Please Join Us and Celebrating our last 20 years and our next 20 years!! Get your tickets HERE!

Even while working full-time AND getting an MFA I'm still an active member of the Board at DCAC and would love it if you could come to our 20th Anniversary Party on Friday, May 29th in Georgetown. DCAC means a lot to me - its where we had the "Gulliver" show in 2005 and they've never stopped supporting me. We've been working hard to make it a great event and arranged what I think will be an exciting night of art exploration.... hanging sculptures from Gretchen Schemmerhorn recent show at DCAC and a video lounge featuring work by my DC MFA mentor, accomplished artist Jefferson Pinder who was recently featured in an exhibition at the National Portrait Gallery. I can't wait to see it all as well as enjoy some dancing and drinking of DCAC's signature drink of the night the twentitinni (ingredients TBD) before I head to Philly for one last summer of school.

I hope you can make it but if you cant would you think about joining as a member? You can do that here. If you really want to throw your support our way but can't make the party you can purchase tickets and I can invite some of the artists that mean so much to DCAC to come to the party, particularly the artists from Sparkplug: a DCAC Collective - of which I am a member and volunteer coordinator. Some of the gala tickets include a membership, so you'll get notified when Sparkplug has it's show at DCAC in October 2009. Thanks for reading the party pitch! Hope to see you all soon and that you enjoy our 3 day weekend!!!!

Karen Joan

What is DCAC and why should you support them?

The District of Columbia Arts Center is a nonprofit organization located at 2438 18th Street NW, between Belmont and Columbia Roads, in the heart of the Washington's Adams Morgan neighborhood of Washington, DC. DCAC supports emerging artists who are trying to get a foothold in the public arena. Born in 1989 with the mission of providing the “missing link” between emerging artists and the broader community, DCAC has maintained its place in DC as an organization that operates with the needs of artists in mind rather than focusing on growing commercial demands. DCAC also recognizes the need to support ongoing projects, which include our Curatorial Initiative, which nurtures upcoming curators and enriches audience engagement with our exhibits, and SPARKPLUG, a collective of local artists and curators who exhibit at DCAC each year.

In 1987, a group of artists, arts advocates and administrators came together to address their frustration with DC’s cultural climate. In order to bring local artists closer to the community, arts advocates Aaron Levine, Alice Denney, and Herb White, with the support of councilman William Lightfoot, established a center where local artists would become more visible to the community and receive the support that was largely unavailable. DCAC’s founding board includes artists Jack Rasmussen, Lynn McCary, Sam Gilliam, Greg Hannan, Kathy Keler, Rockne Krebs, Evangeline Montgomery, June Shadoan, and Paula Schumann, critic and curator Annie Gawlak, and arts activist Eden Rafshoon.

Since the founding of DCAC, the city has seen a number of positive changes in the local arts community. With the growth of local galleries and art spaces, artists have a wider range of opportunities to exhibit their work than they did twenty years ago. While the original vision and purpose of DCAC remain intact, the arts center now seeks to address the growing needs of artists marginalized by the commercial demands placed on galleries. Even as we seek to expand our visibility and hope to become a primary staple in the Adams Morgan neighborhood, DCAC holds true to its grassroots tradition. We continue to recognize the need for a space where artists, regardless of their commercial viability, race, gender and educational background, can show or perform their work at any stage in their careers.

Board of Directors: Bruce Kogod, Jay Bothwell, Faith Flanagan, Philip Barlow, Lisa Gilotty, Maureen Jeffreys, Molly Ruppert, Rebecca Montesi, Karen Joan Topping, Andrew Baughman, Buck Downs, Bridget Sue Lambert and Anita Walsh. Emeritus Chairs: Herb White, Sam Gilliam and John Dreyfuss. Advisory Board: George Hemphill, Jefferson Pinder and William C. Paley.

If you have any questions call us at DCAC at 202.462.7833 or info@dcartscenter.org

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COME CELEBRATE DCAC TURNING 20!!!!
May 29, 2009—6:30-10:30 pm —Halcyon House in Georgetown

Celebrate DCAC ’s 20th Anniversary with an evening of dance, poetry,
performance art, video art, sound installation and live music.


Our performers and artists for the evening include:
Kathryn Cornelius, performance
Quique Aviles, performance
David London, performance
Silvana Straw, poetry
Buck Downs, poetry
Ilana Silverstein, dance
Alberto Gaitán, sound installation
Gretchen Schemmerhorn, installation
and video projections by José Ruiz, Jeffry Cudlin and Meg Mitchell, Jefferson Pinder, David Hartwell............and more

Tickets Plan
$100 for nonmembers (includes 1 year of membership).
$75 for DCAC members.
And for those of you that always wanted to be a VIP, just add $50 and you'll be in!!
($150 VIP nonmemeber, $125 VIP member)

BUY your tickets now by going HERE! At the door they will be $125!

The Lowdown Friday Night, May 29th

Halcyon House, 3400 Prospect Street NW, Georgetown
6:30 to 8:00—Beer, wine, hors'd'oeuvres and the DCAC signature drink--the TWENTITINI!!!!
6:30 to 7:30—VIP Champagne Room with David London---oh la la
8:00 to 10:30—Dancing with the Gin and the Tonics, beer, wine, the TWENTITINI!!!!,
and desserts including special 20th Anniversary Cookies.

If you are driving there is a close garage is at 3307 M Street but is accessed off of Banks which is a half block away- a very short walk to Halcyon. DCAC will be giving out parking validation stickers at check-in, which will be offered at a $2 discount off of the normal rate.