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Table of Contents

  • FY25 Grant Notifications Timeline Reminder
  • Commission Meetings
  • DC Dance & Theatre Censuses
  • Countdown to DC Art Now 2024
  • Communication and Grant Application Surveys
  • Grantee Happenings
  • Opportunities
  • Resources
  • Visit our eMuseum
  • Update Your Profile

FY25 Grant Notifications Timeline Reminder

A friendly reminder for those who applied to any number of our FY25 Requests for Applications, that we will notify applicants as to the results of your applications on or around October 1, 2024 via (1) letter of intention to award, (2) letter of ineligibility, or (3) letter of denial. 


This, and further information about notifications and award disbursements, can be found on page 16 of our FY25 Guide to Grants.

Review the FY25 Guide to Grants

Commission Meetings

Our next Full Commission regular meeting will begin at 5:30 ET on Thursday, August 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 Tuesday, August 24. Written comments may also be submitted by no later than Noon ET on August 24, 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

View August Meeting
Submit Public Comment
View September Meeting Info

Host A Watch Party

Join us virtually for our Full Commission Meeting this month. This meeting is the first in which FY25 Funding recommendations will be made and voted on. 


This is a unique opportunity to stay informed about the latest decisions affecting FY25 grant applicants.


Download our Watch Party Kit to host your own. And we're looking for a venue to host one in-person. If you think your business or organization would be a good fit, please email us.

Download a Watch Party Kit
Email Us re: a Venue

DC Dance & Theatre Censuses

Thank you to everyone who joined our kickoff event a couple of weeks ago. Whether or not you were able to make it, keep up with either or both censuses via the buttons below.

Visit DCDanceCensus.Org
Visit DCTheatreCensus.org

Countdown to DC Art Now 2024

24 days and counting until our DC Art Now 2024 exhibition opens! This exhibition features selected work by finalists for the annual Art Bank Program grant. 


And to help countdown the days and the weeks, we've been posting on Facebook and Instagram, sharing artwork acquired from our FY 2024 application cycle, including this week's highlights:

Thank you for shopping with us!

Mary Kate Bailey, 2022

Follow the Countdown on Facebook

Father and Son

Mentwab Easwaran (she/her), 2021

Follow the Countdown on Instagram

We hope you're able to join us for the opening gallery reception celebrating the finalists for our Art Bank Program, from 5 to 9 pm. on Friday, September 27.

RSVP on Eventbrite

Communication and Grant Application Surveys

Communication Survey

If you've been a subscriber for a year or more, you may remember we reached out last August with a Communications survey. We invited you to provide us feedback on the communications you receive from the agency. And input from this survey helps us improve how we share information about our grants and other programs with you. For example, two years ago responses led to us starting a monthly newsletter.


And so whether you're a new or seasoned subscribe, we are seeking your feedback, especially anyone who's joined our list since last October. This survey should take less than 5 minutes to complete. Thank you, in advance, for your thoughts and candor.

Take the Communication Survey

Grant Application Survey

Did you and/or your organization apply for an FY 2025 CAH grant? We invite you to provide feedback on the process. This may take up to 10 minutes to complete, and should not take more than 15.

Take the Grant Application Survey

Grantee Happenings

Film Screening & Discussion: Duke Ellington’s Washington

During the early 20th century, Washington, D.C., was the cultural capital of black America. Prefiguring Harlem in the 1920s, D.C.’s Uptown area nurtured dynamic figures such as Duke Ellington, Langston Hughes, Mary Church Terrell, Justice Thurgood Marshall, and Dr. Charles Drew. In this film, Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Hedrick Smith tells the often-overlooked story of Uptown's heyday, decline, and renewal. 


Noon to 2 pm on Saturday, September 7, at the Anacostia Community Museum.

Reserve a Spot

Arena Stage Community Day

Don’t miss Community Day at Arena Stage! Join them on Saturday, September 7th, from 1 to 6 p.m. at the Mead Center for American Theater in Southwest D.C. for an unforgettable day of creativity, connection, and community.


