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History

Patricio Morales performs inside rafa esparza’s i have never been here before, 2015. Courtesy the artist and LACE. Photo by Chris Wormald.

MISSION

LACE champions artists, curators, and cultural workers who explore and defy boundaries through socially-engaged projects. We provide platforms within and beyond our space for diverse communities to connect deeply with challenging contemporary art. 

HISTORY
Founded in 1978 by a core group of committed artists, LACE is an internationally recognized pioneer among art institutions. LACE is a nonprofit venue that exhibits and advocates for innovations in art-making and public engagement. Uniquely positioned among commercial galleries and major art establishments at the heart of Hollywood as a free, open to the public experimental space, LACE has nurtured not only several generations of young artists, but also emerging art forms such as performance art, video art, digital art, and installations. LACE presents significant and timely exhibitions, performances, and public projects, which are complemented by education initiatives.

The thirteen founding artists of LACE were Sarah Parker; Bill Fisher; Robert Gil de Montes; Harry Gamboa, Jr.; Gronk; Richard Hyland; Joe Janusz; Marlyn Kemppanien; Ron Reeder; Alexander Sauer; Barry Scharf; David Scharf; and Nancy Youdelman.

LACE’s core values have remained the same since its founding in 1978:

A dedication to the art of our time that focuses on freedom of expression; experimentation with ideas, materials, and new forms; and content that is challenging and socially engaging

Mike Kelley
Mike Kelley, part of the performance festival “Public Spirit: Live Art L.A.” 1980

In nearly 50 years of consistent, high quality programming, LACE has presented the work of more than 5,000 artists in 3,000 programs and events, providing the impetus for dialogue about contemporary art and culture. Some of today’s most influential figures who received early support from LACE include Mike Kelley, John Baldessari, Bill Viola, Adrian Piper and Gronk. LACE has consistently given voice to the visions of Los Angeles’ diverse makers and curators, offering a 3,500 sq. foot gallery storefront space facing Hollywood Blvd., intimate programming in a 350 sq. ft. Project Room gallery and an ongoing educational series of online videos targeted to a broad public. Visitors come from all over the U.S. and the world.

SUPPORT AND PARTNERS
Major funders such as the Getty and Warhol Foundations have invested in LACE for major presentations. LACE is deeply rooted in and embedded in the arts culture of Southern California. Apprentices who are trained in all aspects of arts administration come from UCLA, the Cal States, USC, Occidental, the Claremont Colleges, CalArts, Otis, and more. LACE has partnerships with diverse organizations such as Hollywood Business Improvement District, Heidi Duckler Dance Company, Southern California Institute of Architecture, Metabolic Studio, LGBT Center, My Friends Place, ArtworxLA, Yucca Corridor Coalition of Property Owners and Managers, Metropolitan Water District, and Hollywood High School.

Patrisse Cullors, Knots, performance as part of unraveling collective forms at LACE, 2018. Courtesy of the artist.

WHY HOLLYWOOD?
LACE relocated to Hollywood in 1993 with the assistance of the CRA, and has served as a cultural anchor on Hollywood Blvd. for more than 20 years. With neighboring Woodbury University’s architecture gallery and the Cupcake Theater, Hollywood Boulevard’s cultural nexus attracts those who visit bars, restaurants, theaters, and shops. It is also an amenity for residents in the new Metro station apartment complexes. As the arts scene in Hollywood develops, this strength will continue to impact the economic development of the Boulevard.

AUDIENCES AND COMMUNITY PROJECTS
While the contemporary art community in Los Angeles has grown and expanded over the years, LACE plays a unique role in the L.A. art scene. Without the constraints of a commercial gallery, LACE is free to serve as venue for the incubation of and discourse on emerging and experimental works.  LACE maintains long-term relationships with a community of artists who value the support of its staff and interns. More than a venue in which to hold exhibitions or events, LACE is a partner in highlighting a diverse array of works and ideas for the public, including those from outside the traditional art world.

The L.A. art community is an essential audience since the abundance of art schools and cultural and entertainment climate are a huge attractor to the region. LACE is a gathering place central to creative life. Hundreds of people participate in exhibition openings and panel discussions. LACE is committed to creating online content in support of artists and artistic dialogue but the physical community gatherings are key to its success.

In addition to the artists and members of the cultural community that seek out LACE for its programs, the gallery’s accessible and free-to-the-public storefront location attracts business travelers and tourists as well as a growing group of Angelenos that live nearby.

Many spaces claim to be artist-centered – LACE fulfills that goal through offering artists and curators a real partnership for experimental work that will be shared with a large and significant audience. In addition to exhibitions, LACE supports artist development and builds community through educational events like Creative Capital Workshops and the Sustainability Network, and partnerships with organizations like ArtworxLA and PEN USA.

