(WASHINGTON, DC) – “Mayor Muriel Bowser Presents Art All Night,” the District’s annual overnight arts festival, will return this year as a two-week virtual activation beginning Sunday, September 13. The event will feature local artists highlighting the area’s best visual and performing arts exhibits, workshops, and performances.
“Each year, the District’s rich culture and diverse artistic community comes together to host a one-of-a-kind arts festival that brings empowering experiences for all ages,” said Mayor Bowser. “This year, our virtual celebration will showcase the unifying power of art, even in these unprecedented times.”
The activation will feature a Showcase Series on Friday and Saturday nights – September 18, 19, 25, and 26. Artists from around the District will be featured during these two-hour virtual events. Each event will end with 1-2 headline artists, including DC staples Aaron Abernathy, TakeOvaBand (TOB), Christylez Bacon, and the CPU Congo Players. Sunday through Thursday each week will feature promotions for events and other activations hosted by artists and businesses from across the city. Promotions will be organized by themes, including Health & Wellness, Culinary Arts, Fine Arts, Fashion and Retail, “Date Night,” and Kid-Friendly events. Many events will stream from unique spaces around the city.
“The District’s annual Art All Night festival has always highlighted the District’s diverse culture while showcasing the unique intersections of art and business throughout our commercial corridors,” said DC Department of Small and Local Business Development (DSLBD) Director Kristi Whitfield. “Nothing stops our District businesses and for that reason in a year full of cancelled events we knew that this one was too important to miss.”
DSLBD and the DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities (DCCAH) are co-sponsoring the festival, which is presented by the Main Streets programs. The Main Streets programs promote and facilitate connections between businesses in key corridors across the city. Ten of DC’s Main Streets have created new marketplaces to help DC residents connect with their favorite local artists and businesses online. Marketplaces will be up and running by September 13, with links to each marketplace provided at www.dcartallnight.org.
The all-night arts festival, modeled after Paris’ Nuit Blanche, debuted in DC 11 years ago in Shaw. Each year, the event celebrates art and artists and the businesses that serve DC neighborhoods.