About Us:-
Watts Towers Arts Center, located in the heart of Los Angeles' Watts community, is the curator of the Watts Towers structure, consisting of seventeen major sculptures. These works of art were created by Italian immigrant Sabato "Simon" Rodia out of steel covered with mortar and embellished by the decorative finishings of mosaic tiles, glass, clay, shells, and rock. This masterpiece, which the artist called Nuestro Pueblo (Our Town), was his 33-year obsession. The Towers are listed on the National Register of Historic Places, are a National Historic Landmark, a State of California Historic Monument, a State of California Historic Park, and Historic-Cultural Monument No. 15, designated by the City of Los Angeles Cultural Heritage Commission.
The Watts Towers Arts Center provides diverse cultural enrichment programming through tours of the Towers, lectures, changing exhibitions, and studio workshops for both teachers and students. Each year, thousands of people from all over the world are attracted to the site to participate in the programs, and to see the Towers and hear the story of their creation.The Watts Towers Arts Center is known internationally for its association with and development of master artists.
During the last weekend of September, Watts Towers Arts Center produces the annual Watts Towers Day of the Drum Festival and the Simon Rodia Watts Towers Jazz Festival. Both events embrace the concept of multiculturalism and draw crowds from all parts of the city and around the world. The Citywide Universal Drum Circle is held on site both days. The Watts Towers Day of the Drum Festival is dedicated to percussion and the traditional role of drumming in human societies.The Simon Rodia Watts Towers Jazz Festival, the oldest such festival in Los Angeles, pays tribute to the American music forms of jazz, gospel, and blues and takes it to the Avant Garde and Latin jazz scene. The caliber of talent is of the highest quality and the selection is representative of the diverse population of Los Angeles. These festivals bring the public, including children, together with community service organizations, retail and food vendors, artisans, and musicians.
Classes at the Watts Towers Arts Center include painting, sculpture, photography, music, dance, and other multimedia arts, and provide a safe and creative atmosphere for individual expression under the guidance and direction of professional artists.
