In The Arts

Art alliance awarded grant

The Laguna Beach Community Foundation has granted $3,500 to the Laguna Beach Alliance of the Arts (LBaa), a grouping of 22 local arts organizations.

The grant will help the 10-year-old alliance manage its spending while carrying out its mission, LBaa officials announced in a news release.

Established in 2002, the alliance has a three-pronged goal. According to a mission statement posted on the alliance’s website, LBaa exists to “serve as an advocate for the arts; promote collaboration and networking among artists and arts organizations; and ensure the inclusion of the arts as essential to all city planning.”

Among others, its members include local arts institutions such as the Laguna Art Museum, the Sawdust Art Festival and the city’s Arts Commission.

In 2011, the Community Foundation awarded a total of $140,550 in grants to 27 local organizations, according to information on the foundation’s website.

“The LBaa greatly appreciates the grant it has received from the Laguna Beach Community Foundation,” Wayne Baglin, chairman of the alliance’s board, said in a prepared statement. “The LBaa has worked hard to control expenses and increase revenues to full its mission and balance its budget; however, without the grant from the Community Foundation, this would have been very difficult to achieve.”

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Art inspired by the British Isles

The Laguna College of Art & Design on Friday will open a two-month exhibit at Laguna Beach City Hall of artwork by LCAD students who traveled to England and Ireland last summer through the college’s study abroad program.

The show, titled “Visual Tales from ¿ire and England,” will be displayed at City Hall, 505 Forest Ave., through March 9, LCAD officials said in a news release.

An artists’ reception will take place at LCAD from 5 to 8 p.m. Jan. 21, followed by one from 5 to 6 p.m. at City Hall during the night of the First Thursdays Art Walk in February, which falls on Feb. 2. The main LCAD campus is at 222 Laguna Canyon Road.

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World premiere concert

The Rubicon Theatre Co. on Jan. 10 will present a world premiere concert at the Laguna Playhouse of “Lonesome Traveler,” a journey through American folk music.

Performances of the production will continue there through Feb. 5, according to a news release from the Playhouse.

James O’Neil, the Rubicon’s artistic director, is the production’s writer and director. Dan Wheetman serves as its musical director and arranger, the release said.

In “Lonesome Traveler,” nine artists will perform and create musical portraits inspired by icons of American folk music, including Woody Guthrie, Bob Dylan and Pete Seeger. Folk classics such as “This Land is Your Land,” Blowin’ in the Wind,” and “Mr. Tambourine Man” will be performed.

Tickets cost between $30 and $65. To purchase tickets and for information about show times, go to https://www.lagunaplayhouse.com, or call (949) 497-ARTS (2787).

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Try botanical art classes

The Laguna Outreach for Community Arts (LOCA) is now offering a series of art classes that blend art instruction with botanical study.

The classes will take place outdoor and focus on native or local plants, according to a news release from LOCA. The classes cost $25 for people aged 16 and older to enroll, but they must register in advance.

Registration is open for workshops scheduled for Jan. 19 and Jan. 21. Class schedules and other information is available at https://www.LOCAarts.org.

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Fine wine and fine cars

A wine-tasting event and dinner to benefit the Laguna Beach Music Festival will take place in Costa Mesa on Jan. 13, according to a festival news release.

“The Fine Art of Fine Wine” event, being hosted by Laguna residents Lauren and Richard Packard, will feature a wine tasting with sommeliers, a catered dinner by the Laguna Culinary Institute and a vintage automobile tour at Crevier Classic Cars, 365 Clinton St., Costa Mesa.

Proceeds from the evening will benefit the 10th annual Laguna Beach Music Festival, which will open on Feb. 6 and run through Feb. 12. Tickets to the event in Costa Mesa cost $250, and can be booked by sending an email to info@LagunaBeachMusicFestival.com.

—Imran Vittachi