DC Artist Exchange Panel Talk: What’s Hatching With Artist Incubators

DCax Incubator Panel (L-R) Mike Abrams, Lisa Neher, Paul So, Travis Bowerman, Michael Janis, Kristina Bilonick

This past weekend, DCartistexchange (DCax) – the collaborative project developed by several DC-based arts and cultural organizations – held the third in their initial series of panel discussions designed to explore new ways to build community.

WGS’ Michael Janis talks about how incubators = community.

Saturday’s talk was focused on how artist incubator spaces got started, their learning curves and growth, and what is planned for the future. The talk included an in-progress tour of the nearby artist spaces that are under construction.

Travis Bowerman of CulturalDC outlines what is planned for the new shared arts venue going up in the Brookland section of Washington, DC.
One of the artist spaces to be dedicated as performing arts/exhibition space.

Travis explains how the ground level artist studios are integral to the residential development.

The tour included a review of Dance Place’s spaces – given by their founding director Carla Perlo. After, a great lunch prepared by chef Tim Meadows ended the panel with everyone enjoying the fantastic food.

The initial series discussions still has more talks planned, as well as their networking events called Swap Meets – designed to allow opportunities for artists and creative professionals to swap services and art materials; increase connectivity and facilitate community building.
Check out the event dates HERE.

The next panel discussion topic: “Government Support” is scheduled for next Saturday, Aug 24th, starting at 10:30 am – held at the offices of the Menkiti Group, 3407 8th Street, NE, Washington, DC. Click Here to jump to DCax website for more info.

DC Artist Exchange Presents Panel Discussion on Studio Incubators

DCartistexchange (DCax) is a collaborative project developed by several DC-based arts and cultural organizations. DCax is a series of events and tools designed to explore new ways to build community. The kick-off series includes five panel discussions around the broad topic of artist space in the city, four in-person creative networking events called Swap Meets, and a website (dcartistexchange.org) meant to engage members through a virtual community space. 

photos by Alan Kayanan

The DCax Panel Series focuses on the broad topic of artist space in the Washington, DC area.

This Saturday, August 17, there will be a Panel Discussion that  focuses on artist studio incubators. These spaces are created by and for artists as places to work and create. Presenters will discuss the development and operations of these spaces.

You are invited for the following:
10:30am-11:30am – Panel discussion
11:30am-12:30pm – Walking tour (lunch included) to review, discuss and experience Dance Place, Brookland Artists Lofts, and after, we will head over to the Monroe Street Market to see the 27 artists studios and their two event spaces. Then back to the space for more panel conversation and ending at 2pm.

Panelists include:

Mike Abrams, Union Arts
Travis Bowerman, CulturalDC, Flashpoint
Kristina Bilonick, Pleasant Plains Workshop
Michael Janis, Washington Glass School
Lisa Neher, Jackson School
Paul So
, Hamiltonian Artists

Click HERE to get all the details for the event.

All DCax Events will take place at The Menkiti Group offices located at:
3407 8th Street NE
Washington, DC 20017

All events are free and open to the public.

Upcoming Panel Discussions include:
Saturday   /   August 24 (Government Support)

      Saturday   /   September 7 (Private Property) 

DCartistexchange is collaborative project brought to you by Artomatic & partners ReSourceArts, Hamiltonian Artists, Dance Place (Art on 8th), Menkiti Group, CulturalDC, and Nurish. Funded in part by the DC Commission on the Arts & Humanities, an agency supported in part by the National Endowment for the Arts.

The Artomatic Workshops are supported in part by Art on 8th, a project of Dance Place supported by the National Endowment for the Arts “Our Town” Program in partnership with the DC commission on the Arts and Humanities. Art on 8th is a collaborative project between Dance Place, CulturalDC and Abdo Development/The Bozzuto Group/Monroe Street Market.