Check Out the Top Stops on the Venice Art Crawl

In just a year, the Venice Art Crawl has become one of the town's monthly highlights. It's always a work in progress, so check out the map (attached), and meander around. But if you're short on time, here's a curated list of the can't-miss exhibitions on Thursday.

Dogtown Artists United is back at 811 Ocean Front Walk (the vacant buildings slated for redevelopment just north of Brooks Avenue). This month, Tim Thompson will display “Space Palette,” an interactive sound installation, and several visual artists will present work. The Raw Bar will also be on hand. Enter on Speedway into one of the coolest parties going in Venice.

On the other end of the crawl, on Pacific Avenue just south of Venice Boulevard, the "Swap Shop" at the home of photographer Sunny Bak is one of the most intimate of the stops. It's also a fantastic opportunity for crawlers, who get a chance to check out Bak's original prints, as well as a selection of artists she supports. You can also pick up a map here, so it's a great early stop on your tour before you head north.

Attendees will have a hard time missing the monthly event at the old gas station at Pacific Avenue and Venice Way. This hodge-podge of artists offers something for everyone, with a festive, convivial atmosphere. Stop in and meander around, then hop over to , where you can get a birds' eye view of the party from Larry's Lounge.

New Venice gallery 1320Main will be holding an open house Thursday night, with selections from the permanent collection, including photography by Christo Brock, Grant Barbeito, David Zentz and Margie Stubbs. Special guest Michael Frick will be providing music and the Street Kitchen truck will be serving up food.

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