18th Street Arts Center

Before it was established as a nonprofit organization in 1988, 18th Street Arts Center served as a studio for feminist artists in the 1970-80s. These artists included Judy Chicago, Susanna Bixby Dakin (who also ran for President of the United States in 1984), Barbara T. Smith, Linda Frye Burnham, and more. The organization was a pioneer in addressing the AIDS crisis and creating one of the earliest performance art spaces. Since 1988, 18th Street Arts Center has run a robust artist residency program, as well as other public arts programs and exhibitions. The residency program contains three programmatic tiers and is designed to promote intercultural dialogue, diplomacy through art, mentoring and networking opportunities, and 18th Street's longstanding commitment to social justice values.

Since 1992, the program has hosted more than 600 artists from dozens of countries across the globe. Beyond the residency program and exhibitions, 18th Street Arts Center's Community Engagement Program collaborates with other organizations and leaders in Santa Monica to expose diverse audiences to the transformative powers of art. Through this expansive programming, 18th Street Arts Center fulfills its primary mission: to inspire public dialogue through contemporary art-making.