DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities - Annual Report 2013

DC Commission on the Arts & Humanities

Annual Report 2013

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Contents 3. Letter from Mayor 4. Letter from Chair 5. Letter from Executive Director 6. Partners 8. 2013 Revenues 9. Ward Report 10. Grant Programs and Grantees 13. Arts Education 15. Public Art: Commissioned Projects 16. Public Art Building Communities 17. Public Art: Murals DC 18. Events: Mayor’s Arts Awards 20. Events: Poetry Out Loud 21. Events: Larry Neal Writers’ Awards 22. Events: National Cherry Blossom Festival 23. Office of the Poet Laureate

2013 STAFF Lionell Thomas, Executive Director

2013 COMMISSIONERS Judith Terra, Chair

Moshe Adams, Director of Grants Victoria Murray Baatin, Legislative & Community Affairs Director Ebony C. Blanks, Special Events Manager

Lavinia Wohlfarth, Vice-Chair

Teresa Boersma, Graphic Designer

Marvin Bowser

Marybeth Brown, Program Support Assistant

Susan Clampitt

Tierra Buggs, Community Outreach Coordinator

Carl C. Cole Christopher Cowan Edmund Fleet

Earica Busby, Financial Analyst Tim Conlon, Director of Media Arts Saheed Fawehinmi, Special Events Assistant Alexxis Hooks, Program Support Assistant

Rhona Wolfe Friedman

Charlese Jennings, Program Support Assistant

Alma Gates

Joyce Johnson, Executive Assistant

Danielle M. St. Germain-Gordon

Tonya Jordan, Public Art Manager

Darrin Glymph

Carlyn Madden, Arts Education Manager

Philippa Hughes James Laws Rogelio Maxwell

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Lisa Richards Toney, Deputy Director

Steven Mazzola, Grants Program Manager Carolyn Parker, Office Manager Keona Pearson, Public Art Program Coordinator Marquis Perkins, Director of Marketing and Communications

MaryAnn Miller

JR Russ, Grants and Legislative Affairs Assistant

José Alberto Uclés

Regan Spurlock, Associate Grants Manager

Gretchen Wharton

Zoma Wallace, Curator & Arts Collections Manager Ariel Wilson, Arts Education Program Associate

L ETTER

FROM

THE MAYOR

The District of Columbia is rich with culture and diverse in artistic expression. Simply put, our city is the cultural capital of the United States. In many ways, the District is a prime example of how the arts and culture can be leveraged to spur growth and economic development. Time and again, we have seen arts, culture and humanities at the forefront of the revitalization of neighborhoods such as Penn Quarter, 14th Street, Columbia Heights and H Street, just to name a few. It is easy to see that our artists and arts organizations have played and continue to play a vital role in the growth of our city.

According to the most recent Arts and Economic Impact study, released in 2012 by Americans for the Arts, the nonprofit arts and culture industry in the District now contributes $1.1 billion to the local economy each year. In the District, the arts mean business.

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I am grateful to the DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities and the hundreds of individual artists and arts and humanities organizations who have given generously of their time, expertise, and passion to improve the quality of life for District residents and visitors alike. I thank you for your interest in the arts and humanities in the District of Columbia and look forward to working with you to continue the progress we are making together as “One City.�

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Sincerely,

Vincent C. Gray Mayor of the District of Columbia

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LETTER

FROM THE

CHAIR

FY 2013 has been an exciting year on many levels! We have experienced the city’s continued renaissance and economic success. We have celebrated the 45th Anniversary of the DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities. We have received the largest budget ever thanks to our wonderful Mayor and committed Council members.

I would like to pay special tribute to my fellow Commissioners, our dedicated staff and the hundreds of committed and amazing artists and cultural institutions of all disciplines that make up this incredible city. Moving forward this year, we are creating a new and broader vision statement to reflect our responsibilities to and dreams for this growing city.

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The vision of the DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities is and will continue to be strong and far-reaching. Through the programs, grants and services instituted and implemented by the Commission, we the residents of the nation’s Capital have an awesome opportunity to continue strengthening our local communities, highlighting our nation’s cultural strengths and opportunities, embracing the international legacy of this great city and sustaining and expanding the Districts’ own cultural landscape. We shall be working diligently with our city’s educators to ensure that our children grow up understanding and experiencing the transforming power of the Arts. I believe deeply that no great city, especially a capital city, is known for its government or infrastructure. It is known for the power of its museums, its operas, its theatres, its symphonies, its ballet, its libraries, its architecture — in essence, its culture. We are actively engaged in developing and implementing a creative economy plan to ensure our city’s future as a “world class cultural city”.

