• Grants
• DC x Miami | Networking at the Rubell Collection
• Arts Emergency Prep; Risk Assessment, Building Walk Through and Clinic
• Emerging Women Artists of the DMV Panel
• Color the Curb: School Safety Program Dedication
• Commission Meetings
• REFLECTIONS: Artists Talk
• Grantee Happenings
• Opportunities
• Resources
• Update Your Profile

This Request for Applications (RFA) seeks works for an exhibition titled Rip! Tear! Collage as Critique which centers collage as an accessible and hyper-contemporary tool for engaging in social commentary. In a time when our nation—and the social fabric of the District—is experiencing deep division, fragmentation, and transformation, collage emerges as a democratic form through which artists can explore stories of rupture, repair, and reassembly.  

Submission deadline is TODAY Monday, December 1, 2025, at 9:00 pm ET.

The Commission on the Arts and Humanities (“CAH” or “the Agency”) seeks applications for the FY26 Large Capital Projects (“LCP”) Program Grant. Grants are awarded on a competitive basis for the purpose of supporting either improvements or purchase of a facility located in the District of Columbia whose primary function centers on the training, management, production, or presentation of performances or exhibitions of the arts or humanities. To qualify for this grant, applicants must either own or have at least seven years remaining on an existing 30-year lease of the facility in question. Additional criteria are outlined in the RFA.

Submission deadline is 10 PM EST on Wednesday December 17, 2025.

The DC Commission on Arts and Humanities in partnership with LYRASIS and Dance Place hosts a Risk Assessment and Disaster Plan Clinic.

Join us on Tuesday, December 2, from 9:30 am to 3:30 pm. There will be two workshops with a break between Noon and 1:30 pm. You do not have to join us for both, and have the option to only attend one or the other, according to your own interest and availability. But we do encourage you to stay for the whole day, if possible.

There will not be lunch served so please be prepared to bring a bag lunch or take the lunch break to go grab some food nearby in Brookland. Check out our event page for more information about each workshop.

Emerging Women Artists in the DMV brings together a dynamic group of artists featured in DC Art Now 2025 for a conversation about building creative careers in Washington, DC, Maryland, and Virginia. This panel explores how women artists navigate visibility, community, and opportunity while shaping the future of the region’s arts ecosystem.

Speakers:Autumn Spears, Holly Harris, Khin, and Vanessa Villarreal

Moderator: Michelle May-Curry, Curator, DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities

DC CAH Gallery at 200 I St SE Washington DC 20003

Dec 11: open gallery time from 6:00-6:30, artist talk will begin at 6:30pm

At Columbia Heights Educational Campus (CHEC) in Ward 4, artist Ashley Jaye Williams created Colores que Conversan (Colors that Converse), a ground mural that celebrates connection through language, culture, and shared learning. Inspired by conversations with CHEC students, the design imagines an exchange of ideas that builds bridges between people and communities. This installation also marks two exciting firsts: CHEC is the first non-elementary school site in the program’s history and the first to include summer school students in the design process.

CAH extends heartfelt thanks to partners Ted Randell (DDOT), Patrick McDonough, and Mary Lambert (DCPS Arts), and CHEC staff Desepe de Vargas and David Onley and CHEC Principal Maria Tukeva for helping make this project possible. Together, we’re creating safer, more vibrant routes for students across DC—one colorful curb at a time.

Our next Full Commission regular meeting is scheduled to begin at 5:30 ET on Monday, December 15. Members of the public are invited to observe the meeting live online on CAH’s YouTube channel.

Members of the public may request three minutes to speak during the public comment period held at this meeting. Requests must be submitted by no later than Noon ET on Thursday, December 11. Written comments may also be submitted by no later than Noon ET on Thursday, December 11, as an alternative or in addition to spoken comments. Public comments, both spoken and written, will be included in the public record of the meeting.

This meeting is governed by the Open Meetings Act. Please address any questions or complaints arising under this meeting to the Office of Open Government at opengovoffice@dc.gov.