They're throwing open our doors for a celebration like no other, inviting you to dive into a world of interactive art, backstage tours, outdoor fun, live music, and delicious bites from some of the area's best food trucks. Whether you're exploring the marvels of Arena’s backstage, unleashing your inner artist, listening to a thought-provoking conversation about Jaja’s African Hair Braiding, or learning stage combat from their skilled team, there'll be something here to spark everyone's imagination.

Visit their Website

American Roots Concert Series: Jourdan Thibodeaux with Cedric Watson and Joel Savoy

Quicksilver Productions Foundation is thrilled to present Jourdan Thibodeaux as part of the free, outdoor American Roots Music Series!


Jourdan Thibodeaux is the guy you picture when someone says the word “authentic.” Straight from the blackjack boggy woods of Cypress Island, Louisiana, Jourdan is one of only a small number of young people speaking Cajun French today. His musical ability and his crafty songwriting which is at once classic and progressive has afforded him a band comprised of some of the finest artists in Acadiana today.


4:30 to 6:30 pm on Sunday, September 8, 2024.

Register Here

September Reading featuring Sarah McCammon

Whether you're a bookworm, an inspiring writer, or just enjoy listening to stories, The Inner Loop readings have something for everyone. Their mission is to create an inclusive writing community in DC, so they encourage you to grab some food, a drink, and meet other literature lovers.


7:30 pm on Tuesday, September 17.

Reserve a Spot

Opportunities

Art All Night Artist Directory

DC Main Streets are still seeking artists for Art All Night events on September 27 and 28. DSLBD has created a simple DC Artist Directory to help connect artists to paid opportunities during the festival. Artists can add themselves to the directory by signing up below. Feel free to share this with anyone who might be interested!


*Adding to the directory does not guarantee an offer. Artists can reach out to kevin.hasser@dc.gov for more information.

Submit your Information

Improv for All

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 classes start 9/9 and 9/11.

View More Information

Artists in the Archive

How have DC Government's Commission on the Arts and Humanities as well as Humanities DC supported artists with grants in the past and what support do they offer today?


Come hear an explanation of how both the DC Government's Commission on the Arts and Humanities as well as Humanities DC has supported DC artists, scholars, community workers, and organizations with funding in the past and what assistance they offer now.


6:30 to 8 pm on Thursday, September 12.

Visit DCPL's Website

Apply to Alliance Gallery's Regional Juried Show

Alliance Gallery invites artists to apply for its first Regional Juried Show featuring artists from Arlington, Falls Church, Alexandria, and Washington, DC.


The exhibition explores artists’ interpretation of the show’s title, Altered States. Themes could include but are not limited to: transformation and change, alternate realities, inner or personal growth, or shifting perspectives. Altered States could also be represented by the physical use of artists’ materials.


Deadline to Enter is 5 pm on Friday, September 13, 2024.

Apply Today

48-Hour Video Race

The Academy Art Museum is pleased to present the 48-Hour Video Race in partnership with the

Chesapeake Film Festival and Ocean City Film Festival and organized by Francisco Salazar. This event is included in the AAM Summer Series programming and is free and open to the public.


Filmmakers of all ages (either as a team or solo) will have the chance to create a one-to-seven-minute video that will be screened at the Academy Art Museum on Friday, September 20. Films must incorporate a word and theme that will be provided to competitors via email on Friday, September 13 at 5 pm. Budding and experienced filmmakers will have just 48 hours to shoot, edit, and submit a video by the deadline of Sunday, September 15 at 5 pm.

Register Here

Residencies

MacDowell Fellowship

About 300 artists in seven disciplines are awarded Fellowships each year and the sole criterion for acceptance is artistic excellence. There are no residency fees, and need-based stipends and travel reimbursement grants are available to open the residency to the broadest possible community of artists.


MacDowell encourages applications from artists of all backgrounds and all countries in the following disciplines: architecture, film/video arts, interdisciplinary arts, literature, music composition, theatre, and visual arts. 