I believe this annual report illuminates our total commitment to this mission and its reality.

I wish to conclude with a quote from one of our greatest champions for the arts, John F. Kennedy — “I look forward to an America which will reward achievement in the Arts as we reward achievement in business or statecraft. I look forward to an America which will steadily raise the standards of artistic accomplishment and which will steadily enlarge cultural opportunities for all of our citizens. And I look forward to an America which commands respect throughout the world not only for its strength but for its civilization as well.” (Spoken at Amherst College, October 26, 1963) Sincerely,

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Judith Terra Chair

LETTER

FROM THE

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

In FY 2013, the DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities celebrated its 45th anniversary.

The Commission is proud to have continued its efforts to raise the bar in serving Washington, DC’s arts and cultural communities — an investment that improves our city, and enriches the lives of all our residents and visitors. The Annual Report highlights accomplishments and our continued resolve to support and steward the arts and culture in Washington, DC.

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Investments in the arts and humanities are instrumental to improving the quality of life for all District residents, and supporting a thriving city economy. In FY 2013, the DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities awarded 394 grants totaling over $8 million, which doubled the agency’s total awarded funds for FY 2012. The DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities applauds the tremendous work of our creative community and appreciates all that we have accomplished together.

As a community, we continue to meet the growing demands of our changing society and an ever-evolving creative sector.

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Our future efforts will continue to build upon strong partnerships and collaborations within the public and private sectors. Our sights are set to invest in high-quality arts experiences for all with special emphasis on the education of our young people, utilizing public art to revitalize and brand the cultural identity of our neighborhoods, and fostering meaningful cross-cultural exchanges to promote international awareness and dialogue. Most importantly, we will develop a robust creative economy strategy to guide our city’s vision for the arts in years to come. e iv

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We salute the dedication of our commissioners, staff, local artists and cultural organizations for their contributions to making our city a world-class cultural capital.

We look forward to a promising future that elevates the arts to the forefront of public consciousness and places Washington, DC among the world’s most welcoming place to live, work and play.

Sincerely,

Lionell Thomas Executive Director

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PARTNERS Artomatic CultureCapital DC Arts & Humanities Education Collaborative Humanities Council of Greater Washington National Endowment for the Arts Washington Area Lawyers for the Arts

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“THE ARTS AND HUMANITIES IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF LIFE FOR ALL

DISTRICT RESIDENTS AND SUPPORT A THRIVING CITY ECONOMY.”

7 DCCAH Grantee Dana Tai Soon Burgess Dance Company

FY 2013 REVENUES DCCAH revenue is received through the following funding streams: LOCAL FUNDING – Generated from the DC taxpayer’s dollars. This funding provides support to the agency’s grant programs and general operations.

FEDERAL FUNDING – Provided by the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) to support the arts in under-served communities and arts education.

INTRA-DISTRICT FUNDING – Funding transferred between District agencies to support joint projects and programs.

CAPITAL FUNDING – Up to one percent of city capital improvement project funds is set aside for the Commission’s purchase and installation of public works.

Capital Funding $2.7 Million

BREAKDOWN OF FY 2013 FUNDS:

Intra-District Funding:

$455K

Federal Funding:

$704K

Local Funding:

$11.8M

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WARD REPORT

4 22 Awards

$199,000

3 50 Awards

$1,002,105

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5 80 Awards

40 Awards

$1,479,612

2 117 Awards

$2,729,679

$674,434

6 54 Awards

$1,845,898

7 7 Awards

$104,498

8 24 Awards

394

$380,152

awards

$8,415,378 9

GRANT PROGRAMS AND GRANTEES ARTS EDUCATION PROGRAM Supports arts activities for youth in educational settings from early childhood through high school.

