1. Los Angeles County Museum of Art Art & Film Gala
#1 Art, Design & Fashion Event
In just its seventh year, Lacma’s gala has already become one of the city’s most heavy-hitting fund-raisers: The 2017 event drew 600 guests and raised more than $4.4 million. Eva Chow and Leonardo DiCaprio co-chaired the A-list evening, which was sponsored by Gucci and catered by Patina. Next: November 2018
In just its seventh year, Lacma’s gala has already become one of the city’s most heavy-hitting fund-raisers: The 2017 event drew 600 guests and raised more than $4.4 million. Eva Chow and Leonardo DiCaprio co-chaired the A-list evening, which was sponsored by Gucci and catered by Patina. Next: November 2018
Photo: Stefanie Keenan/Getty Images for LACMA
2. L.A. Art Show
#2 Art, Design & Fashion Event (up from #3)
The 23rd edition of the art show, which took place in January, featured the event’s largest and most diverse lineup in its history, covering 260,000 square feet of exhibition space with more than 100 galleries from some 18 countries. The four-day event kicked off with a star-studded opening night gala fearing the actor Jon Hamm; public events followed and drew nearly 70,000 people over four days. New exhibitors this year included the California African American Museum and the MUSA Museum of the Arts of Guadalajara in Mexico. Next: January 23-27, 2019
The 23rd edition of the art show, which took place in January, featured the event’s largest and most diverse lineup in its history, covering 260,000 square feet of exhibition space with more than 100 galleries from some 18 countries. The four-day event kicked off with a star-studded opening night gala fearing the actor Jon Hamm; public events followed and drew nearly 70,000 people over four days. New exhibitors this year included the California African American Museum and the MUSA Museum of the Arts of Guadalajara in Mexico. Next: January 23-27, 2019
Photo: Bryan Birdman Mier
3. Hammer Museum's Gala in the Garden
#3 Art, Design & Fashion Event (up from #4)
The Hammer Museum’s high-profile gala raises money to support and showcase young and emerging L.A. artists. The 15th edition, held in October, drew more than 500 guests, honored Ava DuVernay and Hilton Als, and raised $2.4 million. Returning for the fifth year, Bottega Veneta partnered with the Hammer to present the gala. Next: October 14, 2018
The Hammer Museum’s high-profile gala raises money to support and showcase young and emerging L.A. artists. The 15th edition, held in October, drew more than 500 guests, honored Ava DuVernay and Hilton Als, and raised $2.4 million. Returning for the fifth year, Bottega Veneta partnered with the Hammer to present the gala. Next: October 14, 2018
Photo: Billy Farrell/BFA.com
4. Modernism Week Palm Springs
#4 Art, Design & Fashion Event (new to the list)
The 13-year-old celebration of mid-century modern design and architecture—which takes over Palm Springs for 11 days every February—continues to make a name for itself: Attendance for the 2018 edition rose 30 percent, to roughly 126,000 people; it also drew attendees from all 50 U.S. states for the first time. Modernism Week involves more than 350 events, including home and bus tours, lectures, live music events, and nightly parties. Proceeds go to local students pursuing education in the fields of architecture and design, as well as organizations that preserve modernist architecture. Next: February 14-24, 2019
The 13-year-old celebration of mid-century modern design and architecture—which takes over Palm Springs for 11 days every February—continues to make a name for itself: Attendance for the 2018 edition rose 30 percent, to roughly 126,000 people; it also drew attendees from all 50 U.S. states for the first time. Modernism Week involves more than 350 events, including home and bus tours, lectures, live music events, and nightly parties. Proceeds go to local students pursuing education in the fields of architecture and design, as well as organizations that preserve modernist architecture. Next: February 14-24, 2019
Photo: David A. Lee
5. Los Angeles Fashion Week
#5 Art, Design & Fashion Event
Dedicated to raising the profile of Los Angeles on the international fashion scene, the event showcases the newest collections of local and international designers. The latest edition, held at NeueHouse Holywood, featured designs from Michael Leyva, Maison the Faux, Nicholas Mayfield, Betty Tran, Yekim, Guzema, and more. Fashion Week presentations happen twice a year, around March and October. Next: October 6-10, 2018
Dedicated to raising the profile of Los Angeles on the international fashion scene, the event showcases the newest collections of local and international designers. The latest edition, held at NeueHouse Holywood, featured designs from Michael Leyva, Maison the Faux, Nicholas Mayfield, Betty Tran, Yekim, Guzema, and more. Fashion Week presentations happen twice a year, around March and October. Next: October 6-10, 2018
Photo: Craig Bennett
6. Los Angeles County Museum of Art's Collectors Committee
#6 Art, Design & Fashion Event (up from #7)
The weekend-long event for Lacma donors happens each spring. This year’s 32nd annual event raised more than $3.1 million and resulted in the addition of 10 new acquisitions for the museum’s permanent collection. The two-day affair, sponsored by Cartier, included curator-led art presentations, private dinners at the homes of major supporters, and a gala. Next: April 2019
The weekend-long event for Lacma donors happens each spring. This year’s 32nd annual event raised more than $3.1 million and resulted in the addition of 10 new acquisitions for the museum’s permanent collection. The two-day affair, sponsored by Cartier, included curator-led art presentations, private dinners at the homes of major supporters, and a gala. Next: April 2019
Photo: Stefanie Keenan/Getty Images for Lacma
7. San Diego Museum's Art Alive Benefit
#7 Art, Design & Fashion Event (up from #8)
A spring tradition, the event recently wrapped up its 37th edition, which featured four days of events and more than 100 floral interpretations created by top local and national designers. Last year, more than $1.3 million was raised to support arts education, outreach, and exhibition; numbers are still being tallied, but the museum hopes to surpass that number in 2018. Roughly 12,000 people attend the event every year. Next: April 2019