Join the Arts & Humanities Council of Montgomery County on Wednesday, December 10 at 4:45 p.m. for REFLECTIONS: Artists Talk, an intimate gathering with the talented artists behind Contemplations.

Hear directly from the artists as they share insights into their creative process, inspirations, and stories behind their captivating artwork. This is a unique opportunity to deepen your connection with the exhibition and engage in meaningful dialogue with the artists themselves. Don’t miss this enriching and thoughtful experience in the world of art.

The DC Anti-Violence Project at the DC LGBTQ+ Community Center is excited to host their annual open mic, Queer Voices Unwavering, at our new home (1827 Wiltberger St NW) on Friday, December 5 at 7pm.

Join them as they create space to honor the full range of emotions this season, celebrate their resilience, and gather in community with chosen family. Light refreshments will be provided.

Performers will be selected through a lottery and receive a gift card stipend; please use this form below to enter the lottery or RSVP as an attendee. Performances should be under five minutes. For questions, email counseling@thedccenter.org.

Learn improv at Project Create with a class taught by Washington Improv Theater! 

These classes are FREE for East of the River residents of Wards 7 and 8 as well as members of the Project Create community. These classes will be held at the Project Create Arts Center at 2208 Martin Luther King Jr Ave SE in Anacostia.

The Lorton Art Program invites you to an exhibition of paintings and drawings created by current and formerly incarcerated individuals. Art: A View consists of 32 works of art and is on display at the Georgetown Library (3260 R St NW) through January 11, 2026.

The Lorton Art Program is an award-winning non-profit organization founded in 1975 to provide a creative outlet for residents of the D.C. Department of Corrections. Led by Mia Choumenkovitch, the program facilitates education and training in the fine arts to thousands of men and women.

The exhibit is free to the public and was made possible through the DC Public Library Art & Exhibits Open Call.

Interested in critical arts coverage? Read warp_dmv, a local newsletter from grantee Shelby Hubbard focused on artists based in the DC area.

Recent coverage includes a studio visit with Paula Mans at Hamiltonian Artists, a gallery visit with Vanessa Villarreal at the Washington Studio School, and coverage of a performance by darlingdance at The Kreeger Museum. 

Calling D.C. middle and high school student artists! The DC Public Library and the Pulitzer Center are looking for original artwork for an open-call exhibition titled, Freedom and Resistance: Through the Eyes of D.C. Youth.  

The exhibition will be held in the Great Hall of the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library from late January to March 2026, alongside The 1619 Project: The Visual Experience, which features work from some of the nation’s most influential and storied Black artists.

Submissions are due on Monday, Dec. 1, 2025 at 11:59 p.m.

The Welders 4.0 are now accepting video submissions for their Spring 2026 production of Cake Eaters by Rebecca Dzida.

They’re thrilled to kick off this next era of new play development with a bold, dystopian piece that asks its characters(and its audience) to figure out what is and isn’t real.

Send all video submissions as a private Youtube link to info@thewelders.org

Videos should be no longer than 90 seconds.

Deadline for video submission: 12/5

For leaders who care deeply about the dance field, Dance/USA hiring! 📣 

They are seeking an Executive Director who will be at the forefront of activating change to secure a vibrant future for dance.

📌 Full-Time, Exempt

📍 Remote, with 20–30% travel

👥 Reports to Dance/USA Board of Trustees

💲 The salary range for this position is $130,000–$145,000 annually, plus health benefits, generous paid time off, and professional development opportunities. A three-year performance-based contract will be offered.

📆 Deadline to apply is Monday, December 8, 2025 at 11:59 pm ET

Artists & Scholars Project Grants (ASPG) are available to individual artists and scholars who reside in Montgomery County, MD. Grant awards support projects for artists and scholars who work in a wide array of arts and humanities disciplines including performing arts, media arts, visual arts, literary arts, folk and traditional arts, history, and philosophy. Grants for FY26 will be awarded for activities occurring between May 1, 2026 and April 30, 2027.

