Our archive acknowledges the traditional forms of archiving, but we challenge how art in activism and social movements are represented, and what happens to their ephemeral essence that can only be experienced in the moment. Amidst the formal commercial art spaces of Downtown Los Angeles are smaller community activist spaces that use artistic practice to build mutual understanding around social change. Arts invite participation, but also require participants. This makes visibility the crux of survival for art spaces in Downtown. Social movements have lived and died on the participation of the public, and are victims of suppression by hegemonic forces. We take a critical role in the appraisal of our archive, dealing directly with what we and our audience “consciously exclude, marginalize, ignore, destroy” (Cook 2011, pg 174). As a “dominant archival institution” (Tai et al. 2019, pg 4) UCLA is endowed with billions of dollars and actively profiting from oppressive structures like the military-industrial complex and for-profit corporate development.

Our installation takes inspiration from the open mic dynamic of the Peace & Healing Center and the impact and meaning this space has for the community in light of the socio-spatial histories of Skid Row and Downtown Los Angeles. The history of Skid Row is one of constriction, where simple joys of public expression and artistry are disappearing as rapidly as public spaces. The commodification of space in downtown has also manifested as a commodification of expression, where artistry is only allowed in formal, private, and purchased spaces. The Peace and Healing Center confronts this directly, offering an artistic community space that defies erasure and empowers the voices of marginalized communities. To embody this, we reflect the multigenerational community spirit of the space through marquee-box emulating the welcoming space of the Peace and Healing Center. The stage and sensory elements of our marquee allow visitors who have not yet had the chance to be a part of the space to experiencing the comforting community aspects of the space. This marquee box serves as a commemoration of the space as it is today, inspiring visions of the future as community leaders envision larger spaces for performance and expression in Skid Row and across Downtown. Above the stage area, we have on display a short-film that serves as a visual and sonic archive of the space, giving a window into the ephemeral, fleeting performances that can usually only be experienced in person. The audience interacts with the marquee-box by placing their head inside of the box, thereby immersing themselves in the ambience of the space that has been recreated within the box. Accompanying this miniature performance is a Playbill that allows the audience member insights into the personal inspirations of the many warm and inspired souls that make up the space. We invite audience members if they feel so inclined to participate in our live open mic. Voices and empowering quotes are overlaid on DJ’d audio that offers another venue of transportation into the space, encouraging the audience to use their own voice and request to sing, speak, recite poetry, or otherwise express the artistic potential of the moment.