Cultural group seeks non-profit status

DOWNEY - A group of community residents seeking to instill arts and culture in the city-owned Avenue Theatre have announced plans to formally register as a state non-profit.According to a news release issued by the Avenue Arts Foundation - formerly known as the Avenue Cultural Arts Foundation - an organizing committee has been created to look into attaining non-profit status. The foundation is seeking ground-level space at the Avenue Theatre for the purpose of visual and performing arts "to meet the interests and needs of the young, and not so young, residents of Downey whose interests and needs remain underserved by city programs." According to organizers, the foundation has collected more than 1,000 signatures on a petition "fielded to ascertain community interest." The city of Downey acquired the Avenue Theatre and nearby Verizon building last year and have plans to convert the building into housing and "community space." For more information on the Avenue Arts Foundation, contact Kathy Perez, president, at (562) 862-2044 or via e-mail at kperez007@ca.rr.com, or Gary Head at (562) 728-2928, or headster@verizon.net.

********** Published: July 31, 2009 - Volume 8 - Issue 15