Of course we think so; do you? If so, consider casting a ballot for us in Los Angeles Downtown News' Annual Best of Downtown Contest.

(^ click on the above image to get a voting overview ^)

We're nominated for three categories:

• Best Music Venue
• Best Downtown Event and
• Best Free Event Series (< help us defend our crown; voters like you helped us win this category last year!)

Voting is easy - all you need is an email address, and less than 5 minutes of free time! Check out our Voting Guide Below; there are more than 100 categories, so make sure to spread the love to your favorite restaurants, bars, bakeries and businesses.

• Step 1: Click here to register your email address (the only required info is a valid email address & password).

• Step 2: When you're redirected to the Best of Downtown Ballot page, press "Click Here to Begin"

• Step 3: Entertainment nominees are found on the third page (of six). Select "Grand Performances" for questions #56 (Best Music Venue - Large), #58 (Best Free Event Series) and #66 (Best Downtown Event).

• Step 4: Hit "Next" (bottom lefthand corner of the page) twice until you see the pop up that asks if you want to submit your information.

• Step 5: Press "ok" and you're done.

• Step 6: Share with your friends!

Voting ends June 3, and winners will be announced July 18. Thanks in advance!

Ready, set, go!

Hint & Seek Day 1:

This 2012 documentary recounts the controversy sparked when a music icon traveled to South Africa to record an album. Eventually going platinum 5x over, you could say that album was a bridge over troubled water.

>>> Under African Skies

Hint & Seek Day 2:

This American poet who spent time in San Pedro pens one of the most stolen books in the country.

>>> Tongue & Groove: Bukowski  + Chalres Bukowski Self-Guided Walking Tour

Hint & Seek Day 3:

What has this British Indian NOT done? It's hard to say, but we've already ruled out producer, songwriter, DJ, multi-instrumentalist, orchestral composer, and cultural pioneer.

>>> Nitin Sawhney 

Hint & Seek Day 4:

Peace Go With You, Brother: May 27, 2011

>>> Peace Go With You, Gil 

Hint & Seek Day 5:

Bring a mojito as we pay tribute to the man who transformed the rhythm of Cuban music. 

>>> ¡Vamos al Mambo! 

Hint & Seek Day 6:

From Africa via Paris, this funky bassist and bandleader will groove your ears all the way to the moon.

>>> Breakestra | Bibi Tanga and the Selenites 

Hint & Seek Day 7:

also making Latin, hip-hop and rock music for KIDZ, these guys are some of the coolest parents in L.A.

>>> Ozokidz 

Hint & Seek Day 8:

These hip shakers coined the term, hula mua.

>>> "Hula that evokes" from SF based company, Na Lei Hulu I Ka Wekiu 

Hint & Seek Day 9:

No place to go? Out of work? We hear Mars is an option.

>>> No Place to Go 

Hint & Seek Day 10: 

Born in 1977, she's managed to put 33 years in three minutes of song.

I am GRAND pins

Here's where to find us: 4th Street and Pecan in Boyle Heights (near the Hollenbeck Park and the 101)

Grand Performances is LA’s true gathering place where everyone is welcome regardless of ethnicity, age or economic level. Each summer, urban adventurers, neighbors from senior and low-income housing, young professionals, and families from across the region come together to share cultural experiences.

In just 10 weeks, Grand Performances will launch our 26^th season of free performing arts in downtown Los Angeles – but we can’t do it without you!

Please consider joining as a Jewel Member for the 2012 summer. You will have access to reserved seating, VIP parties at select events, and one of our newest perks – an invitation to our Season Preview Party on May 20^th. Most importantly your gift will ensure access to quality, diverse, global programming for all Angelenos.

Just 7% of our annual budget comes from government sources, so private contributions are increasingly important in order to maintain the quality of artists presented and ensure free community access. And the fact that 80% of our annual budget supports programming guarantees that your contribution is invested in the things that matter most, including the artists on our stage and educational activities for youth.

So check out the listing of benefits and make your 2012 commitment today! Please know that your contribution in any amount is greatly needed and appreciated.

I look forward to seeing you many times this summer,

Michael Alexander

Executive Director

P.S. Click here to make your gift today! And if you have already contributed, we thank you!

Join by April 20^th and be listed in our season brochure

Grand Performances (GP), L.A.'s premiere outdoor summer performing arts presenter, is looking for three paid interns for June-August 2012. GP is known for providing Angelenos with FREE high-quality performances by world-renowned artists across all genres, and our 26th summer will be no exception.

Here's the deal. We have 3 spots open:

• Artists Relations Intern
• Public Relations Intern
• Development (fundraising) Intern, supported by the Los Angles County Internship Program of the Los Angeles County Arts Commission, this position is limited to currently enrolled undergraduates who reside or attend college in Los Angeles County, and will have completed at least one semester of college by June 2012. Click link for more details!

Interested in what our 2011 interns had to say? Read their rave reviews here. 

Lisa and Laora holding down the Info CartInterns hard at work

Are you ready? Then check out these links, thery're hints for what's in store for summer 2012.

1. Poetic soul with a Tribute to Gil Scott-Heron via KCRW

2. Ham on Rye by Charles Bukowski, an American author and poet

3. Who makes that fancy IPhone you can't live without? Mr. Daisey and the Apple Factory via This American Life

4. Simply something to groove to, Bibi Tanga and The Selenites

Never with a canned beer in hand

We've been able to connect with so many folks over the past 25 years, it's about time we spotlight you, our one and only GPeeps. Do you <3 GP? Tell us about it here. This week's GPeep is a longtime fan and one-time employee, Kristen. 

We know you <3 us, but tell us why we should feature you as one of our GPeeps.

