Los Angeles, CA. The Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA) hosted its 10th annual Art+Film Gala on November 6th, honoring artists Amy Sherald and Kehinde Wiley and filmmaker Steven Spielberg. The event, attended by more than 650 prominent guests from the art, film, and fashion industries, was co-chaired by LACMA trustees Eva Chow and Leonardo DiCaprio. Honorees Kevin Pemberton, Amy Sherald, Kate Capshaw, and honoree Steven Spielberg, were all wearing clothing by the event’s sponsor, Gucci. (Photo by Rich Fury/Getty Images for LACMA) This year’s event raised $5 million to support LACMA’s film initiatives, as well as future exhibitions, acquisitions, and programming. Returning once again as presenting sponsor of the Art+Film Gala, Gucci expanded its longstanding and generous partnership with the museum by supporting LACMA’s presentation of The Obama Portraits Tour and the companion exhibition Black American Portraits. Audi provided additional support for the gala for the third year.
Art+Film Gala Co-Chair Leonardo DiCaprio and honoree Steven Spielberg, both wearing Gucci, and Bob Iger (Photo by Stefanie Keenan/Getty Images for LACMA)
Diane Keaton and Serena Williams, both wearing Gucci, attend the 10th Annual LACMA ART+FILM GALA (Photo by Stefanie Keenan/Getty Images for LACMA)
Billie Eilish and Miley Cyrus, both wearing Gucci. Photo by Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty Images for LACMA)
Paris Hilton attends the 10th Annual LACMA ART+FILM GALA. (Photo by Stefanie Keenan/Getty Images for LACMA)
Chris Martin and Judd Apatow (Photo by Stefanie Keenan/Getty Images for LACMA)
Blackwell and Lil Nas X, both wearing Gucci, (Photo by Stefanie Keenan/Getty Images for LACMA)
Morgan Spector, Rebecca Hall, Sophie Hunter, and Benedict Cumberbatch, wearing Gucci, (Photo by Stefanie Keenan/Getty Images for LACMA)
Julia Carey and James Corden, both wearing Gucci, The Bullitts, Nicole Avant, and Ted Sarandos (Photo by Stefanie Keenan/Getty Images for LACMA)
Will Ferrell and Viveca Paulin (Photo by Donato Sardella/Getty Images for LACMA)
“It meant so much to honor Amy Sherald and Kehinde Wiley, both artists of extraordinary vision, as we welcomed their iconic portraits of Barack Obama and Michelle Obama to LACMA, alongside Steven Spielberg—one of the greatest artists of American cinema,” said Michael Govan, LACMA CEO, and Wallis Annenberg Director. “As co-chairs of the Art+Film Gala for 10 years, Eva Chow and Leonardo DiCaprio have made this such an important event for all the creative industries in Los Angeles, and I’m so appreciative of their dedication to the gala and the museum.”
The Obama portraits by Kehinde Wiley and Amy Sherald, at LACMA through January 2, 2022.
Art+Film Gala co-chair Eva Chow said, “I am delighted that the return of the Art+Film Gala was such a tremendous success. It was such a pleasure to recognize the creative achievements of all three of our honorees and to celebrate a decade of art and film at LACMA with our longstanding partner Gucci. I’m so grateful to Alessandro Michele, Marco Bizzari, and everyone at Gucci for their friendship and steadfast support, as well as to Celeste for giving us a spectacular performance that no one will soon forget.”
