Reed Park Pop-up Grant Program Selects 10 Recipients
January 29, 2020 9:20 AM
by Shira Moch
The City of Santa Monica’s Reed Park Pop-Up Grant Program is a new opportunity for Santa Monica residents, businesses, and community organizations to engage and connect with one another through temporary enhancements, events, or programming in Reed Park, located at 1133 7th Street.
Congratulations to the winners of the Reed Park Pop-Up Grant program! Below is a list of awardees creating events for everyone to enjoy (information subject to change). Bring family and friends to enjoy these community gatherings.
The City of Santa Monica cares about your health and safety. We are working closely with the LA County Department of Public Health to monitor the novel coronavirus. To prevent the spread of COVID-19, the City of Santa Monica is postponing all March Reed Park Pop-Ups. For more preventative steps and the latest Santa Monica-specific information about the novel coronavirus, visit santamonica.gov/coronavirus.
Stay home when sick, wash your hand often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, and avoid touching your face with unwashed hands. For more preventative steps and the latest information about the novel coronavirus, visit santamonica.gov/coronavirus. To stay informed, sign up for Santa Monica news at santamonica.gov/newsletter and emergency alerts at www.santamonica.gov/alerts. You can also follow Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.
Official Public Health Information:
LA County Department of Public Health >
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention >
Chinese New Year Celebration: Chinese New Year showcase and workshop that will be held in Joslyn Hall, to teach the community about Chinese culture. The West LA Chinese Children’s Choir will sing Chinese songs and teach the audience words to sing along. Chinese New Year-themed arts and crafts will also be offered.
Date: February 8, 2020, from 3 – 4:30 p.m.
Grantee: Silvia Liu
Tennis + Game Zone: Fun activities for tennis tournament participants and spectators to create a family fun day environment while the tennis tournaments are taking place on the courts. Activities could include life-size lawn games, education and outreach about tennis opportunities, free on-court tennis games, and giveaways.
Date: February 23 and March 29, 2020, from 1 – 5 p.m.(Postponed Until Further Notice)
Grantee: Debbie Mahdessian who runs the Santa Monica Tennis Collective and Aisling Bower who is part of the United States Tennis Association
Vocal Improvisation: a vocal improvisation circle that teaches the foundations of vocal improvisation through a workshop format to create original music on the spot. Strangers will gather to create the circle and connect through the process of creating music that has never existed before.
Date: March 21, 2020, from 11 a.m. – 1 p.m. and 2 – 4 p.m. (Postponed Until Further Notice)
Grantee: Monique DeBose with support from Emile Hassan Dyer of the Golden Bridge Choir
Poetry Reading: continuing education adult learners at Santa Monica College will showcase their poetry writing to the community and connect with other people interested in poetry or learning more about it.
Date: March 28, 2020, from 11 a.m. – 1 p.m. (Postponed Until Further Notice)
Grantee: Betzi Richardson and her students from Santa Monica College
Recycling for Play: interactive play with recycled materials for children and families to learn about the benefits of recycling and how to reuse household items. A reading area with children’s books and resources for parents about recycling will also be offered.
Date: March 14 and April 18, 2020, from 10 a.m. - 12 p.m. (Postponed Until Further Notice)
Grantee: Michelle Johnson and Jo Bell with the Kidz Korner Children’s Center
Birds in the Park: a hands-on way to learn about wild birds discover ways to help the bird population and connect people with nature through wild bird watching at Reed Park. Bird specialists on-site will offer guided bird walks around the park to identify bird species and host learning stations.
Date: April 4, 2020, from 11 a.m. – 3 p.m. (Postponed Until Further Notice)
Grantee: Julie Hanson who owns Wild Birds Unlimited and her daughter Anneliese who is a SaMoHi student
Student Robotics Showcase: showcase to present and operate a student-built robot, materials used for design and build, and opportunity for SaMo students and parents to connect with STEM curriculum and engineering principles.
Date: May 3, 2020, from 11 a.m. – 3 p.m. (Postponed Until Further Notice)
Grantee: Ruben Aronun and Nuri Halperin along with 33 students who are part of Samovar Robotics (an extra-curricular collaboration between the Michelle and Barak Obama Center for Inquiry and Exploration and SaMoHi
Jazz Concert: original jazz music performance by the Dennis Mitcheltree Trio. The saxophone, bass, and drums will play together to bring music to Reed Park.
Date: May 9, 2020, from 3 – 5 p.m. (Postponed Until Further Notice)
Grantee: Dennis Mitcheltree with the American Music Group
Apply for Grant Cycle 2 on April 1, 2020 (postponed until further notice), to create an exciting community event at Reed Park!
About the Program
Public spaces attract people, build community by bringing people together, and create local identity. Some public parks and open spaces were created to provide access to peaceful nature, others adventure and play, and some for community gathering. Reed Park, nestled in the Wilmont neighborhood, offers all of these opportunities. Propose YOUR way to bring people together in Reed Park. Grants will be awarded twice a year.
Grant Program Timeline
Reed Park Pop Up Application Guide
Contact the Community & Cultural Services Department for an application in a language other than English.
Community & Cultural Services Department
1685 Main Street, Room 210
Santa Monica, CA 90401
(310) 458-8310
CCS.Mailbox@smgov.net
Authored By
Shira Moch
Assistant Park Planner