Venice Beach - home of the Spirit of Venice - world famous mecca for free expression

VENICE BEACH

World famous Mecca for free expression. A gathering place for artists, musicians, travelers, street entertainers, skaters, surfers, vendors and... the homeless. Once a hippie enclave of Los Angeles, Venice Beach has become an upscale bourgeois 'ghetto' for the new class of Hollywood 'yuppies' clawing their way to the top of the trendsetters totem pole. Rents have doubled (in some cases, tripled), henna has replaced hemp, the Pavilion has perished and the homeless all but vanished. It has been the home of The Benefit Network, on and off, since 1987 when we started out with an office/studio on Abbot Kinney Boulevard. We forged our identity in the face of ferocious opposition from the 'merchants of Venice', the City of L.A. and the L.A.P.D. (Pacific Division). We are remembered for Tent City on the Beach, Save Venice Pavilion Coalition, the Benefit Bus, protecting 1st Amendment Rights and our Every Day is Earth Day benefit concerts.

VENICE PAVILION 1960 - 2000

Venice Pavilion was demolished in April, 2000 as part of a long term 'gentrification' plan by the City of Los Angeles. It was built in 1960 as a recreational facility for the community of Venice and surrounding areas. Even

though many people considered it an eyesore and a bit of a 'white' elephant, it served the public well throughout the 60s

into the mid-70s . A moratorium was placed on its use in 1974 when someone was killed at one of the frequent outdoor rock concerts that took place in the Barbeque Pit.

We were able to lift the moratorium in 1989 when we obtained a permit from the City to produce a "Benefit For Humanity" event for the homeless in the Barbeque Pit. First, we had to enlist the help of Los Angeles ACLU attorney, Richard Solomon, who persuaded the City to lift the moratorium. As a result, we produced a series of concerts under the heading of "Every Day is Earth Day" starting with the 20th Anniversary of Earthday in April, 1990.

THE GRAFFITI PIT
We took photos of graffiti inside “the pit” at Venice Pavilion from 1989 to 1997, preserving the images for future generations. Like the tide, they would come and go with each new wave of artists. Now, since Venice Pavilion was demolished in 2000, they have become historic souvenirs of a passing era. Visit our Graffiti Gallery and pick your pics - prints are available upon request - proceeds to benefit The Benefit Network.