Annual Report FY 2016 by DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities

ANNUAL REPORT FY 2016

CONTENT 3. Letter from the Mayor 4. FY 2016 Commissioners and Staff 5. Letter from Executive Director and Chair 6. FY 2016 Budget Summary 7. Grants by Ward 8. Grant Programs, Grantees and Grantees’ Stories 18. Arts Education 20. Public Art: Art Bank 21. Public Art: Gallery Exhibits 22. Public Art: Commissioned Projects 23. Public Art: MuralsDC 24. Public Art: Building Communities 25. Events: Mayor’s Arts Awards and Art All Night 26. Events: Labor Day Weekend Music Festival and 202 Arts and Music Festival 27. Office of the DC Poet Laureate and Women of Plums

DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities 200 I Street, SE, Suite 1400, Washington, DC 20003 202.724.5613 • www.dcarts.dc.gov

ON THE COVER, FRONT TO BACK: BIRDSONG BY ERIC B. RICKS, PHOTO BY ERIC B. RICKS, WANTED MAN CONCERT AT THE LABOR DAY WEEKEND AT THE LINCOLN, PHOTO BY TATIANA GULENKINA, CAPITOL HILL ARTS WORKSHOP, LESLIE MANSOUR/SOUQFLY PHOTOGRAPHY, RISE BY MICHAEL CROSSETT, PHOTO BY MICHAEL CROSSETT, 202 PAINTED BY ANIEKAN UDOFIA, PHOTO BY JATI LINDSEY, GIN DANCE, PHOTO BY JATI LINDSEY

LETTER from the MAYOR In Washington, DC, not only are the arts, humanities, and creative industries a vibrant part of life, but arts and culture also create jobs for our residents and encourage economic development. In fact, the creative economy accounts for approximately 16 percent of our overall employment. The funding and programs made available to individuals and nonprofit organizations through the Commission on Arts and Humanities (“Commission”) are investments in our residents’ diverse talents. I am committed to supporting the economic, creative, and inclusive prosperity that the arts and creative industries bring to Washington. We are also looking at new ways to further highlight our creative sector. In September 2016, my Administration launched a new initiative to celebrate our creative professionals called #202Creates. Through a variety of events and programs, DC government agencies like the Commission brought the creative economy into the spotlight in a new and innovative way, showcasing the richness and diversity of life in our nation’s capital. Together, with Commission Chair Kay Kendall and Executive Director Arthur Espinoza, Jr., I thank you for your continued work to promote and defend our DC values through our arts and humanities communities – as we aspire to attain inclusive prosperity for all Washingtonians. Sincerely,

Muriel Bowser Mayor of the District of Columbia

FY16 COMMISSIONERS Kay Kendall, Chair, Ward 2 Kim Greenfield Alfonso, Ward 4 Stacie Lee Banks, Ward 3

FY16 STAFF

Susan Clampitt, Ward 6

Arthur Espinoza, Jr., Executive Director

Edmund C. Fleet, Ward 7

Michael Bigley, Deputy Director

Antoinette Ford, Ward 7

Calenthia Banks, Executive Assistant

Rhona Wolfe Friedman, Ward 2

Teresa Boersma, Graphic Designer

Alma H. Gates, Ward 3

Ebony Brown, Special Events Manager

Darrin L. Glymph, Ward 4

Earica Busby, Financial Manager

Barbara Jones, Ward 8

Benjamen Douglas, Grants Programs Manager

James E. Laws, Jr., Ward 4

Tonya Jordan, Public Art Manager

MaryAnn Miller, Ward 3

Steven Mazzola, Grants Director

Elvi Moore, Ward 3

Ron Humbertson, Art Collections Registrar

Maria Hall Rooney, Ward 4

Melisa Leonard, Finance Assistant

JosĂŠ Alberto UclĂŠs, Ward 5

Travis Marcus, General Clerk

Gretchen B. Wharton, Ward 6

David Markey, Arts Education Coordinator

C. Brian Williams, Ward 6

JaKenna Martin, Special Events Associate Carolyn Parker, Office Manager Khalid Randolph, Grants Programs Manager Patrick Realiza, Social Media Specialist Paige Reynolds, Arts Education Specialist Kyra Saffran, Public Art Program Assistant Jeff Scott, Programs and Communications Officer Regan Spurlock, Grants Programs Manager Zoma Wallace, Curator J. Carl Wilson, Jr. General Counsel Derek Younger, Special Assistant

