Our Commitment to Community

A Letter from Monica Jeffries Hazangeles

Since the opening of the Mansion and galleries in 1983, Strathmore has boldly transformed into a multidimensional creative anchor of the community, stretching well beyond a single stage, show, or campus. Today, we feature a prismatic array of possibilities for everyone to connect with the arts, and we provide a platform and resources for artists to realize their full potential and inspire us all.

We are here to enrich all lives and shape better communities through the arts, spreading their impact as far as we can possibly reach.

As we enter our 40th year of service to our community, our team has been reflecting on this mission and the hallmarks that make Strathmore effective and essential. We are most impactful when our work offers intense engagement, nourishes art and artists, and provides exceptional access and connection. These pillars are grounded in our belief that the arts are vital, they belong to everyone, and they are ours to explore, to nourish, and to share.

Strathmore is the bridge to a more conscious, connected, arts-infused world. Join us as we set our sights on the decades ahead, to span new horizons with extraordinary experiences and adventures for the culturally curious. This season, we invite you to venture beyond the part of Strathmore you may know well and discover an exciting new dimension—or two—or twenty!

Monica Jeffries Hazangeles Strathmore President and CEO

Black Violin engaging with student musicians in the community.

Jim Saah

Jati Lindsay

Christylez Bacon after performance at Good Hope Neighborhood Recreation Center.

THE STRATHMORE EXPERIENCE: DESIGNED FOR DISCOVERY

by Mary Murdock

DEEP, MULTIFACETED PROGRAMMING

Strathmore invites the community to explore distinctive and richly layered programming. From performances to exhibits to dialogues and beyond, there are boundless opportunities to experience the arts. Lauren Campbell, Strathmore’s Vice President of Education and Community Engagement, explains: “We give patrons the chance to get closer and become immersed through discussions, education programs, and hands-on experiences.”

One place you’ll see this depth is the Windows series, which focuses on expanding the audience experience to include active participation. Featuring programming that engages deeply with specific cultural experiences and stories, the Windows series gives audience members the opportunity to join in dialogues that build bridges across perspectives. “The spirit of connection embodied by Windows is at the heart of “what we want to do,” Campbell shares. “We provide context, a compelling performance, and a chance to connect with your neighbors.” Windows performances encourage intercultural and interpersonal dialogue, sparking new connections and insights.

NOURISHING ARTS & ARTISTS

Cultivating exceptional artists and partners has been a cornerstone of Strathmore’s work since its opening. Through the renowned Artist in Residence (AIR) program, Strathmore makes foundational investments in artists, engaging each year with six musicians to enhance their career development with performance opportunities, mentorship, and education. With more than 100 alumni, Strathmore’s commitment to these artists lasts well beyond the initial program and persists throughout their careers.

By supporting individual artists and by investing in the development of new work, Strathmore also forges equitable pathways and creates resources for artists to inspire and strengthen the community. Last spring, thousands of patrons poured into the Music Center to experience Octavia E. Butler’s Parable of the Sower, by DC-born artists Toshi Reagon and Bernice Johnson Reagon. The opera reimagines Octavia E. Butler’s sci-fi, Afrofuturist series of novels that illuminate deep insights on gender, race, and the future of human civilization. Strathmore invested not only in the presentation of the work but also in its potential for community dialogue and changemaking, launching programs like the Arts and Social Justice Fellowship as well as several community conversations and lectures with artists and experts.

Step Afrika! performs for students in the community. Parable of the Sower preshow conversation.

Jim Saah

FOCUSING ON ACCESS & CONNECTION

Founded in the fierce belief that the arts belong to all of us, Strathmore works continuously to expand access to them and to spread their impact far and wide. “The arts make us better, more understanding, and more connected, and in turn make our communities stronger,” remarks President & CEO Monica Jeffries Hazangeles. “This is why we make sure that every one of our neighbors can join in and personalize their experience with the arts. It is why we champion the power of shared artistic experiences.”

This commitment to meet community members where they are has led Strathmore to create programs across Montgomery County with dozens of partners to build upon the radiating impact of the arts. Through free concerts at Good Hope Neighborhood Recreation

Center in East County, our participation in community festivals, and signature programs in

the public schools, Strathmore provides expanded opportunities for everyone to engage with the arts.

Strathmore’s partnership with Step Afrika!, the first professional and premier company dedicated to the tradition of stepping, is a vibrant example of where unparalleled performance intersects with access and community engagement. In addition to Step Afrika!’s performances in the Concert Hall, the 15-year relationship with Strathmore includes 3 educational residency sites in Montgomery County. At Paint Branch High School, Greencastle Elementary School, and Good Hope Neighborhood Recreation Center, the Step-Up program teaches students step and African history, as well as teamwork, commitment, and discipline. Students gain important life skills and opportunities to express themselves through the arts when Strathmore and Step-Up bring programming right to them.

In partnership with YMCA Youth and Family

Services, Linkages to Learning, and Montgomery

County Recreation, Strathmore delivers quality arts education to summer camp programs embedded in community spaces. Some of these communities have been among the hardest hit by the COVID-19 pandemic. With a focus on the whole child, Strathmore facilitates targeted artistic expression, supports resilience, and supplements academics. By paying special attention to the needs and interests of these communities, Strathmore is expanding access to the arts in tangible and innovative ways.

Strathmore is grateful for the many individuals, foundations, corporations, and government agencies whose contributions help make our programs possible and accessible.

Students of Step Afrika!’s Step-Up program perform for family and friends.