City of Alexandria, VA

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Arts in Alexandria

Memorial Day Ceremony

Please join the staff of Mt. Vernon Recreation Center
and the “Friends of Rocky Versace”
for a Memorial Day Ceremony
on Monday, 28 May 2012 at 11AM.
Mt. Vernon Recreation Center
2701 Commonwealth Avenue

Alexandria Commission for the Arts
to Hold Second Public Hearing
on Proposed Public Art Policy

The Alexandria Commission for the Arts will hold
a second public hearing on Tuesday, May 15, 7 pm
on the proposed City of Alexandria’s Public Art Policy.
The public hearing will be held at
the Durant Arts Center,
1605 Cameron Street, Alexandria, VA 22314.

OPENING RECEPTION for our 2nd Annual
“Art Uniting People” Exhibition.

Thursday, May 10, 6:30pm
Lee Center
1108 Jefferson St.
Alexandria, VA

AWARDS CEREMONY AND
CLOSING RECEPTION for
2012 High School Student Clay Competition and Exhibition

Wednesday, May 16, 7:00 pm
Durant Arts Center
1605 Cameron St
Alexandria, VA

FISCAL YEAR 2013 GRANT RECIPIENT
RECOGNITION AND ART IN
CITY HALL RECEPTION

Monday, May 21, 5:30 pm
Chet & Sabra Avery Room 2000
City Hall, 301 King St Alexandria, VA

If you have questions about any of these receptions,
please call the Office of the Arts 703.746.5588.

About Us

Office of the Arts

The Office of The Arts promotes the value of arts and culture in the City of Alexandria by nurturing, investing in and celebrating the creative contributions of artists and arts organizations. Through engaging the community, encouraging participation, and facilitating access to the arts, the Office strives to build a vibrant community for all of the City's residents, workers and visitors.

Alisa J. Carrel, Director
Cheryl Anne Colton, Regional Program Director, Durant Center

Alexandria Commission for the Arts

The role of the Arts Commission is to provide leadership in the development of a vibrant and sustainable arts community that engages audiences, and to encourage support and appreciation for the arts as a cornerstone of Alexandria's identity and cultural, social, and economic vitality. To accomplish this mission, the Arts Commission administers City grant funds and arts programs; advises City Council on policy, funding and development needs for the arts; collaborates with partners on initiatives that further the development of, and participation in, the arts; and generally advocates for the arts.

The Arts Commission is composed of 16 citizen volunteers appointed to a three-year term by the Mayor and City Council. Meetings are held at 7 pm on the third Tuesday of the month at the Dr. Oswald Durant Memorial Center at 1605 Cameron Street, Alexandria, VA. All meetings are open to the public.

Pat Miller, Chair - aca@alexandriava.gov
Donna Fowler, Vice Chair
Ross Simons, Vice Chair
Jeannie Hodges, Secretary
Olivia Bambara
Shelly Bell
Barbara Boehm
Joshua Carpenter
Karen Conkey
Sydney-Chanele Dawkins
Marla Howell
David Martin
Sarah Pearson
Beth Tuttle
Reba Winstead
Margaret Wohler

Arts Commissioners | Committee Members | Panelists | 2011-2012 Commission Meeting Schedule

For additional information on the Alexandria Commission for the Arts, please call 703.746.5588.

Contact Us

Services

Grants Program

Each year, the Alexandria Commission for the Arts advises City Council on the allocation of City funds designated for the arts. Approximately $180,000 in funding is available to assist local artists and arts organizations. This year's grants deadline was Friday, November 18, 2011.

Grants Workshops

The Alexandria Commission for the Arts conducted four grant program workshops on Tuesday, September 13, 7:00 pm; Thursday, September 22, 2:00 pm; Wednesday, October 5, 7:00 pm; and Wednesday, October 26, 2 pm at the Durant Arts Center, 1605 Cameron St. The workshops provided information about the Commission’s annual grant program, which provides funding to non-profit arts organizations for various arts programs, and instructions for the on-line application process. All applicants including past grant recipients were encouraged to attend one of the grant workshops.

The Guide to Funding for Fiscal Year 2012-2013 and application forms for all grant programs are now posted HERE.