LETTER from the CHAIR & DIRECTOR Fiscal Year 2016 saw many exciting new developments at the Commission on the Arts and Humanities. We offered new funding opportunities, presented new professional development workshops and we created new programming to celebrate the Districtâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s creative sector as part of Mayor Muriel Bowserâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 202 Creates initiative. An increased number of grant applications were received by the Commission in FY16, allowing the Commission to expand the number of grant awards and total amount of grant dollars distributed. We would like to thank Mayor Bowser, her administration, our commissioners and staff who make this all possible, and the Council of the District of Columbia. In FY16, we developed our new cultural access policy of inclusivity, diversity, equity and accessibility, also known as IDEA. We have worked to integrate this policy across all our programs and initiatives at the Commission. We continue to monitor and evaluate our programs, using research from national best practices in the field and feedback from the community. As the District grows and develops, the Commission is committed to working to ensure that the arts and humanities remain an integral part of that growth and development. Finally, on behalf of all our commissioners and staff, we extend our appreciation to the community of arts and humanities professionals that live and work in the District of Columbia. Through your work, we as individuals are able to see the world in different ways; we learn more about ourselves and each other. You help to make our city vibrant, and we applaud you. Sincerely,

Kay Kendall

Arthur Espinoza, Jr.

Chair

Executive Director

FY 2016 BUDGET Summary

F Y 2 0 1 6 B U D G E T: $ 1 5 , 3 5 0 , 8 3 6 FUNDING SOURCES LOCAL DISTRICT FUNDS: $14,336,069 NATIONAL ENDOWMENT FOR THE ARTS GRANT: $691,900 INTRA-DISTRICT TRANSFERS: $216,000 SPECIAL PURPOSE REVENUE: $106,867 EXPENDITURES GRANTS; ARTS AND HUMANITIES SERVICES1: $12,337,106 NON-PERSONNEL SERVICES2: $1,489,636 PERSONNEL: $1,524,094 1 2

Includes Public Art & Art Bank Grants Contractual services, equipment and supplies 6

4 3

78 Applicants 48 Awards $786,667 11.00%

85 Applicants 43 Awards $398,587 36.36%

ARTS AND HUMANITIES GRANTS by Ward*

175 Applicants 103 Awards $2,216,290 20.09%

110 Applicants 53 Awards $927,614 22.76%

164 Applicants 76 Awards $2,346,576 1.99%

121 Applicants 68 Awards $1,435,230 2.73%

45 Applicants 19 Awards $230,873 13.59%

61 Applicants 26 Awards $799,723 44.60%

438 Awards $9,141,540

*Does not include Public Art and Art Bank Grants. Percentages indicate change in grant funding by ward from FY15 to FY16. 7

GRANT programs & GRANTEES ARTS EDUCATION PROJECTS

KIPP DC Latin American Youth Center Levine School of Music Live It Learn It Maya Angelou Public Charter School National Building Museum One Common Unity Only Make Believe, Inc. PEN/Faulkner Foundation The Phillips Collection Project Create The Shakespeare Theatre Sitar Arts Center Split This Rock, Inc. Theatre Lab Thelonious Monk Institute of Jazz The Washington Ballet Words Beats and Life, Inc. Young Playwrightsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Theater

826DC Arena Stage Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Washington Building Bridges Across the River t/a THEARC CentroNia CityDance Critical Exposure Dance Institute of Washington Dance Place DC SCORES DC Youth Orchestra Program Dumbarton Concerts/Inner City-Inner Child Ellington Fund Folger Shakespeare Library Free Minds Book Club & Writing Workshop GALA Hispanic Theatre Hope House John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts Joy of Motion Dance Center

MBSYEP, END OF SEASON CELEBRATION, PHOTO BY TATIANA GULENKINA

GRANTEE’S story: Free Minds Book Club & Writing Workshop Recipient of Arts Education Projects Free Minds Book Club & Writing Workshop uses the transformative power of the arts to awaken DC youth in the adult criminal justice system to their own potential. Through literature, creative expression, job readiness training and violence prevention outreach, these young poets achieve their education and career goals, and become powerful voices for change in the community. The core of our program is a long-term, continuous book club and writing workshop. Participants are as young as 16 or 17 years old, may be incarcerated as adults at the DC Jail, may experience incarceration in federal prison, or may be transitioning into reentry. We also use poetry and storytelling as a means to build community and break down barriers through our community outreach project called “On the Same Page: Free Minds Poetry in the Classroom and Community,” in which Free Minds members home from prison serve as Poet Ambassadors, sharing poetry and personal stories with students and community members in DC. We see firsthand the life changing impact of reading, writing and a positive peer support system. We call it “Books and Belonging.” In the grant period, 90% of Free Minds members did not reoffend; 74% obtained jobs, enrolled in vocational training programs, or attended school.