I'm a longtime fan and one-time employee of GP. I know where Michael Alexander's clown shoes hang. One time I was working in the donor seating section, and a guy offered me a can of Corona in return for a seat. I rejectedhim. A can of Corona? What kind of person do I look like?

Who are you?

Kristen <3's GP and I'm a canned beer defamer, time travel junkie and lover of community (The concept, not the TV show. Though I hear the TV show is good.) My friends would say I'm a good ally in the battle againt giant juniper bushes and I play a decent melodica. I've been coming to GP for 6 years with my bad self, and when I'm not busting a move on the plaza, you can find me playing Plants vs. Zombies somewhere on the Red Line.

Where are you?

Like, right now right now? I’m on my friend’s porch (they designed it themselves! Dang!). I’m drinking a non-alcoholic mimosa. I can see the Griffith Park Observatory from here. I give this porch five stars out of a possible five.

I would like to see Oh man, a lot of folks, but I’ll name three. Diavolo Dance Theater. Daara J. Dengue Fever. I have no idea why these all start with D. back on the Watercourt stage.

My go-to picnic goods:

Strawberries. So many strawberries. Wine. Baguettes and brie. Edamame.

Here's how I discovered GP:

I was covering arts and entertainment for an undergrad publication when I stumbled onto a poetry slam in the Marina Pavilion. I thought, “Man, this is totally a place I want to work someday.” Three years later, I graduated school and joined GP as a development assistant. It was one of my finest moments of follow-through.

Do any of these scenes look familiar? 

 Remember when an assignment to destroy a coffee bar went awry in David Fincher’s 1999 hit, Fight Club? This explosive scene was shot at our very own Water Court.

How about a romantic afternoon with 500 Days of Summer’s Zooey Deschanel and Joseph Gordon-Levitt canoodling on a park bench? The duo was actually spotted filming in our picturesque Angels Knoll, just steps away from Angels Flight Railway. Thanks for sharing our beautiful view with the world, Fox Searchlight!

Finally, recall a scene in the disaster film 2012, in which John Cusack's character encounters some difficulty propelling his plane over two tall obstacles? You guesses it! They were none other than California Plaza One and California Plaza Two: our 577-foot tall, 42-floor towers built in 1992.

You too can be a part of our California Plaza movie location. We won't have disasterous balls and planes on the plaza, but we will have 10 weeks of summer (concerts). The downtown L.A. love affair (which will definetely turn out better than Zooey Deschanel and Joseph Gordon-Levitt's), kicks off on June 22. In the mean time, let’s give a round of applause to the California Plaza for its Oscar-worthy performances!

Alyssa and our Artist Relations Intern, Phyllis, grooving and moving

We know you <3 us, but why we should feature you as one of our GPeeps?

Working at GP for four seasons made me the ultilmate #1 fan. I even got married at Grand Performances... that's true fan spirit!

Who are you?

Alyssa Pacaut <3 GP and I'm a nonprofit marketer, a lover not a figher, and half Guamanian. My friends would say I'm happy-go-lucky and cultured. I've been coming to GP for 4 years with my amigos; and when I'm not busting a move on the plaza, you can find me trying to score seats in the reserved section from the Development gals.

Where are you?

In DTLA, only the best barrio in Los Angeles.

I would like to see Caravan Palace, Miguel Atwood-Ferguson, Ojos de Brujo, and Son de Madera back on the Watercourt stage.

My go-to picnic goods:

Tomme de Savoie cheese from Trader Joe's, a baguette, heirloom tomatoes, and some dark chocolate for dessert. Oh, and wine. Lots and lots of wine.

Here's how I discovered GP:

My friend interned at GP and said I would really like it. She was right! With my music and travel-loving background, it was love at first sight.

Even though it's only January, we're already getting ready for another fantastic summer season. One of the first things on our to-do list: finding a superstar Music Research/PR Intern to help gather artist intel, manage media listings and develop killer editorial for this summer's shows.

The position is unpaid, but is a fantastic opportunity for currently enrolled undergrad/grad students looking for a credit-only internship this spring. Fringe benefits: great parking in DT, working with the GP staff, lots of cupcake runs and exposure to some of today's best music.

Feel free to pass this along to anyone who might be interested; thanks in advance!

xoxo

__

<<<Full Listing on idealist.org here >>>

Music Research/PR Internship

This is a CREDIT ONLY internship; 8-10 hours/weekly, flexible scheduling

A great opportunity for someone who loves music, culture and L.A. – and wants to make a difference! Grand Performances (GP), L.A.’s premiere outdoor summer performing arts presenter, is looking for a Music Research/PR Intern. GP is known for providing Angelenos with FREE high-quality performances by world-renowned artists across all genres, and our 26^th season (set to place June- August 2012) will be no exception. But we need a highly motivated, culturally curious, creative thinker to help us gather research and prepare content for the summer.  This is an unpaid internship located on Bunker Hill in Downtown L.A.                                      

To apply, please send resume, brief cover letter and one short writing sample to marketing@grandperformances.org, subject line: Spring Intern.

Duties include:

• Compiling & creating artist fact sheets
• Updating & expanding (traditional and new) media distribution lists
• Managing editorial calendars
• Improving outreach to current GP stakeholders and identifying new audiences, partners and collaborators
• Generating story ideas for monthly GP Newsletter
• Writing proactive pitch letters & updating media kit

Required Qualifications:

• Strong work ethic
• Excellent written and editorial skills
• Great researcher with a willingness to learn
• Able to produce quality work with minimal supervision
• Can successfully engage others, both online and offline

Desired Qualifications:

• Experience with Non-profit or start-ups
• Academic concentration on music, marketing or PR
• Fluent in Spanish