Grants Program Goals:

Encourage artistic excellence in the City of Alexandria;
Ensure that Commission funded arts programs are accessible to all;
Assist Alexandria based arts organizations in improving their financial, administrative and management capabilities;
Provide individual artists with opportunities to create, perform and present their works;
Support the development of knowledgeable audiences by encouraging projects and programs to make the arts experience more rewarding and significant for its citizens;
Encourage arts organizations to undertake activities to increase earned income and to develop new sources of revenue to reduce the percentage of City funds as a portion of their income; and
Provide significant impact on the citizens of Alexandria and on the visibility of the Alexandria arts community.

Types of Grants:

City Arts Operational Grant
City Arts Project
City Arts Technical Assistance Grants
Special Opportunities Awards

Funded Partners for Fiscal Year 2011 - 2012:

Current Calls to Artists

Contraband and Freedmen's Cemetery Public Art Project - submission deadline was October 18, 2011

Training

To be scheduled

Internship Program

The Office of the Arts and the Alexandria Commission for the Arts seek applicants for the internship program which provides arts management training for high school, undergraduate and graduate students. Interns assist with advancing the Office of the Arts and Commission's short and long-term organizational goals. Each intern will have the opportunity to develop a plan reflecting specific learning objectives relating to the intern's academic program. A flexible schedule (preferred hours from 8 am - 5 pm Monday-Friday) can be developed. Ten to thirty hours per week for two or three months is requested. Internships are available in the following three areas:

Public Art Associate: the intern will assist in maintaining a public art inventory for the City of Alexandria; will track and research information for new public art to the City; prepare reports; and will assist with preparing grants for public art;
Program Associate: the intern will work with volunteers in planning the annual Film Festival and Alex Awards programs, these activities include, but are not limited to, preparing timelines, writing press releases, drafting correspondence, and creating flyers and brochures; and,
Research Associate: the intern will conduct local, state, regional and national research on arts related issues; this includes web-based research, soliciting information via email and telephone, writing reports and presentations based on the research, and sharing the findings through oral presentations to Committee, Commission or staff members.

For further information, call or write Cheryl Anne Colton, Regional Program Director, Office of the Arts at: Internship Program, Office of the Arts/Alexandria Commission for the Arts, Durant Arts Center, 1605 Cameron St., Alexandria, VA 22314, 703.746.5588 (office), 703.838.6344 (fax), or by email at aca@alexandriava.gov.

Jobs

Volunteer

The Alexandria Commission for the Arts seeks volunteers with expertise in dance, literature, music, theatre, visual arts, arts education, arts administration, business, marketing, and fund raising to serve on its Committees and Resource Panels.

Volunteer Application Form

Events & Programs

Arts Events Calendar | Alex Awards | Film Festival | Festival of the Arts | Poet Laureate

Arts Calendar

The Office of the Arts has partnered with the Alexandria Convention and Visitors Association to bring you a City-wide comprehensive arts calendar. To view, please click on the link below. To add your arts events to the calendar, you must be a member of The Alexandria Arts Forum. For information on becoming a member, please send an e-mail: AlexandriaArtsForum@gmail.com.

Arts Calendar: Alexandria Arts Events

Alex Arts Awards

2009 Alex Arts Awards
Pictured: (L to R) Cheryl Anne Colton, Alisa Carrel,
Marga Fripp (award recipient), Mayor William D. Euille,
Ilona Savage (award recipient) and Pat Miller

Photo by Steven Halperson of Tisara Photography.

