Santa Monica Basks In The After-Glow

Groundbreaking all-night arts event attracted more than 100,000  to celebrate contemporary art

SANTA MONICA, Calif., Oct. 1, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- On Sept. 28 2013, from 7 p.m. to 3 a.m., Santa Monica hosted its third iteration of Glow, the city's signature cultural event and the nation's only nighttime arts celebration focused exclusively on original artwork. Glow featured 15 site-specific, interactive art projects located along the beach and pier. For a single night, the heart of Santa Monica was transformed into a massive outdoor museum, making Glow one of the largest public art events in the world.

(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20131001/DC90401)

"From Saturday evening through early Sunday morning, over 100,000 people came to the beach to experience Glow, including both avowed art lovers and the simply curious," says Santa Monica City Manager Rod Gould, noting that Glow's success required the full support of virtually every City department, from police and fire to public works. "Hundreds of City staff, contractors and volunteers were working behind the scenes to ensure that the event was safe and impeccably orchestrated, making it possible for the public to fully enjoy each other and the diverse, eclectic, interactive and wondrous art."

Like Santa Monica itself, the art works in this year's Glow represented a union of technology, creativity and natural splendor. With a distinguished roster of keynote artists that includes Mathieu Briand, Janet Echelman, Glenn Kaino, Rebeca Méndez and Victoria Vesna, Glow is a veritable survey of contemporary art practices, ranging from large-scale earthworks to customized, participatory apps for mobile devices. The result is a collection of groundbreaking, ephemeral art works, each of which engages with the site in a unique way.  

"Glow benefits tremendously from the participating artists' generosity of spirit, which was evident in the engaging and thoughtful works they created, and judging from the level of public engagement we saw this year, Glow has clearly found its audience," says Jessica Cusick, manager of the Cultural Affairs Division for the City of Santa Monica. "After experiencing Glow, it is impossible to see contemporary art in the same light."

The next Glow is scheduled for 2016. For more information about Glow, visit http://glowsantamonica.org/.

About Glow
Glow is produced by the City of Santa Monica and the Santa Monica Arts Foundation in partnership with the Santa Monica Convention & Visitors Bureau, Downtown Santa Monica, Santa Monica Pier and KCRW. The Glowleadership team includes Jessica Cusick, Santa Monica's Cultural Affairs Manager, a nationally recognized authority in public art, and Marc Pally, Glow Artistic Director and a highly regarded artist, curator and public arts professional.  

About Santa Monica
Santa Monica, California, is a beachfront outpost for cutting-edge arts and culture with over 120 museums, art galleries, public art displays and dozens of performance venues. Almost half of Santa Monica's residents are employed by some type of creative organization, making the City a vibrant community of artists, musicians, editors and writers.

SOURCE City of Santa Monica Cultural Affairs Division