Art All Night: Nuit Blanche DC

The DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities (DCCAH) has announced the programming for the annual art festival Art All Night: Nuit Blanche DC -- it will be expanding across the city on September 27, 2014.

Art All Night presents an eclectic evening of music, visual and performing artists. Based on a festival concept that began in Paris, Art All Night offers residents and visitors an exciting opportunity to engage with DC arts and artists. Programming includes live painting, performances by local musicians, poetry readings and exterior lighting displays. Art All Night activates and enlivens neighborhoods with arts and cultural activities, contributing to the vibrancy of the city.

Art All Night: Nuit Blanche DC will begin at 7:00 pm on Saturday, September 27 and conclude at 3:00 am Sunday, September 28. A full listing of programming is available online at www.artallnightdc.com. Additional information can be found at www.dcarts.dc.gov.

The DC festival was founded in 2011 by Creative Director Ariana Austin, who is this year's project coordinator and was presented by Shaw Main Streets.This year, through the efforts of DCCAH, the festival will also include the Dupont Circle, North Capitol, H Street NE, Congress Heights, and Shaw Main Streets. Each of the five neighborhoods will host their own unique mix of artistic programming for audiences to enjoy free of charge. The DC Main Streets program is funded by the DC Department of Small and Local Business Development. DCCAH hopes to build on the success of previous events that attracted audiences of up to 15,000 people in one night.

"The Commission has supported Art All Night since its first activation, and we are thrilled to be able to expand it across the city for even more to participate," said Judith Terra, Chair of the DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities. "Art All Night is a fun and festive event that engages all residents across the city. With this festival, Washington, DC joins a global network of Nuit Blanche all-night arts events, that started in Paris in 2002 and has captivated audiences from Montreal to Melbourne."

"Art All Night is a great example of how the arts drive economic development through creative place-making," said Lionell Thomas, Executive Director of the DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities. "The event is a great mechanism for increasing foot traffic to the neighborhoods and businesses, while spotlighting local arts and culture."