Skate or Draw Art Show Opening

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE SKATE OR DRAW ART EXHIBIT OPENING HEART OF LOS ANGELES (HOLA) ART STUDENTS TO EXHIBIT MULTI-MEDIA WORK AT HOLA GALLERY Los Angeles, CA (July 13, 2011) – Heart of Los Angeles (HOLA) will host the opening of Skate or Draw, a multi-media art exhibit celebrating the work of underserved community youth artists from HOLA’s Visual Arts and Culture Program students. The opening will take place on Friday, August 5th, from 5:00 to 8:00 PM in HOLA’s Gallery. The Gallery is located in the Wilshire Royale, 2619 Wilshire Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA 90057 and is open from 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM Monday through Friday, or by appointment. Skate or Draw will run through September 30.

HOLA’s art students, ages 6-18, have been working for several months on pieces inspired by skateboard culture. Works have been created in a number of mediums, including photography, ceramics, painting, drawing, and mixed media. “I am very excited about this exhibit. Our students have been working really hard over the past couple of months, and I am so proud of the work they have produced,” said Nara Hernandez, HOLA’s Visual Arts Director. The students have spent many hours observing, sketching, and photographing activity at the now legendary skate plaza in Lafayette Par. The skate plaza was built with support from Carl’s Jr., DC Shoes, and professional skateboarder, actor, entrepeneur, producer, philanthropist, and reality TV star, Rob Drybek.

HOLA’s Visual Arts and Culture Program HOLA's Visual Arts and Culture Program encourages youth to channel their energy and emotion into creative endeavors in the visual arts, developing their powers of self-expression, instilling selfconfidence, and fueling their interest in learning.

HOLA's Visual Arts and Culture Program provides quality programming to inner-city youth who have little or no access to such classes inside or outside of school. HOLA's facilities include three art studios, a fine arts library, music rooms, and a dance studio. Over 100 art classes are offered annually to at-risk youth who are taught byHOLA's by professional art instructors, college professors and passionate volunteer artists who combine their efforts to provide intensive arts education. Current class offerings include ceramics, drawing, painting, sculpture, comic book drawing and print making.

Each year, over 150 youth participate in the Visual Arts and Culture Program.

Heart of Los Angeles (HOLA) For more than two decades, HOLA has provided thousands of underserved and at-risk youth with exceptional free after-school programs in academics, arts and athletics, including a new world-class youth orchestra program, visual arts program, college preparation courses and athletic leagues.

HOLA provides elementary, middle and high school programming for a growing population of children who are in urgent need of supplemental services. Every day, HOLA empowers inner city youth to advance their lives and revitalize their communities through enrichment, personal development, and leadership programs. For additional information, please contact Lee Schube, (213) 389-1148 or lschube@heartofla.org, and/or visit the website at www.heartofla.org. ###