Arena Stage Building Bridges Across the River t/a THEARC Capitol Hill Arts Workshop Center for Inspired Teaching CentroNia City Arts Inc. CityDance Ensemble, Inc. Critical Exposure, Inc. Dance Place DC Creative Writing Workshop DC SCORES Festivals DC, Ltd. Folger Shakespeare Library Ford’s Theatre Society Free Minds Book Club & Writing Workshop Friendship Public Charter School GALA Inc Grupo de Artistas Latinoamericanos Hope House Hung Tao Choy Mei Leadership Institute Joy of Motion Dance Center, Inc. Kirov Academy of Ballet of Washington DC Latin American Youth Center Multi-Media Training Institute, Inc. National Building Museum National Museum of Women in the Arts One Common Unity Radio Rootz DC Split This Rock, Inc. Step Afrika!

Teaching for Change The Dance Institute of Washington The Duke Ellington School of the Arts The Patricia M. Sitar Center for the Arts The Phillips Collection The Selma M. Levine School of Music The Shakespeare Theatre The Studio Theatre The Textile Museum The Theatre Lab, Inc. The Washington Ballet Thelonious Monk Institute of Jazz Trustees of the Corcoran Gallery of Art Turning the Page Washington Performing Arts Society Young Playwrights’ Theater, Inc.

FESTIVALS DC Supports DC-based festivals promoting arts and humanities activities to varying cultures.

Atlas Performing Arts Center Building Bridges Across the River t/a THEARC Columbia Heights Day Initiative Cultural Tourism DC Dakshina Dance Company DC Shorts (formerly DC Film Alliance) Dance Place H Street Main Street Hillwood Museum and Gardens Foundation Historic Dupont Circle Main Streets

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John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts Pan American Symphony Orchestra Shaw Main Streets Thelonious Monk Institute of Jazz Washington DC Jewish Community Center

ARTIST FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM Supports individual artists who significantly contribute to the arts and humanities Alexandra Silverthorn • Alexis Gillespie • Anna Edholm Davis • Ashley Ivey • Assane Konte • Ben Crosbie • Brandel France de Bravo • Brandon Bray • Brian Wilbur Grundstrom • Colin Hovde • Cory Oberndorfer • Dana Maier • Dana Tai Soon Burgess • Daniel Phoenix Singh • Dean Kessmann • Deb Sivigny • Elizabeth Graeber • Emma Jaster • Evangeline J. Montgomery • Frederic Yonnet • Gemal Woods • Helanius J Wilkins • Holly Bass • Jack Gordon • Jason Anderson • Jeffrey Barninger • John Anderson • Jonathan Gann • Justin McLaughlin • Kim Roberts • Kristen Arant • Kymone Freeman • Linn Meyers • Marjuan Canady • Martin Irvine • Melani Douglass • Michael Iacovone • Miya Hisaka • Nguyen Nguyen • Reggie Cabico • Roderick Turner • Sarah Browning • Terri Merz • Terry Bardelaben • Tim Doud • Tommy Taylor • William Newman • Willona Sloan

CITY ARTS PROJECTS Supports projects and festivals to promote arts and humanities activities.

ARCH Development Corporation • Capital Fringe • Cultural Tourism DC • CulturalDC • Dance Place • Dakshina Dance Company • DC Film Alliance • DC Jazz Festival • Environmental Film Festival in the Nation’s Capital • FotoDC, Inc. • Great Noise Ensemble • John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts • Maru Montero Dance Company • National Museum of Women in the Arts • Opera Lafayette • Post-Classical Ensemble, Inc. • The Dance Institute of Washington • The In Series • The Shakespeare Theatre • The Studio Theatre • The Washington Ballet • Transformer Inc. • Trustees of the Corcoran Gallery of Art • Washington Bach Consort • Washington Performing Arts Society • Washington, DC International Film Festival • Words Beats and Life, Inc.

PUBLIC ART BUILDING COMMUNITIES Supports the creation and installation of public artwork that enhances District neighborhoods.

Lee Rubenstein (Rubenstein Studio) • CulturalDC • DC Arts Center Inc. • Jarrett Ferrier • Washington DC Jewish Community Center, Inc. • Words Beats and Life, Inc.

ARTIST RESIDENCY IN SCHOOLS Supports individual artists who work as teaching artists in K-12 classrooms.

Reggie Cabico

GRANT PROGRAMS AND GRANTEES ARTS STABILIZATION GRANT

GRANTS IN AID

Provides one-time general operating support to established arts and humanities organizations.

Supports arts and humanities organizations.

