The Gala Raised $2.7 Million for the Services of Venice Family Clinic, the Nonprofit Health Center Which Serves Over 45,000
Nonprofit health center Venice Family Clinic awarded artist Morleigh Steinberg and U2’s The Edge for their longtime support with the inaugural HEART (Health + Art) Award. The honor was made during the first-ever HEART Gala at Culver City’s 3Labs; an event which united a throng of celebrities such as Coldplay frontman Chris Martin, Rage Against the Machine guitarist Tom Morello, TV producer Chuck Lorre and “The Karate Kid” actress Elisabeth Shue.
Fresh off performing at the White House Correspondents’ dinner, comedian Matt Friend hosted the Gala. Grammy-winning rockstar Beck revved up the crowd with hits such as “Loser” and “Where It’s At” before Levi Evans (the son of The Edge and Steinberg) closed the evening out with a live musical performance as a tribute to his parents. On one side of the gala, an auction for enticing luxuries including a private Venice lunch with The Edge and Morleigh, vinyl records from iconic music artists and a Hawaiin vacation was also held; helping raise $2.7 million for the clinic’s services.
“This means so much to us not only as artists but as human beings who believe in the power of community and the importance of access to healthcare for all.” said The Edge during his acceptance speech. “Venice Family Clinic holds a special place in our hearts.” The award, designed by artist Sachi Moskowitz, was presented to the Rock n Roll icon by friend and activist Bobby Shriver.
Founded in 1970, the Venice Family Clinic provides comprehensive health care to over 45,000 people each year throughout L.A. County from the Santa Monica Mountains through the South Bay. Patients are served regardless of income, insurance or immigration status. Its network includes clinic locations and Early Head Start centers in Venice, Santa Monica, Mar Vista, Inglewood, Culver City, Redondo Beach, Carson, Gardena and Hawthorne, in addition to mobile clinics and a street medicine program.
The Gala was held amid the 45th Annual Venice Family Clinic Art Walk + Auction which will take place through May 19 in Venice. The free and open to the public event will take place at 910 Abbot Kinney and will feature work from nearly 200 artists, including this year’s Signature Artist, legendary sculptor Fred Eversley.
In the late 70s, when the clinic couldn’t pay its rent and was on the verge of closing, members of the Venice arts community such as Frank Gehry, Lita Albuquerque and Laddie John Dill came together to keep the nonprofit active. And thus, the art walk was born.
Oscar-winning actress Anjelica Huston, speaking on stage about how the Art Walk brought the clinic back to life, stated “My husband, Robert (Graham), and I joined the artists in 1982. I’m proud to see this legacy continue today.”
As L.A. county is the quintessential place where aspiring musicians, filmmakers and other creatives come as a risk to pursue their dreams, many people VFC serves are struggling artists. Speaking from the red carpet, some of the evening’s celebrity guests touched on the importance of organizations like VFC in the artist community.
“It’s so important that we have these institutions,” said Kate Flannery, famous for her role as Meredith on The Office. “I was struggling for years. I was waiting tables. Sometimes I didn’t have insurance. And some people had it worse than I did.” Dressed in a lysergic teal & blue blazer, The Doors guitarist Robby Krieger remarked how he wished something like VFC was available when he was younger, going on to say “it’s great to be able to do something like this for others and give them a head start.”
According to Billboard, Steinberg’s relationship with The Edge, whose real name is David Howell Evans, began in the early 90s at the end of the band’s Zoo TV Tour. She had previously worked with the band by appearing in the music video for their hit “With or Without You.” Steinberg and Evans married in 2002 and have two children together.
Steinberg is also the co-founder of the Venice gallery ARCANE Space, which she has opened for studio tours during the Venice Art Walk, according to Hollywood Reporter.
