L.A. Arts Community on AIDS: United We Stand : Art: A broader base of arts leaders join forces in this year’s ‘A Day Without Art’ observance.

The Los Angeles arts community, segments of which have claimed a leadership role in the AIDS battle for years, will take a step toward further unity on the issue on Sunday with the celebration of the third annual “A Day Without Art,” the art world’s response to the World Health Organization’s World AIDS Day.

The annual Dec. 1 event, in which hundreds of museums, galleries and performance spaces nationwide will close their doors, shroud artworks or hold special performances, commemorates the huge toll AIDS has taken on the art community.

But despite the participation of a number of local organizations, Los Angeles’ prior efforts lacked any sort of cohesiveness or central organization, and for the most part, were observed only within small, activist art circles. Efforts did not come close to approaching the standard set by the New York arts community where, in 1990 for instance, more than 450 events were scheduled.

This year, however, a broad base of local arts leaders--ranging from activist groups like Highways Performance Space and Powers of Desire to representatives from major institutions including the Museum of Contemporary Art, J. Paul Getty Museum and L.A. County Museum of Art--have joined together in an attempt to present a more comprehensive, unified slate of programming.

Among the events scheduled:

* Readings by members of the AIDS Project Los Angeles Creative Writing Workshop at the Museum of Contemporary Art.

* “L.A. Queen,” a Latino female impersonators beauty pageant, at East L.A.’s Self-Help Graphics.

* Performance artist Tim Miller’s all-night AIDS vigil at Highways focusing on the impact of AIDS on the African-American community.

* A special J. Paul Getty Museum exhibit honoring two museum employees who recently died of AIDS.

* Dozens of institutions and galleries playing “Every Ten Minutes,” a continuous audiocassette featuring tolling bells commemorating deaths from AIDS, and dozens of others participating in the Ribbon Project, in which red ribbons are worn to show compassion for AIDS victims.

“It’s wonderful, we’re finally seeing real galvanized action of the art community in L.A.,” said Patrick O’Connell, projects director of Visual AIDS, the New York-based organization which oversees national “Day Without Art” activities, expected to involve about 4,200 organizations this year.

“There are many important artists who have died of AIDS, artists as equally talented as Magic Johnson, but they have not been seen as heroes simply because they were homosexual,” said Julie Lazar, a Museum of Contemporary Art curator, who has been part of the local “Day Without Art” committee. “But we’re catching up to reality now, and I don’t think it’s just the art world. Damn it, this is life we’re talking about, and I think people are finally seeing that we need to take action.”

Jordan Peimer, administrator of Highways, and performance coordinator for the committee, agreed: “People are finally beginning to wake up,” he said. “We’ve been saying this for years--that something had to be done, and that the problem was being ignored. It’s sad that it took Magic Johnson to make people wake up . . . but now, it’s become an issue that people can’t ignore.”

Visual AIDS’ O’Connell noted that not only had the number of organizations participating in Los Angeles increased, but also many participants were now making more than just perfunctory gestures.

At the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, for instance, where the AIDS Bottle Project (in which viewers are encouraged to take home a jar with an AIDS victim’s name as an acknowledgement of their loss) last year was operated outside the museum’s doors, bottles will now be available within the museum.

“Last year, people told us they would do what they did the year before, but it was like two times zero still equals zero,” O’Connell said. “That’s not the case this year, the efforts are very broad.”

Here’s a list of selected “Day Without Art” events around the Southland:

Today

Santa Monica City Hall (3239 Donald Douglas Loop, Santa Monica, (310) 458-8350). Videotape presentation about AIDS ongoing in the lobby. Through Dec. 6.

South Coast Repertory (655 Town Center Drive, (714) 957-2602). Non-perishable food and cash donations for AIDS Services Foundation/Orange County encouraged during all weekend performances.

Saturday

Highways Performance Space (1651 18th St., Santa Monica, (310) 453-3711). Visual art exhibition, “Be Silent No More: AIDS in the African-American Diasporic Community,” featuring AIDS-related works by black artists. Through Dec. 11. “A Song for My Brother” E. Lloyd Napier’s ensemble performance about AIDS. $10. 8:30 p.m.

Sunday

Museum of Contemporary Art (250 S. Grand Ave., (213) 621-2766). Satellite down-link from The Kitchen in New York of a dance and music program featuring artists John Kelly, Robbie McCauley, Richard Elovich and the Lavender Light Choir, plus choreographer Bill T. Jones and Performance artist Karen Finley. Free. Noon.

Readings by members of the AIDS Project Los Angeles Creative Writing Workshop. Free. 3 p.m.

Free museum admission; donations collected for local AIDS organizations; “Every Ten Minutes” audiotape; video monitor of The Witness Project; Ribbon Project.

Highways Performance Space (1651 18th St., Santa Monica, (310) 453-3711). Performance artist Tim Miller’s all-night AIDS vigil, from midnight to dawn. The focus will be on the impact of AIDS on the African-American community. Free.

“A Song for My Brother” E. Lloyd Napier’s ensemble performance about AIDS. $10. 7 p.m.

Armory Center for the Arts (145 N. Raymond Ave., Pasadena, (818) 792-5101). “Window on AIDS 1991,” window installations by artists Judy Fiskin, Roberto Gil de Montes, Randall Lavender and Dan McCleary. Through Dec. 15.

All lights in the current gallery exhibition, “California Artists’ Books,” will be extinguished for the day.

J. Paul Getty Museum (17985 Pacific Coast Highway, Malibu, (310) 459-7611). The large “Winterhalter” portrait will be removed, and replaced with a display commemorating two museum employees who recently died of AIDS.

