- Introducing Indya
- Public Art Work Plan & Grants
-
Inside Out: Dignity and the Art of Seeing Opening Reception
- Go-Go Awards
- FY26 Grantees
- Business of the Arts
- Commission Meetings
- Demographic Survey
- Grantee Happenings
- Opportunities
- News & Resources
- Update Your Profile
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Hello D.C. Creatives and Cultural Community!
My name is Indya “Icy” Wright, and I’m honored to step into the role of Communications Director for the DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities. As an award-winning artist and storyteller, I’ve dedicated my career to elevating voices, narratives, and creative work that shift culture...and there’s no better place to continue that mission than right here at CAH.
I join CAH after serving as the Director of Communications for the Mayor’s Office of Community Affairs, where I led communications for a cluster of 14 cultural and constituent offices serving residents across all eight wards. In that role...
| | Public Arts Work Plan 2026 | | In support of a growing and evolving District creative community, DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities (CAH) has produced this FY2026 Public Arts Work Plan. Both practical and tactical, this plan functions as a strategic roadmap for the CAH Public Arts Team. | | Color the Curb: School Safety Program | | |
The District of Columbia Commission on the Arts and Humanities (CAH), in partnership with the District of Columbia Department of Transportation (DDOT), and District of Columbia Public Schools (DCPS), seeks District-based artists experienced in large-scale exterior murals, youth engagement, and community-based projects to design and install ground murals in the intersections near three DCPS schools in Washington, DC.
Submission deadline is Monday, January 12, 2026, at 9 pm.
| | Fresh Paint DC: CAH Mural Program | | |
CAH’s Public Art department is soliciting applications from experienced local mural artists for our new grant Fresh Paint: CAH Mural Program to design and install large-scale exterior murals on the facade of selected buildings within the District of Columbia.
Submission Deadline: Monday, February 23, 2026, at 9 pm.
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Inside Out: Dignity and the Art of Seeing Opening Reception
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Join us in person for the Inside Out opening reception with co-curators Vikki Tobak and Emma Pearce and musical guests Loc’d N Band.
Inside Out: Dignity and the Art of Seeing is a groundbreaking exhibition that turns the camera around, placing power and self-perception in the hands of incarcerated photographers whose images and stories stand as a testament to the way image-making can change lives.
The reception is from 6pm to 8pm EST, on Thursday, January 15. This is our first of two FY26 exhibitions presented with support from our Art Exhibition Grant program.
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We are incredibly proud to sponsor the 2026 Go-Go Awards as we celebrate the 50th Anniversary of D.C.’s official music! From the legends who started it all to the next generation of Bounce Beat, join us in honoring the culture that defines our District.
Where: Historic Lincoln Theatre
When: January 6, 2026
| | Capital Projects Grantees | After being reviewed and approved in our November Commission Meeting, awardees of our Capital Projects Small grant were notified. You can view the grantees listed on our website. | | |
Check out this directory of individuals and organizations supported by the DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities in FY 2026.
Please note that it is not comprehensive, as participation in the Directory is not required and grantees listed have opted-in.
If you are a current grantee and would like to be listed, please email us at cah@dc.gov.
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Check out this playlist highlighting some of our FY26 fellowship grantees in music! Featuring select songs from individual artists, as well as groups with at least one grantee, this list offers a glimpse into the diverse talent within DC’s arts community.
Please note, this playlist is not comprehensive but offers a sampling of the incredible work from our grantees. Enjoy the sounds of our city and join us in supporting DC artists all year long!
| | Public Art Building Communities (PABC) Application; Head Start | | |
January 21st, 2026, 6 to 7:30 pm
The Public Art Building Communities Grant requires a complete proposal and a list of documents for a successful application. Bring your great idea and join CAH’s Business of the Arts presentation to understand why the grant is open for several months and why planning early (and not waiting until a month before the deadline!) will set you up for success. If you are going to apply, January is a great time to get started. Join us to get a jump on things in the new year!