Renowned artists, distinguished guests, and luminaries from the art, film, fashion, music, and entertainment industries arrived at the Art+Film Gala’s red carpet adjacent to Chris Burden’s iconic Urban Light (2008) on Wilshire Boulevard. Guests then enjoyed a cocktail reception and a DJ set by the legendary D-Nice outdoors. Guests also visited the Resnick Pavilion to see two new exhibitions, The Obama Portraits Tour featuring paintings by honorees Kehinde Wiley and Amy Sherald, as well as Black American Portraits. Following cocktails, guests moved into the Art+Film pavilion overlooking Michael Heizer’s Levitated Mass (2012) for a special dinner—a collaboration between chef Joachim Splichal of Patina Restaurant Group and chef Mattia Agazzi of Gucci Osteria da Massimo Bottura in Beverly Hills. Recently awarded a Michelin Star, Gucci Osteria da Massimo Bottura Beverly Hills represents a culinary universe by interlacing the colors and flavors of Italy with its new Californian surroundings.
After Michael Govan and Eva Chow welcomed the crowd, Tracee Ellis Ross gave a tribute to honoree Amy Sherald. Ava DuVernay then gave a tribute to honoree Kehinde Wiley, which was followed by a short film about the artists by Christine Turner. Guillermo del Toro then presented a tribute to Steven Spielberg, and guests enjoyed a montage of the director’s films.
Following the dinner program, guests were invited back outside where Sienna Miller introduced the evening’s performer, Celeste, who delivered a captivating performance of soulful hits from her debut album “Not Your Muse.” Shabaka Hutchings and the Free Nationals shared the stage for her set, and Florence Welch joined Celeste for a special duet of the Marvin Gaye classic “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough.”
About LACMA: Located on the Pacific Rim, LACMA is the largest art museum in the western United States, with a collection of more than 147,000 objects that illuminate 6,000 years of artistic expression across the globe. Committed to showcasing a multitude of art histories, LACMA exhibits and interprets works of art from new and unexpected points of view that are informed by the region’s rich cultural heritage and diverse population. LACMA’s spirit of experimentation is reflected in its work with artists, technologists, and thought leaders as well as in its regional, national, and global partnerships to share collections and programs, create pioneering initiatives, and engage new audiences.
Culver City, CA. Adopt & Shop, a pet adoption nonprofit, is providing discounted pet wellness events each month. Most notably, it is hosting low cost vaccine and dental clinics. SNPLA‘s mobile vaccine clinic will be at Adopt & Shop on certain weekends from 10 AM to 2 PM. This month, it was held on the 10th and will be held again on the 24th. Appointments are not necessary, and licensing, microchips, vaccines, de-worming, and flea treatments are available for cats and dogs.
Online advertisement of the mobile vaccine clinic at Adopt & Shop, in partnership with the Spay Neuter Project of Los Angeles (SNPLA).
On the first Sunday of each month, Adopt & Shop is partnering with Smile Specialist to host a dental clinic. It takes place from 12 PM to 4 PM, and the appointments are approximately ten minutes each. Unlike the vaccine clinic, these appointments will have to be booked in advance. Pet owners can call Smile Specialist directly, or they can contact Adopt & Shop.
From Adopt & Shop:
Cat and dog vaccinations are vital to your pet’s health. Even if your pet is an indoor animal, it’s important that they are vaccinated. Vaccines help prevent mild illnesses, as well as potentially fatal diseases, such as rabies. We offer low-cost pet vaccinations to you to help promote the health of all pets.
Don’t forget that dental hygiene is an important part of your pet’s health. In-depth cleanings and tooth pulling under anesthesia are very expensive. Our non-anesthetic cat and dog dental cleanings are a great preventative measure to help keep your pet from needing invasive procedures. Pricey procedures can be a big deterrent for pet owners, but with our easy-on-the-wallet dental clinics, you can breathe easy and your pet can smile wide with their clean pearly whites. Keeping your pet’s teeth clean keeps them happy and healthy!
To learn more about the discounted vaccine and dental clinics, find information here.
Los Angeles, CA. As it’s been established for almost a century, the Hollywood Bowl is one of the most well-known performance venues in the city. Events have been canceled and postponed throughout the last year due to the coronavirus pandemic. But this summer, the Hollywood Bowl is opening back up, with restrictions to ensure the safety of its guests.
