St. Elmo Village
4830 St. Elmo Drive
L.A., CA
323-931-3409

Part artist colony, part community outreach program, St. Elmo Village is a patch of multiethnic communal art in the heart of the city. Just north of the 5 Freeway and east of La Brea sits the Los Angeles bungalow courtyard that looks like no other.

The place is always bustling with creativity. It's a work-in-progress where all aspects of the creative process are shared, and self-confidence and self-esteem are encouraged. Behind the homes is a large garage full of paints, brushes, drums and hundreds of canvases. Visible are some of the talented tenants' works, as well as the work of children who attend the free sidewalk-painting weekend classes. St. Elmo Village offers free youth classes in theater and congas.

In 1970, Roderick Sykes and his uncle Rozzell held the first Festival of the Art of Survival there. The festival is still held every year on Memorial Day.