RIGHT: MEMBERS OF FREE MINDS BOOK CLUB WHO ARE INCARCERATED READING BOOKS IN THE DC JAIL. BELOW: A FORMERLY INCARCERATED FREE MINDS MEMBER SHARES HIS POETRY AND PERSONAL STORY WITH THE DC COMMUNITY. PHOTOGRAHY COURTESY OF FREE MINDS BOOK CLUB & WRITING WORKSHOP

GRANT programs & GRANTEES ARTISTS FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM Elizabeth Acevedo Amin Ahmad Tamela Aldridge Drew Anderson Virginia Arrisueno Naomi Ayala Christylz Bacon Michele Banks Holly Bass Lazaro Batista Tonya Beckman Jessica Beels Robin Bell Nabeeh Bilal Julia Bloom Anthony Bobb Anne Bouie Patrick Bradley Scott Brooks Sarah Browning James Byers Regie Cabico Lamont Carey Mark Chalfant Yi Chen Jane Claire Remick Joshua Cogan Christina Constantinople John Copenhaver Darcy Courteau Ben Crosbie Matthew Cumbie Sara Curtin Erin Curtis Adam Davies Anna Davis Katie Davis Tarik Davis Frank Day Linsay Deming Tim Doud Freddie Dunn Mary Early

Paul Emerson Danielle Evennou Sarah Ewing Gregory Ferrand Dana Flor Santiago Flores-Charneco Rik Freeman ShauntĂŠ Gates Jason Gebhardt Noah Getz Lex Gillespie Tyrone Giordano Blair Goins Cynthia Gonzalez Pepe Gonzalez Patricia Gray Ayanna Gregory Rachel Grossman Brian Grundstrom Tatiana Gulenkina Avi Gupta Elizabeth Gutting Rick Hammerly Baye Harrell Rania Hassan Niki Herd Michelle Herman Jeffery Herrity Miya Hisaka Silva Matt Hollis Colin Hovde Morgan Hungerford Rachel Hynes Stefan Immler Michael Janis Timothy Johnson Nubia Kai Patti Kalil Mary Kay Zuravleff Dean Kessmann Kelly King William Knowles Assane Konte Craig Kraft

Brandon Kramer Bridget Lambert Khanh Le Maverick Lemons Nate Lewis Liz Maestri Dana Maier Timothy Makepeace Katherine Mann Matthew Mann Anne Marchand Carolina Mayorga Patrick McDonough Jasmine McLaurin Linn Meyers Maggie Michael Eugene Miller John Moletress Marc Nelson Cory Oberndorfer David Olson Michael Ounallah Tanya Paperny Erica Perl Daniel Phoenix Singh Caitlin Price Robert Priore Jennifer Quintana Susana Raab DeAngelo Redman Caitlin Reid Jamie Roberts Kim Roberts Rina Rodriguez Tatyana Safronova Erik Sandberg Jessica Seigel Yoko Sen Stephon Senegal Shawn Short Alexandra Silverthorne Michael Sirvet Molly Springfield Stanley Squirewell

GRANT programs & GRANTEES ARTISTS FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM (CONT.) Be Steadwell Dan Steinhilber Cory Stowers Martin Swift Dana Tai Soon Burgess Robin Talley Tim Tate Marcel Taylor Ryan Taylor

Tommy Taylor Mickey Terry Anna Tsouhlarakis Wilfredo Valladares Gretchen VanWormer Omar Waqar Rex Weil Ellyn Weiss Dawn Whitmore

Colin Winterbottom Carmen Wong Anu Yadav Frederic Yonnet Karen Zacarias Helen Zughaib Suzanne Zweizig

GRANTEE’S story: Yoko Sen Recipient of Artists Fellowship Program The fellowship grant from CAH allowed me to grow as an ambient electronic musician and reach out to the community through a number of performances in unique settings that were free and accessible to DC residents. The grant meant not only financial but also moral support for me — I wrote and submitted the application while I was recovering from illness, hoping I could resume my career as an artist again. The grant aided me to start an initiative to transform the sound environment in hospitals by reducing unnecessary noise of beeps and alarms, and increasing options to create soothing soundscape. Through the partnership with Sibley Memorial Hospital I am researching and prototyping solutions to improve the sound experience for patients and caregivers toward a scalable impact. YOKO SEN’S PERFORMANCE AT THE WASHINGTON MONUMENT

GRANT programs & GRANTEES CITY ARTS PROJECTS Abraham and Laura Lisner Home for Aged Women Adam Davies American Turkish Association of Washington DC Anu Yadav ARCH Development Corporation Art Enables Assane Konte CapitalBop Cecilia Cackley Christylz Bacon Congressional Chorus Cultural Development Corporation Danielle Evennou DC Film Alliance DC Jazz Festival Denaise Seals dog & pony dc Dwayne Lawson-Brown Environmental Film Festival in the Nation’s Capital Factory 449 International Arts & Artists Jack Gordon Jewish Historical Society of Greater Washington Jim Byers Joy Jones KanKouran West African Dance Company Kelly King Kim Roberts Lex Gillespie Lorton Art Program Maryam Foye Miriam’s Kitchen Miya Hisaka Silva Noah Getz Opera Lafayette Pan American Symphony Orchestra Pointless Theatre Company Post Classical Ensemble Regie Cabico Rex Weil Ruth Stenstrom Sandra Johnson Shakespeare Theatre Company Shawn Short 12