At the April 24 Alexandria City Council meeting, the Honorable Mayor, members of City Council and the Commission for the Arts will present three 2012 Alex Arts Awards. The presentation will be made in the City Council Chambers, City Hall, 301 King Street at 7 pm. The annual Alex Arts Awards, presented by the Alexandria Commission for the Arts, recognize Alexandria citizens or organizations that have made extraordinary contributions to Alexandria’s vibrant arts community and cultural life.
The 2012 Alex Arts Award winners are the Ulysses S. James, Music Director, Washington Metropolitan Philharmonic, the Little Theatre of Alexandria and Leah Valtin-Erwin, Senior, TC Williams High School.
Ulysses S. James, Music Director, Washington Metropolitan Philharmonic is known for his innovative musical programming and performance of new, accessible works. He initiated a summer chamber music series at the Lyceum in Alexandria that will celebrate its 20th consecutive year this summer. In 1984, the Washington Metropolitan Youth Orchestra was a small non-auditioned group of string players; it now has 60 auditioned members from across the metropolitan area. Known as “Ul” to many, he volunteers his time and energy in support of the Washington Metropolitan Philharmonic and its associated youth orchestra. Ul also chairs the Alexandria Arts Forum, a coalition of area artists and arts administrators, advocates, and patrons who work together to advance the arts in Alexandria. In this role, he has forged stronger partnerships with the Alexandria Convention and Visitors Association, the Office of the Arts, and the Alexandria Commission for the Arts.
The Little Theatre of Alexandria is the oldest community theatre in the Washington metropolitan area, begun in 1934 as a small play-reading group. Since then, it has staged more than 350 full productions. Productions have garnered many awards, including the Ruby Griffith and WATCH (Washington Area Theatre Community Honors) awards, and received 43 WATCH nominations this past year. In addition to its productions, the theatre’s programming includes: two sessions of theatre classes; a children’s summer camp; a One-Act Playwriting competition; and PAN (Partners in Art Night), an opportunity for organizations or businesses to partner with the Little Theatre for a specific performance as a fund-raising resource, a membership activity, or expression of appreciation for clients and employees.
Leah Valtin-Erwin, a senior at TC Williams High School, is a life-long resident of Alexandria. She has studied dance locally (with the Choreographers Collaboration Project and The Ballet Studio, both in Del Ray) since 1998. When TC Williams High School was renovated, the school gained a beautiful dance studio—but no dance program. Responding to this unmet need, Leah founded the Modern Dance Society at TC Williams. The company offers free classes after school to all TC Williams students, regardless of prior experience or training. The company focuses on improvisation, partnering, and incorporating other styles into a modern dance curriculum. Through this program, Leah has introduced the entire TC Williams community to the world of modern dance.
Mayor William D. Euille will present the 2012 Alex Arts Awards recipients with a beautiful ceramic window bowl created by Karin Abromaitis. The recipients will also receive a brass star created and donated by David Martin of Gold Works. The Alexandria Commission for the Arts and Office of the Arts are pleased to recognize Ulysses S. James, the Little Theatre of Alexandria and Leah Valtin-Erwin for their contributions to our community and for inspiring others to do the same.
For more information about the Alex Arts Awards or other Arts Commission programs and services call 703.746.5588.

Past Alex Award Recipients

The 5th Annual Alexandria Film Festival was held November 3 - 6, 2011 at the George Washington Masonic Memorial, Old Town Theater, The Athenaeum, Alexandria Black History Museum, Four Mile Run Community Center, and other locations throughout the City. Sponsored by the Alexandria Commission for the Arts and the Office of the Arts, the Festival brought high-quality independent short and feature length films and documentaries, filmmaker panels, and arts presentations to Alexandria, Virginia. More than 200 volunteers made this event possible. For more information, please visit AlexandriaFilm.org.

Poet Laureate

The City's Poet Laureate, Amy Young, was appointed in April, 2010 by City Council. She was selected from a pool of applicants by a panel of residents, writers and educators who recommended her to City Council. As Poet Laureate, Ms. Young will promote an appreciation of poetry, encourage creative writing and reading, and promote literacy through poetry. Ms. Young is currently working on three projects: creation of a Poetry Slam Team, a multicultural writing and translation workshop entitled "Poems and Memories of Home" and a free Writers Workshop. If you are interested in volunteering for the Poet Laureate program or have ideas that you would like to share with Ms. Young, please e-mail: poet@alexandriava.gov.

April launched MAPP (Mapping Alexandria in Poems and Pictures) a city-wide art and poetry project sponsored by the Alexandria Commission for the Arts. The city’s poet laureate, Amy Young, is calling all residents of Alexandria (adults and children) to write poems, paint or draw pictures or take photos that capture the spirit of the street they live on. Artwork and poems will be collected from April-August. Plans are in the works for exhibits and for an interactive map. Send all art and writing to: poet@alexandriava.gov

Dog Days of August - August 18th - 26th: Celebrate the dogs in your life! Write a poem in memory or in honor of a favorite pooch and send it to the poet laureate: poet@alexandriava.gov Include a picture if you wish. Poems will be displayed at city dog parks and businesses. Businesses and organizations interested in displaying poems or hosting a reading should contact: poet@alexandriava.gov Deadline for poems was Fri. August 10th.