LACE was an early proponent of “Public Practice” projects. The tradition has continued with recent exhibitions such as After the Aqueduct, which explored Los Angeles’ water source; and Cocina Abierta Collective’s Help Wanted project, which exposed the lives of L.A.’s restaurant workers. Ongoing public practice projects include Chats About Change, a series that helps define what it means to be an L.A. artist committed to exploring the political and social arena of art making and communication.

Visit

TEMPORARY OFFICE LOCATION
6464 Sunset Blvd.
Ste. 1070
Los Angeles, CA, 90028

tel: 1(323)250-0940
info@welcometolace.org

LACE recognizes our presence on Tovaangar, the unceded ancestral lands of the Gabrielino-Tongva people who are its rightful caretakers.

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News

LACE’s Lightning Fund Opens August 15, 2025!

PRESS RELEASE: Announcing LACE’s Next Emerging Curators

Announcing the 2025 Lightning Fund and Jacki Apple Awards

More News

LACE (Los Angeles Contemporary Exhibitions)

welcometolace

This Saturday, the LACE Screening Room presents, “Obsidian Reflections” from 2–5 PM at the Philosophical Research Society (@philosophical_research_society).

This film program is followed by a musical performance with multimedia NeoCumbia artist El Keamo (@el_keamo). El Keamo is the alias of Alfredo González-Martínez, a first-generation Mexican-American multimedia artist from Reseda, California. With an innovative blend of cumbia sonidera, tribal, house, and acid genres, El Keamo’s Neocumbia project is a modern interpretation of traditional Latin rhythms fused with electronic synthesis, creating a unique sound that is both familiar and boldly avant-garde.

This event is FREE and you can RSVP at the link in our bio!

Video courtesy El Keamo.
You can now watch all the performances from "ENDUR You can now watch all the performances from "ENDURANCE" on the LACE website as part of our digital archive! 

"ENDURANCE" presented performance art and interdisciplinary work by elder artists. These artists use their practices to share wisdom, knowledge, and experiences that they have gained throughout their lives. This series is a companion program to LACE’s 2024 performance series, "ABUNDANCE," both featuring often invisibilized bodies.

This program was held at L.A. Dance Project from May 16–17, 2025.

The online presentation of "ENDURANCE" is supported by the Department of Cultural Affairs, City of Los Angeles (@culture_la).

Photos by Angel Origgi (@angeloriggi)

Image Captions in order:
Sheree Rose, "The Most Dangerous Woman in America!" (2025)
Sharon Kagan, "...and then this happened..." (2025)
Anna Homler, Jeff Schwartz, and David Javelosa, "VOE Variations" (2025)
Awilda Sterling-Duprey, "Makandal es la consigna / Makandal Is the Call to Action" (2025)
Juanita and Juan (Alice Bag and Kid Congo Powers) (2025)
Oguri, "Dance Emerges, Out of Time, with unforgettable ancestors and friends" (2025)
Gloria Enedina Álvarez accompanied by Greg Hernandez (2025)
Construction for LACE’s new home is in full swin Construction for LACE’s new home is in full swing — we’re one step closer to unveiling an exciting new chapter. Stay tuned…🚜

Slide 2 (left to right), LACE Team: Johnny Young, Ida Tongkumvong, Fiona Crary, Selene Preciado, Sarah Russin
Slide 3 (left to right), LACE Fellow & Getty Interns: Becca Choe, Camilla Caldwell, Jada Wong
On Saturday, August 2 from 2–7pm, join LACE for On Saturday, August 2 from 2–7pm, join LACE for this year's Artists’ Film International (AFI'25) at the Philosophical Research Society (@philosophical_research_society).

This touring film program is collectively curated and presented by 16 international arts organizations and convened by Forma (@formaartsmedia). AFI’25 introduces the work of talented moving image artists to worldwide audiences, and will be live over 300 days, with exhibitions, screenings and public programs hosted across 4 continents.

LACE’s selection for AFI’25 is "Leymusoom Garden: New Sun" (2024) by Heesoo Kwon (@leymusoom). Kwon’s oneiric visual language and unique animation style allow her to create memoryscapes of personal and community liberation. The film rewrites mythical matrilineal histories through utopian and whimsical abstractions of time, space, and memory to ultimately bring forth healing and transformation. 

Admission is free! RSVP at the link in our bio.

Image caption:
Still from Heesoo Kwon, Leymusoom Garden: New Sun, 2024. Courtesy the artist
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