Smith Farm, Ltd. Step Afrika! Story District Textile Museum of DC Theater Alliance of Washington DC The Capital Hearings The Choral Arts Society of Washington Thelonious Monk Institute of Jazz Washington Bach Consort The Washington Chorus Tommy Taylor Washington Improvisational Theater Washington Performing Arts Washington Project for the Arts The Washington Stage Guild Will Stephens Woolly Mammoth CULTURAL FACILITIES PROJECTS ARCH Development Corporation Atlas Performing Arts Center Capitol Hill Arts Workshop DC Wheel Productions, Inc. Folger Shakespeare Library GALA Hispanic Theatre National Museum of Women in the Arts Sitar Arts Center The National Society of The Colonial Dames of America The Phillips Collection The Shakespeare Theatre Washington Project for the Arts Inc. Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company

EAST OF THE RIVER Building Bridges Across the River t/a THEARC CityDance Coyaba Dance Theater Dance Place DC Creative Writing Workshop DC Youth Orchestra Program Do The Write Thing Foundation of DC Levine School of Music

GRANTEE’S story: Thelonius Monk Institute of Jazz

Recipient of City Arts Projects

Thanks to funding from CAH, we provided our 2015-2016 Jazz in the Classroom education program free of charge to DC public school students and introduced them to the truly American music of jazz. Our teaching artists conducted ongoing music education sessions for students at the Duke Ellington School of the Arts, Roosevelt High School and Wilson High School. We also arranged for students to attend master classes with world-renowned jazz musicians and perform at high-profile events across Washington, DC. Jazz in the Classroom students performed at the daylong celebration of International Jazz Day 2016, for which Washington, DC served as the Global Host City. Additionally, we worked with arts and community partners in all wards of the District to present more than 60 free, public jazz performances, education programs and community service initiatives on International Jazz Day, April 30, for thousands of District residents of all ages. INTERNATIONAL JAZZ DAY 2016 OPENING CEREMONY, HERBIE HANCOCK AND DUKE ELLINGTON SCHOOL OF THE ARTS JAZZ BAND, PHOTO BY STEVE MUNDINGER

GRANTEE’S story: GALA Hispanic Theatre Recipient of Cultural Facilities Projects

With CAH FY16 funding, we were able to make the stage safer and better equipped for our own artistic productions, as well as for groups using our facility. We were also able to improve the physical accessibility of our studio, which ensures access by participants with disabilities, as well as make the space more comfortable. With improvements completed, we proudly commissioned an original play about the life of the famous Miguel de Cervantes, author of Don Quixote, to celebrate the 400th anniversary of his death. The production featured artists from Spain and DC, as part of GALA’s ongoing cultural exchange with that country that expands cultural horizons for both local artists and audiences. Funds from the DC Commission on the Arts & Humanities helped provide a foundation for successful production that reached over 1,600 high school students. CERVANTES: EL ULTIMO QUIJOTE, BY JORDI CASANOVAS. PHOTO COURTESY OF GALA HISPANIC THEATRE

GRANT programs & GRANTEES EAST OF THE RIVER (CONT.) Life Pieces To Masterpieces The MusicianShip, DC The National Hand Dance Association Ngoma Center for Dance One Common Unity Only Make Believe Project Create Recreation Wish List Committee Smithsonian Institution Split This Rock Step Afrika! Story District Theater Alliance of Washington DC Turning the Page Washington Improv Theater Washington Performing Arts Words Beats and Life, Inc. Young Playwrights’ Theater

GRANTS-IN-AID 826DC ARCH Development Corporation Arena Stage Art Enables Atlas Performing Arts Center Building Bridges Across the River t/a THEARC Capital City Symphony Capital Fringe The Capital Hearings Children’s Chorus of Washington CityDance Company E Congressional Chorus Constellation Theatre Company Critical Exposure Cultural Development Corporation Dakshina/Daniel Phoenix Singh Dance Company Dance Institute of Washington Dance Place DC Creative Writing Workshop DC Film Alliance DC Jazz Festival