Arena Stage • Atlas Performing Arts Center • CityDance Ensemble, Inc. • DC Film Alliance • Dance Place • DC Youth Orchestra Program • Gay Mens Chorus • Festivals DC, Ltd. • Folger Shakespeare Library • GALA, Inc. Grupo de Artistas Latinoamericanos • John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts • Joy of Motion Dance Center, Inc. • National Museum of Women in the Arts • Opera Lafayette • PEN/Faulkner Foundation • Step Afrika! U.S.A. Incorporated • The Choral Arts Society of Washington • The Dance Institute of Washington • The Patricia M. Sitar Center for the Arts • The Phillips Collection • The Shakespeare Theatre • The Studio Theatre • The Washington Ballet • Washington Bach Consort • Washington Chorus • Washington Performing Arts Society • Washington, DC International Film Festival • Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company • Young Playwrights’ Theater, Inc.

EAST OF THE RIVER

Supports access to high-quality arts and humanities for residents living east of the Anacostia River.

Capitol Letters Writing Center (aka 826DC) DC Creative Writing Workshop Double Nickels Theatre Company, Inc. Life Pieces To Masterpieces Multi-Media Training Institute, Inc. Northeast Performing Arts Group Project Create Recreation Wish List Committee of Washington DC Smithsonian Institution STR8-N-UP Productions, Inc. The Selma M. Levine School of Music The Washington Ballet Theater Alliance of Washington DC Thurgood Marshall Academy Trustees of the Corcoran Gallery of Art Turning the Page Unity Health Care, Inc. Washington Bach Consort Words Beats and Life, Inc. Young Playwrights’ Theater, Inc.

SPECIAL PROJECT FUNDING OPPORTUNITY Supports projects that improve the quality of life, highlight cultural diversity and promote creative economy.

Alliance Francaise de Washington • Black Women Playwrights’ Group • Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Washington • CA-FAM III Inc. • Moving Forward/Dana Tai Soon Burgess & Co. • District of Columbia Arts Center • Do The Write Thing Foundation of DC • Folger Shakespeare Library • Hamiltonian Artists • Howard Theatre Restoration, Inc. • Innovative School of Performing Arts Foundation • Inscape Publico • Jewish Historical Society of Greater Washington • Jonathan Gann • Live It Learn It • Maida Withers Dance Construction Company • Rorschach Theatre • Smith Center for Healing and the Arts • Southwest Renaissance Development Corp • Spooky Action Theater Company • Step Afrika! • Teatro de la Luna (The Moon Theatre) • The Ciesla Foundation • The National Hand Dance Association • Washington Youth Choir

ARCH Development Corporation Arena Stage Art Enables Atlas Performing Arts Center Building Bridges Across the River t/a THEARC Capital City Symphony Capital Fringe Capitol Letters Writing Center (aka 826DC) CityDance Ensemble, Inc. Cultural Tourism DC CulturalDC Daniel Phoenix Singh & Company (aka Dakshina) DC Film Alliance Environmental Film Festival in the Nation’s Capital Gay Mens Chorus Festivals DC, Ltd. Ford’s Theatre Society FotoDC, Inc. Free Minds Book Club & Writing Workshop GALA Inc Grupo de Artistas Latinoamericanos Hillwood Museum and Gardens Foundation John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts Joy of Motion Dance Center, Inc. Literary, Dialogue, & Concert Series at Sixth & I Opera Lafayette Project Create Smith Center for Healing and the Arts Split This Rock, Inc. Step Afrika!

The Patricia M. Sitar Center for the Arts The Phillips Collection The Selma M. Levine School of Music The Theatre Lab, Inc. Thelonious Monk Institute of Jazz Thomas Circle Singers Washington Bach Consort Washington Concert Opera Washington DC Jewish Community Center, Inc. Washington Improvisational Theater Co. Washington Project for the Arts, Inc. Washington, DC International Film Festival Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company Words Beats and Life, Inc. Young Playwrights’ Theater, Inc.

ARTS HEALING GRANT Supports arts projects by providing access to arts for residents of DC to improve their quality of life.

Andrene Taylor • Art Enables • Creative & Therapeutic Arts Services at Children’s National • Dance Place • Festivals DC, Ltd. • Iona Senior Services • Joy Jones • Margot Greenlee • Multicultural Career Intern Program • Ruth Stenstrom • St. John’s Community Services • The Sanctuary Theatre • The Selma M. Levine School of Music • The Theatre Lab, Inc. • The Washington Ballet • Speakeasy DC • Words Beats and Life, Inc. • Young Playwrights’ Theater, Inc.

