Glow 2010

All you night owls and art junkies, rejoice! Glow is returning to Santa Monica on Sept. 25, 2010. What does this mean, you ask? It means a whole night of dancing along the Santa Monica beach, surrounded by art, music, culture and loving minds like yours. Gather your friends for this free event by the Santa Monica Pier, beginning when the sun sets for the day.

Last year’s project by Freya Bardell and Brian Howe called The Migration of the Tumbleweed glowed magically from the Santa Monica Bay. The installations of recycled plastic bottles and LEDs were created as a response to the giant “trash vortex” in the Pacific Ocean. Usman Haque’s Primal Source used anchored microphones to catch live sound at Glow.

After being run through special software, the sounds triggered astoundingly striking visual responses, which were then projected onto the water wall. Musicians rode the ferris wheel while playing for part of Machine Project’s Mandala Fanfare. More than 200,000 people attended Glow 2008, and many more should be attending the September return. The festival is produced by the City of Santa Monica and the Santa Monica Arts Foundation.

Santa Monica’s local radio station star Jason Bentley and host of "Morning Becomes Eclectic" on KCRW 89.9 FM called the 2008 Glow extravaganza “poorly executed," but he has much higher hopes for this year’s festival, according to an interview on LAmag.com.

More than 100 artists sent in proposals to be part of this year’s artistic all-nighter. As many as 25 artists will be commissioned for projects specifically for Glow 2010. Artists already in the line-up include Steve Roden, Lee Boroson, Rafael Lozano-Hemmer, Céleste Boursier-Mougenot and Jennifer Steinkamp.

For those of you looking to volunteer for a fun event, consider donating your time to help Glow keep on glowing. Volunteers will have an orientation before the event, and Glow will keep you fed and happy all night. Glow is also looking for sponsorship opportunities, so check the website for more information.

HelloMetro Tip: Follow Glow on Twitter and on Facebook to get the most up-to-date information on Glow events and artists. Also, tell your friends!

- by Jessica Bates, Santa Monica Reporter for HelloMetro  (Click to leave a message)

Jessica Bates

Jessica is a freelance journalist residing in lovely southern California. She holds a bachelor's degree in English and journalism. She writes for a green living publication, which she thoroughly enjoys. Once upon a time she was an editorial board member for Steel Toe Books choosing poetry manuscripts for publication.