In 2010, pseudonymous England-based street artist, Banksy, gifted downtown LA’s Sparkle Factory with Girl on a Swing. The arrival of Girl on a Swing cemented the Sparkle Factory as a must-see photo hotspot in Los Angeles despite already being the iconic location of scenes from the Harold Lloyd film Safety Last! The Sparkle Factory is a privately owned retail and factory building in Los Angeles.
Sparkle Factory owners, Tarina Tarintino and Alfonso Campos, were forced to sell the property post-pandemic to create an event for media, friends, celebrities, and influencers to showcase the building and the value of the history and art. The event would be the owners’ final farewell to the Sparkle Factory and the famous piece of art attached.
We designed and produced NIGHT PARK(ING) from concept to execution. Our production team worked with an all-star group of vendors in Los Angeles. We worked with Los Angeles City permitting to close down the sidewalk to create our outdoor park. Our onsite team was there from load in through load out.
It all started with a girl on a swing. The theme of the evening was inspired by the Sparkle Factory’s Banksy artwork and with that NIGHT PARK(ING) was envisioned.
The invitation-only event showcased the available retail space, displaying its versatility with conference and private office spaces, as the famous Banksy. Guests included Banksy’s producer, Elizabeth Olsen, Linda Ramone, Andy Garcia, and other Hollywood elites.
This event was a collaboration between all the following vendors and companies: akire productions, Allied Security, Art of Elysian, Bakers Bench, Cassells Burgers, Chuck’s Parking, Event Staffing Solutions, Greenset, Heavy Water Coffee, Hilco, La Pinata Event Rentals, Let’s Create Something, Major Event Trailers, Miller Ink, Mr. Bones DJ, Overflow Create, Palisades Real Estate, Perilla LA, and Tarina Tarantino.
The concept of the event was to mimic the duality of the artist Banksy: art mixed with the outdoors. akire productions designed a minimalist indoor art gallery within the building to feature the possibilities therein.
Simultaneously, there was an outdoor space where the design team curated a fully immersive city-park-at-night experience. The front of the building was enclosed by live hedging, creating an escape from the hustle and bustle of downtown Los Angeles. Guests were welcomed with a grass-flanked bar and a lively jazz band, presented by Gibson. Park benches surrounded by live plants were the perfect gathering space for guests to mingle in the NIGHT PARK(ING). Bistro lighting overhead allowed guests to watch Cassell’s Hamburgers flip burgers in the alley, like a true outdoor market.
The inside of the retail space was transformed into a haute LA art gallery with continued food offerings from the latest LA foodie establishments, Perilla and Bakers Bench, tipping hats to local artists and resturanteers alike. The empty walls were transformed with gallery art procured and installed by Art of Elysian. DJ Mr. Bones spun vinyl from a cove in the retail space. The press room included a photo-styled installation of the history of the Sparkle Factory as a step-and-repeat At the end of the evening each guest was given a custom NIGHT PARK(ING) bag with a t-shirt,Tarina Tarantino jewelry gift set, dessert bites, and a red heart-shaped balloon.
We partnered with an entertainment industry rental company to help save costs for the amount of plants we needed. The client partnered with local food establishments to get the food and beverages sponsored. We used the existing furnishings from the vacant retail space for tables, benches, the DJ booth, etc. Each of the tables had a window drawer that we designed with historic photos of the building. The gift bags were hung using the existing retail shelving units. Using what we had in the retail space played well into Banksy’s theme (i.e. Exit Through the Gift Shop). We were able to embrace a minimalist art gallery vibe inside.
“Is it a building with a Banksy or a Banksy with a building?” This phrase came up a lot during our planning phase with the owners and PR team. The owners hope to capitalize on the value of the art as it relates to the sale of the building. NIGHT PARK(ING) created a buzz on social media and in the press that reinforced the excitement around the artwork. The concept of NIGHT PARK(ING) infused the art and building together as a cohesive unit. Influencers and celebrities were all given the opportunity to take a photo with Girl on a Swing. The event was strategically planned to be the week after a New York Times article on Girl on a Swing was released.