Though ”Yayoi Kusama: Infinity Mirrors” may be the talk of the local museum world right now, it’s not the only cultural must-see along Downtown’s Grand Avenue.
In fact, on Saturday, November 4, eleven organizations and institutions in the area will celebrate their home atop Bunker Hill with free admission, performances, exhibitions and tours. It’s all part of Grand Ave Arts: All Access, a culture-filled afternoon that takes place on Grand between Temple and Third Streets, with the exception of the Central Library two blocks down the hill.
If you’re planning on visiting Grand Ave Arts: All Access, here’s what you need to see:
The Broad will lead pop-up tours (11am–5pm) of Couleur Additive, artist Carlos Cruz-Diez’s colorful crosswalk makeover on the corner of 2nd Street. Admission to the museum, as always, is free, but be prepared for the extra crowds.
The Colburn School will host tap dance, choir and orchestral performances throughout the day in its outdoor plaza and indoor halls. You can take over as maestro and conduct a small orchestra outside (12:30–1:30pm). In addition, the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra presents MusicBox (1:30–3:30pm), a private performance just for you.
MOCA has dropped its admission fee for the day so you can explore “Anna Maria Maiolino” as well as outdoor DJ sets, a mobile video booth and a sidewalk sale from the gift shop.
The Walt Disney Concert Hall will host a conversation with resident artist-collaborator Yuval Sharon (11am) about the upcoming War of the Worlds performance, as well as a kid-friendly instrument “petting zoo” (11:30am–1:30pm) and a ticket giveaway to see the Los Angeles Master Chorale. In the back of the building, REDCAT will offer curator-led tours (noon, 4pm) of “The Words of Others: León Ferrari and Rhetoric in Times of War,” a solo exhibition of works by Argentine artist León Ferrari. In the font, you’ll find an assortment of Smorgasburg-approved food trucks.
The Music Center campus will lead tours of its venues on the half hour and host family-friendly crafts and a DJ on its central plaza (11am–3pm). At the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, the L.A. Opera’s young performers will take the stage (noon, 2pm), with backstage tours in between (11am, 1pm, 3pm). In addition, Centre Theatre Group will provide kid-approved crafts (11am–2pm) and a prize wheel (11am–2pm) at the Mark Taper Forum and Ahmanson Theatre.
Grand Park will host a library-led scavenger hunt as well as tours (noon, 2pm, 4pm) of its Day of the Dead altars. Tours meet on the Grand Park stairs on Grand Avenue between Temple and 1st Street.
The Los Angeles Central Library will lead tours of its “PST: LA/LA” exhibition, “Visualizing Language: Oaxaca in L.A.” (1–5pm, 2nd floor) as well as tours of the building (11am, 2pm) and of Maguire Gardens (12:30pm), both of which meet at the Library Store.
Grand Ave Arts: All Access runs from 11am to 5pm on Saturday, and though paid parking is plentiful in that area, we highly suggest taking Metro to the Civic Center/Grand Park station.