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VISIONDC 2017, in 32 cool photos

Art installations, performers, and a Shark Tank-inspired panel

By Michelle Goldchain
Sheldon Scott in a performance art piece at VISIONDC.
All photos by Michelle Goldchain

Both artists and art lovers flocked to Washington, D.C.’s Arena Stage this Monday for CulturalDC’s first ever VISIONDC. Located in the Southwest Waterfront, a neighborhood surrounded by cranes, the panels at this event fostered discussions on how to help the arts community in the nation's capital flourish.

In one panel, called “Call to Community,” there was emphasis on how cultural diversity helps and sharing resources is essential. In another panel, called “The ‘G’ Word,” the emphasis was placed on how affordable housing for artists is an issue and how displacement needs to be discussed in order to fix it.

By the end of the summit, a panel, called “Art Tank,” was held, inspired by ABC’s TV Show, Shark Tank. In this event, artists pitched concepts for city art projects to investors, who bid on and funded the projects on the spot. The budget for each project was between $5,000 to $10,000.

While VISIONDC is expected to occur once every two years, the “Art Tank” event is hoped to become a regular annual event.

For those who missed this year’s VISIONDC and for those who want to relive it, check out the approximately 30 photos below

The panels

From left to right, President and CEO of Baltimore Arts Realty Corp. Amy Bonitz, Senior Fellow of the Robert W. Deutsch Foundation Leslie King Hammond, Director of NEW Inc. New Museum Julia Kagansky, CEO of Halcyon Incubator Kate Goodall, and CityLab art and architecture critic Kriston Capps at a panel focusing on artist incubators.
From left to right, Director of NEW Inc. New Museum Julia Kagansky, CEO of Halcyon Incubator Kate Goodall, and CityLab art and architecture critic Kriston Capps at a panel focusing on artist incubators.
From left to right, Senior Vice President of Property Development at Artspace Heidi Zimmer, Harriet Tregoning of the Housing and Urbam Development Department and D.C. Office of Planning, and Senior Fellow for Arts, Culture, and Equitable Development at PolicyLink Jeremy Liu at a panel focusing on gentrification, equitable development, and the integration of arts and culture.
From left to right, Harriet Tregoning of the Housing and Urbam Development Department and D.C. Office of Planning, and Senior Fellow for Arts, Culture, Equitable Development at PolicyLink Jeremy Liu, and D.C. artist Sheldon Scott at a panel focusing on gentrification, equitable development, and the integration of arts and culture.
From left to right, Senior Fellow for Arts, Culture, Equitable Development at PolicyLink Jeremy Liu, D.C. artist Sheldon Scott, and Stacey Samuels of NPR at a panel focusing on gentrification, equitable development, and the integration of arts and culture.
From left to right, Founder of The Pink Line Project Philippa Hughes, Founder of Busboys & Poets Andy Shallal, former D.C. Arts Commissioner Tendani Mpulubusi, and artist Patrick McDonough at a panel focused on how to grow the arts community in the nation’s capital.

The performers

Sheldon Scott in a performance art piece at VISIONDC.
Be Steadwell performed at VISIONDC.
Asha Santee performed at VISIONDC.
The Source Theatre performed a section of a 10-minute play, called “Amenities,” written by Greg Hischak.
A Street Light Circus performer plays the violin.
A Street Light Circus performer juggles.
Christylez Bacon performs at VISIONDC.
Christylez Bacon and Nistha Raj perform at VISIONDC.
Malik “D.O.P.E.” Stewart performs at VISIONDC.
Malik “D.O.P.E.” Stewart performs at VISIONDC.
Malik “D.O.P.E.” Stewart teaches a visitor how to play the drums at VISIONDC.

The installations

Paul Shortt’s “Loiter Here.”
Christian Benefiel’s “Factions of People Certain of What They Believe to Be Oppression.”
Jenny Walton’s “Match/Enemy.”

The Made in D.C. pop-up shop

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