhibition tours, craft-making activities and free open-house access to many of the participating institutions. Collaboration on this scale between arts institutions is unique and unrivaled nationwide, exemplifying the spirit of the Los Angeles arts community to collaborate and share through such a broad civic platform.

"Los Angeles is home to a world-class arts scene that welcomes talent from around the world and encourages artistic expression and Grand Avenue is at the heart of it all," said Rachel Moore, president and CEO of The Music Center. "With Grand Ave Arts: All Access, the arts and cultural institutions along the avenue invite Angelenos to enjoy the extraordinary experiences offered free to visitors of all ages and interests as part of this popular daylong celebration," she added.

On Saturday, November 3, Grand Avenue will be adorned with colorful balloons and signage to help guide visitors as they enjoy Grand Ave Arts: All Access programming at each institution:

The Broad's Visitor Services Associates will offer a family-friendly scavenger hunt amid the 2,000 works of art in the Broad collection, as well as pop-up gallery talks throughout the day. First-come, first-served, free general admission access to the museum will also be available via the onsite standby line.

The Los Angeles Central Library will host a sugar skull workshop that will invite children and adults alike to discover the significance behind this iconic symbol of Día de los Muertos celebrations from 2:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. The free workshop is open to all ages. Guests are also invited to attend docent-led tours of this Downtown Los Angeles landmark and architectural marvel at 11:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m.

Colburn School is presenting Grand Ave Arts: All Access guests with a daylong schedule of interactive demonstrations and behind-the-scenes access to rehearsals The day's programming kicks off with a surprise 'Interactive Performance' on Colburn's South Plaza from 11:00 a.m. - noon. Guests can step up to the podium and lead a small chamber orchestra as the maestro in the South Plaza Tent from 12:30 p.m. - 1:30 p.m. No experience is necessary. In Thayer Hall, from 2:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m., Colburn invites guests of all talent levels to sing along with singer and educator Leeav Sofer, and from 3:00 p.m. - 3:45 p.m., members of the Community School Concert Choir share an open rehearsal with Grand Avenue guests in Mayman Hall.

Grand Park, in partnership with Self-Help Graphics & Art and LORE Media & Art, presents Grand Park's Downtown Día De Los Muertos: Altars + Art throughout the entire day. The exhibit includes 50 altars and art installations created exclusively for the event by local Los Angeles artists and community groups. This year, each installation reflects the theme Looking to the Past to Build the Future. While the exhibit is open all day, guests are invited to join community artists on special guided tours of the exhibit and altar-making and Aztec dance workshops from 11:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. Tours begin at the Grand Park stairs on Grand Avenue between Temple and 1st Street.

Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra and Grand Performances collaborate to present a free showcase of its musicians, its community partners and the four Fellows of The Los Angeles Orchestra Fellowship on Saturday, November 3, 2018, as part of Grand Ave Arts All Access, a festival set in the city's epicenter for the arts. Sharing Grand Performances' stage from 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. are Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra Quartet, Street Symphony, American Youth Symphony, Trans Chorus of Los Angeles, Inner City Youth Orchestra of Los Angeles, and violinist Sydney Adedamola, violinist Ayrton Pisco, violist Bradley Parrimore and cellist Juan-Salvador Carrasco, the LA Orchestra Fellows. The showcase also features crafts for children and the opportunity for Angelenos to celebrate collaboration and the power of music to unite. The LACO/Grand Performances showcase takes place at the Spiral Court, 300 South Grand Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90012.

Grand Performances and LA Chamber Orchestra have teamed up to host an unprecedented day of music, crafts and fun for all ages on the Grand Performances stage in Cal Plaza from 11:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. Attendees will witness an intimate concert experience by LA Chamber Orchestra with music from classical and contemporary composers alike highlighted in this unique outdoor venue.

LA Opera invites attendees to experience all the different art forms that go into the creation of an opera. Guests can enjoy a recital featuring members of the Domingo-Colburn-Stein Young Artist Program who will sing highlights from LA Opera's current season and everyone's favorite arias and duets from 12:15 p.m. - 1:00 p.m. in Stern Grand Hall at The Music Center's Dorothy Chandler Pavilion. Attendees are also invited on the LA Opera Backstage Tour where they will see demonstrations and hear experts describe the steps involved in creating an opera performance. Tours will be available on a first-come, first-served basis from 1:00 p.m.-3:00 p.m. Throughout the day; guests are also invited to partake in a unique self-guided scavenger hunt to discover clues and surprising finds hidden in plain sight at The Music Center's Dorothy Chandler Pavilion.

LA Phil returns to Grand Ave Arts: All Access will a plethora of family-friendly activities at The Music Center's Walt Disney Concert Hall. From noon-3:30 p.m., guests can experience the ever-popular instrument petting zoo in The Blue Ribbon Garden, participate in Toyota Symphonies for Youth: Music Workshops designed for kids 5-11 and their families and pay a visit to the outdoor Keck Auditorium for a music activity with an LA Phil teaching artist. Outside Walt Disney Concert Hall, attendees can find a selection of L.A.'s best food trucks, curated by Smorgasburg LA. Food will be available for purchase from 11:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.

MOCA offers all-day free admission to see MOCA's permanent collection and group exhibition One Day at a Time: Manny Farber and Termite Art. Guests can also enjoy MOCA Store's annual sidewalk sale and take home unique artistic souvenirs at discounted prices on the Sculpture Plaza. New this year, MOCA will host a free workshop for all from noon - 3:00 p.m., inviting visitors to experiment with creating wearable pieces of art out of flowers, images, and found objects.

The Music Center will host tours of its four world-renowned theatres-Walt Disney Concert Hall, Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, Mark Taper Forum and Ahmanson Theatre. Visitors can learn about the buildings' unique history, architectural insights and little-known facts that make these theatres home to the very best of the performing arts in Los Angeles. Tours of all four venues run from 11:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m., with Walt Disney Concert Hall tours running for an additional hour until 4:00 p.m. Attendees are also invited to attend family-friendly performances facilitated by The Music Center On Tour Artists in Stern Grand Hall of The Music Center's Dorothy Chandler Pavilion. A Touch of Classical will perform at 11:15 a.m. and North Wind Quintet will take the stage at 1:15 p.m. Guests can also enjoy a free interactive DIY workshop with Dr. Craig Woodson, who will lead children of all ages in making their own 'buzzing plucker' instrument.

REDCAT, CalArts' downtown center for contemporary arts, invites attendees to explore an exhibition of work by influential artist and filmmaker Morgan Fisher in The Gallery at REDCAT. Guided tours of the gallery will be available at noon and 2:00 p.m. Families are also encouraged to stop in from 11:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. to view a selection of short and animated films from the REDCAT International Children's Film Festival.

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