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GRANT PROGRAMS AND GRANTEES COMMUNITY ARTS GRANT Supports projects to promote arts and humanities activities to DC residents.

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Abraham and Laura Lisner Home for Aged Women African Continuum Theatre Co. Alliance for New Music-Theatre Art Enables Atlas Performing Arts Center Baye Harrell Building Bridges Across the River t/a THEARC Capital City Symphony Capitol Movement, Inc. CarmenWong Congressional Chorus Constellation Theatre Company Critical Exposure, Inc. DC Blues Society, Inc. Daniel Phoenix Singh & Company DC Theatre Scene, Inc. Dance Place dog and pony dc, Inc. El Teatro de Danza Contemporanea de El Salvador Elizabeth Bruce Ellie Walton Federal City Performing Arts Association, Inc. Festivals DC, Ltd. FotoDC, Inc. Freddie Dunn, Jr. Free Minds Book Club & Writing Workshop Friends of the Goethe-Institute in Washington, DC Hilary Kacser Hill Center Historical Society of Washington, DC Holly Bass International Arts & Artists, Inc. James Zimmerman Jocelyn Frank John Johnson John Moletress Joy of Motion Dance Center, Inc. KanKouran West African Dance Company Karen Baker Kim Roberts Kirov Academy of Ballet of Washington DC Lamont Carey Maru Montero Dance Company Meridian International Center Mia Choumenkovich Miriam’s Kitchen National Center for Creative Aging Nicole Aguirre Opera Lafayette Pan American Symphony Orchestra Provisions Learning Project Rex Weil Robert Michael Oliver Ruth Stenstrom Sandra Y. Johnson Social Art and Culture St. John’s Community Services, DC The Choral Arts Society of Washington The In Series The Inkwell The Selma M. Levine School of Music The Shakespeare Theatre

The Studio Theatre The Textile Museum The Theatre Lab, Inc. Theatre Downtown, Inc., t/a The Washington Stage Guild Transformer, Inc. Trustees of the Corcoran Gallery of Art Twentieth Century Consort, DBA 21st Century Consort Washington Bach Consort Washington DC Jewish Community Center, inc.

Washington Project for the Arts, Inc. Washington Storytellers Theatre DBA Speakeasy DC Washington Studio School Will Stephens Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company Words Beats and Life, Inc. Young Playwrights’ Theater, Inc.

CULTURAL FACILITIES PROJECTS Supports capital improvement projects and property acquisition for nonprofit arts and cultural institutions.

ARCH Development Corporation Arena Stage Atlas Performing Arts Center Avalon Theatre Project, Inc. Building Bridges Across the River t/a THEARC Cultural DC Dance Institute of Washington Dance Place District of Columbia Arts Center Folger Shakespeare Library GALA Inc. Grupo de Artistas Latinoamericanos Hill Center Hillwood Museum and Gardens Foundation Joy of Motion Dance Center, Inc. Meridian International Center The Selma M. Levine School of Music The Shakespeare Theatre The Studio Theatre Kirov Academy of Ballet of Washington DC The Washington Ballet Washington DC Jewish Community Center, Inc. Woolly Mammoth Theater Company

SISTER CITIES INTERNATIONAL ARTS GRANT Supports cultural exchange with DC’s Sister Cities.

ARCH Development Corporation Carl Walker Holly Bass Meridian International Center Split This Rock, Inc. Transformer, Inc. Washington, DC International Film Festival Words Beats and Life, Inc.

UPSTART Supports capacity building projects for arts nonprofits.

Capital Fringe CulturalDC Dance Place The Theatre Lab, Inc. Washington Project for the Arts, Inc. Young Playwrights’ Theater, Inc.

ARTS EDUCATION BUILDING THE CREATIVE CAPACITY OF THE DISTRICT’S CHILDREN AND YOUTH The arts have a profound impact on student success, both in and out of the classroom.

The Commission’s role in Arts Education is to make the arts and humanities an essential thread in the lives of the youth residing in the city and to ensure they have a rich and meaningful exposure to, and immersion in, the arts before high school graduation.

