Arts Group Fails to Raise Funds to Refurbish Center

The Venice Arts Mecca, a nonprofit group dedicated to helping disadvantaged youths, has been unable to raise enough funds in its two-year effort to refurbish the 18,000-square-foot Venice Pavilion.

“We were supposed to raise $1.5 million by the beginning of August; we’ve raised only half a million,” said Lynn Warshafsky, president of the organization’s board. “That’s disappointing because our volunteers have put in, literally, thousands of hours transforming the Pavilion into a viable community arts center.

“Venice has no similar center which provides alternatives for kids. This delays our ability to expand the program,” she said. The program helps 150 youths learn photography, ceramics, jazz, creative writing and the arts.

Steven Soboroff, president of the Los Angeles Parks and Recreation Commission, agreed that the group has “great programs which need to be expanded. Since things are not working out at the Pavilion, we’re hoping to help the group find another headquarters.”

However, he said, no such site has yet been found.