Developer uses art to entice downtown LA tenants

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The owners of a new apartment complex in downtown LA are tapping artists for help marketing their building, OLiVE DTLA. They've launched a competition for an artist in residence, who would live at the complex for six months and engage the residents in the art-making process. This Thursday, June 22, they'll announce the winner of the competition.


A painted hallway inside OLiVE DTLA
Photo courtesy Wicked+

This is the latest example of a growing trend for real estate developers to bring street cred to new development by bringing in artists. So who is gaining here, and are there losers? Or do we simply have a more colorful city?

DnA producer Avishay Artsy spoke to Wolff Company director of marketing Amber Huntley-Ruiz; Street Art House co-founder Justin Fredericks; Crewest Studio co-founder Scott Power; and artists Lindsey Nobel and Joseph Lee.