Jean Elliott, a 78-year-old Alexandria resident, was the first Poet Laureate for the City. The Alexandria City Council appointed Ms. Elliot "Poet in Residence" and honored her by placing a plaque on her South Fairfax Street home in 1979. She passed away in 1999.

Public Art

Projects | Art in City Hall | City Galleries Program | Collection

Projects

Charles Houston Memorial Public Art Project

Contrabands and Freedmen Cemetery

Police Memorial

The Alexandria Police Foundation is assisting in the effort to raise private funds to construct the Memorial. To contribute to the Alexandria Police Memorial, please send your check in any amount to:

Alexandria Police Foundation - Police Memorial
c/o Burke & Herbert Bank & Trust Co.
Attention: C.K. Collum, Jr., Treasurer
P.O. Box 268
Alexandria, VA 22313

Checks should be made payable to the Alexandria Police Foundation

Concepts:

Alexandria Waterfront Public Art Proposal
This concept was developed by a subcommittee of the Alexandria Commission for the Arts' Public Art Committee. The plan has been incorporated into the City's Waterfront Small Area Plan. For more information on the plan, please visit the Department of Planning & Zoning's web site at: http://alexandriava.gov/waterfront. To request a presentation to your organization, please e-mail aca@alexandriava.gov.

Art in City Hall

Art in City Hall is a collaborative program of the Alexandria Commission for the Arts, the Office of the Arts, The Art League, Del Ray Artisans and the Torpedo Factory Arts Center.

City Hall, 301 King St.
Monday through Friday, 8 am-5 pm

Second Floor
New Exhibit March 24, 2012 through September 15, 2012.
Exhibition is a partnership between the Art League and the Alexandria Commission for the Arts with the following participating arts organizations: Del Ray Artisans and the Torpedo Factory Art Center.

The following City Hall Exhibitions by appointment only, 703.746.5588.

Mayor's Office, Room 2331
Inmates Exhibit sponsored by The Public Safety Center and The Sheriff's Office - through December 2012.
City Manager's Office, Room 3500
Patricia Uchello, paintings, through July 2012.
Stephen Schiff, photographs, July through December 2012.
City Hall, Employee Lounge, Fifth Floor
Tessa Barsic, paintings, July through December 2012.
City Council Room, Room 2204
New Exhibit coming soon.
Planning and Zoning Office, Room 2100
Charles Whitesone, paintings, through July 2012.
Nadia Azumi, paintings, July through December 2012.
Market Square Lobby
2011Living Legends of Alexandria, photographs by Nina Tisara, through March 2012.
2012 Living Legends of Alexandria, photographs by Nina Tisara, March 2012 through March 2013.
Department of Transportation and Environmental Services, Fourth Floor
Gary Meus, photography, through July 2012.
Soomin Ham, paintings, July through December 2012.
Third Floor Gallery
Growing Panes, Restored Windows, through July 2012.
Jonathan Kolby, paintings, July through December 2012.

City Galleries

Charles E. Beatley, Jr. Central Library, 5005 Duke St.

Foyer: Judith Pratt, sculptures, July through December 2012.
Main Gallery:
Carol Dupre, paintings, through June 2012.
Megan Coyle, paintings, July through September 2012.
Lee Center, 1108 Jefferson St.
Upstairs Gallery:
David Camero, paintings, through June 2012.
Matthew Kiehl, paintings, May through September 2012.
Outloud Artists, mixed media, July through December 2012.
Art Uniting People: A Celebration of Creativity and Mental Health, mixed media, May through September 2012.
This program is a collaboration between Alexandria's Mental Health HOPE Campaign, the Friends of the Alexandria Mental Health Center, the Alexandria Commission for The Arts, the Partnership for a Healthier Alexandria, and the Alexandria Community Services Board.
Durant Arts Center, 1605 Cameron St.
Main Gallery:
Nina Tisara and Stephen Halperson, photographs, through February 2012.
Living Legends, Three Years of History, February 2012 through September 2012.