DC Theater Arts Collaborative DC Youth Orchestra Program District Improv Company District of Columbia Arts Center dog & pony dc Ellington Fund Environmental Film Festival in the Nation’s Capital Filmfest DC Folger Shakespeare Library Ford’s Theatre Society Free Minds Book Club & Writing Workshop GALA Hispanic Theatre Gay Men’s Chorus of Washington John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts Joy of Motion Dance Center KanKouran West African Dance Company Levine School of Music Life Pieces To Masterpieces The MusicianShip National Building Museum Ngoma Center For Dance Old Naval Hospital Foundation One Common Unity Only Make Believe Opera Lafayette Pan American Symphony Orchestra PEN/Faulkner Foundation The Phillips Collection Pointless Theatre Company President Lincoln’s Cottage Project Create Rorschach Theatre Sitar Arts Center Smith Farm, Ltd. Split This Rock Step Afrika! Story District Taffety Punk Theatre Company Theater Alliance of Washington DC Theatre Lab Thomas Circle Singers Washington Bach Consort The Washington Ballet The Washington Chorus 14

GRANTEEâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S story: The National Hand Dance Association Recipient of East of the River grant

Hand Dance, the official dance of the District of Columbia (by resolution of the DC Council), is a contemporary, improvisational form of swing style partner dancing developed in the Washington, DC area in the early 1950s by African Americans as a form of social recreation and entertainment. Through our community service, we promote Hand Dance through showcases, community discussions, archiving the history of hand dance, and cultural exchange. CAH funding for these programs allows us to offer these workshops at no cost to District residents.

YOUTH AND YOUNG ADULTS DEMONSTRATE THEIR HAND DANCE SKILLS AFTER A WORKSHOP, PHOTO COURTESY OF NHDA/LLOYD FRANKLIN

GRANTEEâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S story: Art Enables

Recipient of Grants-in-Aid grant

Art Enables is an art gallery and supported employment program dedicated to creating opportunities for artists with disabilities from the DC metro area to make, market, and earn income from their original and compelling artwork. The focus of our programmatic activity provides artists with a diverse set of opportunities that allow them to develop as artists and gain experiences important for all growing professionals. Beyond directly serving 35 DC area artists in our supported employment program, roughly 5,000 DC area residents per year, young and old, participate in our numerous on and off-site exhibitions, events, and our free monthly community based workshops. The public funding we receive through CAH supports our critical work of building a vibrant arts community where individuals with disabilities are full contributing participants. FIVE SINGING BIRDS BY JACKIE COLEMAN, PHOTO COURTESY OF ART ENABLES

GRANT programs & GRANTEES GRANTS-IN-AID (CONT.)

PUBLIC ART BUILDING COMMUNITIES

Washington Men’s Camerata Washington Concert Opera Washington Improv Theater Washington Master Chorale Washington Performing Arts Washington Youth Choir Woolly Mammoth Words Beats and Life Washington Project for the Arts Young Playwrights’ Theater

Clayton Lang Dance Place

SISTER CITIES INTERNATIONAL ARTS GRANT Company E Dakshina/Daniel Phoenix Singh Dance Company Daniel Phoenix Singh Elizabeth Acevedo Environmental Film Festival in the Nation’s Capital Holly Bass Jonathan Tucker Lester Wallace Split This Rock Transformer Words Beats and Life

UPSTART Constellation Theatre Company Dance Institute of Washington Story District Theater Alliance of Washington DC Washington Bach Consort Washington Improv Theater

SEAN DORSEY DANCE, THE MISSING GENERATION, PHOTO BY KEGAN MARLING

GRANTEE’S story: Dance Place

Recipient of Public Public Art Building Communities grant Dance Place utilized PABC grant funds to commission works by three DC artists: two mosaic benches by Valerie Theberge, a recycled wooden bench by Tim Kime and bike-racks, and multi-purpose bike racks, repair station and turtle water sprinkler by Charles Bergen. These inventive works are now a permanent part of our newly developed 8th Street Arts Park, which welcomes participants of all backgrounds to engage in free cultural programming. The works were selected by the Arts Park Steering Committee and unveiled at the grand opening of the park in September 2016. They are a wonderful addition to this thriving public space!

MOSAIC BENCH BY VALERIE THEBERGE, PHOTO BY DAVID DOWLING

GRANTEE’S story: Theater Alliance of Washington DC Recipient of UPSTART grant

Theater Alliance develops, produces and presents socially conscious, thought-provoking work that engages community members in dialogue and action about social and cultural topics. As the resident theater company of the Anacostia Playhouse, we are proud to produce professional, award-winning work in Anacostia. With our productions, we strive to create an audience laboratory where the myriad perspectives of DC are face-to-face, confronting issues and tackling questions that separate such as those of race, class, and privilege as well those that unite such as aging, mental illness, family strife. CAH is one of Theater Alliance’s primary supporters, and provides us with the institutional foundation necessary to create art in DC, without which we could not create work that serves our community and our artists. CAH’s continued support of our company has been instrumental in our success, artistically and organizationally.

