In the past 100 days, I have met with
100 DC-area artists. Not individually, but in groups. We've met in
studio buildings, in bars, here at WPA's new gallery. I asked them lots
of questions. I listened and took notes. It was a real wake-up call.
One of the things I heard time and
again was that artists are fleeing our city. There are two principal
reasons for this. First, DC has gotten too expensive, so they are moving
to the Virginia and Maryland suburbs. Or they are migrating to
Baltimore or Los Angeles. The point is, while the population of DC
grows, its artist population shrinks.
The second reason artists are leaving
is because there just aren't many opportunities left for them here. The
Corcoran and a number of important galleries have closed. The (e)merge
art fair is on hiatus. Where are artists to exhibit? How can they sell?
These conversations underscored for
me WPA's great responsibility to this community. It isn't enough for us
to simply present exhibitions and events. We need to find ways to retain
the existing talent so vividly in evidence in the Auction Gala Exhibition.
"But how?" you ask.
Well, one immediate way is to attend our Auction Gala on April 9 and buy some art. Proceeds from that event are split 50-50 between the artists and WPA. You can buy tickets here.
Beyond that, this is a much longer
conversation that I look forward to having with you over the coming
year. Stay tuned for more on this subject. In the meantime, let's
celebrate and support the artists still in our midsts. I will see you at
the Gala.
Yours,
Peter Nesbett, Executive Director
