Ace Hotel & Swim Club Brings Positive Vibe to 'Summer School'

Weekend immerses fans in art-meets-music experience

Shon Tomlin Arts & Entertainment

 

Summer school has never been a good reason to celebrate until the Ace Hotel & Swim Club fashionably borrowed the name for its upcoming art and music collaboration, July 18-20, in Palm Springs.

It’s not unusual for the Ace Hotel to put a twist on activities and events, but this one scores as high in party points as it does in advancing your creative talents. This time the Ace has partnered with a team of tastemakers who are curating an immersive art-meets-music experience.

The three-day event is a collaboration between Grammy Award-nominated music supervisor and KCRW deejay Chris Douridas (pictured at right), and Matt Goldman, a former key-man for famed graphic designer and artist Shepard Fairey and founder of MFG, a creative firm out of LA.

In addition to their professional accolades, Douridas and Goldman are also proud recipients of Paper Magazine’s “America’s Best Party” award for their School Nights event, which pollenated the idea of Ace’s daytime incarnation.

Summer School fuses the world of art and design with live music and DJ culture in a thoughtfully programmed day-to-night experience. The daytime is stacked with live poolside DJ sets in tandem with creative workshops where guests can interact with and receive tutorials from renown and emerging artists.

“We call it summer school but it’s almost like a field trip because the attendees can stay at the Ace if they would like or find their way there during the day,” says Douridas, who is responsible for curating the music portion of the event.

Summer School’s music line-up is set to outdo last year’s with performances by De Lux, Wunder Wunder, and All the Colours (pictured left). Douridas, alongside a handpicked roster of DJ’s, will provide poolside soundscapes throughout the day.

“I think from the minute you hit the area there’s an ever-present celebration of life in the air, at least in Palm Springs specifically,” Douridas says. “We hope to provide the soundtrack to that.”

For art enthusiasts, Summer School provides a rare opportunity to sit alongside today’s most progressive artists where they can immerse themselves in workshops from pattern making to postcards, collages, T-shirt printing and illustration.

Featured artists include Jean André, Alvaro Ilizarbe, Erin D. Garcia, and Teebs.