A spring tradition, the event recently wrapped up its 37th edition, which featured four days of events and more than 100 floral interpretations created by top local and national designers. Last year, more than $1.3 million was raised to support arts education, outreach, and exhibition; numbers are still being tallied, but the museum hopes to surpass that number in 2018. Roughly 12,000 people attend the event every year. Next: April 2019
Photo: Courtesy of the San Diego Museum of Art
8. Dwell on Design
#8 Art, Design & Fashion Event (up from #10)
Acquired by Informa in 2015, the three-day event for architecture and design professionals features more than 2,000 furnishings and products at the Los Angeles Convention Center. The 2018 event in April included self-guided home tours around Los Angeles and an outdoor area with a full-scale prefab home by Method Homes. More than 40 speakers and panelists included designer Jonathan Adler and Savannah College of Art and Design president Paula Wallace. Next: April 2019
Acquired by Informa in 2015, the three-day event for architecture and design professionals features more than 2,000 furnishings and products at the Los Angeles Convention Center. The 2018 event in April included self-guided home tours around Los Angeles and an outdoor area with a full-scale prefab home by Method Homes. More than 40 speakers and panelists included designer Jonathan Adler and Savannah College of Art and Design president Paula Wallace. Next: April 2019
Photo: Courtesy of Dwell on Design
9. Westweek
#9 Art, Design & Fashion Event
Pacific Design Center’s spring market is billed as the West Coast’s major showcase for global design. The two-day event introduces offerings from among 2,200 product lines presented by 100 international showroom manufacturers. About 4,000 trade professionals from around the world come for the series of programs and events featuring shelter publications, editors, and tastemakers. The 2018 event had a theme of “Design Is Global” and featured a keynote on the legacy of the California design scene. Next: March 2019
Pacific Design Center’s spring market is billed as the West Coast’s major showcase for global design. The two-day event introduces offerings from among 2,200 product lines presented by 100 international showroom manufacturers. About 4,000 trade professionals from around the world come for the series of programs and events featuring shelter publications, editors, and tastemakers. The 2018 event had a theme of “Design Is Global” and featured a keynote on the legacy of the California design scene. Next: March 2019
Photo: LKR Photography
10. Laguna Beach Festival of the Arts and Pageant of Masters
#10 Art, Design & Fashion Event (up from #12)
The annual pageant is most known for its stage show made up of real people posing exactly like their counterparts in original artwork; the 2018 event has the theme of “Under the Sun.” The accompanying festival includes work from 140 local artists, plus art workshops, music series, and more. Now in its 86th year, the event is one of the country’s oldest juried fine art shows, and proceeds support arts in Orange County. Next: July 7-September 1, 2018
The annual pageant is most known for its stage show made up of real people posing exactly like their counterparts in original artwork; the 2018 event has the theme of “Under the Sun.” The accompanying festival includes work from 140 local artists, plus art workshops, music series, and more. Now in its 86th year, the event is one of the country’s oldest juried fine art shows, and proceeds support arts in Orange County. Next: July 7-September 1, 2018
Photo: Courtesy of Laguna Beach Festival of the Arts
11. Venice Family Clinic’s Art Walk & Auctions
#11 Art, Design & Fashion Event (up from #13)
The largest art walk in Southern California supports Venice Family Clinic’s mission to provide quality health care to people in need. The most recent event, which took place last weekend, was held at Google’s Venice headquarters and honored three Venice-based artists. The fund-raiser features exhibitions, studio tours, guided workshops, live music, and more, and lead sponsors included Sony Pictures Entertainment and the Frederick R. Weisman Philanthropic Foundation. Next: Spring 2019
The largest art walk in Southern California supports Venice Family Clinic’s mission to provide quality health care to people in need. The most recent event, which took place last weekend, was held at Google’s Venice headquarters and honored three Venice-based artists. The fund-raiser features exhibitions, studio tours, guided workshops, live music, and more, and lead sponsors included Sony Pictures Entertainment and the Frederick R. Weisman Philanthropic Foundation. Next: Spring 2019
Photo: David Crotty
12. Art Los Angeles Contemporary
#12 Art, Design & Fashion Event (up from #14)
Held at the Barker Hangar in Santa Monica, the fair presents top established and emerging galleries from around the world, emphasizing local L.A. galleries. The 2018 event drew 16,000 attendees and 68 exhibitors, and included an opening-night reception, a video installation from local artist Jesse Fleming, and family-friendly art-making workshops. Next year’s event will celebrate the fair’s 10th anniversary. Next: January 24-27, 2019
Held at the Barker Hangar in Santa Monica, the fair presents top established and emerging galleries from around the world, emphasizing local L.A. galleries. The 2018 event drew 16,000 attendees and 68 exhibitors, and included an opening-night reception, a video installation from local artist Jesse Fleming, and family-friendly art-making workshops. Next year’s event will celebrate the fair’s 10th anniversary. Next: January 24-27, 2019
Photo: Michael Underwood
13. Mission Federal ArtWalk
#13 Art, Design & Fashion Event (up from #15)
The free two-day festival takes place each spring in San Diego’s Little Italy district, covering 17 city blocks. The 34th edition, which took place in April, drew more than 350 local, national, and international artists. New this year, Artist & Craftsman Supply hosted an interactive art project where attendees helped create an abstract painting using a variety of materials. Next: April 2019
The free two-day festival takes place each spring in San Diego’s Little Italy district, covering 17 city blocks. The 34th edition, which took place in April, drew more than 350 local, national, and international artists. New this year, Artist & Craftsman Supply hosted an interactive art project where attendees helped create an abstract painting using a variety of materials. Next: April 2019
Photo: Paul Nestor