2012 Clay Connection High School Exhibition and Competition through May 16, 2012.

For additional information about the City Galleries program, or if you are a visual artist and want to exhibit your work, call the Office of the Arts at 703.746.5588 or email images (media and sizes) to aca@alexandriava.gov.

Public Art Collection

List of Alexandria Public Art

Venues

The Alexandria Harmonizers have developed a Catalog of Performing Arts Venues in the Washington, DC Metropolitan Area to provide a source of information for performing arts organizations seeking performance space. The Catalog is not meant to be an exhaustive list of all possible venues. Many churches, for example, are used by performing arts groups, but are not included in this edition of the catalog. Thank you to the Alexandria Harmonizers for providing this valuable tool.

These Alexandria sites, many of whom are listed in the Catalog, offer exhibit and/or performance space. The Office of the Arts manages the Durant Community Arts Center which is available for rehearsals, performances, meetings, classes and special events. For more information follow the links below.

Alexandria Black History Museum
Athenaeum
The Birchmere
Bishop Ireton's Whaley Auditorium
Carlyle House
Convergence
Durant Arts Center
Episcopal High School Auditorium - Ainslie Arts Center
Fort Ward Amphitheatre
Gadsby's Tavern
George Washington Memorial Masonic Temple
The Lab at Convergence
Landmark Mall
Lee Center Kauffman Auditorium
Lee-Fendall House
Lloyd Museum
Lyceum
Market Square
Nicholas Colasanto Center (managed by the Del Ray Artisans)
Rachel M. Schlesinger Concert Hall and Arts Center
St. Elmo's Coffee Pub
Torpedo Factory Art Center
U.S. Patent and Trademark Office

Many houses of worship also offer performance space.

News & Information

eNews | Press Releases | Policies | Reports & Research | National Arts and Humanities Month

Stay informed with eNews!
To receive information about Department programs, special events, community meetings, and more, update your subscription or subscribe to eNews by visiting enews.alexandriava.gov.

Press Releases

Policies

Policy on Acquired Art

Reports & Research

Alexandria Commission for the Arts' Annual Reports: 2009, 2008, 2007, 2006, 2005, 2004, 2003, 2002, 2001, 2000
Arts & Economic Prosperity Study III
Arts Organization Structure and Community Visioning Plan (Lord Report)
Torpedo Factory Art Center Efficiency and Productivity Study by Management Analysis, Inc.

National Arts and Humanities Month

The Alexandria Commission for the Arts and Office of the Arts join thousands of arts organizations and communities across the nation in celebrating National Arts and Humanities Month throughout October with activities that honor the efforts of artists, historians, teachers, and cultural groups working to make the arts and humanities a part of everyone's life. Robert L. Lynch, president and CEO of Americans for the Arts and national coordinator of Arts and Humanities month, says, "Everyone recognizes the creative and cultural value of the arts and humanities. National Arts and Humanities Month offers us a chance to celebrate the often overlooked economic, educational, and civic engagement values that the arts impart in our daily lives."
Please join us in the country's largest annual collective celebration of the arts and humanities.

Donate

Arts Commission Donation Account
Contributions may be unrestricted or designated to support a specific program such as: Annual Grants Program, Charles Houston Public Art Project, Police Memorial, Alex Awards, Alexandria Film Festival, Art Chats, Poet Laureate Program, Arts in City Hall and City Galleries Program. Your gift in any amount is appreciated. Donations may be mailed to Office of the Arts, 1108 Jefferson St., Alexandria, VA 22314.

We thank our current donors for their generous support.

Contact Us

Alisa Carrel
Deputy Director, Recreation, Parks and Cultural Activities
Office of the Arts
1108 Jefferson St.
Alexandria, VA 22314
703.746.5590
alisa.carrel@alexandriava.gov

Cheryl Anne Colton
Regional Program Director
Office of the Arts
Durant Arts Center
1605 Cameron St.
Alexandria, VA 22314
703.746.5565
cherylanne.colton@alexandriava.gov

Pat Miller
Chair
Alexandria Commission for the Arts
1108 Jefferson St.
Alexandria, VA 22314
703.746.5588
aca@alexandriava.gov

Activities are partially funded by the generous support of:

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