PABC supports the design, fabrication, and installation of permanent or temporary public artwork. Eligible projects enhance District neighborhoods by connecting artists and their artwork with communities.
| Gallery of Southwest: Celebrating the Past, Present, and Future, Rodrigo Pradel, Michael Pacheco, Monica Tucker-Harley, Sarah Berry aka RoMiMoSa, FY 23 PABC-Organization Southwest BID (Permanent) | |
Swept Yard, Curry Hackett and Patrick McDonough, FY 24 PBAC - Organization,
Friends of Kingman Park Civic Association (Permanent)
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Please be advised that this program will include real-time captioning via Zoom.
For reasonable accommodation requests regarding access and inclusion, please contact us at CAHaccessibility@dc.gov, no later than 5 business days before the start of this event.
| | Supercharge Your Annual Fund with Major Gifts Fundraising | In case you missed last months program, we were joined by guest facilitator Derry Deringer, Principal, Deringer Consulting, LLC to learn useful tactics for strategic fundraising. Asking for major gifts is one of the best ways to dramatically grow annual revenue. And you can view the recording on our YouTube channel. | | Risk Assessment and Disaster Plan Clinic | | On Tuesday, December 2nd, we partnered with LYRASIS and Dance Place to host a Risk Assessment and Disaster Plan Clinic. You can view recordings of presentations from the clinic on our YouTube channel. | | |
Our next Full Commission regular meeting is scheduled to begin at 5:30 ET on Monday, January 26. 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, January 21. Written comments may also be submitted by no later than Noon ET on Thursday, January 21, 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.
| | We want to hear from you! We are collecting demographic information from our CAH community. Participation in this demographic survey is fully voluntary. CAH will use this information to enrich the way we describe our artistic community and the work it produces. Sharing demographic information is not a requirement for our grant programs. Thank you in advance for your support and participation. | | |
Join DC Jazz Jam to continue celebrating the “OG Jammers” from their previous, pre-Covid homes: Dahlak and The Brixton.
Kicking off the new year and continuing the series this week (1/4/26) is pianist Terry Marshall — who spent several years as the “First Sunday” keyboardist for the jam! Terry will be joined by Kent Miller (bass) and Nick Costa (drums).
6:30 to 9 pm @ Haydee’s
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Hill Center Galleries 2026 Regional Juried Show | | |
Juried by Claude Elliott, the Hill Center Galleries 2026 Regional Juried Exhibition features the amazing work of artists from all over DC, Maryland, and Virginia. The selected artists compete for cash prizes and honorable mention awards. First place $1000, Second Place $750, and Third place $500.
Join them at Hill Center on Wednesday January 21st from 6:30pm to 8:30pm for the Opening Reception with the Artists and Juror.
| | National Dance Education Organization Virtual Summit Call for Presenters | |
NDEO invites a wide range of contributions from members and beyond to investigate with them the multiple contexts of dance and disability and their intersections in disability artistry, disability culture, community dance, dance for the stage, PreK-12, Higher Ed, competitive dance worlds, etc.
Proposals due January 5, 2026.
| NPR’s Tiny Desk Contest Opens for Submissions in January | At 7 a.m. Pacific Time on Jan. 13, 2026, NPR will open submissions for its 2026 Tiny Desk Contest. Musicians from all over the country are invited to compete for an opportunity to film a Tiny Desk Concert for the station’s hugely popular YouTube channel and go on a national tour. The winner will be paired with a music-industry mentor and be featured on NPR’s All Things Considered. | WAMMIE Music Awards Public Voting | |
Let your voice be heard by casting your votes NOW! You can vote for as many nominations as you'd like but just one vote per individual nomination will be permitted.
Show your love for ALL of your fav DMV artists, music venues and community orgs! Anyone anywhere can vote so spread the word!
Voting is open until January 15, 2026.
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The National Endowment for the Arts' Big Read is a program that awards grants ranging from $5,000 to $20,000 to organizations.
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.
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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.
Applications are open now and close Thursday, January 15, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. CT.
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Guidelines and application materials for the National Endowment for the Arts’ principal grants category, Grants for Arts Projects, are now available.
