The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, through
the work of its Employee Resource Groups (ERG), supports local
organizations in different ways such as volunteering our time,
sponsoring tables at fundraising events, and holding events to promote
their work. This year, Latinos in Philanthropy, one of the five
foundation ERGs, is hosting
ArteFest on Thursday December 8th at 2:00pm, as
a way of promoting the work of local Latino artists, such as
yourselves. This event aims at promoting your work but also our culture
among foundation staff and supporting our local Latino arts community.
This event is an opportunity for you to
promote your work and make yourself known to an audience who may not
necessarily be familiar with your art. You are welcome to bring your business cards and any other promotional material you would like to distribute.
It will not be possible to hang paintings in
the conference room where the event will be held. Instead, we will
provide you with easels as it has been done for past events. We
understand that the standards you may be used to are different due to
the high quality of your work; therefore, we thought it was important to
communicate this information as soon as possible. On a personal note,
prior to joining the Gates Foundation, I spent 15 years working with
many of the area’s museums and galleries and private collectors,
focusing on the accessible display of all types of works. I am happy
to address any questions or concerns that you may have, pertaining to
the set-up, logistics, and display at this small event. I may have
even installed your work(s) in the past, in one of the public offices in
DC, through a partnership my former company had with the DC Commission
on the Arts & Humanities.
Because of the foundation’s nonprofit status, we
are also not allowed to compensate you for your time; however, we can
refund you for transportation expenses, if necessary.
The foundation is located at: 1300 I Street, NW (near the McPherson Square metro stop).