Storefront bares its art

Glendale officials today are scheduled to celebrate the opening of the first exhibit set up in a vacant downtown storefront as part of a lemonade-out-of-lemons program approved earlier this year by the City Council.

The council in April approved a roughly $80,000 one-year contract with a Beverly Hills-based arts company to spearhead a public art program to fill vacant storefronts with temporary art displays.

City Councilwoman Laura Friedman first proposed the concept last year after learning of similar programs in other cities, such as Long Beach, where the temporary displays had helped increase foot traffic.

Located at the Glendale City Center at 101 N. Brand Blvd., the first display, “Increments,” features work by a dozen artists in three vacant spaces within the building.

An opening reception is scheduled from 5 to 9 p.m. today in Suite 140.