Now that the city has stopped soliciting donations to foot the bill for Michael Jackson's memorial service, it's moved on to asking for donations for South LA's famous work of folk art, Watts Towers. The towers require constant upkeep, and are currently undergoing conservation work overseen by the Dept of Cultural Affairs. According to the LA Times, the Cultural Affairs Commission and the Cultural Heritage Commission held a meeting yesterday to discuss the state of the towers and have concluded the city needs to step up efforts to recruit donors and form a "private, nonprofit support group akin to ones that help fund the Los Angeles Zoo and Griffith Park Observatory." The city currently spends $200,000 on upkeep for the tower (down $100,000 after budget cuts) but estimates it could take $5 million to fully restore the towers to "prime condition." The city has been in touch with the Getty Conservation Institute and LACMA, with the hope that they will provide some of the support needed.
· Strapped city wants donors for Watts Towers conservation [Culture Monster]
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