42:, a contemporary art collector active on the Washington scene, founded the Washington Project for the Arts (WPA) in 1975 as a "service center" for area artists and performers. The WPA's mission was not simply to provide a place for artists to show their work or perform, but also to make available advice in arts management, grantsmanship, career development, and legal rights. Denney launched the WPA with a grant from the Eugene and Agnes E. Meyer Foundation, a tiny staff, a three-story building, and a lot of goodwill. The WPA officially opened in April 1975 with a multidisciplinary program that included a broad survey of Washington area visual art.
78:, was beginning to eliminate funding for artists spaces. In April 1995, Russell resigned. Christopher French, who had joined the Board in the fall of 1994, was asked by the trustees to assume the position of Interim Director to address the financial and programmatic challenges. In just three months, he reorganized the space, trimmed the budget, developed a new exhibition of local photographers, and mended fences with the local art community. With increased financial pressures mounting, French renegotiated the terms of the WPA's lease on their flagship building on 7th Street NW and closed its doors. By December 1995, WPA was almost bankrupt.
64:
national prestige, and others accustomed to WPA's mission to focus on local
Washington, D.C., artists. Through his leadership, Reynolds launched an aggressive capital campaign in the spring of 1988 where he brought in generous support from the federal and local government, art foundations, individual donors, and more than eighty corporations or corporate foundations. This raised the bar for WPA, and to maintain its level of activity in the future, it would need to raise close to $ 1 million each year. In December 1989, Reynolds took a sabbatical and decided not to return to Washington, D.C..
91:, the Corcoran board of trustees, and members of the art community, the WPA's operations were transferred into the Washington Project for the Arts\Corcoran. The Corcoran would provide in kind support, including an office in the museum's curatorial department, equipment, technical assistance, and the like, but no direct financial support. Having put in motion what was considered the only option for the continuation of the WPA, French stepped down as interim director while remaining as Chair of the Board until January 1997.
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51:, hired by Denney, succeeded her as Director in April 1979. Nodal continued to emphasize the work of area artists, but he added more shows featuring out-of-towners. Nodal started the WPA bookstore, which featured an unusual selection of artists' books and launched a new program to encourage the production or artists books. To support his programs, Nodal landed major grants from the
226:, for art that they considered "morally reprehensible trash." Not wanting to let an important exhibition fall to the wayside, the underwriters of the show went to the WPA, who presented the controversial show in its own space from July 21 – August 13, 1989. 48,863 visitors, a standing record, attended the exhibition. There was a seminar about the historical impact 20 years later.
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Adjchavanich was named director. While
Adjchavanich was director, she ramped up programs for area artists and recruited new members. In March 2005, Adjchavanich left the WPA\C and Kim Ward, previously membership and finance director, was named acting director until August 2005, when hired as executive director.
70:, who was already at the WPA, filled in as acting director, from August 1989 until the board hired Marilyn Zeitlin, a contemporary art curator, as executive director in May 1990. The budget for the fiscal year 1991 was set at around a million dollars, but Zeitlin was only able to raise a fraction of that amount.
292:. In a donated space on M street in Georgetown, Washington, D.C., thousands of postcards that were sent into Warren were placed on display. The exhibition drew in large crowds, many whom waited in line to see the exhibit, and can be credited as the most successful exhibition since the Mapplethorpe show.
133:
In 1985, only three years after the move from 1227 G Street to the
Jenifer Building, the WPA's new home was sold again. The WPA relocated to 7th and E Streets, NW, to what had been a Kresge five and dime. Then director Jock Reynolds made a deal with the new owners of the Jenifer Building that would
98:
served as director. Kuzma's term attempted to redirect the program to address
Washington, D.C., as a unique context for international contemporary art projects. She resigned in June 2001 after mounting friction with a Board more focused on serving the local community. After Kuzma's departure, Annie
102:
Under the leadership of Kim Ward, the
Washington Project for the Arts legally separated from the Corcoran Gallery of Art on December 31, 2007. The organization returned to full autonomy with an office and micro gallery space near Dupont Circle, ending the eleven-year partnership with the Corcoran
86:
With the support of the Board, French entered into discussions with the
Corcoran Gallery of Art to explore an affiliation or merger between the two institutions. In 1996, a generous handful of board members and avid WPA supporters paid off the WPA's outstanding debts, wiping the slate clean. With
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In 1982, 1227 G Street was sold to developers and WPA was evicted from its original location. Then director Al Nodal supervised WPA's move to the
Jenifer Building in the 400 block of 7th Street, NW, Washington DC. Rent was no longer $ 1 per year, thus straining the WPA's resources considerably.
