Friday, December 4
4:30 PM – The 4th Annual Venice Sign Holiday Lighting! Open viewing of poster contest:
6:15 PM – Festivities start at on Windward Ave.
8:00 PM – Holiday Lighting of the Venice Sign
7:00 PM – Luminous family, at the LifeYoga Garden at the beautiful outdoor patio of the vegan restaurant LifeFood Organic in Santa Monica. On this special night, we’re celebrating the culmination of our “When The People Lead” crowd funding project. to take part in supporting this project’s completion. This is an all ages party, and there will be an array of food, smoothies, elixirs, and vegan deserts availabl! 306 Pico Blvd, Santa Monica

Saturday, December 5
4:00 PM – In Discussion With Robert Scheer – He is editor of the Webby Award–winning political website, TruthDig.com. He has built a reputation for strong social and political writing over his 30 years as a journalist. His columns appear in newspapers across the country, and his in-depth interviews have made headlines. Scheer can be heard on the political radio program Left, Right and Center on KCRW. His latest book is titled They Know Everything About You: How Data-Collecting Corporations and Snooping Government Agencies Are Destroying Democracy. General Admission $10, Students & Seniors $6, Members Free. Beyond Baroque

8:00 PM – Amy Gerstler’s ten previous poetry collections include Bitter Angel, winner of the National Book Critics Circle Award, and Dearest Creature, a finalist for the Los Angeles Times Book Prize. She was also editor of The Best American Poetry (2010). Join us as Amy reads from her recently published Penguin Poets volume, Scattered at Sea, which is a finalist for this year’s National Book Award. General Admission $10, Students & Seniors $6, Members Free. Beyond Baroque

Sunday, December 6
7:00 PM – Subversive Cinema and LIVE funky ass MUSIC – Laughtears.com at Beyond Baroque, 681 Venice Blvd. Venice CA, FREE
Noon-3:00 PM – CSPG Open House & Holiday Sale CSPG’s unique activist, educational, and research archive contains 85,000 protest posters from the 19th century to the present. free & open to the public! Tours, demonstrations, and refreshments will be provided. All merchandise, including posters, books, and catalogs, will be discounted up to 30% off! CSPG is located inside the Peace Center. Free parking in the lot behind the building. politicalgraphics.org, Instagram @politicalgraphics!
12:00-7:00 PM – SPARC Holiday Sale, 685 Venice Blvd, Venice, California 90291 SPARC Store joined with vendor booths by Pola Lopez, Victoria Plata, Rosanna Esparza Ahrens, Pavel Acevedo, Venice Historical Society, Vianney Mendez, Los de Abajo Printmaking Collective, Art Division Artists, Lexx Valdez, Alice Patrick, Luis Fileto, AMARTE, Surca Earth Design, ChaCha Covers and Daniel Gonzalez. One of a kind prints and posters from SPARC’s collection, plus unique historical items, Oaxaca gems, jewelry, prints, women’s collective handmade items, t-shirts, stickets, ornaments. Food and music offered.
1:30 PM – Gorgeous Stories with Terrie Silverman – You’re invited to witness embarrassing, absurd and painfully comic moments become Gorgeous Stories. Be inspired by hilarious true stories and solo-show excerpts developed in Terrie Silverman’s Creative Rites Fall workshop at Beyond Baroque. Special Admission: $8 for all.
5:00 PM – First Sunday Open Reading – Our popular monthly open reading. Features this month, Jennifer Macciarella. Hosted by Steve Goldman. Sign ups begin at 4:45 PM. Five-minute limit. Free, but donations always appreciated. Beyond Baroque
7:00 PM – Subversive Cinema With Gerry Fialka In the Scott Wannberg Bookstore Experimental films to political activist cinema to lit, art, music flix to avant garde documentaries. With fiery discussion. Free, donations appreciated. Beyond Baroque
5:00 PM VOC Bridge lighting party on 12/6.