Deadline is September 10, 2024.

Apply for a Fellowship

Banff Musicians in Residence

This program provides space and focused time for musicians of all genres to concentrate on artistic development while working on projects that can be either individually or group/ensemble based. You may be working in your established genre(s), or exploring a new one.


Application Deadline is September 11, 2024.

Learn More and Apply

Monson Arts Artist in Residence

Monson Arts’ residency program supports emerging and established artists and writers by providing them time and space to devote to their creative practices. During each of their 2-week and 4-week programs throughout the year, a cohort of 5 artists and 5 writers are invited to immerse themselves in small town life at the edge of Maine’s North Woods and focus intensely on their work within a creative and inspiring environment.

Visit their Website

Artist Communities Alliance (ACA) is an international association of artist residencies, which provides a number of resources, including directories for Ongoing and Upcoming Open Calls for residencies.

Search Additional Upcoming Open Call Deadlines

Cultural Center in New York Mills' Arts Retreat

The Arts Retreat artist residency program of the Cultural Center in New York Mills focuses on providing dedicated artists time for creative development and exploration. The program offers a unique taste of life in rural Minnesota while allowing the artists virtually uninterrupted time in which to immerse themselves in their artwork.


When the Cultural Center was founded its name was “The New York Mills Arts Retreat.” The artist retreat and residency program remains central to the mission, purpose, values, and vision of the Center today.


Next application deadline is October 1, 2024.

Find More Info and Apply Here

Wall Artist Roster Request for Qualifications

The Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission (M-NCPPC), Department of Parks and Recreation, Prince George’s County’s Artist Roster serves as a bridge connecting talented artists residing in the Greater Washington, Maryland and Virginia Metropolitan area to exciting commissions for wall art projects.


The M-NCPPC is actively seeking muralists, as well as artists proficient in mosaic tile, low-relief, and other installation media suitable for both temporary and permanent installations on exterior walls. They especially encourage artists that reside or have a studio in the Prince George’s County area to apply.


Deadline is Friday, November 29, 2024.

Apply Now

Filmfest DC Submissions Open

Now in its 39th year, the Washington, DC International Film Festival (Filmfest DC) celebrates the almost four decades during which we have presented thousands of new films to residents and visitors to our nation's capital.


In 2025 the fully in-person festival will be back at our traditional late April slot: Thursday April 24 through Sunday May 4.


Early Bird Deadline is Monday, September 9, 2024. Regular Deadline is Friday, December 20, 2024. Final Deadline is Friday, January 24, 2025.

Submit Your Film Here

Resources

Candid Learning

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 September:


  • Introduction to proposal writing
  • Introduction to measuring your impact
  • Introduction to project budgets
Enroll in a Training

How Social Media Can Help Nonprofits Cultivate Donors

By Rasheeda Childress | July 31, 2024 | The Chronicle of Philanthropy


Too many nonprofits aren’t using the social media presence they’ve cultivated to help them connect with supporters and raise more money, say the authors of the book, One Click to Give: Future Proof Your Fundraising.


Read More

Start With Justice

by Chris Myers | August 14, 2024 | American Theatre


In the mid-20th century, John McGrath was a screenwriter and playwright working with England’s Royal Court Theatre, which enjoyed a reputation for staging “dangerous” and “vital” works, often about that great mass of people known as the working class. 


Read More

Bridges to Possibilities: Arts and the Built Environment

This edition of American Artscape delves into the intersection of arts and physical infrastructure, exploring the pivotal role artists and designers play in shaping inclusive and vibrant spaces. From the planning phase to design and implementation, this issue spotlights how artists and arts organizations contribute to the development of spaces that resonate with community vision. These stories illuminate the impact of the arts and physical infrastructure in cultivating not only robust and flourishing communities, but resilient and empowered individuals who are daring to dream big and, as NEA Chair Jackson said at the Healing, Bridging, Thriving summit, “stand in the space of possibility.”

Download this Issue

Visit our eMuseum

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.

Explore our Collections

Update Your Profile

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.