GOING TO A PLACE WHERE YOU ALREADY ARE BY BEKAH BRUNSTETTER, DJ COREY PHOTOGRAPHY

ARTS EDUCATION Establishing equitable access to exceptional arts education programming for the city’s children and youth is one of CAH top priorities. CAH provides Arts Education Project (AEP) grants, educational activities, and outreach services for youth, teaching artists, classroom educators, and arts administrators that encourage diverse artistic expression and learning opportunities. In FY16, CAH awarded over $920,000 in funds to charter schools and cultural organizations providing in-school and out-of-school-time programming from pre-school through high school. CELEBRATE THE CREATIVE SPARK! In March 2016, CAH engaged students and teachers in public and public charter schools, across the city in 126 workshops in celebration of creativity and the creative process. Twenty one arts organizations and individual teaching artists crafted three-lesson residencies within a guiding framework provided by CAH to give children and youth the opportunity to engage in programming that focused on tapping into their imaginations, innate creativity, and potential for innovation. POETRY OUT LOUD Through generous support from the National Endowment for the Arts and the Poetry Foundation, the DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities hosted the District of Columbia’s eleventh annual Poetry Out Loud recitation competition at the Office of Cable Television, Film, Music and Entertainment on March 15, 2016. The Poetry Out Loud program encourages local high school students to learn about great poetry through memorization and performance, helping them to internalize and perpetuate the country’s rich literacy heritage while mastering public speaking skills and building self-confidence. Over 3,000 students across the District participated in workshops with teaching artists as part of the program. Nine high schools were represented in the finals including: BASIS Public Charter School, Benjamin Banneker Academic High School, Capital City Public Charter School, Columbia Heights Education Campus, E.L. Haynes High School, McKinley Technology High School, St. Anselm’s Abbey School, The SEED School of Washington and Washington Latin Public Charter School. Erica Jones of McKinley Technology High School took first place and went on to represent Washington DC at the Poetry Out Loud National finals on May 3, 2016 at the George Washington University’s Lisner Auditorium.

ERICA JONES, A 12TH GRADER AT MCKINLEY TECHNOLOGY HIGH SCHOOL WAS THE WINNER OF 2016 POETRY OUT LOUD DISTRICT FINALS, PHOTO BY TATIANA GULENKINA

ARTS EDUCATION LARRY NEAL WRITERS’ AWARDS Since 1981, CAH has presented the Larry Neal Writers’ Awards, which commemorate the artistic legacy and vision of Larry Neal, the renowned author, scholar and former executive director of the Commission. District of Columbia residents may submit works in the areas of poetry, fiction and dramatic writing for the Awards.

33RD ANNUAL LARRY N EAL WRITERS ’ AWARDS WINNERS Adult Fiction: Tara Campbell Adult Poetry: Sandra Beasley Adult Dramatic Writing: Rachel Hynes Youth Poetry (tie) Albert Gordon III and Christina Cook Teen Poetry Nesha Ruther Teen Fiction Celia Caldwell MAYOR MARION S. BARRY SUMMER YOUTH EMPLOYMENT PROGRAM (MBSYEP) CAH was pleased to once again host a stellar and enthusiastic group of young people through the MBSYEP. CAH worked with 89 youth in the program with the goal of sharing the District’s many opportunities to develop careers in the creative economy. Youth placed with CAH were assigned to eight arts- and humanities-focused partner worksites where they had the opportunity to build skills in, and understanding of, the crafts of arts administration, theatre, music, dance, media arts, journalism, and city planning and architecture. The 2016 worksites were Atlas Performing Arts Center (City at Peace and Technical Theatre Program), Critical Exposure, F.R.E.S.H.H., GALA Hispanic Theatre, National Building Museum, Project Create and We Act Radio.

ABOVE: 33RD LARRY NEAL WRITERS’ AWARDS WINNERS FROM LEFT IS CELIA CALDWELL, TARA CAMPBELL, RACHEL HYNES AND SANDRA BEASLEY RIGHT: ABBEY CHUNG (TEACHER) AND CHRISTINA COOK, PHOTOGRAPHY BY TATIANA GULENKINA

PUBLIC ART Art Bank THE WASHINGTONIA COLLECTION To celebrate the 225th anniversary of the District of Columbia, CAH established The Washingtonia Collection within the Art Bank with new acquisitions from artists residing within the District. Works sought for the inaugural year of this special collection reflected the diverse aspects of Washington, DC; from the iconic cityscape and historic landmarks, to the culturally charismatic neighborhoods and energetic diversity among residents. CAH acquired 95 works of art from 48 District resident artists representing all eight wards. Works included paintings, photographs, graphic prints, sculpture, ceramics and video-based creations.

