an artist at work at Hotel Erwin

Venice Art Crawl exhibit

Venice Art Crawl exhibitor

Venice Art Crawl map

Venice Art Crawl

On the evening of every third Thursday of the month. the already avant-garde LA neighbourhood of Venice Beach turns into an outdoor fair of all things artsy with the Venice Art Crawl, which sees local artists and galleries bring the night alive with the type of creative energy that makes California famous.

There are galleries opening their doors after hours, but the art is not restricted to the expected places. From the driveway at Hotel Erwin , where a DJ spins the vinyl while visitors peruse exhibits, to the trendy shops on Windward Avenue around the corner-and even the car park across the street-art is everywhere every third Thursday. There is more than just static art to look at on the walls; street theatre takes back its original meaning here, and performing artists roam the streets, though in this bohemian part of town it can be a challenge to discern who is a performer and who is simply a local out for an evening stroll.

Hotel Erwin participates further with displays in its in-house exhibition space, Larry's Loft, on the 5th Floor. Few hotels have a dedicated gallery for rotating shows, but in Venice, where art is an enjoyable pastime for some, a passionate livelihood for others, there is always something worth showing to the hotel's guests and the area's residents. Thanks to the celebrity of Hotel Erwin's High rooftop lounge, the art crowd tends to congregate in the vicinity of the hotel anyway, further entrenching it as a nexus for creativity in a city where artistic expression has always been well appreciated.

With V Australia having mastered the art of the inflight experience, it's never been easier to hop on a plane in Brisbane, Melbourne, or Sydney and be in Venice before you have even left Australia-according to the clock, at least. Why not start your third weekend next month on a Thursday in Venice?

Hotel Erwin
1697 Pacific Avenue
Venice, CA 90291
www.hotelerwin.com