Day of the Dead to Enliven the Scene

The annual Mexican Dia de los Muertos/Day of the Dead celebrations take over many of the city’s art venues this week with exhibitions, performances, fiestas and poetry readings.

In addition to exhibitions, special Dia de los Muertos events include the L.A. Photo Center’s popular annual bash, on Saturday from 3 to 9 p.m. Included will be traditional Mexican and Latin American music by Quetzalcoatl, dancing, face painting, folk art booths, altars, pinatas and traditional food. The festivities continue on Nov. 6 with a 7 p.m. poetry reading. Information: (213) 383-7342.

Also on Saturday, a daylong celebration including a traditional funeral procession, free concert by Latin artist Poncho Sanchez, arts and crafts booths, and skull face painting will be held at Olvera Street in downtown Los Angeles. Information: (213) 687-4344 or 628-4349.

On Thursday at 6:30 p.m., the Echo Park Gallery hosts a special stage performance by singer and performance artist Robert Cyclona. Information: (213) 665-3693.

On Friday, East L.A.’s Self-Help Graphics celebrates from 7 to 11 p.m., including music performances by the Belvedere Mariachis, Aztlan Underground and Cranky Doll and Su Conjunto. Also: performance artists Cyclona, Raquel Salinas and Ruben Guevara. Information: (213) 264-1259.

Also on Friday, El Centro de Accion Social hosts free performances by dance group Xipe Totec, theater by Teatro Tatalejos, and music by America Indigena. The 6 to 9 p.m. 11th annual Day of the Dead celebration at Pasadena’s Central Park also features altars, exhibitions and traditional food. Information: (818) 792-3148.

Melrose Avenue’s La Luz de Jesus holds its annual fiesta on Friday from 8 to 11 p.m. Highlights include a book signing by photographer John Greenleigh of his new publication, “The Days of the Dead.” Information: (213) 651-4875.

And at the Long Beach Museum of Art, a storyteller performance highlights a 7 to 9 p.m. reception Friday, and on Saturday from noon-4 p.m. the museum features traditional Day of the Dead family activities including maskmaking. Information: (213) 439-2119.

GRANTS: A total of $368,000 in 1991-92 arts grants has been announced by Long Beach’s Public Corporation for the Arts. Funded by the City of Long Beach, the awards go to four resident performing groups, 27 community organizations and five Long Beach-based individual artists. Grants range from $72,000 to the Long Beach Symphony Orchestra to $1,000 to the South Coast Chorale.

Twelve grants go to visual art-related projects, including $10,000 to the Long Beach Museum for two children’s programs, $4,100 to the United Cambodian Community toward exhibitions at the new Aspara Heritage Gallery, and $4,000 to Hmong needlework artist See Lee to teach community classes.

Also announcing its 1991-92 grants is Los Angeles Contemporary Exhibitions, which has awarded eight Artists’ Projects Grants ranging from $2,000 to $5,000. The winners are Laura Aguilar, Woodrow Bailey, Annie Gosfield, John Highkin, Donna Mungen, and the team of Helen Samuels and Marcie Begleiter, all from Southern California; and Sally French and Laura Ruby of Hawaii.

HOPI ARTS: Thirty Hopi artisans will be at a three-day Hopi Indian Marketplace at Highland Park’s Southwest Museum Friday through next Sunday. On display will be sculptures, toys, paintings, jewelry, pottery, baskets, kachina dolls and moccasins. Art demonstrations and traditional performances by the Hopi All Clan Club First Mesa Dancers are scheduled. Tickets are $5 for adults. Information: (213) 221-2164.

Native American arts will also be part of the Fifth Annual Tribal and Folk Art Show at the Santa Monica Civic Auditorium Nov. 8-10. More than 125 tribal and folk art dealers from the U.S., Europe and South America will display traditional works including American folk art and quilts, African jewelry, Navajo rugs, Indonesian temple carvings and pre-Columbian antiquities. Entrance is $6 on Nov. 9 and 10, with a special $50-per-person preview to benefit the Craft and Folk Art Museum on Nov. 8 from 6-9 p.m. Information: (213) 455-2886.