A little Sunday morning rain didn’t hamper the fun or the action at the 40th anniversary Venice Family Clinic Art Walk & Auction. The event raised $1 million, which supports Venice Family Clinic’s mission to provide quality health care to people in need.

Google Los Angeles once again hosted the event, graciously transforming their space into an art gallery for artworks from more than 200 contemporary artists. LA Weekly referred to this year’s auction as having a mind-blowing list of artists.

“I am proud that the growth of this event and the growth of the Clinic have gone hand in hand,” says Elizabeth Benson Forer, CEO of Venice Family Clinic. “The support of this community—the artists and the art lovers—strengthens our resolve to do everything we can to help people get well and stay healthy.”

The Clinic currently treats more than 27,000 low-income people each year across 12 locations as well as 10 teams delivering street medicine to people experiencing homelessness. Naveena Ponnusamy, the Clinic’s chief development and communications officer, said that the money raised would have an immediate impact for those who need the Clinic’s services and programming.

“Without Venice Family Clinic, many of our patients would have nowhere to turn,” says Ponnusamy. “When you support Venice Family Clinic, you ensure that everyone in our community has access to high quality, affordable health care.”

Fun for all

The event featured engaging community activations including: an interactive art bus that served as a canvas for attendees to paint, a live art exhibition, art workshops taught by local artisans, live music, a craft beer and wine garden, food trucks, a family fun zone, and dog daycare provided by fitdog.

The musical lineup included Sunny War, Rackets, Parker Ainsworth, DANKE, Katalyst Collective and Foxtrails.

For a $40 donation (reduced from $50, in honor of the 40th anniversary), guests enjoyed special access to dozens of artists’ studios throughout Venice, including Laddie John Dill, Alejandro Gehry, Jean Edelstein, Mollie Favour, and Brad Miller.

A bold and caring community

Business and entertainment professionals, prominent philanthropists, and influential artists converged at the event, which provides a unique experience where collectors can blend their passion for contemporary art with their commitment to Venice Family Clinic and the important service it provides to people in the community. Artwork on display included significant pieces by John Baldessari, Andrea Bowers, Haas Brothers, Laura Owens, Ed Ruscha and Analia Saban.

This year, we were proud to feature artworks from two current patients, Rigo Veloso and Karl Harris. Rigo and Karl used to be homeless but have successfully transitioned into housing, thanks in part to the medical care they received from providers at Venice Family Clinic. You can read a little more about Rigo in the New York Times article.

Check out our Facebook album for an expanded set of photos of the day’s events and participants.