Wednesday, December 9
7:00 PM – Suzy Williams jazz-blues at Danny’s 23 Windward Ave, Venice, CA, 90291 310-566-5610 FREE

Thursday, December 10
8:00 – 10:00 PM – ViCA presents a Benefit Silent Auction at NextSpace in Venice Beach, featuring 15 artists. All proceeds from this Auction will benefit the artists first and foremost. ViCA will donate a portion of the proceeds to the PLACE project. The PLACE project seeks to build sustainable low income housing/studio space for artists in Venice.These artists define the significant role Venice plays in the global art world and highlight the efforts ViCA makes to sustain the creatives of our community despite gentrification and displacement of artists. Curator: Juri Koll Artists: Javier De Aubeyzon, Sandy Bleifer, Mb Boissonnault, Fatemeh Burnes, Dani Dodge, Janet Gervers, Gloriane Harris, Amy Kaps, KuBO, Mei Xian Qiu, Sonja Schenk, Lisa Rosel, May Sun, Edmund Teske, Jennifer Verge Presented by Venice Institute of Contemporary Art (ViCA) & NextSpace Venice Beach, 1600 Main St, Venice.
8:30 PM – Girls ‘n Guitars Toys for Tots Toy Drive at Cinema Bar 3967 Sepulveda Blvd, Culver City, California 90230

Friday, December 11
8:00 PM – What Books Reading Literary sci-fi from Annette Leddy (Earth Still) and Katharine Haake (The Time of Quarantine); noir flash fiction from Chuck Rosenthal and Gail Wronsky (The Shortest Farewells are the Best). General Admission $10, Students & Seniors $6, Members Free. Beyond Baroque

Saturday, December 12
4:00-6:00 PM: – MESS – Interview with April Hava Shenkman, aka HAVA – Los Angeles Performance Artist and Comedian at Unurban 3301 Pico Blvd free
4:00 PM – Writing Healing Poetry – Chanel Brenner, author of Vanilla Milk, Madeline Sharples, author of Leaving the Hall Light On and Alexis Rhone Fancher, author of State of Grace: The Joshua Elegies will discuss and read their poems about the loss of their sons. Community Event: Suggested Donation $5-$10, no one turned away for lack of funds. Beyond Baroque
8:00 PM – Exit 10 Presented By Michael Altman Playwright Daniel Dean Darst (AKA Danny Darst) has been brewing the music, lyrics and script for his semi-autobiographical play, EXIT 10, for at least twenty-five years, more likely his whole life. With a guitar slung over his shoulder and a history of freight trains, truck stops, and logging camps, he has always been able to weave a story and a song. Michael Altman first read EXIT 10 in about 1995. He was working on location on his father’s film, Kansas City, in the director’s hometown, when Danny came to visit. “Danny was this elusive, enigmatic character that would kind of blow into town. Early on, I was enamored of his music,” said Michael. “My dad loved him. They would talk philosophy and drink together and carry on.” General Admission $10, Students & Seniors $6, Members Free. Beyond Baroque

Sunday, December 13
10:00-12:00 PM – Finding Humor In The Holidays: A Writing/Storytelling Workshop. Mine The Comedy, Joy & Absurdity Of The Season! They’re coming, charging towards you. Welcome to the holiday season. A time of hope, expectations, nostalgia and memories. The holidays become a yearly marker for who we are and who we want to be, along with the drama and joy of family and traditions. Explore and express your experience of the season while mining the comic absurdities. In this workshop we’ll be using guided imagery, spontaneous writing and oral storytelling. You will create stories filled with irony, pathos and humor from holiday memories, images and even gifts. Registration required: General $45, General Early Bird registration before 11/30/15 $35, Members $30. Beyond Baroque
2:00 PM – Soap Box Open Reading This is your home. Bring your words. The mic is yours. Sign ups begin at 1:45 PM. There is a five minute limit. Hosted by Jessica Wilson. FREE, but donations are always welcome. Beyond Baroque
6:00 PM – Free Venice Beachhead Christmas Party, Beyond Baroque

Monday, December 14
6:00 PM – PXL THIS 25 Toy Camera Film Festival http://laughtears.com/PXL-THIS-25.html at Unurban 3301 Pico Blvd FREE

