The relationship between creativity and health has always been paramount in the entertainment mecca of Los Angeles, and a local pioneer in health brought together a bevy of creative stalwarts to celebrate that relationship this past weekend.
This past Saturday, the Venice Family Clinic hosted its inaugural HEART (Health + Art) Gala at 3Labs in Culver City, a star-laden evening of entertainment that raised $2.7 million for the clinic’s innovative health services. The clinic, which includes locations in Santa Monica and Venice, provides services and health programs to more than 45,000 people in need in Los Angeles County. However, it wouldn’t be in its prominent position without the aid of art.
The organization’s first Art Walk and Auction in 1979 helped save the clinic, with the HEART Gala highlighting art and creativity’s role in the clinic’s evolution.
“The Clinic couldn’t pay rent and was on the verge of closing,” Oscar-winning actress Anjellica Huston said at the gala. “A group of visionary women and members of the Venice arts community came together to keep the Clinic doors open … I’m proud to see this legacy continue today.”
That legacy has been put in the hands of the 45th Art Walk curator, Max Rippon, who crafted a gallery honoring the past, present and future of local art at 910 Abbot Kinney Blvd. Nearly 200 artists are featured at the gallery which closes on Sunday, including 2024’s Signature Artist and legendary sculptor Fred Eversley, along with submissions by known entities like The Simpsons creator Matt Groening.
“[This] being the 45th year, this show I wanted to have a look back at what it was, where it came from, and how it’s going to move forward,” Rippon said. “The themes of the show are history, health and home … exploring the very wide concepts, I wanted to explore how they sort of bridge what the clinic does, and what I see the community in the art world doing.”
Venice Family Clinic CEO Mitesh Popat welcomed guests to the gala by saying the new HEART initiative showcases “the power of art to transform health” which “has been our lifeblood since our earliest days.” Since those early days, the Clinic’s services have become truly comprehensive, including mental health services, substance use treatment, health insurance enrollment and child development services.
The power of art comes in many forms, including music, as the night’s HEART Award honor went to legendary U2 guitarist The Edge along with wife and artist Morleigh Steinberg.
“Morleigh and I are truly humbled and honored to accept the inaugural HEART Award for Venice Family Clinic,” The Edge remarked. “This means so much for us not only as artists, but as human beings who believe in the power of community and the importance of access to healthcare for all. Venice Family Clinic holds a special place in our hearts.”
3Labs became a makeshift music hall of fame during the evening, as The Edge was joined by the likes of Beck (who performed hits like “Loser” for the crowd), Coldplay frontman Chris Martin, The Doors guitarist Robby Krieger and Rage Against The Machine shredder Tom Morello.
Many of these legendary figures addressed their creative processes as being a crucial part of health, mental well-being, during May’s Mental Health Awareness Month.
“I think creativity is a kind of therapy, [it] certainly is for me … I think right now, with particularly the impact of digital life [and] social media, people struggle sometimes just to leave that [level] of anxiety behind,” The Edge told the Daily Press at the gala’s red carpet. “I think creativity is a great means of doing just that … [even] the enjoyment of art, the listening to music, going to galleries, it’s very therapeutic.”
The power of art as therapy was echoed by Morello, who told the Daily Press that music as a positive form of emotional release made a monumental contribution to his life as well as the artists around him.
“Any sort of art, [such as] music, provides an outlet for people to express things that otherwise might [have] less healthy expression in other ways,” Morello said. “I found that certainly in my life and band members’ lives since I was 17 years old … it’s a dangerous path sometimes, and art is a way to funnel it into a very positive experience rather than something else.”
Musicians were just part of the artistic landscape at the gala, as other entertainment heavyweights made appearances throughout the evening. Chuck Lorre, creator of shows like The Big Bang Theory, was in attendance, a longtime supporter of the clinic whose contributions to the clinic’s Rose Avenue location ended in the spot being renamed the Chuck Lorre Rose Avenue Health and Wellness Center.
Another top name in comedy, impressionist extraordinaire Matt Friend, hosted the gala as a way to support both the clinic’s services and the importance of laughter to mental health.
“I think, for me at least, I feel terrible when I’m not creative, and I always just feel better at the end of the day knowing that I wrote something or made something,” Friend said. “There’s something very fulfilling when you’ve [made] something out of nothing and [the gala] is a really great night to celebrate that.”
The Art Walk at 910 Abbot Kinney will be open this weekend to continue the fundraising push for the clinic. For more information on the clinic’s services, visit venicefamilyclinic.org