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in the summer of 1983, to replace Al Nodal as
Director. The programming under Reynolds received regular coverage in the national art press, shifting WPA from primarily serving local artists to serving a national audience. This shift for the WPA was met with mixed feelings, some welcoming the
125:
When Alice Denney founded the WPA in 1975, she was lucky to snare a rundown building at 1227 G Street, NW, Washington, DC from the city's
Redevelopment Land Agency. The rent was only $ 1 a year. Renovated on a shoestring budget, 1227 G Street included 5 galleries, a film screening room, a
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814:
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The WPA continued to mount an impressive array of programs, but financial problems overwhelmed the organization. When
Zeitlin left in May 1992, Don Russell, who had been on the WPA staff in the 1980s, was hired back. At that time, one of WPA's mainstays for financial support, the
339:, The Ellipse Arts Center, Edison Place Gallery, Washington Sculptor's Group, District of Columbia Arts Center, Flashpoint, Corcoran Gallery of Art and College of Art & Design, Warehouse Arts Complex and Theater, Creative Alliance at The Patterson, Gallery5, and many others.
109:
In 2009, Lisa J. Gold was announced as the new director. Under her leadership the WPA continued the growth and refocusing started by Kim Ward and conducted several key exhibitions and moved to a larger, permanent space. She left in 2016 and took a position at the
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allow WPA to move back into the building after it was renovated. In December 1988, the WPA was able to move back into its improved 11,000 sq ft (1,000 m) space, all because of an aggressive fundraising campaign led by Reynolds.
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and became the WPA\Corcoran. It moved its space into an office in the Corcoran's curatorial office. No longer with an exhibition space of its own, the WPA\C relied on collaborations and donations of space from other area arts organizations.
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Morrison, Keith. Art in Washington and Its Afro-American Presence: 1940-1970. “This exhibition and catalogue would not have been possible without the generous support of the Washington Post Company and The Washinton Project for the Arts.”
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In the summer of 2005 the WPA\C organized one of its largest membership shows ever at the seven spaces that made up the Warehouse Galleries, Theater and Cafe complex on 7th Street, NW in Washington, D.C. Titled and curated by
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and the District of Columbia's Commission on the Arts and Humanities. In 1980, WPA held its first auction fundraiser. Nodal ended his directorship in 1983, after WPA's move out of its original 1227 G Street location.
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In May 2010, WPA collaborated with The Pink Line Project for Cabaret (re)Revolatire. This event, curated by Alberto Gaitán celebrated the historic Cabaret ReVoltaire series that was presented by WPA in 1992.
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Wall Snatchers, The Experimental Media Series, The Hot House Video Series, Seven, Sculpture Unbound, Anonymous I, Anonymous Returns, Anonymous III, Conversions, Punk Festival,
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Art in Washington and its Afro-American presence : 1940-1970. Exhbition Catalogue. Author: Keith Morrison. Publisher: Washington Project for the Arts. The Met. 1985.
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performing arts space, and offices. A small board, over half of whom were artists, advised the programming and exhibitions associated with the G street Space.
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After separating from the Corcoran, the WPA moved to an office and micro gallery space at 2023 Massachusetts Avenue, near
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Can the Washington Project for the Arts Be Saved? And Should We Care? KOAN, February 1996, Volume IV, Number 5
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In 2016, Peter Nesbett was announced as the new director. In 2023, Travis Chamberlain became director.
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In 1985, “Art in Washington and Its Afro-American Presence: 1940-1970,” featured DC resident artists
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942:, An exhibition by the Smithsonian Institution Libraries and the Washington Project for the Arts
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In 2008, the organization was a finalist for the Mayor's Award for Innovation in the Arts.
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887:"Arts Review: Wall Snatchers – Washington Project for the Arts and the Corcoran Museum"
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In 2016 the WPA moved into its new home in the Atlantic Plumbing development, over the
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At WPA, Handling the Meantime by Ferdinand Protzman, Washington Post September 9, 1995
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WPA Searches for WAys to Survive, Judith Weinraub, Washington Post, December 28, 1995
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210:, and two photos of children with exposed genitals. This was in the context of the
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508:"Much-moved alternative arts program finds long-term home on U Street corridor"
325:, features under-recognized and emerging artists from the mid-Atlantic region.
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Review/Art; The Many Roles of Mapplethorpe, Acted Out in Ever-Shifting Images
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299:, an exhibition of graffiti art, at a vacant Staples building in Georgetown.
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which included (among other things) sexually explicit images involving gay
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455:"A glimpse of what Washington Project for Art's auction gala has in store"
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In October through November 1995, it showed a retrospective of the artist
222:, among others, questioned grant funding for individual artists, from the
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215:
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580:""Travis Chamberlain Is Ready to Lead Washington Project for the Arts""
556:"Meet The Washington Project for the Arts' New Director, Peter Nesbett"
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219:
436:"Collector Mera Rubell makes rounds of Washington's isolated artists"
276:
153:
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532:"Lisa Gold Leaves Washington Project for the Arts for the Hirshhorn"
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founded in 1975, dedicated to the support and aid of artists in the
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Imperfect Moments: Mapplethorpe And Censorship Twenty Years Later
807:"A Great Place To Snoop Around; At the WPA, the Walls Have Eyes"
933:
598:"The Tribe Regroups; Reopened Botswana, Hangout for Artists"
207:
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Art, activism, and oppositionality: essays from Afterimage
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Washington Project for the Arts records, (ca. 1975–1990.)