These grants support projects taking place in any part of the nation’s 50 states, the District of Columbia, and U.S. jurisdictions.
Application deadlines are February 12, 2026, and July 9, 2026, for projects taking place beginning in 2027.
| Maryland State Arts Council Call for County Arts Development Panelists | |
Apply to be a County Arts Development (CAD) panelist today!
This program supports Maryland’s county arts agencies, the designated government offices and nonprofit organizations supporting local arts activities in the state’s 24 jurisdictions.
Compensation is up to $600+, depending on the number of reviews. This includes compensation for attending a panel meeting and two training sessions.
Apply on SmartSimple by Friday, January 16, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. ET,
| Martha's Vineyard Institute of Creative Writing Fellowships | |
MVICW is committed to providing financial support to writers through their fellowship program. Through generous donations, they are able to offer parent-writers, writers of color, educators, queer-writers, caregivers, emerging writers, and Vineyard writers the opportunity to attend programs held by the Martha's Vineyard Institute of Creative Writing every year.
Fellowship Programs Application Deadline is January 19th.
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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.
| McLean Project for the Arts Spring Solo Call for Entries | |
McLean Project for the Arts currently seeks exhibition proposals for the Spring of 2026/2027. All MidAtlantic artists are invited to submit exhibition or project proposals for display in one of MPA’s five galleries. The exhibition dates for the 2026 Spring Solos are April 30 – June 13, 2026. (Spring 2027 dates TBD.) Exhibition proposals will be reviewed by the curatorial team of the McLean Project for the Arts. Selected artists will receive a $500 honorarium.
Deadline for Submissions – January 20, 2026 at 11:59 pm.
| Elkridge Community and 50+ Center - Public Art Sculpture RFQ | |
Howard County Arts Council issued a national Request for Qualifications (RFQ) for a signature public art sculpture at the new Elkridge Community & 50+ Center – a 67,000-square-foot hub that will include a gym and multi-purpose spaces for residents of all ages. The commission is funded at $500,000, making this one of the most significant public art projects in the region.
Ends on Tue, Jan 20, 2026 5:00 PM
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Creekside Arts Spring Residency | |
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
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Arlington Arts is looking for poems of 10 lines or less that will be displayed inside ART buses between March and September 2026. Four poems will be selected to be printed on colorful placards and displayed prominently on area buses, enlivening the ride for thousands of commuters. Each winner will also receive a $250 honorarium.
Poets who live within the D.C. Metro transit area (the Northern Virginia counties Arlington, Fairfax and Loudoun, and the cities Alexandria, Fairfax and Falls Church; the District of Columbia; and the Maryland counties Montgomery and Prince George's) and are over 18 years old are eligible to enter. There is no fee to enter.
Submission Deadline is February 15, 2026.
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USArtists International® supports in-person performances by artists from any state or territory in the U.S. at engagements at international festivals, global presenting arts markets, and other eligible engagements outside of the United States. The program funds individuals and ensembles across all performing arts practices and disciplines.
Grant support range: Grants of up to $11,000 toward eligible expenses. Grants require a one-to-one cost share (or match).
Deadline: Wednesday, February 25, 2026 by 11:59 PM Eastern.
| Prince George's Arts and Humanities Council Community Grants Program | |
The Community Grants Program offered by the Prince George’s Arts and Humanities Council is a funding initiative designed to support and promote artistic and cultural projects within the community. The program aims to foster creativity, diversity, and engagement by providing financial assistance to individuals, organizations, and groups that contribute to the enrichment of the county’s arts and humanities scene.
The PGAHC FY26 Community Grants Program portal opens January 5, 2026.
| | Olney Theatre Center Job Opportunities | | |
As of this email, Olney Theatre Center has multiple job opportunities.
Olney Theatre Center produces and curates theatrical performance for the diverse audiences in our community, and educates, learns from, supports and inspires a more inclusive generation of theater-makers. The organization strives to become an arts and culture powerhouse, redefining the American regional theater movement by cultivating and sharing the creativity of their community.
