• Open Grant RFAs
• Call for Panelists
• Queer Art Salon
• World Pride 2025
• Pride Edit-a-thon
• Commission Meetings
• CAH Demographic Survey
• Business of the Arts: Emergency Preparedness Symposium
• Grantee Happenings
• Mid Atlantic Arts Strategic Planning
• Opportunities
• Resources
• Updated Your Profile

• Art Exhibition Grant - Deadline at 9 pm on Monday, June 30
• Arts and Humanities Education Projects - Deadline is 10 pm ET, Thurs, June 26
• Arts and Humanities Fellowship Program - Deadline is 10 pm ET, Thurs, June 26
• Capital Projects - Deadline is 10 pm ET, Thursday, June 26
• Field Trip Experiences - Deadline is 10 pm ET, Thursday, June 26
• Public Art Building Communities - Deadline at 9 pm ET, Mon Jul 21

To improve the strength of applications, CAH strongly recommends participating in a virtual workshop. All workshops are virtual, free, and open to the public.

CAH seeks grant review panelists to perform evaluations of applications submitted to the agency for funding consideration throughout the year.

Panelists are integral to the grantmaking process. Panels provide a critical review, comments, and scores of all applications to a particular grant program. Their reviews and scores determine the ranking of applications within a grant cohort. This ranking becomes the basis on which funding decisions are made.  

Panelists are appointed to one panel per year for a maximum of three consecutive years. Panelists will be issued a $250 gift card.

The Queer Art Salon aims to transcend the confines of identity while recognizing its profound influence on creativity. Viewers are invited to engage with the multiplicity of Queer voices and perspectives and foster a deeper understanding and appreciation of LGBTQ+ art and artists.

This exhibition is the final of three exhibitions in 2025 funded by the DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities’ Art Exhibition Grant program and is curated by Ashley Jaye Williams & Abbey Alison McClain with support from Brittany Mona’ & Ash Newton. Performances curated by Danyela June Brown. 

Join us for an opening reception at our 200 I (Eye) Street Gallery on Friday, June 13 from 5 to 7 pm.

World Pride kicked off on May 17th, and we have been welcoming millions of visitors to Washington, DC as we showcase our LGBTQIA+ pride.

There will be dozens of events including DC Trans Pride, DC Black Pride, Capital Cup Sports Festival, Human Rights Conference, parades, festivals, and more! Some of the featured performers include Doechii, Cynthia Erivo, and Khalid. This will be an event you won't want to miss.  

Visit worldpridedc.org to learn more! Interested in volunteering? Contact lgbtq.dc@dc.gov.

Join us for our first LGBTQIA+ Pride Month Wikipedia Edit-a-thon.

Help close the representation gap by creating and editing biographies of individuals of diverse sexual orientations, romantic orientations, gender identities, and sex characteristics—including lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex, asexual, gender-expansive, and other LGBTQIA+ individuals—with connections to DC’s arts and humanities communities and organizations.

Know artists whose Wikipedia articles could use some updates, or who don't even have any and deserve one? You can also submit nominations using the second button below.

New Email List Available

You can now opt in to a dedicated email list to receive updates specifically about Commission meetings and updates. If you're interested, just click on "Update Your Profile" at the bottom of this email.

Our next Full Commission regular meeting is scheduled to begin at 5:30 ET on Monday, June 16, 2025. 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, June 12, 2025. Written comments may also be submitted by no later than Noon ET on Thursday, June 12, 2025, 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.

Have questions or concerns about the demographic survey?

Whether or not you choose to complete it, we welcome your feedback. Feel free to email us at cah@dc.gov or share your thoughts anonymously using the form below.

SAVE THE DATE

June 27th 9:30am | Virtual via ZOOM

Arts organizations and artists need to prepare for emergencies because disasters can significantly disrupt their operations, potentially causing substantial financial loss, damage to artwork, and interruption to their creative activities. Having a preparedness plan allows them to minimize damage, protect their assets, and potentially continue creating art even during challenging times.  