LEFT: JOHN WINSLOW, DAY, OIL ON CANVAS, THE WASHINGTONIA COLLECTION BELOW: RANZ JANTZEN, THE DC BARBER CENTER, ARCHIVAL PIGMENT (INK PRINT MOUNTED ON ALUMINUM), THE WASHINGTONIA COLLECTION

PUBLIC ART Gallery Exhibits DUKE ELLINGTON SCHOOL OF THE ARTS STUDENT ART EXHIBITION In March 2016, CAH hosted the Duke Ellington School of the Arts’ annual student exhibition while the historic Georgetown school building underwent extensive renovations. Over 50 student artists in the 9th, 10th and 11th grades offered works reflecting their studies in studio arts during the school year. At least one work of art was selected to represent each student. This exhibition is an example of the District’s commitment to support and nurture the artistic expression in our youth. ARTS AND HUMANITIES FELLOWSHIP APPLICANT EXHIBITION The annual Visual Arts exhibition featured some of the District’s finest visual artists applying for the 2017 Arts and Humanities Fellowship Program (AHFP). Each artist submitted a piece that represented their body of work and artistic perspective. This exhibition captured the broad scope of the District’s dynamic art scene and provided an opportunity for the participant artists to express their visions directly to the panel of peer reviewers evaluating their applications and to the public. THE CREATIVE AGE EXHIBITION Presented in partnership with the National Center for Creative Aging (NCCA), this exhibit marked the opening of NCCA’s annual national convention THE CREATIVE AGE EXHIBITION, ALMA THOMAS, UNTITLED (RAINBOW), WATERCOLOR and served as one of many examples of CAH’s efforts to showcase the District’s Art Bank Collection. All works exhibited as part of the exhibition were created by senior artists.

DUKE ELLINGTON SCHOOL OF THE ARTS’ ANNUAL STUDENT EXHIBITION HELD AT THE I STREET GALLERIES, PHOTO BY TATIANA GULENKINA

PUBLIC ART Commissioned Projects SHELTERING LIGHT & COLOR Artist: Koryn Rolstad Location: East Capitol Urban Farm, 5901 East Capitol Street, NE The installation of tree-like pavilions is interactive, acting as a visual identity by the constantly changing color reflections throughout the day and seasons, developing an environment where the visitor can experience the installation from many viewpoints to energize the community garden experience. Project partners: CAH, University of the District of Columbia, the Urban Waters Federal Partnership and the DC Housing Authority. CHINATOWN BARNES DANCE Artist: Charles Bergen Location: 7th and H Street, NW Long curves, colorful scales and expressive heads of a dragon lead pedestrians from one corner across to the other. The twelve lunar zodiac symbols in the gaps between the perpendicular crosswalk bands reenact the race across the wild river that determined their sequence in the lunar calendar. Project partners: CAH, Office of Planning, Department of Transportation and the Mayor’s Office on Asian and Pacific Islander Affairs. A SPACE TO DREAM Artists: Jay Coleman and Eric Ricks Location: Wellington Terrace, 2500 Pomeroy Court, SE Two murals located in the playground of the Wellington Terrace apartment complex were designed to inspire and engage with the community and enliven the area. Project partners: CAH, Office of the Deputy Mayor for Greater Economic Opportunity and the Mayor’s Office of African American Affairs on the East of the River Vision Arts Initiative. SHELTERING LIGHT & COLOR BY KORYN ROLSTAD

eMUSEUM WEBSITE

In May 2016 CAH launched an online database showcasing the District’s Art Bank Collection, a collection of artworks loaned to District government agencies for display in public offices, as well as our Public Art Collection of commissions and installations of large scale artworks in public sites throughout the District of Columbia. To date the website features over 2,500 searchable catalog records and growing. The site also features My Collection which allows visitors to register to save their favorite artworks, share via social media or curate their own collections from the artworks available on the site. The eMuseum can be accessed online through the CAH website at www.dcarts.dc.gov.

PUBLIC ART MuralsDC MURALSDC was created to replace illegal graffiti with artistic works, to revitalize sites within communities in the District of Columbia and to teach young people the art of aerosol painting. There are 63 MuralsDC projects across the District. Each mural tells a unique story of DCâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s diverse neighborhoods while deterring further illegal graffiti.

