Icons on Inspiration, will transform the LA Phil’s annual winter gala, into a star-studded, special online benefit. Audiences at home will have front row seats to intimate one-on-one conversations with Gustavo Dudamel and renowned cultural icons talking about how music inspires and uplifts them. Featured icons of the music world include: legendary actress,  singer, Julie Andrews, Academy and Grammy Award-winning artist, actor, author and activist Common, superstar singer Katy Perry, Academy Award-winning actress Natalie Portman, Latin Grammy-winner Carlos Vives, and internationally acclaimed pianist Yuja Wang. Interspersed between each conversation, the Los Angeles Philharmonic will play music selected and inspired by the guests. “This year, music has been a lifeline for so many of us, helping to bring us together in spirit through the many challenges,” said Dudamel. “We wanted to create an event that honored that sense of hope and connection and celebrated the way that the orchestra can unite us in the service of something greater than ourselves. To be able to share the stage with these extraordinary cultural icons is a dream and privilege, and to be able to perform some of their favorite pieces of music is a gift. We are so grateful for their support, and we hope you enjoy this very special evening.”

Available online February 6-March 6th. For tickets, click here.

Films.Dance is ready to premiere its 15 short films, shot in 25 countries, including 150 artists, some of whom you already know, and many you do not. The project was designed to intersect the worlds of dance, music, fashion, and film. Said Thor Steingraber, Executive Director of The Soraya, “Films.Dance is an extraordinary and ambitious project that comes at a unique time for our culture as we seek connection with others yet continue to remain apart.” Every Monday for the next 14 weeks, each film will premiere for free at 9am PST on the web at Films.Dance, on Instagram (@films.dance), and the Films.Dance Facebook page. A series of weekly conversations and engagement events is in development and will allow for deeper exploration of the themes, creative process, and perspectives of collaborating artists. Each film is unique and detailed on the site. Five-time Grammy Award-winning composer Antonio Sánchez has scored one, while three-time Grammy Award-winning violinist Hilary Hahn performs the original score of another. This is a beautiful mashup of rookies and veterans with an international voice, dancing to a common beat. How simple a concept, and unfortunately novel during this strange and challenging time. Said Executive Producer Jacob Jonas, “The diversity of the artists and their explorations has fostered new ways of thinking and has allowed the formation of deep relationships across physical borders. I look forward to launching the series worldwide.”

For more details, click here.

The Los Angeles River is the original source life for the City of Los Angeles. It is where the indigenous Tongva and later, the Spanish built the City’s first settlements. After years of neglect, the river is being revitalized, creating a renewed interest in keeping the river’s rich history alive. Rio Records has created an at-home immersive production, uniting Los Angeles artists, culture, and community for a live journey along the past present and future of the LA River. Book you tickets and get ready for a unique 80 minute online adventure along the shore of  Los Angeles iconic river. Live performances, interactive surprises and a sense of humor, draw you into the invisible story-world that weaves through this layered metropolis.

Performances run Thursday – Sunday. Each night starts with the mythical story of geologist Dr. Alison Vincent in her quest to unlock the untold stories and voices behind the Los Angeles River .  The production is scored with more than 200 pieces of original music from composers Jonathan Sanford and Amanda Yamate, woven with hours of live and pre-recorded audio and video and extensive real-time live scenes. More than 60 artists have built five parallel stories for you to explore through an innovative hybrid platform, in an 80-minute storytelling adventure in which, just as you can’t step in the same river twice, no two experiences of the show are alike.

For tickets and schedule, click here.

Rele Gallery, one of Africa’s foremost galleries of contemporary art based in Lagos Nigeria is coming to Los Angeles . Founded by Adenrele Sonariwo in Lagos in 2015 Rele Gallery has specialized in representing a roster of established and emerging Nigerian artists whose work speaks to themes surrounding critical issues in today’s society. The galleries inaugural group exhibition, Orita Meta – Crossroads, features the work of three contemporary Nigerian artists, Marcellina Akpojotor, Tonia Nneji, and Chidinma Nnoli, whose work collectively explores the intersecting dialogues between gender, femininity and desire for self-authorship against the hegemonic forces at play in both Nigerian and international society. The artists in Orita Meta explore universal themes of gender, family, and empowerment from a Nigerian perspective. Working predominantly with oil paints, Chidinma Nnoli’s work confronts socially entrenched structures of patriarchal power and misogyny as enforced by the state, familial relationships and religious organizations. Known for her use of bold colors and intricate patterns, Tonia Nneji, drapes her female figures in brightly colored and patterned fabrics, creating images of female communion and solidarity. Meanwhile, Akpojotor actually incorporates pieces of Ankara fabric to build up her richly textured and intricately layered work with compelling visual imagery.

Rele Gallery is located at 8215 Melrose Avenue. By appointment only.