During the Emergency Preparedness Symposium, four organizations will present on their resources and best practices for emergency preparedness with an introduction by DC CAH Executive Director, Aaron Myers and DC Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster (VOAD)

Presenting Organizations/Sessions:

• National Coalition for Arts Preparedness (NCAPER): Blue Skies to Storms: Stories, Strategies, and Systems for Readiness in the Arts and Humanities
• Craft Emergency Relief Fund ( CERF+): Emergency Planning & Business Insurance for Artists
• Performing Arts Readiness (PAR): Disaster Planning, Risk Assessment, and Networking/Collaboration
• Story Tapestries: Rehearsal to Readiness: Centering Accessibility in Arts-Based Emergency Planning

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.

Shout Mouse Press celebrates the publication of The Light Looks Like Me: Words on Love by Queer Youth, a multi-genre anthology exploring LGBTQ+ love. In partnership with Loyalty Bookstores, this event will feature readings from the book’s young authors, music by DJ Franky J, and a performance by award-winning poet Denice Frohman. Attendees will be able to purchase book copies, get their books signed, and explore all the ways queer love brightens their own lives.

Seeking and achieving both a sense of self as an individual and a sense of belonging among others are two sides of the same coin. Our understanding and perception of these elements can have a profound effect on our lives, on our cultures, and on society as a whole.

Writers often grapple with the nuances of the human condition, and indeed many of its mysteries can unfold in stories that explore identity and belonging. Tope Folarin engages with local authors Patricia Coral, Majda Gama, and Varun Gauri to discuss the challenges and triumphs of self-identification.

This event is free with first come, first serve seating.

Please join DC Jazz Jam as Sunday 6/8/25 as they continue their month-long celebration of the 100th birthday of late drummer Roy Haynes ---this Sunday with special guest Lenny Robinson! Lenny will be joined by an amazing house band of Aleko Lionikis (organ) and Chris Barrick (vibes).

Co-curated by Kim Roberts and Regie Cabico, featuring panelists Christopher Prince, Dan Vera, and Terence Winch.

This panel will discuss the continuing relevance of writers from DC who died of AIDS: Essex Hemphill, Reinaldo Arenas, and Tim Dlugos. We will discuss how DC nurtured—and challenged—the artists and writers who lived through the AIDS crisis, and what current residents can learn from their legacy to help ignite our resistance to the challenges of our own time. 

Thursday, June 26, 7:00 to 8:30pm

Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial Library

901 G St. NW, Gallery Place/Chinatown Metro (Red, Green, and Yellow lines)

Mid Atlantic Arts is shaping its next strategic plan, and they've created a short survey to gather the voices of artists, arts professionals, audiences, and communities in the region and beyond. You can get through it in 15-30 minutes, depending on how much you have to say.

What's broken? What's working? How are current changes in the ecosystem affecting your practice? Your insights will help them determine the areas where their work can have the most impact during the next five years.

Fall 2025 applications for Compass Pro Bono's On Track program are now open.

Whether you're looking to build a more sustainable funding model, better leverage data and technology, or plan for future growth, your pro bono team will come equipped with the skills and outside perspective needed to help you answer the question you've been needing to solve. On Track projects last for 4-8 months, but the clarity you will gain will last far longer.

The Howard County Arts Council has a couple of grant opportunities that are open.

The Artists-in-Education (AiE) Grant places professional artists in residence at Howard County private and public K-12 schools to help students foster creative exploration through hands-on experiences in the arts.

The AiE grant program application deadline is June 5 

HoCo Arts is accepting applications for the FY2026 Mark Ryder Original Choreography Grant! This grant supports choreographers in bringing original works to life through financial assistance and recognition. 💃🏿🕺

The grant program application deadline is June 19.

Submissions are OPEN for the 14th annual Bow Seat Ocean Awareness Contest – Connections to Nature, Looking Inside, Going Outside. The 2025 Contest encourages students to explore the natural world and their place in it through the lenses of generational knowledge, human health, urban environments, resiliency, and more.