The Hollywood Bowl is known for its annual firework celebration on Independence Day. This year’s celebration is accompanied by Kool & the Gang, kicking off the first event available to the general public. The venue will be at 2/3 capacity, with the majority of tickets being given to those with proof of vaccination. Tickets for this performance are available for both July 3rd and July 4th.
Past July 4th Firework Spectacular at the Hollywood Bowl.
From the Hollywood Bowl:
Celebrate good times—and Independence Day—with the ultimate hitmakers, Kool & the Gang! The disco-funk greats bring the party to the Bowl for our annual Fourth of July Fireworks Spectacular, while Thomas Wilkins and the Hollywood Bowl Orchestra perform patriotic favorites. Get ready to get down on it!
For more information on the LA Philharmonic, and how you can support the Hollywood Bowl, visit their website. To learn more about the July 4th fireworks, find more information here.
Los Angeles, CA. The LA Opera announced its pandemic-related changes in the fall of 2020; this included postponing and canceling productions taking place during the 2020/21 season. But starting this month, the company hosted an audience for the first time since the coronavirus pandemic. Oedipus Rex, based on the ancient Greek tragedy with the same name, premiered on June 6th at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion. Audience members had to prove they were vaccinated or tested negative for COVID-19 to attend in person. And for those who could not make it, the LA Opera released an online version on June 17th. The show has a running time of 50 minutes, with no intermission.
The LA Opera took safety precautions by strictly following the LA County Department of Public Health’s guidelines. In March 2021, the Music Center (where the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion is located) was the first performing arts center to receive a UL “healthy building” verification for its venues’ air quality.
June 6th performance of “Oedipus Rex.” Photo by Lawrence K. Ho.
Mezzo-soprano J’Nai Bridges performs the role of Jocasta.
From the LA Opera:
Stravinsky based Oedipus Rex on the ancient Greek tragedy of the same name by Sophocles—yes, the one where Oedipus unknowingly kills his own father and marries his mother. The 1927 opera is a highly stylized, ritualistic work; in fact, the composer specifically requested that it be staged with minimal movement (which works well with COVID restrictions). A narrator describes the action throughout the course of the opera. Stravinsky set his work in Latin but specified that the narration is to be spoken in the language of the audience. The performance will feature incredibly imaginative projected animations created by Manual Cinema, an Emmy Award-winning performance collective, design studio, and film/video production company.
Music Director James Conlon conducts a stellar cast led by tenor Russell Thomas, LA Opera’s Artist in Residence, as Oedipus, the doomed king. Just announced: Legendary actor Stephen Fry will make his LA Opera debut (via audio recording) as the Narrator in this equally legendary tale.
The recording and filming process for the “Oedipus Rex” online stream. Photo by Lawrence K. Ho.
Lifestyle Story: Los Angeles, CA. Bumble recently conducted research on how the pandemic has changed dating as singles head into the ‘summer of love.’ The women-first dating app and social networking platform, is revealing how the pandemic has shaped the way that single people are dating this summer and beyond as restrictions are beginning to ease and more people are becoming fully vaccinated within the United States every day.
Nearly 90%4 of American users who have selected their first date preferences within Bumble’s COVID Preferences Center are ready to date In Real Life (IRL) again. Of those ready for an IRL first date, there’s nearly an even split between those who are comfortable with a regular IRL first date (46%)4 or a socially distanced one (41%)4. Bumble has also seen growth particularly in those states and cities where there are higher vaccination rates.
“The pandemic has leveled the dating world like never before and has brought about meaningful changes in behavior that we see having a positive impact on our community long term,” said Whitney Wolfe Herd, CEO and Founder of Bumble. “Historically, this is a time of year where the dating industry sees a considerable increase in activity and we’re experiencing that more than ever heading into this summer season. As our research illustrates, daters are entering this ‘summer of love’ with more intentionality than ever before and are prioritizing safety, compatibility, and shared values as restrictions ease and vaccination rates increase.”