Application Deadline: Friday, December 12, 2025 - 11:59 pm

At this year’s The Vision is Yours Placemaking & Placekeeping Conference, The Neighborhood DesignCenter is shining a spotlight on the strategies that spark momentum, sustain energy, and bring lasting impact to communities.

They're looking for dynamic voices and creative ideas to share what works — and what others can learn from. All speakers will receive complimentary registration to the 2-day conference.

Deadline: Friday, December 12, 11:59pm.

Art RX is a creative call to action. It’s an open invitation from the Southwest BID for artists and cultural thinkers to help shape public space through imagination, experimentation, and collaboration. Rooted in the belief that artists offer vital perspectives on the social and physical challenges facing our communities, Art RX provides a platform for using art as a tool for real-world solutions.

Deadline to Apply: December 19, 2025

Vic and Reba Heyman were more than the ultimate folk music fans. For decades, they attended concerts and festivals across the nation, supporting artists with their energy as well as financially, earning them the affectionate title of “folk angels”. Their generosity in things both tangible and intangible was career changing for many artists, especially those early in their careers.

In their spirit, this award recognizes and supports a rising individual or group in the folk community. The winner will receive a $1000 award. Applications close December 31, 2025.

The Maryland Renaissance Festival is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to creating a diverse and inclusive environment. All qualified performers will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, age or ability.

The deadline for applications for variety acts and musicians for our 2026 season is January 12, 2026.

The National Endowment for the Arts Big Read is a program that awards grants ranging from $5,000 to $20,000 to organizations.  

These grants support community reading programs designed around a single NEA Big Read book. As our nation moves into its 250th year, the goal of this program is to honor America’s rich artistic and cultural heritage, inspire meaningful conversations, celebrate local creativity, elevate a wide variety of voices and perspectives, and build stronger connections in each community.  

Applications for the 2026-2027 cycle are now open. The deadline to submit an Intent to Apply is January 15, 2026. Full applications are due January 29, 2026.

The primary aim of the National Creative Forces® Community Engagement grant program is to enhance the health, well-being, and quality of life for military-connected individuals who have experienced trauma. The program achieves this by funding arts initiatives that encourage creativity, build social connections, improve resilience, and help smooth the transition to civilian life.

The Creative Forces Community Engagement Grant is a program of the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) in partnership with Mid-America Arts Alliance (M-AAA).

Applications are open now and close Thursday, January 15, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. CT.

Now celebrating its 40th anniversary, the Washington, DC International Film Festival (Filmfest DC) celebrates the four decades during which they have presented thousands of new films to residents and visitors to our nation's capital.

In 2026, the in-person festival will be back at their traditional late April slot: Thursday, April 16 through Sunday, April 26.

Submission deadline: January 19, 2026.

For the second year in a row, this residency will be free to all artists who are accepted into the program. For fiber artists, they are pleased to offer the Libby Palmquist Fiber Arts Stipend of $1500 to assist with travel and/or material expenses.

Last year, they invited two local artists and four international artists for a three-week residency at Creekside Arts, in Humboldt County, California, fostering an environment of collaboration and artistic growth.

Mark your calendars for the following important dates:

• Application opens: January 1, 2026
• Application deadline: February 15, 2026
• Residency dates: May 22 - June 14, 2026

Three Types of Fundraising Campaigns

All nonprofits are different — and their fundraising strategies should be too!

The board and senior leadership should evaluate the organization’s goals, capacity, and operating environment to determine which campaigns best fit their situation.

Candid’s live and on-demand trainings, webinars, and other resources are designed to improve your fundraising, overall sustainability, grantmaking, and transparency.

Check out just some of these free trainings they're providing the month of December, which are generally from 2 to 3:30 pm ET on weekdays:

• Introduction to Finding Grants
• Introduction to Individual Giving
• Introduction to Project Budgets

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