Submit works of visual art, creative writing, poetry, spoken word, music, dance, film, and multimedia for a chance to win cash awards of up to $1,000 and to join the world’s largest environmental youth community for the creative arts! The Contest is free to enter and open to students worldwide, ages 11-18. Submit by June 9, 2025. 

CALL FOR ENTRIES

MPAartfest 2025 Submissions Now Accepted

McLean Project for the Arts currently seeks submissions for the 18th Annual MPAartfest, a one-day juried fine art and craft show and sale featuring the work of more than 40 local and regional visual artists. This year’s festival will take place on Sunday, October 5, 2025 from 10:00 am – 4:00 pm in McLean Central Park. Artists retain 100 percent of in-park sales. MPAartfest 2025 is made possible with the help of the McLean Community Center, and our partnership with the Fairfax County Park Authority.

WHAT: MPAartfest 2025 Call for Submissions 

WHO: Artists from across the mid-Atlantic region are encouraged to apply

WHEN: Deadline for Submissions – Friday, June 16, 2025 at 9pm ($375)

Festival Date – October 5, 2025

WHERE: McLean Central Park; 1468 Dolley Madison Blvd; McLean, VA

Accepted artists will also be featured on the MPAartfest website 

The Levitt Foundation has announced an exciting grant opportunity for U.S.-based nonprofits to present a Levitt Music Series in 2026, 2027, and 2028. These multi-year matching grants—up to $40,000 per year (up to $120,000 total)—will help activate underused public spaces, expand access to the arts, and strengthen community bonds by bringing people of all ages and backgrounds together through free, outdoor concerts.

Nonprofits from a wide range of sectors are encouraged to apply.

Applications are due by 5:00 PM PDT on Monday, June 30.

The Maryland Public Art Commission is accepting applications for the 2026 - 2028 Public Artist Roster, a pre-qualified directory of artists seeking public art commissions in Maryland. 

If you are a U.S.-based independent artist or studio with experience creating public art, they are looking for YOU! Submit your application by June 30 via Submittable. 

Looking for application feedback? Sign up for one of their LIVE portfolio reviews on June 3 or June 10.

July 26, 1 to 5 pm, tenors, baritones, and basses of all ages are invited to a free afternoon of music-making and camaraderie with Washington Men's Camerata at the annual Summer Sing. In this workshop Artistic Director Scott Tucker will teach vocal technique, from tuning to timing.

Youngsters will learn targeted tools for healthy voice development from Frank Van Atta of National Cathedral & St. Albans Schools. Everyone will enjoy singing some new and familiar choral music and all will combine to sing, discuss and socialize, welcoming new and returning singers of the choral community.

Hosted by The First Baptist Church of the City of Washington DC (16th & O St NW). Learn more and sign up at camerata.com.

Your copy should address 3 key questions: Who am I writing for (audience)? Why should they care (benefit)? What do I want them to do (call-to-action)?

Create a great offer by adding words like "free," "personalized," "complimentary," or "customized." A sense of urgency often helps readers take action, so consider inserting phrases like "for a limited time only" or "only 7 remaining!"

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

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

• Introduction to proposal writing
• Is starting a nonprofit right for you?

Ensure you are providing new board members with the necessary materials and information during the orientation process. Based on information from The Board Building Cycle and Ten Basic Responsibilities of Nonprofit Boards, this nonprofit board orientation checklist from BoardSource includes important information such as:

• materials to share with new board members
• general expectations of board members
• an outline of the information to provide new board members about the organization

“Debunking Myths Around Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI)” is a resource from artEquity addressing the explicit attack on fostering inclusive and equitable environments. It highlights disinformation while providing facts on how to push back when confronting myths around DEI. 

We understand that the frequency with which we send emails can be a lot at times for some of our subscribers So we invite you to consider opting into a monthly e-newsletter. You may also select email lists specifically for Grants and Public Art opportunities.

You can update your profile at the bottom of this and every email we send by clicking on “Update Profile”.

Please note: If you leave GENERAL LIST selected, this will override any other selections and you will still receive every email. Please be sure to deselect this if you choose one or more of the other options.