Full-time opportunities include:
- Education Programs Manager
- Assistant Technical Director
- Scenic Charge Artist
- Digital Media Manager
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In ‘Keep Your Ear to the Ground,’ local author and archivist traces the history of D.C. punk fanzines
By Jackson Sinnenberg | October 30, 2025
Long before The Washington Post critiqued D.C. hardcore punk bands like Swiz in its pages or Pitchfork sought out the members of Fugazi for lengthy interviews, the only publications talking about the city’s tapestry of punk music and culture were zines.
Read More
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Opera singer Denyce Graves tells how growing up in Anacostia helped her career
Opera singer Denyce Graves’ voice has taken her around the world – but her journey started in Southeast D.C.’s Anacostia neighborhood. As Graves helped to inspire the next generation of opera stars, she spoke with News4 about her D.C. roots.
Watch More
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Strength in Numbers: Large Study Suggests Role for Music in Preventing Dementia
By Sunil Iyengar | December 3, 2025
In 2020, the AARP’s Global Brain Health Alliance published a consensus report, Music on our Minds: The Rich Potential of Music to Promote Brain Health and Mental Well-Being. The report, produced in consultation with the National Endowment for the Arts, cited promising research on the value of music training for older adults.
Read More
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Art, jazz, and history merge for Lindsay Adams’ new exhibition, ‘Ceremony’
By Darryl C. Murphy | December 5, 2025
Currently on display at the Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg Center in D.C. is a unique exhibition of work from artist and D.C. native Lindsay Adams. The show is called Ceremony and it incorporates Adam’s paintings with historic artifacts to offer a look at how Black people lived and defied social and structural limitations in the early to mid-20th century.
Read More
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UN recognizes compas, a Haitian music and dance genre that has marked generations and brought joy
By Dánica Coto and Evens Sanon | December 10, 2025
Compas, a beloved Haitian music and dance genre inspired by merengue and infused with percussion, made UNESCO’s cultural heritage list...
Read More
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When Pivoting in Times of Crisis, What Should Small and Medium-Sized Nonprofits Prioritize First?
Jeanne Bell | December 11, 2025
Welcome back to Ask a Nonprofit Expert, NPQ’s advice column for nonprofit readers, by civic leaders who have built thriving, equitable organizations...In today’s issue, longtime nonprofit strategist and organizational change consultant Jeanne Bell answers a reader’s question about pivoting in a time of crisis.
Read More
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The Arts Coverage That Defined 2025
By Sarah Marloff | December 23, 2025
For the past 12 months, City Paper’s arts writers covered the heart and soul of D.C.—from its thriving music scene to its robust theater culture and everything in between.
Read More
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How improv is helping federal workers cope with job cuts
By Ava Berger & Megan Lim | December 27, 2025
A Washington D.C. improv group is offering laid-off federal workers a way to cope with uncertainty through play and building skills.
Listen More
| | | Dance/USA Equitable Contracting Resource | | |
The Dance/USA Equitable Contracting Joint Working Group is thrilled to announce a new equitable contracting resource! The resource reflects the continuation of a 2+ year effort from Dance/USA and colleagues in the dance community to create tools that support more equitable contracting in dance touring. The resource document...were prepared by the legal clinic at Stanford Law School.
Please note, these materials:
- are centered specifically around Dance Touring & Presenting
- are not intended as templates but instead as resources and idea-starters
- should be viewed as an effort to take another step in the process toward field-wide change
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We Are Bound: Developing Equitable Artists’ Contracts report | Yancey Consulting has finished it.
Their We Are Bound: Developing Equitable Artists’ Contracts report focuses on one of the most powerful levers for fairness in the creative economy: economic clauses in artist contracts. Informed by creatives, legal experts, and industry voices, and supported by the Ford & Mellon Foundations, it's a call and a tool for building agreements rooted in care, respect, and economic equity. | | |
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 January which are generally from 2 to 3:30 pm ET on weekdays:
- Build the Board You Need
- Get Your Board Fundraising
- Harness the Power of Giving Circles
- Introduction to Corporate Giving
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