In FY13, the DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities granted over $869,000 in funds to charter schools and cultural organizations providing in-school and out-of-school time programming for children from pre-kindergarten through high school. The DCCAH also initiated planning for a survey of arts programming in all public and public charter schools for the 2013-2014 academic year, the results of which will be launched in fall 2014.

SUMMER YOUTH EMPLOYMENT PROGRAM (SYEP) In partnership with the Department of Employment Services, DCCAH was a host site for over 65 youth enrolled in the One City Summer Youth Employment Program. The Commission was responsible for providing an array of enriching and constructive sixweek work experiences through job placements at DCCAH grantee sites.

The SYEP Program provided an opportunity for youth to develop their knowledge and skills in the creative sector, including customer service, resume building, business presentations, and social media marketing. Through these meaningful work experiences, they interacted with dynamic professionals in the arts and developed a final deliverable that “told their story” based on the creative use of media and performance techniques. Family and friends joined the youth at the Atlas Performing Arts Center for a celebration of their work at the culminating presentation in August.

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DCCAH SYEP WORKSITES: Atlas Performing Arts Center Capital Fringe Festival F.R.E.S.H.H. GALA Hispanic Theatre Guerilla Arts Next Stop Summer Youth Arts Program Powell House Project Theatre Lab for the Dramatic Arts WE ACT Radio

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PUBLIC ART 2013 COMPLETED COMMISSIONED PROJECTS BEYOND THE VISUAL RAINBOW Artist: Amber Robles Gordon Location: Deanwood Recreation Center and Library; Ward 7 Completed: June 2013 Partner: DC Department of Parks and Recreation Description: Beyond the Visual Rainbow is a large-scale, sculptural wall hanging.

The foundation of the sculpture is made of chicken wire and consists of hundreds of yards of colored, textured fabric with different shaped and sized objects.

The multi-colored fabrics honor Deanwood’s rich history and its residents’ strong engagement with love for their community JOURNEY ANACOSTIA Artist: Wilfredo Valladares Location: Good Hope Road & Martin Luther King, Jr. Avenue, SE; Ward 8 Completed: June 2013 Partner: DC Department of Housing and Community Development Description: Journey Anacostia is a public art sculpture and mural by DC artist Wilfredo Valladares. The installation reflects the diverse history and heritage of the Anacostia community. The walls behind the sculpture were transformed with a colorful mural created in collaboration with youth from the United Planning Organization’s POWER Program.

NEW YORK AVENUE BRIDGE GATEWAY WINGS Artist: Kent Bloomer / Bloomer Studios Location: New York Avenue Bridge; Ward 5 Completed: September 2013 Partner: DC Department of Transportation Description: Yale School of Architecture professor, Kent Blomer created two ornamental 50foot wings made of galvanized steel to form a welcoming gateway into the city by way of the New York Avenue Bridge into the NoMA neighborhood.

FREDERICK DOUGLASS BRONZE STATUE Artist: Steven Weitzman Location: U.S. Capitol Visitor Center Completed: Originally commissioned in 2006 and placed in One Judiciary Square; relocated to the US Capitol in June 2013.

Partners: The White House, United States Congress, Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton, D-DC, Executive Office of the Mayor, Vincent C. Gray Description: The DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities facilitated the relocation of the commissioned statue of the famed abolitionist and writer Frederick Douglass from One Judiciary Square to the United States Capitol Visitor Center’s Emancipation Hall.

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PUBLIC ART

PUBLIC ART BUILDING COMMUNITIES Guided by principles of creative placemaking and community engagement, the Public Art Building Communities grant facilitates the creation and installation of temporary or permanent public artwork that enhances District neighborhoods. Eligible projects include sculpture, mosaics, artistic streetscape improvements, murals, paving patterns, video installations, custom benches, stained glass windows, artistic gates and railings.

KIM’S GARDEN INTERACTIVE MOSAIC PROJECT Artist Deirdre Saunders created an installation of an interactive mosaic in tribute to the memory of local community environmentalist Kim Brenegar.

Grant Amount: $30,000 Location: Ward 6

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SUKKAT SHALOM: TABERNACLE OF PEACE Artist Dalya Luttwak created a steel Sukkah, a temporary hut used by current and ancestral Jewish families to eat, pray and sleep in during the holiday of Sukkot.

This steel structure mimics images of a palm tree, whereby the walls are made of roots of palm and palm fronds form the roof of the Sukkah.