Tuesday December 15
7:00-10:00 PM – VNC Board Meeting, Westminster Elementary School Auditorium

Wednesday, December 16
7:00 PM: – MOM discussion group at Beyond Baroque 681 Venice Blvd, Venice, CA, FREE

Thursday, December 17
6:30 PM – Venice Art Crawl Night At Beyond Baroque 6:30PM LightFall Lighting Exhibit – Watch the light change through this unique and magical lighting exhibit where the walls are the canvas and the paint is composed of light in various forms, colors and shapes. This show is made to be seen at Dusk. 6:30 PM Reception, 7:30 PM LightFall Exhibit/Show, Beyond Baroque
8:00 PM – Public Works Presents: Under Milk Wood Voices in the Well presents another amazing show, this time focusing on Dylan Thomas’s Under Milk Wood where an omniscient narrator invites the audience to listen to the dreams and innermost thoughts of the inhabitants of a fictional small Welsh fishing village Llareggub. General Admission $10, Students & Seniors $6, Members Free. Beyond Baroque

Friday, December 18
8:00 PM – Beyond Baroque Fiction Showcase: Tim Kirk: Burnt, A Multi-Generational Western Noir Writer and filmmaker, (Room 237, The Nightmare, and Director’s Commentary: Terror of Frankenstein) reads from his new book, which follows three interwoven stories for nearly a century. John Darnielle calls it “a dark and brooding meditation about fatherhood: its burdens, its depths, its permanence.” It is imaginative and entertaining and full of twists and turns. General Admission $10, Students & Seniors $6, Members Free. Beyond Baroque

Saturday, December 19
10:00 AM to 2:00 PM – “The Great Venice Toy Drive and Holiday Festival,” Oakwood Recreation Center
8:00 PM – Exit 10 Presented By Michael Altman (see Saturday, December 12 for description) Beyond Baroque
9:30 PM – Doctor Wu playing Steely Dan music at Rusty’s Surf Ranch, 256 Santa Monica Pier Santa Monica, CA 90401
Sunday, December 20
2:30 PM – Suzy Williams At Jazz Forum https://www.facebook.com/events/873476506071291/ FREE 1308 2nd St Santa Monica CA
3:30-6:00 PM – Claudia Lennear and Special Guest Jackson Browne – The Ash Grove at The Improv: Gospel Sunday. Hollywood Improv Comedy Club, 8162 Melrose Ave, Los Angeles, California 90046
7:00 PM – Ross Altman’s Salute To Phil Ochs A Small Circle of Friends Celebrate Phil Ochs’ 75th Birthday With guest artists singing & reading, and a visual display of Broadside Magazine and the Phil Ochs Documentary, There But For Fortune. General Admission $10, Students & Seniors $6, Members Free. Beyond Baroque
Saturday, December 26
7-10 PM: – Jazz Funk Fest at Unurban, 3301 Pico Blvd, Santa Monica, CA FREE

Sunday, December 27
2:00 PM – Nebraska Girl Open In the Mike Kelley Gallery Hosted by Wyatt Underwood. Feature this month: TBA. Five-minute limit, sign -ups at 1:45 PM. Suggested donation $5. Beyond Baroque
6:00 PM – La Poesia Festival Hosted by Antonieta Villamil. Community Event: Suggested donation $5-$10. No one turned away for lack of funds. Beyond Baroque
7:00 PM – Koszulinski Films – Experimental non-fiction filmmaker Georg Koszulinski (in person) screens films that meditate on the radical possibilities of the cinema as a hallucinatory space where a critical engagement with the past can inform alternative visions of the future. Free, donations appreciated. Beyond Baroque

Monday, December 28
6:00-9:00 PM – Laughtears Salon – Gerry Fialka hosts discussion on philosophies, politics and the arts. Free admission. Fourth Mondays at 212 PIER Coffeehouse, 212 Pier Ave, Santa Monica CA 90405 (between Main & 2nd St), 310-314-5275