Art Walk Showcases Creative Wilmington

By Christian L. Guzman, Community Reporter

A year ago, it would have been unheard of for Wilmington residents to come out at night en masse to enjoy their downtown. There wasn’t much to do and residents didn’t feel safe.

“The people needed a creative outlet,” said Rick Cruz, co-founder of the Wilmington Art Walk. “And we wanted to show that it’s OK to be outdoors.”

Since then, the quarterly art walk, which celebrated its one-year anniversary this past November, has attracted thousands of people to the Avalon Boulevard corridor.

But Cruz didn’t set out to create an outdoor event. He actually wanted to revitalize the Granada Theatre. During the first half of the 20th century it operated as a vaudevillian performance stage and movie house. In the past decade it was used as a church.

When the theater went up for sale in 2015, Cruz met with the realtor trying to sell it, Monica Garcia-Massey. She regrettably told him that he was in no position to buy the theatre. But Garcia-Massey was inspired by Cruz’s desire to breathe new life into the local culture. After brainstorming with him on how to do that, they decided to create an art walk.

“Creative people tend to leave because the success they see is getting a job at the ports or refineries,” Garcia-Massey said. “Rick and I wanted to do something to enable and attract the creators in Wilmington.”

Cruz helped market the artwalk to artists and Garcia-Massey worked with businesses and secured permits. The first art walk took place on Avalon Boulevard from C to E street, with 25 vendors. About 1,000 people came. Cruz and Massey said that once they saw how much people were enjoying the event, they knew they had to have more.

The two formed a nonprofit organization, Avalon Arts and Culture Alliance, to produce the event. One of the primary goals of the artwalk became inclusiveness. The alliance encouraged artists working in any medium to participate. The entry fee is less than $40.

Cruz also wanted to change the scenery and involve different parts of the downtown. So one art walk was at Wilmington Town Square Park, one was in front the Granada Theatre, and another was at Banning’s Landing.

Each time, it expanded. More artists participated and more people came out to see and buy the art. Food trucks were brought in, they added a stage for bands to perform and a beer garden was permitted.

The art walk’s one-year anniversary celebration at its original location sold out the 84 vendor slots early and featured a second performance stage. The musical diversity was intriguing. At the same time, a psychobilly band named the Black Rose Phantoms played on one stage, while on the other was a solo guitarist, Adrian Duarte, playing flamenco style music.

More than 3,000 people explored the booths with handmade or local art on display, including clothing, decorations, paintings, prints and jewelry.

Local restaurants, the Mayan and Santa Luna, also stayed open. Restaurants did not want to do that during past art walks.

“People have respect for the event now,” said Cruz, proudly.

The anniversary featured mostly local artists, but it also drew some from outside the community.

“It was neat to see an artist from Costa Mesa here in Wilmington and for people to purchase her art tonight,” said Alma Ortiz, co-founder of Hojas Premium Tea House.

“To see the art walk’s commitment to the culture of this community, and how it’s grown over this year, has been inspiring,” said Sylvia Arredondo, one of the newest members of the Wilmington Neighborhood Council.

For Garcia-Massey, part of the art walk’s commitment to Wilmington’s culture is being prudent about the its funding sources. She chose not to solicit any sponsorships from refineries, which often sponsor other events and organizations in Wilmington.

“I don’t like the idea of being endorsed by a business that can be hurtful to the community I’m trying to improve,” Garcia-Massey said.

Councilman Joe Buscaino’s office partially funded the first year of the Wilmington Art Walk. But moving forward, the Avalon Arts and Culture Alliance will fully fund the art walk.

“We formed a nonprofit, so we need to support ourselves now and be independent…. It’s symbolic,” said Garcia-Massey.

The alliance is also expanding its offerings to the community. It hosts periodic art workshops movie nights. Cruz is also thinking about producing a music festival.

However, the Wilmington Art Walk will remain the alliance’s flagship event. Cruz and Garcia-Massey are already planning for the next art walk in February. It will be Mardi Gras themed.

“Many people are asking how they can help out and get involved,” said Cruz. “It has become an event that Wilmington anticipates.”