Grant Amount: $8,000 Location: Ward 2

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CONNECT 4: A PUBLIC ART SERIES Produced by CulturalDC, CONNECT 4 takes CulturalDC’s visual arts programming off-site and into the public sphere creating an opportunity for local contemporary artists to enliven the Martin Luther King Jr. Library and respond to the space. The participating artists included Brian Davis Nekisha, Durrett, Sam Scharf and Anna Tsouhlarakis.

Grant Amount: $24,000 Location : Ward 1

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Murals DC in partnership with the Department of Public Works was created in 2007 to replace illegal graffiti with artistic works, to support the revitalization of communities in the District of Columbia, and to teach youth the art of aerosol painting. This program positively engages the District’s youth by teaching proper professional art techniques, providing supplies, and a legal means to practice and perform their artistic skill in a way that promotes respect for public and private property and community awareness.

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EVENTS

MAYOR’S ARTS AWARDS The Honorable Mayor Vincent C. Gray and the DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities (DCCAH) celebrated the 28th Annual Mayor’s Arts Awards on October 22, 2013. Finalists, winners, and honorees were feted at the Warner Theatre in a celebration that highlighted the accomplishments of several individuals and organizations including Jane Harman, President of the Harman Family Foundation and Barbara Harman, Executive Director of the Harman Family Foundation, recognized with the Visionary Leadership Award; Howard University’s Division of Fine Arts received the Lifetime Achievement Award; and Jim Abdo, President and CEO of Abdo Development, was presented with the Special Recognition Award.

The 28th Annual Mayor’s Arts Awards celebration was marked by performances from the Washington National Opera, Sharón Clark and Take Dance. Mistress of Ceremonies, Helen Hayes Award-winning actress E. Faye Butler, also performed “Let the Good Times Roll” and “Let’s Go Out Tonight.”

The Mayor’s Arts Award is the highest honor conferred by the District of Columbia for artistic excellence and service among artists, arts organizations and arts patrons in the city. Winners in eight categories were recognized, demonstrating the wide range of exceptional talent within the District of Columbia arts community.

WINNERS FOR THE 28TH ANNUAL MAYOR’S ARTS AWARDS: Outstanding Service to the Arts Carla Perlo Innovation in the Arts Miriam’s Kitchen The Corcoran Gallery of Art

Outstanding Emerging Artist Brian Wilbur Grundstrom Excellence in Artistic Discipline The Phillips Collection

Outstanding Contribution to Arts Education Marta Reid Stewart Critical Exposure Mayor’s Arts Awards for Teaching — Language Arts Topher Kandick Mayor’s Arts Awards for Teaching — Performing Arts Sarah Pace

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Mayor’s Arts Award for Teaching — Visual Arts Paige Byrne

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EVENTS

POETRY OUT LOUD

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Through generous support from the National Endowment on the Arts and the Poetry Foundation, the DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities hosted the seventh annual national recitation competition, Poetry Out Loud, at the National Portrait Gallery.

The event encourages the nation’s high school students to learn about great poetry through memorization and performance, helping them to internalize and perpetuate the country’s rich literary heritage while mastering public speaking skills and building self-confidence. In 2013, Nathalie Dary of Archbishop Carroll High School placed first in the District finals and represented the District of Columbia in the national finals on April 28th at The George Washington University’s Lisner Auditorium.

DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA FINALISTS: 1st Place: Nathalie Dary Archbishop Carroll High School

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3rd Place: Sam Giradot St. Anselm’s Abbey School

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2nd Place: Jayme Lawson Duke Ellington School of the Arts

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LARRY NEAL WRITERS’ AWARDS Since 1981, the DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities has recognized and celebrated the literary accomplishments of District of Columbia resident writers through the Larry Neal Writers’ Awards. The event commemorates the artistic legacy and vision of cultural understanding embodied by Larry Neal, a renowned author, academic, and former Executive Director of DCCAH. In FY13, the DCCAH received more than 200 submissions from local emerging and established writers. Children and youth (grades 4 to 12) and adults were eligible to enter submissions in poetry, short story, essay, and dramatic writing. In 2013, DCCAH awarded over $7,500 in cash prizes to nine winners. The awardees were honored at a special awards ceremony presented in partnership with the PEN/ Faulkner Foundation on Friday, May 3, 2013 at the Hill Center at the Old Naval Hospital. Writer Benjamin Saenz, 2013 winner of the prestigious PEN/Faulkner Award for Fiction, provided opening remarks.

