The Venice Design Series will run from April 30 to May 21, led by landscape designer Jay Griffith; Venice Community Housing board member Dana Newman; movie/television producer Eric Newman; and community leader Linda Lucks. The series is made up of six site-specific special events hosted by leading architects, artists, chefs, designers, civic leaders, entrepreneurs and performers who have rallied to support Venice Community Housing, a nonprofit housing and community development organization. The 27-year-old nonprofit has pioneered neighborhood-based solutions for low-income children, families and individuals since 1988.

“As Venice changes,” says Newman, “it becomes more and more important to show compassion to the most vulnerable members of our community. The Venice Design Series is a terrific way to experience L.A.’s architectural heritage, including many normally private locations—and to help solve the homelessness and housing crisis by supporting the work of Venice Community Housing.”

Below, discover the full program, courtesy of the organization:

Saturday, April 30  
DTLA: A Downtown Experience
Celebrate the history of downtown L.A. with a dynamic coach/walking tour of living, working and dining spaces in the Historic Core, Bunker Hill, the Arts District and Skid Row. The tour includes lunch at the recently reopened, legendary Clifton’s Cafeteria. Guests will enjoy iconic L.A. sites with inspired civic leaders. Adele Yellin, managing partner of Grand Central Square, will guide tourgoers through the Bradbury Building and the Million Dollar Theater; Nelson Rising will show the Pacific Mutual, Beaux Arts, and One Bunker Hill buildings; Sharon Rising, past president of the Library Foundation Council, will guide the group through Los Angeles Central Library; and Arts District developer Yuval Bar-Zemer will welcome guests into his penthouse at the Toy Factory Lofts. Tour leaders: Sylvia Aroth and Becky Dennison

Saturday, May 7  
Sullivan Canyon Walking Tour (morning)
Meander through Brentwood’s rustic neighborhood of Cliff May- and Peter Choate-designed midcentury ranch homes—including the former home of actress Bea Arthur—and the Jay Griffith-redesigned community equestrian center. Tour leaders: Patricia Choate and Jay Griffith

Moveable Feast on Appleton Way (evening)
Stroll a Venice neighborhood of architectural homes and savor cuisine by outstanding local chefs—The Rose’s chef Jason Neroni and Leona’s Nyesha Arrington, with desserts by Sugar Rush by Iisha. Entertainment is offered at each of the four featured homes designed by Tom Carson, Dennis Gibbens, Santiago Ortiz and Sylvia Aroth. Hosts: Sylvia Aroth, Nic Bettauer and Tom Carson, Mimi Wheeler and Santiago Ortiz, Dana and Jerry Solomon

Saturday, May 14  
SWLA: The Vibrant Southwest Los Angeles Tour
Experience the rich heritage of Leimert Village, including artist Mark Bradford, philanthropist and collector Eileen Harris Norton and social activist Allan DiCastro’s nonprofit Art + Practice, and a performance by jazz and blues great Barbara Morrison. The tour visits the Sanchez Adobe, the oldest building in Los Angeles, part of a Spanish Colonial-era land grant and now owned by the Consolidated Board of Realtists, an African-American real estate group. Also on the tour is the 1950s renovated home of Liz Gordon, owner/founder of Liz’s Antiques Hardware, as well as private homes in the Baldwin Hills, Village Green and View Park neighborhoods—with lunch at Post & Beam Bistro. Tour Leaders: Caroll Hill, Monty DeGraff and Lynne Southerland  

Sunday, May 15  
Saddle Peak Soiree
Enjoy sunset at a private hilltop home on five acres overlooking the Pacific Ocean. The event includes cocktails and hors d’œuvres, with a performance by guitarist Mak Grgic and Robert deMaine, the principal cellist of the L.A. Philharmonic. The home’s architect, Michael Sant, and Kristin Sant will host.

Saturday, May 21 
THE Party
VDS co-founder Jay Griffith will host this event at his historic Pacific Palisades home overlooking Santa Monica Canyon, to celebrate the success of the second Venice Design Series. The party will be attended by event hosts, sponsors, homeowners, architects, designers and participants. Partygoers will enjoy catered food and drink and dramatic canyon views in a unique environment, onetime home to Eddie Albert.

Learn more and purchase tickets.