THE SUNSET STRIP and Gibson Guitar announced the launch of GuitarTown, a public arts project that will feature more than 25 10-foot tall fiberglass Gibson Les Paul model guitars strategically placed on the legendary Sunset Strip in West Hollywood beginning in August 2010. The oversized Gibson guitar sculptures will be created by local and nationally acclaimed visual artists and placed along the 1.6-mile Sunset Strip in front of the boulevard’s landmarks and businesses, including the Whisky A Go-Go, The Roxy Theatre and Sunset Marquis.
Each guitar sculpture will celebrate a musician, personality or artist unique to The Sunset Strip’s history and Gibson Guitar.
The project will unite The Sunset Strip’s art, music and business communities and will later raise funds for numerous charitable organizations. GuitarTown Sunset Strip is set to open to the public in mid-August, prior to the third annual Sunset Strip Music Festival (August 26-28).
The GuitarTown Sunset Strip project will also showcase the recently “renovated” Sunset Strip which is undergoing a beautification project that includes a more pedestrian-friendly experience on the boulevard.
“We are very excited about Gibson GuitarTown coming to The Sunset Strip in West Hollywood. GuitarTown is a perfect way for us to celebrate the creative heritage of The Sunset Strip. It allows us to celebrate art and our rock and roll roots,” noted West Hollywood Mayor John Heilman. “We look forward to welcoming Gibson GuitarTown to West Hollywood.”
“Like Gibson Guitar, The Sunset Strip is legendary. It’s also responsible for launching the careers of some of the world’s greatest musicians,” said Henry Juszkiewicz, chairman and CEO of Gibson Guitar. “We are so pleased to be part of The Sunset Strip project and look forward to hosting GuitarTown in what will surely strike a chord with everyone who visits The Sunset Strip.”
The guitars will complete a “tour” of The Strip and then be sold at a Gala Auction with all proceeds benefiting nonprofit organizations and charities. Similar projects hosted by Gibson Guitar and Epiphone raised hundreds of thousands of dollars for charity and took place in Nashville, Austin, London, Orlando and Miami. The Sunset Strip GuitarTown project will be administered through the Gibson Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Gibson Guitar Corp., which is dedicated to improving the quality of life through its support of the arts, education, health & welfare and environmental causes.
“GuitarTown is a perfect fit for The Strip. It celebrates the iconic rock heritage while also looking to the future, which includes the Sunset Strip Music Festival coming up in August,” said West Hollywood Councilmember Lindsey Horvath. “We are amped for GuitarTown because it’s also a terrific way to show off the immense improvements we’ve made to The Sunset Strip.”
A call for artists was distributed and an announcement of selected artists will be made in July. For GuitarTown artist application information, visit http://thesunsetstrip.com/artistcall.
About Gibson Guitar
Gibson is known worldwide for producing classic models in every major style of fretted instrument, including acoustic and electric guitars, mandolins and banjos. The Gibson Les Paul guitar is the best-selling guitar of all time and bears the name of the late, great Les Paul. Gibson’s HD.6X-PRO Digital Guitar, the Gibson Robot Guitar, Gibson’s Dark Fire and the new Gibson Dusk Tiger represent the biggest advances in electric guitar design in over 70 years. The Gibson Foundation is the philanthropic arm of the Gibson Guitar Corp., and dedicates its time and services to making the place a better world for children through its support of music, education, health and human services. Founded in 1894 in Kalamazo, MI, and headquartered in Nashville since 1984, Gibson Guitar Corp.’s family of brands now includes Epiphone, Dobro, Kramer, Steinberger, Tobias, Echoplex, Electar, Flatiron, Slingerland, Valley Arts, Maestro, Oberheim, Baldwin, Sunshine Piano, Take Anywhere Technology, J&C Fischer, Chickering, Hamilton, and Wurlitzer. Visit Gibson’s website at www.gibson.com.
About The Sunset Strip
The Sunset Strip is a 1.3-mile stretch along Sunset Boulevard that runs through the heart of West Hollywood. From its beginning as an unregulated “strip” of land along Sunset Boulevard outside Los Angeles’ city limits, The Sunset Strip has served as a notorious entertainment destination for celebrities, tourists and California residents. It is an iconic locale where fashion, music, architecture and a unique history combine. The Sunset Strip has birthed countless music and entertainment careers, and it continues to blaze its own path as a leading destination with a vibrant and entertaining landscape made up of more than 150 restaurants, shops, nightclubs and hotels. The Sunset Strip became part of the City of West Hollywood when it was incorporated in 1984. For more information about The Sunset Strip, please visit www.thesunsetstrip.com.
www.thesunsetstrip.com
www.gibson.com
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