• The Commission
• Introducing Michelle May-Curry
• Washington Area Ranked 3rd Most Arts-Vibrant Large Community in the Nation
• Copyright Law for Artists and Creatives
• FY 2024 Grantee Meet & Greet
• Non-CAH Opportunities
• Resources
• Visit our eMuseum
• Update Your Profile

Commission Meeting

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

Hello all!

For those I haven’t had the chance to introduce myself to yet, my name is Michelle May-Curry, and I am the Curator at DC Commission on Arts and Humanities.

I joined CAH in August, and it’s been an incredibly exciting season jumping into the work of managing our Art Bank Program and our upcoming Juried Exhibition Grant celebrating 60 years of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.

I’m an arts and culture kid at heart. I was born and raised in the arts district of Cleveland, Ohio and am the daughter of a musician and social worker. I moved to DC two years ago with the hope of cultivating a life at the intersection of the arts and social impact. Landing at CAH was perfect timing for me, but the journey to get here has been winding and eclectic!

After getting my undergraduate degree at Williams College, I pursued a Ph.D. in American Culture from the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, where I wrote a dissertation on black and mixed-race family photography in the 20th and 21st centuries, looking at women and mothers as curators of family images. But I never liked writing alone! I quickly joined curatorial projects and took on writing contracts in galleries and museums related to my research. Through those...

The Washington-Arlington-Alexandria region ranks 3rd on the list of the most arts-vibrant large communities in the nation according to SMU DataArts.  

The Arts Vibrancy Index recognizes and celebrates arts vibrancy across the United States through an analysis of the level of supply, demand, and government support for the arts in more than 900 communities across the country. Washington D.C., along with neighboring Arlington and Alexandria, has consistently appeared on the Arts Vibrancy Index since 2015. 

Are you an artist, musician, writer, or creative professional looking to protect your original work and navigate the intricate world of copyrights? Join our program, 'Copyright Law for Artists and Creatives,' where we will delve into essential topics that are crucial for safeguarding your creative endeavors.

This program will answer basic U.S. Copyright questions:

• What is a copyright? Understand the fundamental concept of copyright and how it applies to your creations.
• Who owns a copyright? Learn about ownership rights and how they affect artists and creators.
• When does a copyright exist? Discover when your work gains copyright protection.
• What is the effect of registration? Uncover the advantages of registering your creative works with the U.S. Copyright Office.
• What is the effect of a copyright notice? Explore the significance of including copyright notices on your work.
• What is a release? Understand the role of releases in obtaining rights for your creative projects.
• What is a license? Learn about licensing and how it enables the legal use of copyrighted content.

Related topics will also include:

• Copyrighted Works Involving People or Third-Party Works: Navigate the complexities of copyright when it comes to works involving people or third-party content.
• Basics of Fair Use: Gain insight into the concept of fair use and how it can impact your creative projects.
• Remedies in the United States: Discover the legal remedies available to protect your intellectual property within the United States.
• DMCA (Digital Millennium Copyright Act): Get acquainted with the DMCA and its significance in the digital age.

Join us for an informative program that will equip you with the knowledge to protect your creative works while promoting artistic expression. Whether you're an emerging artist, an established creator, or simply passionate about copyright law, this event is your opportunity to demystify the complexities and empower yourself with a deeper understanding of copyright in the creative world.

Applications extended to Friday, November 3

All artists working in the area are invited to apply for The Studios. The programmatic nature of the studios is based on a residency model, to expand Hamiltonian’s support of artists and to create an expanding and dynamic network. Leases are available for 3, 6, or 12 months. Artists should consider the horizon of possibilities: intensive projects, studio visits, experimentation, and community-building.

Please note: studios are only reachable by stairs; we acknowledge and apologize that this may limit access for some. Priority will be given to Hamiltonian Artists alumni, DC natives, DC residents (minimum of 3 years), and area-based international artists.

figure invites artists to submit work that considers the role of the human form in contemporary art, from the hyperrealistic to the abstracted. What bodies and persons do we see, showcase, hide, define, abstract, or obscure through the expressions and interpretations of art?