Ahead of the official first day of summer on June 20, Bumble is sharing new research and insights about dating during this ‘summer of love.’
Here’s all the current research from Bumble:
Dating has changed for the better. The time that people spent in lockdown really allowed them to focus on what they are truly looking for while dating, giving them a renewed sense of clarity and confidence in taking control of their dating lives as they begin to meet new people this summer. Through recent research, Bumble has found that people are now dating more intentionally than before the pandemic – they’re being more honest about what they’re looking for in a relationship, whether it’s something casual or serious.
55%2 of Bumble’s global users have said that they are now feeling less willing to compromise on what they want and need from a potential relationship, according to a recent survey.
Nearly 40%1 (38%) of Americans surveyed have noticed an increase in clear communication of expectations and intentions while dating throughout the pandemic.
Nearly 30%1 (28%) have seen a meaningful decline in dead-end conversations as people are being more honest about what they’re looking for in a relationship.
Nearly 40%1 (39%) respondents have noticed a meaningful decline in ghosting while dating throughout the pandemic.
Over 30%1 (31%) have said that they noticed a meaningful decline in catfishing.
Online dating is just… dating
It’s no surprise that people have adapted to new ways of communicating and dating to find and explore meaningful connections throughout the pandemic.
91%1 of the Americans surveyed believe that there is no longer a stigma attached to meeting someone online or through a dating app since the pandemic began.
An overwhelming two-thirds1 (65%) think that it’s possible to fall in love with someone that they’ve never met in person before.
Nearly 40%1 (38%) enjoy going on virtual dates as they find that it’s safer to engage with a match virtually before meeting in person.
1 in 31 (31%) like virtual dates because it saves them time and money.
1 in 41 (26%) appreciate that they only have to get partially ready (“half-glam”) when going on a video date.
Many are also leaning more into other means of virtual communication – 1 in 41 (25%) of those surveyed have sent someone an audio message this past year.
Safety is still top of mind
Following a year in quarantine, safety is still top of mind and many are continuing to prioritize discussions on precautions and COVID vaccination statuses before meeting someone in person for the first time.
More than 54%2 of Bumble’s global users feel more safety conscious than before the pandemic.
Vaccination status is essential to many, as 30%1 Americans surveyed would not go on a date or have sex with someone who hasn’t received the COVID vaccine.
Bumble announced its plans to launch a “Vaccinated” Badge in profiles this summer within the US and the UK. By adding the badge, people will be able to show on their dating profile whether they have been vaccinated for COVID-19. Bumble will also offer complimentary credits for premium features, such as Spotlight and SuperSwipe, to those who enable the “Vaccinated” Badge later this summer.
To help its community feel comfortable dating right now and to help normalize conversations about dating during the pandemic, Bumble has added a COVID Preferences Center that can be accessed by tapping the profile icon within the Bumble app. After matching with someone, both individuals will be able to see what the other person’s dating preferences are – such as meeting outdoors and in uncrowded places only – and what precautions they want to take.
Bumble also offers a Safety Center, which is available online and within the app by tapping the profile icon. Bumble’s Safety Center provides a compilation of resources and tools to help its community date confidently.
Shared values are more important than ever before
The way that people are now approaching conversations around race and intersectional inequalities while dating has completely shifted after a year that re-ignited powerful social justice moments.
Since the resurgence of the Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement in 2020, nearly 2 in 53 (38%) Americans surveyed said that they have re-evaluated how they approach race and inequality in their romantic relationships.
This number is even more significant for Black respondents, as more than 1 in 23 (53%) Black Americans are now re-evaluating how they approach race and inequality while dating since last year’s events.
62%3 of respondents say that it is important for them to talk about key social issues on a first date, such as gender equality, politics, race, or the environment.
75%3 would only date someone if a majority of their political and social views align.
1 in 23 (51%) respondents believe that activism is now a more important part of society than their parents considered it to be during their generation.
