Art Week DC in 2025

Apparently the DC Commission on the Arts & Humanities is planning to do a soft launch in 2025 for an "Art Week DC."  I say "apparently" tongue in cheek because I have tried to communicate with them via email and snail mail to volunteer in assisting with this as needed and pass on my world-class art fair education obtained via real life of doing art fairs since 2006 in Art Basel Miami Beach, New York, Santa Fe, London, Johannesburg, Austin and most recently London - as well as being an occasional advisor to one of the largest commercial art fair companies in the world.

Ignored so far - but I first proposed this idea waaaay back in 2008 - see that here. I updated it after the Covidian monster changed the world here and I adapted it to the Art Week DC idea when I first heard of it here.

As I said, so far I've heard shit back from the Commission.

This is a GREAT inititative and if done right, it should do wonders for the DC art scene, but if the Commission does not learn the lessons learned from the ArtDC fair and the various (e)merge art fairs, then they'll eventually repeat the issues that killed those initiatives.  If you're involved in setting up/planning the Art Week DC in 2025 and know nothing about those other DC-based art fairs, you're already stepping on your crank.

Here are the minutes from the last commission meeting, and below I've pasted the transcript of the minutes for the Art Week DC section - with a couple of corrections in yellow.

01:03:28.000 --> 01:03:33.000

There's a special committee update on Art Week DC 2025, which I will give.

01:03:33.000 --> 01:03:37.000

There are four pieces of news I'll bring to you. First.

01:03:37.000 --> 01:03:39.000

We've now had two meetings

01:03:39.000 --> 01:03:42.000

But the Chinese cultural ambassador who's very interested in our art week

01:03:42.000 --> 01:03:44.000

DC project, including perhaps

01:03:44.000 --> 01:03:46.000

doing a Chinese pavilion.

01:03:46.000 --> 01:03:49.000

Similar to the pavilions that do it in the Biennale.

01:03:49.000 --> 01:03:52.000

in Venice. So we are working with a number of

01:03:52.000 --> 01:03:55.000

embassies, the Chinese embassy is ahead of the others and

01:03:55.000 --> 01:04:01.000

talking with us about that. On December 4th, there's a dinner in honor of DC-based

museum directors

01:04:01.000 --> 01:04:05.000

and independent curators in Miami during Art Odd Basel Miami.

01:04:05.000 --> 01:04:12.000

And we have great attendance already and some very prominent people coming. All of

this is to get people ready for

01:04:12.000 --> 01:04:14.000

us having our Art Week DC

01:04:14.000 --> 01:04:17.000

a soft launch and the staff continue to remind me

01:04:17.000 --> 01:04:18.000

Okay.

01:04:18.000 --> 01:04:22.000

I have to say it's a soft launch in 2025. It's a very soft

01:04:22.000 --> 01:04:27.000

launch in 2025. The launch is quite soft in 2025.

01:04:27.000 --> 01:04:31.000

And we'll do something much more significant in 2026 and afterwards.

01:04:31.000 --> 01:04:33.000

On December 13th.

01:04:33.000 --> 01:04:36.000

We planned a stakeholder meeting

01:04:36.000 --> 01:04:39.000

where we're bringing together, I think, all of those who participated in this

01:04:39.000 --> 01:04:44.000

probably several hundred people across the six or eight months who've done these

stakeholder meetings.

01:04:44.000 --> 01:04:47.000

She would talk about this Art Week DC concept.

01:04:47.000 --> 01:04:49.000

We're having them at the Gallup building

01:04:49.000 --> 01:04:51.000

Here in DC, of course.

01:04:51.000 --> 01:04:56.000

I'm understanding that the attendance on that is looking quite good as well.

01:04:56.000 --> 01:05:01.000

It's December 13th from noon to 2. So anyone who's listening, if you are one of the

stakeholders.

01:05:01.000 --> 01:05:03.000

And perhaps if you weren't, but you're interested, we could see if we could

01:05:03.000 --> 01:05:06.000

squeeze you into the space as well this is

01:05:06.000 --> 01:05:11.000

Our attempt at bringing all the stakeholders together and in one room to move

towards co-creating.

01:05:11.000 --> 01:05:15.000

But Hardweek Artweek DC will be for 25, which is a soft launch.

01:05:15.000 --> 01:05:17.000

And 26 after that.

01:05:17.000 --> 01:05:23.000

Also at that December 13th meeting, Michael Kaisler with the DeVos Institute

01:05:23.000 --> 01:05:27.000

who has been hired to help us develop the plan for Art Week DC

01:05:27.000 --> 01:05:29.000

will give a progress review.

01:05:29.000 --> 01:05:32.000

His work will be finished sometime in January, but

01:05:32.000 --> 01:05:38.000

In December, he feels he can give us a hint at where we're going and to get

reactions from the group as well.

01:05:38.000 --> 01:05:42.000

So those are the four events around Ard Art Week DC. It is proceeding.

01:05:42.000 --> 01:05:44.000

people are getting more and more excited about it.

01:05:44.000 --> 01:05:47.000

And we're looking forward to what it will bring

01:05:47.000 --> 01:05:50.000

to the city in as far as recognizing

01:05:50.000 --> 01:05:55.000

DC artist, but also the commerce that it hopefully will bring to the city as

01:05:55.000 --> 01:05:58.000

Art Basel, Miami, Paris, et cetera, have done as well.

01:05:58.000 --> 01:06:02.000

So I have no other new business.

01:06:02.000 --> 01:06:04.000

Did we miss anything?

01:06:04.000 --> 01:06:11.000

If not, it'd be no further business. The next meeting of the commission will be held

Monday, December 16th, 2024.

01:06:11.000 --> 01:06:15.000

At 5.30 p.m. The time is now 626.

01:06:15.000 --> 01:06:27.000

And this meeting is adjourned. Thank you.

A Message from the new Tephra Executive Director

Dear Tephra Institute of Contemporary Art Stakeholders, 

I am honored and excited to serve as Tephra ICA’s new Executive Director & Curator. I join an incredibly talented line of leaders who have expanded programs, led an organizational rebrand, and clarified our mission as the institution has evolved over the past 50 years. I am excited to take up the mantel of leading Tephra ICA as we step into its next phase.  

 

I joined Tephra ICA because it is a space of innovative thinking that prioritizes accessible and engaging experiences with the visual arts. As an art lover and established non-profit leader, I believe creativity and strategic change are important to the success of an organization. We are poised for intentional change that will have positive creative impacts on Reston while contributing to economic growth in the Region. 

 

We have exciting things on the horizon! Over the next five years, we'll expand our programs and exhibitions, all while continuing to offer free admission for our visitors. Tephra ICA is deepening our partnership with schools (K-12 and college) to spark creativity within our youngest residents and provide career-building opportunities for future leaders. We'll continue presenting the Tephra ICA Arts Festival, bringing together artists and collectors from around the country in the heart of Reston Town Center. We’re also actively working to grow our resources and secure a new and larger home in Reston to help us realize these goals.  

 

There is so much space and opportunity for you to go on this journey with us. 

 

I thank the Tephra ICA Board for this opportunity to do great things. I look forward to partnering with each of you to have a cultural, creative, and economic impact in Reston. 

I look forward to meeting you on Saturday, December 14, 2-4pm, at the Tephra ICA Open House where we'll enjoy light refreshments, great conversation, and the final day of the Ebony G. Patterson exhibition.

 

Wishing you the very best,  

Jonell Logan