All visual mediums are accepted, including painting, drawing, photography, sculpture, installations, video, performance art, and more. Works must be original and completed within the past five years. This exhibition will include both a physical gallery show located in Washington, DC and a virtual exhibition. 

Application Deadline: Tuesday, November 7

Dance/USA invites self-identifying early-career dance leaders to apply for the Dance/USA 2024 Institute Institute for Leadership Training, a mentee-driven national dance mentorship and leadership development program. Mentee applications are due by December 1.⁠

⁠

The goal of the program is to build the leadership and resiliency skills of early-career dance leaders who represent the rich scope of the national dance community. Mentee-mentor pairs will be selected and matched for the 2024 program which begins in March and concludes six months later.⁠

Mentee applications are due by Friday, December 1, 2023 at 11:59pm PST.

As of 2022, DCIFF, the oldest independent film festival in Washington DC, is a Film Festival & Forum with a storied history of presenting extraordinary films. They showcase cutting-edge features, animation, experimental films, shorts, and documentaries on every subject, from every country, and with every budget and subject imaginable. 

Submissions are open to December 25, 2023.

This is your opportunity to share knowledge and experience - or to propose a discussion on a topic you'd like to explore with others in the field!

There are a variety of formats to fit different presenting styles and topics - from day-long capacity-building workshops to 75-minute conference sessions to 15-minute lightning talks to 90-minute ED @ LEAD sessions. 

The deadline to submit a proposal is December 11 at 11:59 PM Eastern. LEAD 2024 will be held July 29-August 2 in Seattle, Washington.

Know a talented young writer or musician who is part of the Deaf and/or disability* communities? Make sure they know about the Kennedy Center's creative careers programs and encourage them to apply by the deadlines noted below. In addition to financial awards, both programs provide exclusive workshops, connections with professional mentors, a trip to Washington, D.C. and more.

Young writers enrolled in senior high school (generally, ages 14-19) with disabilities are invited to submit a ten-minute script of any genre for the opportunity to participate in a playwrights program. Entries may be the work of an individual student or a collaboration between two students (at least one student with a disability). A panel of theater professionals selects winners.

The deadline is 11:59 pm (EST) on January 10, 2024.

Each year outstanding young musicians with disabilities from around the world receive the VSA International Young Musicians Award, $2,000, and the opportunity to perform and participate in professional development and music coaching activities provided by the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C. This program is open to soloists and ensembles of any instrument or genre.

The deadline is 11:59 pm (EST) on January 17, 2024.

In case you missed it, check out this resource from one of our sibling State Arts Agencies!!

This past September, Mass Cultural Council released a field guide that offers a roadmap for communities to develop programs that integrate arts, culture, and nature resources into local health and social care systems. Arts on Prescription: A Field Guide for US Communities, developed by the Agency in partnership with Dr. Tasha Golden and the University of Florida Center for Arts in Medicine, is now publicly available.

“Massachusetts is a national leader in the practice of utilizing the arts and culture in arts on prescription. Today marks an important milestone, as sharing this field guide with practitioners and the creative and cultural sector will inspire and make it possible for many others to join the movement,” said Michael J. Bobbitt, Executive Director, Mass Cultural Council.

Are you new to proposal writing or want a quick refresher? If so, you don't want to miss one of Candid Learning's most popular classes!

This class will provide you with an overview of how to write a standard project proposal to a foundation. It will include:

• The basic elements of a proposal
• The "do's" and "don'ts" of writing and submitting a proposal
• How to follow up whether the answer is yes or no
• 30-minute hands-on exercise to develop a proposal outline (in-person classes only)

Please Note:

• A version of this course is also offered in Spanish.

The DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities online database showcases our Art Bank Collection, a collection of moveable artworks loaned to other District government agencies for display in public offices, as well as our Public Art Collection of installations of large-scale artworks in public sites/places throughout the District of Columbia.

We understand that the frequency with which we send emails can be a lot at times for some of our subscribers, and so we invite you to instead opt 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.