Event Honors Creative Community and Supporters of Vital Health Care Services
Venice Family Clinic, a non-profit community health center dedicated to providing quality health care to those in need, introduced its inaugural HEART Gala. The HEART (Health + Art) initiative by Venice Family Clinic celebrates a community committed to health, art, creativity, and social justice. For the first time, influential creatives, philanthropists, and celebrities will come together to honor the HEART community and recognize individuals who support the Clinic’s essential healthcare services, with the backing of The Chuck Lorre Family Foundation as a gala sponsor. Artist Morleigh Steinberg and musician The Edge, longtime advocates of Venice Family Clinic, will be presented with the first-ever HEART Award at the event on Saturday, May 11, 2024, at 3Labs in Culver City, CA.
“The HEART Gala is a celebration of the creative community that drives Venice Family Clinic. We are thrilled to acknowledge the profound legacy of imaginative and innovative individuals partnering with us to advocate for healthcare access for all while also raising funds for the Clinic’s vital programs and services,” stated Naveena Ponnusamy, Venice Family Clinic’s Chief Development and Communications Officer.
Morleigh and The Edge expressed their gratitude, stating, “It is an honor to accept the first-ever HEART Award from Venice Family Clinic, an organization that deeply resonates with us. We look forward to an unforgettable evening celebrating what we can achieve together.”
Morleigh and The Edge embody the spirit of HEART through their dedication to the arts and health equity. Morleigh, a second-generation Angeleno, is a dance artist, creative consultant, and Co-Founder of ARCANE Space, a gallery in Venice that provides emerging artists with exhibition opportunities. She has toured globally with her dance companies and has collaborated with renowned artists, including U2, as a creative consultant since 1992. The Edge, best known as the lead guitarist for the legendary rock band U2, is a musician, singer, and songwriter. Recently, Morleigh and The Edge returned from Las Vegas, where U2 completed a 40-night run of ‘U2:UV Achtung Baby Live At Sphere,’ a groundbreaking show that fused music, art, and technology to create an unparalleled immersive live music experience. Both are enthusiastic supporters of the Venice Family Clinic Art Walk + Auction, with Morleigh opening ARCANE Space for studio tours during the Venice Art Walk and The Edge donating photography for display and sale in the benefit auction.
Health and art have been intertwined in the culture of Venice Family Clinic since 1979 when volunteers and artists organized the first-ever Venice Family Clinic Art Walk + Auction. The inaugural HEART Gala will coincide with the 45th anniversary of the Venice Art Walk, featuring nearly 200 artists from May 10-19, 2024. Proceeds from the auction will also support Venice Family Clinic’s programs and services, ensuring continued healthcare availability for 45,000 people in need across Los Angeles County.
More details about the HEART Gala and Venice Art Walk will be revealed in the upcoming weeks. Learn more at venicefamilyclinic.org/HEARTGala.