Wolfe Herd continues: “Over the course of the pandemic, we’ve remained intently focused on listening to our community to understand how their needs have evolved and we have continued to innovate our product to meet that demand. We are always looking for ways to enhance the user experience by listening closely to user feedback and will continue to do so moving forward.”
Over the past year, Bumble has made several updates to its platform, including introducing 150 new interest badges in dating profiles and launching its “Night In” feature, where two people can participate in an interactive game during a video chat. The company also recently launched Snap’s AR Lenses within Bumble video calls and launched video notes that utilize Snapchat’s technology.
Research background:
1 Based on insights commissioned by Bumble and carried out online by Censuswide. Surveys were conducted with a sample of 1,003 single adults in the United States between May 4th to 10th, 2021. Censuswide abides by and employs members of the Market Research Society, which is based on the ESOMAR principles.
2 Based on a survey conducted on the Bumble app among those based in Australia = 1,215, US = 1,598, UK = 1,272 during Q2 2021.
3 Based on insights commissioned by Bumble and carried out online by Research Without Barriers (RWB). The survey was conducted with a sample of 1,002 adults in the United States between May 14 to 17, 2021. All research conducted adheres to the UK Market Research Society (MRS) code of conduct (2019) and ICC/ESOMAR (international). RWB is registered with the Information Commissioner’s Office and complies with the DPA (1998).
4 Based on proprietary Bumble platform insights in the US, June 2021.
About Bumble app: Bumble, the women-first social networking app, was founded by CEO Whitney Wolfe Herd in 2014. Bumble connects people across dating (Bumble Date), friendship (Bumble BFF) and professional networking (Bumble Bizz). No matter the type of relationship, women make the first move on Bumble. Bumble is built on the importance of equitable relationships and how crucial they are to a healthy, happy life. They’ve built their platform around kindness, respect, and equality – and their community plays an important part in that. Bumble holds its users accountable for their actions and has zero-tolerance for hate, aggression, or bullying. Bumble is free and available worldwide in the App Store and Google Play.
Los Angeles, CA. Valley Socials started in the San Fernando Valley. It is a unique social skills program for the special needs population. Program outings (pictured above before the pandemic) not only teach social skills but consumer skills and how to conduct confident business transactions. Unfortunately, during the pandemic, fundraising has become more challenging; the nonprofit is facing a funding crisis. Leaders fear families may need to pay for the enrichments. Janet Marie, the creator of the organization, says Valley Socials might have to be turned into a business instead of a non-profit, “I won’t stop working with the kids, but if we don’t get any donations soon, I might have to Valley Socials into a business.”
Social Valley friends at the museum before COVID-19
Currently, students are still meeting in parks and malls. They’re using safety measures and enjoying some social life activities. But, since the pandemic started, donations have stopped and it affects how the organization can continue to take the kids into activities. Janet drives kids to the activities and helps with snacks and other needs, but it is hard for her to keep going all by herself, especially because her daughter, Pauline, is a special needs teenager who needs all the support her mom can give.
Pauline was the reason Janet decided to start the Valley Socials. Janet saw all the improvements Pauline was making and wanted to give the same opportunities and hope to parents and kids in the same situation.
A day at the fire station with their community!
In addition to donations, Valley Socials is also looking for volunteers to help with meetings and having a bonding experience with special needs kids, teenagers, and adults.
If you’d like to donate, there’s more information on the Valley Socials website. The organization is also very active on social media.
From Valley Socials:
Our program provides lasting results because we don’t simply work with a participant’s strengths or compensate for a weakness, but we tackle the root cause of the issues by supervising social groups and having them actively participate in social activities.
“The Special Needs population is exploding due to the rise of diagnosed Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and better assessments today. One in 59 children will be diagnosed with ASD. About 20% (or higher) students receive Special Education services in the USA. There are approximately 3.5 million Americans with special needs in America.”
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