LEFT: MURALSDC, BIRDSONG BY ERIC B. RICKS BELOW CLOCKWISE: PABC, INSTALLATION OF CHINATOWN BARNES DANCE; A SPACE TO DREAM, BY JAY COLEMAN

PUBLIC ART Building Communities Grant HOMAGE TO OUR ANCESTORS II: A visual documentation remembering and depicting great ancestors on a bas-relief structure in clay aimed at creating a transgenerational connection and sense of pride in the local community. Artist: Clayton Lang and Ayokunle Odeleye Location: Marvin Gaye Park, 49th Street, NE and Nannie Helen Burroughs Avenue, NE 8TH STREET ARTS PARK Functional and decorative artworks including benches, bicycle racks, a bicycle repair station and a water sprinkler were created for the 8th Street Arts Park as part of creative placemaking efforts to help enliven the Brookland and Edgewood neighborhoods. Artists: Charles Bergen, Valerie Theberge and Tim Kime Location: 8th Street Arts Park, 3225 8th Street, NE

TURTLE AND BIKE RACKS BY CHARLES BERGEN, PHOTO BY GREG STALEY

TIM KIME BENCH, PHOTO COURTESY OF DANCE PLACE

EVENTS programs 31ST ANNUAL MAYOR’S ARTS AWARDS Mayor Muriel Bowser and CAH presented the 31st Annual Mayor’s Arts Awards at the Historic Lincoln Theatre. The evening featured special honorees Lou Stovall, Julianne Brienza and E. Ethelbert Miller. Awardees included Michael Janis, Dawn Johnson, Stone Soup Film, One Common Unity, Leron Boyd, and Tara Cambell. Performances were given by DJ Alkimist, Broad Sound Band, Sambart Entertainment, Phoenix Amor, Airborne DC!, Capitol Movement, Poetic Masterpiece — Jonte (Luki) Barrett, Elisha Brown, Ashley (Epiphany) Hodges, Javier Starks, Eric Powell, Rebecca Dupas, Vicu Schek and Mykel Walker, and Washington Performing Arts’ Children of the Gospel Choir.

ART ALL NIGHT: MADE IN DC The citywide nighttime arts festival was presented by the DC Department of Small and Local Business and the Congress Heights, Dupont Circle, H Street NE, North Capitol, Shaw, Tenleytown and Van Ness Main Streets Organizations, with funding support from CAH. 31ST ANNUAL MAYOR’S ARTS AWARDS, CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT: WASHINGTON PERFORMONG ARTS, CHILDREN OF THE GOSPEL CHOIR; LERON BOYD RECEIVING OUTSTANDING STUDENT AWARD FROM NAILAH PETTUS, MISS DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA OUTSTANDING TEEN 2016; REBA THOMAS OF STONE SOUP FILMS RECEIVING EXCELLENCE IN CREATIVE INDUSTRIES AWARD. PHOTOGRAPHY BY JATI LINDSEY AND XIMENA BRUNETTE

EVENTS INAUGURAL LABOR DAY WEEKEND MUSIC FESTIVAL CAH presented a series of three free concerts at the Historic Lincoln Theatre over Labor Day Weekend 2016. The concerts showcased local artists in a variety of musical genres, including jazz, rock, funk, Go Go, Americana and more.

LABOR DAY WEEKEND MUSIC FESTIVAL, CLOCKWISE: PAN AMERICAN SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA, BUMPER JACKSON, PHOTOGRAPHY BY JATI LINDSEY; THE JOGO PROJECT, PHOTO BY TATIANA GULENKINA

202 ARTS & MUSIC FESTIVAL CAH presented the first 202 Arts & Music Festival at the Capital Riverfrontâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Canal Park. The festival featured more than ten hours of continuous programming to include art exhibits, interactive workshops, a community mural, live performances, yarn bombing, a dance party and headlining performance by the legendary George Clinton and Parliament Funkadelic. Other performances included Brencore Allstars, Delta Spur, Sin Miedo, Black Alley Band, Chopteeth Afro-Funk, CapoeiraDC, Be Here Now Yoga, and many more. Over 10,000 residents and visitors came out to enjoy a full day of festivities.

EVENTS DOLORES KENDRICK, DC POET LAUREATE 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. In February 2016, she presented the 14th Annual Poet in Progress Reading Series at the Folger Shakespeare Library, which supports up and coming local poets. THE WOMEN OF PLUMS In July, Dolores Kendrick and CAH presented The Women of Plums, a theatrical adaption based on the prize-winning book by Ms. Kendrick at the Historic Lincoln Theatre. The evening featured poems written in the voices of slave women who relate lives of appalling deprivation in lyrical monologues, with dance, music and visual arts. Performers included Tamela Aldridge, Jazmine Robinson, Vera Oye Yaa Ana, Gaelyn Smith, Kendall Isadore, Capitol Movement, Rogiers, NEWorks Productions and Jay Coleman.

WOMEN OF PLUMS, PHOTO BY JATI LINDSEY

202 ARTS & MUSIC FESTIVAL, CLOCKWISE FROM TOP RIGHT: CAPOEIRA WORKSHOP, VISITORS CREATE AN INTERWOVEN TEXTILE ON COMMUNITY LOOM, GEORGE CLINTON & PARLIAMENT FUNKADELIC CONCERT; PHOTOGRAPHY BY JATI LINDSEY

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.