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Washington Native to Lead Washington Project for the Arts
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708:, The Washington Post, August 21, 1989, Todd Allan Yasui
674:"They Are Showing The Mapplethorpes, Furor or No Furor"
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https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/857064
303:
722:, The New York Times, July 22, 1989, Michael Brenson
647:, The MIT Tech, August 6, 1989, DEBORAH A. LEVINSON
483:"'Options 2011' combines minimal and conceptual art"
279:, and many other well-known DC area member artists.
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671:
87:the support of David C. Levy, the director of the
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398:A Brief History of WPA & WPA\C by Laura Coyle
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45:Denney stepped down as director in early 1979.
948:Supporting The Washington Project for the Arts
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965:Arts organizations based in Washington, D.C.
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804:
592:
420:, authenticarts.blogspot, February 24, 2009
310:, area artists for a WPA exhibition at the
304:Mera Rubell of the Rubell Family Collection
251:was shown, by the artist, Shailish Thakor.
694:, FCLJ Vol. 47 No.2, James F. Fitzpatrick
645:Robert Mapplethorpe's extraordinary vision
774:Ferdinand Protzman (September 23, 1995).
975:1975 establishments in Washington, D.C.
659:The Mapplethorpe Censorship Controversy
621:https://keithmorrison.com/?page_id=1228
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328:Past exhibitions and programs include,
970:Arts organizations established in 1975
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914:, Smithsonian Archives of American Art
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753:. Duke University Press. p. 119.
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302:In 2009, major American art collector
259:, "Seven", the show included works by
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137:In 1996, the WPA was supported by the
434:Dawson, Jessica (December 18, 2009).
112:Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden
837:"Lenny Campello on Seven | Catalyst"
672:BARBARA GAMAREKIAN (July 20, 1989).
506:O'Neal Parker, Lonnae (2014-06-23).
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429:
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344:Smithsonian Archives of American Art
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885:Miss Hipstah (February 26, 2006).
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805:Paul Richard (December 11, 1995).
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114:as director of public engagement.
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860:Dawson, Jessica (July 21, 2005).
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282:In December 2005, WPA\C mounted
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17:Washington Project for the Arts
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940:Science and the Artist's Book
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342:Its archives are held at the
214:of the late 1980s, when Sen.
481:Jenkins, Mark (2011-10-13).
453:Jenkins, Mark (2013-04-14).
321:The WPA Biennial exhibition
25:non-profit arts organization
7:
121:The different spaces of WPA
10:
991:
862:"The Multifarious 'Seven'"
335:WPA has collaborated with
312:American University Museum
306:, selected and curated 36
929:WPA Organization website
747:Grant H. Kester (1998).
706:The Mapplethorpe Bonanza
288:, a project founded by
193:Corcoran Gallery of Art
139:Corcoran Gallery of Art
89:Corcoran Gallery of Art
813:: D-01. Archived from
295:In 2006, it sponsored
782:: C-2. Archived from
776:"Romanian rhapsodies"
692:The Sensitive Society
560:Washington City Paper
536:Washington City Paper
233:exhibition was held.
229:In the fall of 1989,
950:, Wooster Collective
891:Blogcritics Magazine
608:on October 21, 2012.
866:The Washington Post
817:on October 19, 2012
811:The Washington Post
786:on October 19, 2012
780:The Washington Post
602:The Washington Post
512:The Washington Post
487:The Washington Post
459:The Washington Post
440:The Washington Post
337:American University
242:Romanian rhapsodies
231:The Blues Aesthetic
202:Robert Mapplethorpe
164:Notable exhibitions
841:catalyst.wpadc.org
678:The New York Times
257:F. Lennox Campello
247:In December 1995,
198:The Perfect Moment
191:In June 1989, the
760:978-0-8223-2095-1
596:(March 2, 1987).
178:Lois Mailou Jones
170:Elizabeth Catlett
158:U Street Corridor
68:John L. Moore III
23:) is an American
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332:and many more.
249:Hostile Witness
182:James A. Porter
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894:. Retrieved
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265:Mark Jenkins
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204:Photographs,
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82:21st Century
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934:WPA Artfile
261:Sam Gilliam
238:Noche Crist
216:Jesse Helms
186:Alma Thomas
96:Marta Kuzma
959:Categories
871:2018-12-24
846:2018-12-24
565:2018-12-28
541:2018-12-26
517:2019-05-03
492:2019-04-01
464:2019-04-01
350:References
285:PostSecret
220:Dick Armey
277:Chan Chao
195:canceled
154:9:30 Club
94:In 1999,
273:Tim Tate
49:Al Nodal
323:OPTIONS
218:, Rep.
757:
184:, and
31:area.
898:2009
823:2009
792:2009
755:ISBN
208:BDSM
21:WPA
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