“Every Ten Minutes” audiotape; Ribbon Project.

Los Angeles County Museum of Art (5905 Wilshire Blvd., (213) 857-6000). Works from the museum’s permanent collection will be darkened.

“Every Ten Minutes” audiotape; Bottle Project.

Craft and Folk Art Museum (May Company, corner of Wilshire and Fairfax, 4th floor, (213) 937-5544). Objects from the Ted Warmbold Memorial Folk Art Collection (Warmbold died of AIDS in 1989) will be shrouded; a statement from Warmbold’s widow, Carolyn, will be on view.

Otis/Parsons Art Institute (2401 Wilshire Blvd., (213) 251-0545). The front of the Main Gallery will be draped, and closed for the day.

All student art work on campus will be draped.

Memorial plaques for artists and designers who have died of AIDS.

Condom distribution in school dormitories.

UCLA Wight Art Gallery (405 Hilgard Ave., (310) 825-1461). Screening of the videos “They Are Lost to Vision Altogether” and “DiAna’s Hair Ego: AIDS Info Up Front.”

Large red ribbon on the front of the gallery.

USC Fisher Gallery (823 Exposition Blvd., (213) 740-4561). Ongoing slide presentation of works by visual artists who died of AIDS.

AIDS awareness and prevention display. Through Dec. 7.

“Every Ten Minutes” audiotape; audiotape of deceased artists’ names; Visual AIDS posters; Ribbon Project.

Electronic Cafe (1649 18th St., Santa Monica, (310) 828-8732). Satellite down-link from The Kitchen in New York, with a live, in-house performance by Keith Antar Mason. Free. Noon.

Armand Hammer Museum of Art (10899 Wilshire Blvd., (310) 443-7000). Bottle Project.

Municipal Art Gallery (Barnsdall Art Park, 4800 Hollywood Blvd., (213) 485-4581. Bottle Project.

L.A. Center for Photographic Studies (1048 West 6th St., (23) 482-3566). Ribbon Project; Visual AIDS posters.

Powers of Desire and Los Angeles Contemporary Exhibitions (1804 Industrial St., (213) 624-5650). Production of a brochure about safe sex practices and other AIDS information.

Jan Baum Gallery (170 S. La Brea, (213) 932-0170). All artwork will be shrouded.

Ribbon Project; “Every Ten Minutes” audiotape.

Heritage Gallery (718 N. La Cienega, (213) 652-7738). A wall in each gallery will be painted black and hung with red crepe.

Shea and Bornstein Gallery (2114 Broadway, Santa Monica, (310) 452-4210). Bottle Project.

Commercial Galleries, about 40 commercial galleries in Los Angeles and Santa Monica will participate in the Ribbon Project, play the “Every Ten Minutes” audiotape, and display AIDS information and Visual AIDS posters.

Del Mano Gallery (11981 San Vicente, (213) 476-8508). Window display will be covered.

L.A. Eyeworks (7407 Melrose Ave., (213) 653-8255). AIDS related window installation. Through Dec. 14.

Eatz Gallery (Santa Monica Place, 3rd Street at Broadway, Santa Monica, (310) 394-5451). Continuous AIDS related videotape presentation.

Cal State Long Beach University Art Museum (1250 Bellflower Blvd., Long Beach, (310) 985-5761). All galleries will be darkened throughout the day.

The Works Gallery (106 West 3rd St., Long Beach, (213) 495-2787). Visual AIDS posters; Ribbon Project; “Every Ten Minutes” audiotape.

Newport Harbor Art Museum (850 San Clemente Drive, Newport Beach, (714) 759-1122). Several artists in the museum’s current exhibition, “The Third Newport Biennial: Maping Histories,” will modify their works to commemorate the day.

Performance artist Wendell Jones’ AIDS-related performance, “Hurtling Through the Stars.” Free. 3 p.m.

“Sharing the Challenge,” Red Cross-sponsored HIV/AIDS awareness poster exhibition.

Free admission; donations to AIDS groups recommended.

Fullerton Museum Center (301 N. Pomona Ave., Fullerton, (714) 738-6545). Performance piece on AIDS by artist Jean Wiley, plus musical performances by John Rolling Thunder. 6 p.m.

Five pieces of Mexican folk art will be covered in tribute to their owner, collector Ted Warmbold, who died from AIDS in 1989; all gallery lights will be dimmed.

Free admission; The Ribbon Project.

Laguna Art Museum (307 Cliff Drive, Laguna Beach, (714) 494-6531). Ribbon Project.

UC Irvine Fine Arts Gallery (School of Fine Arts, Irvine, (714) 856-6610). The gallery will close.

The Works Gallery (3333 Bear St., Suite 315, Costa Mesa, (714) 979-6757) Ribbon Project; “Every Ten Minutes” audiotape.

Orange County Performing Arts Center (600 Town Center Drive, Costa Mesa, (714) 556-ARTS). For Sunday’s matinee and evening performances of the San Francisco Ballet’s “Nutcracker, the center will use lobby signs and program inserts to address the AIDS epidemic.

Monday

South Coast Repertory (655 Town Center Drive, (714) 957-2602). “The Living,” play set in 17th-Century England during the Black Plague. Free; $10 donation to AIDS Services Foundation/Orange County suggested. 7:30 p.m.

Tuesday

Out Gallery (813 N. La. Brea Ave., (213) 937-2729). Fund-raising drive for donated artworks of all types to be sold to benefit the Chris Brownlie Hospice and other AIDS Healthcare Foundation programs.

Ceremony commemorating Los Angeles artists who have died of AIDS, with readings, performances and memorial rituals. Free. Noon.