WINNERS OF THE 2013 LARRY NEAL WRITERS’ AWARDS: ESSAY Teen Awards Kareema Badawi Messai Tadesse Youth Awards Ally Han Raya Kenney Josh Taubman

FICTION Adult Awards Kathy Crutcher Binahkaye Joy Brendan Williams-Childs Teen Awards Bridget Dease Lucy Rose Freshour Chidinma Onuohas Youth Awards Celia Doherty Naomi Steinglass

DRAMATIC WRITING Norman Allen Stephen Spotswood Hal Weiner

POETRY Adult Awards Abdul Ali D. Gilson Lisa Pegram Teen Awards Quadaja Herriott Anna Pomper Maya Wesby Zachary Wood Youth Awards Sophia Diggs-Galligan Seané Hamiel Ladeisha Meriweather Alissa Simon Daisha Wilson

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EVENTS

NATIONAL CHERRY BLOSSOM FESTIVAL

DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities’ curator, Zoma Wallace, presented an exhibition of fine art to celebrate the commencement of the 2013 National Cherry Blossom Festival. The exhibition brought together the works of Japanese-born sculptor Yuriko Yamaguchi, painter Michi Fugita, and internationally renowned multimedia artist iona rozeal brown to form an other-worldly landscape in bloom and was marked with an opening event at the Gallery in the District’s 200 I Street office building.

The work of Native Washingtonian iona rozeal brown was also presented in live performance at the Corcoran Gallery of Art Atrium with battle of yestermore as an extension of the allegories in her paintings. Originally commissioned for the Performa 2011 festival in New York, and reprised at Art Basel Miami, battle of yestermore draws from the myth-based genres of Kabuki and Noh theater, as well as hip-hop culture and “vogueing”. The performance featured creative kimono adaptations by costume stylist Brent Barkhaus and was a spectacular mash-up of hip hop and kabuki, break dancing and martial arts, all set to the bumping score of DJ brown. changeling tree: the forest lies about you was commissioned as a continuation of brown’s ever-evolving narrative and a direct nod to Japanese Noh theater; which is, by tradition, tied to nature. The choreographed procession of two of brown’s mythic characters took place just before dusk along the Tidal Basin amongst the blossoms. og ot Ph

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DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities closed out programming for the 2013 National Cherry Blossom Festival with a temporary installation of a biodegradable origami mural at Yards Park created and installed by iona rozeal brown, DCCAH staff, and a host of public participants. by

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POET LAUREATE

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Native Washingtonian Dolores Kendrick was named the second Poet Laureate of the District of Columbia on May 14, 1999. As Poet Laureate, Ms. Kendrick works to promote education in and appreciation of poetry and the literary arts. Ms. Kendrick was interviewed in February of 2013 for the Pink Line Project about her two passions: her work as a poet and her work as an educator. Later that month, she participated in the Folger Shakespeare Library’s 11th Annual Poet in Progress Reading Series. Ms. Kendrick hosted a reading later that spring at Busboys and Poets. In June, she was invited to be the Guest Speaker for Roosevelt STAY High School’s graduation ceremony. As the summer ended, she provided a reading at Dunbar Senior High School for the Paul Laurence Dunbar Dedication ceremony. In the fall, she participated in “A Splendid Wake” at George Washington University’s Gelman Library.

The event included several panel discussions about the District of Columbia’s poetic history and a new online archive of Washington poetry from 1900 to the present day. Ms. Kendrick also provided opening remarks for the District of Literature event with DC poets, fiction writers, and literary critics. e at re

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TRANSFORMING THE DISTRICT THROUGH

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VISION As the Nation’s Capital, the District of Columbia is a world-class cultural destination.

The DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities will be the leading voice for arts and culture in the city, thereby elevating the impact of the arts and humanities locally, nationally and internationally.

Recognizing the changing dynamics within the city, the DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities is poised to increase our depth and expand our breadth of creative opportunities for residents and visitors.

MISSION Our Mission is to provide grant funds, programs and educational activities that encourage diverse artistic expressions and learning opportunities, so that all District of Columbia residents and visitors can experience the rich culture of our city.

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