This past March, construction began on a brand new arts hub in Washington, D.C.’s Brookland neighborhood. Last month, construction on the site completed, and to celebrate the area’s first community park built by neighbors, for neighbors, there will be a ribbon cutting on Friday, September 16 at 5 p.m. at 3225 8th Street NE.
This hub, known as 8th Street Arts Park, is located in an empty alley on Kearny Street NE between the Brookland Artspace Lofts and Dance Place’s renovated facility. This new arts space will host free community programming like concerts, dances, and community gardening. Dance Place also plans on commissioning five artworks from local artists to add to the design of the park. These artists include Charles Bergen, Tim Kime, and Valerie Theberge.
To create the park, Dance Place reached their fundraising goal by raising $70,000 from individuals and corporations. The Kresge Foundation also awarded Dance Place a $500,000 grant.