• Introducing Nakita Chambers
• CAHmmunity Happenings
• Open Grants
• Strategic Plan Update
• Commission Meetings
• Grantee Happenings
• Opportunities
• Resources
• Update Your Profile

CAH is proud to welcome our newest staff member, Nakita Chambers, who serves as our agency's Supervisory Grants Management Specialist!

Nakita is a native Washingtonian who brings more than 34 years of Federal Government Service and has worked in the Grants Community for the past 30 years.

She holds various degrees from the University of the District of Columbia, Central Michigan University, and a Grants Certification from the Department of Health and Human Services with an unlimited grants warrant.

Nakita is eager to connect with you at one of our upcoming agency events, so please be sure to extend a warm “hello” to her then!

CAHmmunity Happenings

Layers : Multidimensional Sound as Collage with King Britt + Vinyl Vendor Market

Join the DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities for a lecture and live DJ demonstration with renowned DJ, professor, producer, and curator King Britt on the history of DJ’ing as a form of sonic collage.

Known for his groundbreaking course at UC San Diego, Blacktronika, Britt is one of the leading authorities on Afrofuturism in music, and honors innovators of color who have shaped electronic music’s landscape, spanning genres like Chicago House, Detroit Techno, and Drum & Bass. 

And before and after, there will be a Vinyl Vendor market with live DJ. 4 to 8 pm, on Saturday, July 18.

Jazzy Sundays in Anacostia

Presented by the Anacostia BID and DCity Smokehouse, Jazzy Sundays returns after an incredible first season.

🎶 Bring your friends. Bring your family. Bring your lawn chairs and blankets. Let's make Sunday the best day of the week.

📍 Jazzy Sundays in Anacostia

📅 July 12 – August 30, 2026

🎺 Live Music

🍖 DCity Smokehouse Food Truck

🍹 Bar Service

✨ Community Vibes

This series is made possible through partnerships with the DC Commission on the Arts & Humanities (CAH), WPFW 89.3 FM, the Office of Cable Television, Film, Music & Entertainment (OCTFME), the Deputy Mayor's Office for Planning and Economic Development (DMPED), and the Office of the Mayor.

Congratulating Teresa on Her Retirement

Please join us in celebrating Teresa Boersma, our in-house graphic designer, as she retires after more than a decade of outstanding creativity and dedication.

Teresa’s design talent has shaped our work in meaningful ways, and her contributions will be felt for years to come.

Thank you, Teresa, for your artistry and commitment. Congratulations on your retirement!

DC Public Art Map

CAH is proud to launch the DC Public Art Map! This interactive digital map brings CAH's collection of 250+ public artworks directly into the hands of users. The map is open to the public and requires no login, payment, or location sharing. It's compatible with Mac and PC computers, Apple and Android phones, iPads, and various other mobile tablets.

Map users can:

• Search for artworks by specific artists
• Locate artwork near a particular cross street
• ​Find murals painted within a time frame
• Discover which grant program brought a project to life
• Redirect to the eMuseum digital archive to learn more about an artist and their work

Developing the DC Public Art Map was a joint venture with the Commission's Public Arts Team and guidance and support from the GIS team within the Office of the Chief Technology Officer.

District of Pride Recap

At the DC LGBTQ+ Community Center’s District of Pride event in June, our Director, Aaron Myers, shared a powerful reminder: “We have community here.”

He spoke about how the arts help us connect, heal, and strengthen one another, and then brought that message to life with a moving performance of "Reach Out and Touch Somebody’s Hand."

It was a beautiful moment that underscored how creativity and compassion continue to move our community forward.

Open Grants

Below are deadlines for our currently open FY27 Requests for Applications (RFAs):

• Arts and Humanities Education Projects | Friday, July 24 at 5 pm ET
• Arts and Humanities Fellowship Program (AHFP) | Tuesday, July 7, 5 pm ET
• Small Capital Projects RFA | Thursday, July 9, 5 pm ET
• Field Trip Experiences | Friday, July 24 at 5 pm ET
• Public Art Building Communities RFA | Monday, July 27, 2026, 5 pm ET

Thank you to everyone who participated in CAH’s recent strategic planning listening sessions, including members of the public, CAH grantees, and the Interagency Creative Coalition (ICC). Your perspectives on the opportunities, challenges, and priorities facing the District’s arts and humanities ecosystem are helping shape CAH’s next four-year Strategic Plan. 

The next phase of the process will provide another opportunity for Commission stakeholders to review and provide feedback on the draft plan through written comments, virtual sessions, and in-person engagement opportunities from July 21-31. 

Additional details, including session dates and registration information, will be available soon on CAH’s websites and social media. Please continue to stay engaged to help shape CAH’s future plan! 

Our next Full Commission regular meeting is scheduled to begin at 5:30 ET on Monday, July 20. 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, July 16. Written comments may also be submitted by no later than Noon ET on Thursday, July 16, 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.

Maryland State Arts Council Panelists

More public calls have opened recently! 📝 

Public Art Across Maryland, Maryland Traditions, and Arts Capital are now accepting panelist applications. 

Compensation is up to $775, depending on the program and the number of applications reviewed. This includes compensation for attending virtual training.

Arts Club of Washington Call for Art

The Arts Club of Washington is now accepting submissions for its 2027 exhibition season.

Artists working in all visual media are invited to apply for consideration for solo and group exhibitions in our historic galleries located in the heart of Washington, DC. The Arts Club is committed to showcasing diverse artistic perspectives and fostering meaningful engagement between artists and the community.

Deadline: July 17, 2026.

‘(Not) Strictly Painting 15’ Call for Entries

McLean Project for the Arts currently seeks submissions for (Not) Strictly Painting 15, a juried biennial exhibition celebrating the depth and breadth of paintings–or works related in some way to painting–from artists throughout the mid-Atlantic area. Now in its 15th iteration, (Not) Strictly Painting is one of the region's most important painting exhibitions. (Not) Strictly Painting will be juried by Michael O’Sullivan, an award-winning, Washington-based writer, editor, and curator.

WHEN

Deadline for Submissions – July 19, 2026 at 11:59pm

Exhibition Dates: September 10 – November 17, 2026

The Gay Men's Chorus of Washington looking for some new singers! Auditions will be held on August 24 and 25 and September 2. Auditions are by appointment only. GMCW welcomes all singers regardless of gender identity or sexual orientation who are comfortable singing in the lower vocal register (Tenor 1, Tenor 2, Baritone, Bass) to audition.

DC Concert Orchestra Society Auditions

2026-27 Pre-Season Auditions are OPEN

The DC Concert Orchestra, one of the DC metro area’s finest community orchestras, is now hearing all strings (full seat); flutes (full seat and substitute); clarinets, particularly E-flat and bass (substitute); horns (substitute); trumpet (full seat and substitute); trombone, particularly bass (substitute); and tuba (substitute).

Auditions will be held Sunday, August 30 and Sunday, September 13 from 1:00 to 5:00 pm in downtown DC right nearby Metro Center.  

Creative Expression, Caring Relationships, and Career Pathways

This 2025 report from the Wallace Foundation identifies long-term benefits of youth participation in community arts programs, from well-being to future trajectories.

Community-based youth arts programs have been shown to provide important, engaging, and empowering experiences for young people. But often, when asked to demonstrate their impact, programs must rely on the anecdotal experiences of participants in their particular program.

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 [Month] which are generally from 2 to 3:30 pm ET on weekdays:

• Is Starting a Nonprofit Right for You?

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