Update from Embracing Arlington Arts
Dear Arts Patrons, Aficionados and Supporters,
Happy New Year to everyone and we certainly hope that everyone is staying safe during these turbulent times. Remember to take time to breathe and enjoy some art. We have some important announcements, as well as a request for you to weigh in on the importance of the arts with Arlington County officials. As always, please let us know if you have any questions.
2021 Arlington Arts Groups Performances and Events
Calendar of Live Events (Subject to Change)
January – March
1/9 – “Last Summer at Bluefish Cove,” Dominion Stage, Tickets here.
1/25 – “Seniors Concert,” Opera Nova, Info here.
2/1-2/26 – “Dreams and Nightmares,” Juried Exhibition, Gallery Underground
2/13 – “A Russian Valentine,” National Chamber Ensemble, Gunston Arts Center, Tickets here.
3/6 – “Move Me Festival,” Bowen McCauley Dance Company, Kenmore Middle School, Info here.
3/20 – “Hungarian Delicacies,” National Chamber Ensemble, Gunston Arts Center, Tickets here.
3/20 – “Spring Virtual Performance,” Bowen McCauley Dance Company, Info here.
Calendar of Arlington Arts Organization Online Productions/Events
10/16-4/16 – “The Roost,” UrbanArias, Info here.
“Beethoven in Vienna” (available after 10/23), National Chamber Ensemble, Tickets here.
11/1-12/20 – “Dance for PD,” Bowen McCauley Dance Company, (Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays), Sign up at dance@bmdc.org.
“NCE Holiday Celebration” (available after 12/19), National Chamber Ensemble, Tickets here.
1/15 – Play Reading, “Monsters of the American Cinema,” Prologue Theatre, Info here.
1/22-1/24 – “Until the Flood,” Dominion Stage, Info here.
2/8-2/23 – “One-Shot” by Andrew Rosendorf play reading, Signature Theatre, Watch here.
2/12 – Play Reading, “The Whole Shebang,” Prologue Theatre, Info here.
3/12 – Play Reading, “Webster’s Bitch,” Prologue Theatre, Info here.
3/27-3/28 – “Japan Day,” Study Japanese Arlington, Info here.
To view the entire calendar, as well as the continuously streaming events, click here.
Arlington Conducting Survey for Budget Priorities
As many of you know, Arlington is facing an ugly budget this year, with between a $41 – $56 million budget gap. Therefore, they are surveying residents on the importance of several programs in the County, including the arts! In the past budget cycle through a groundswell of grassroots support we were able to fend off draconian cuts to the arts. We are asking for your help again. PLEASE go to this link and complete the survey and put the arts at the top of your priority list. We cannot stress enough the threat the expected budget gap could have on the current benefits afforded the arts sector in our County. The deadline is January 10, 2021.
Our Homage to the Artists and Arts Organization in Arlington
Embracing Arlington Arts published a column (our annual holiday poem) in ArlNow paying homage to the artist and arts organizations in Arlington. Here it is in case you missed it.
My Favorite (Arlington Arts) Things
(Sung to the tune of “My Favorite Things”)
Sondheim plays at Sig, and TAP musicals
Local artists’ art, edgy Avant Bard
Synetic movement up on the stage
These are a few of my favorite things
UrbanArias and OperaNova
Bowen McCauley and Jane Franklin Dance
Concerts by Leo’s Chamber Ensemble
These are a few of my favorite things
Encore Stage students producing live shows
ETC’s programs for both young and old
Prologue and Arcanists spurring discussions
These are a few of my favorite things
Balalaika, Dominion Stage, and Prio Bangla
Philharmonic, Los Quetzales and Argentina Fest
Chorale, Concert Band and Cloggers
When COVID hit, then the shutdown, things got really bad
But the arts will survive and help heal us all
When we get to the other side.
(Apologies for any groups not listed as space was limited. Here is a complete list of Arlington Arts organizations.)
This pandemic has hit artists and arts organizations extremely hard and will continue to over the next several months. Yet they are critical to our health and well-being. If you can support them through a donation or buying a piece of artwork from a local artist, please do so.
Corporate Sponsor of the Month:
Our corporate sponsor of the month is Amazon. Amazon’s mission is to be earth’s most customer-centric company. It is guided by four principles: customer obsession rather than competitor focus; passion for invention; commitment to operational excellence; and long-term thinking. Customer review, 1-click shopping, personalized recommendations, Prime, fulfillment by Amazon, AWS, Kindle Direct Publishing, Kindle, Fire tablets, Fire TV, Amazon Echo and Alexa are some of the products and services pioneered by Amazon.
“Embracing Arlington Arts Talks” Podcast:
We ended 2020 with some very interesting and entertaining podcast shows. First, we chatted with Mary Anne Schnider and Bobby Mahoney about the reopening of the Fred Schnider Gallery of Art and about some exciting new exhibitions coming in 2021. Next, we had such a good interview with local award-winning actor Frank Britton about his career, what he has been doing during the pandemic and the autobiographical play he is currently writing. November saw a diverse set of guests on the “Embracing Arlington Arts Talks” podcast. We rounded out the month by welcoming back the Managing Director of Monumental Theatre Company Beth Amann and fellow podcaster Patrick Flynn to talk about their new podcast “What Is Love Actually” that aired just in time for the holidays.
To listen to any of our interviews, follow this link.
Media Hits:
We received coverage of our “State of the Arts” survey which clearly proved the devastating impact the pandemic has had on the arts and culture industry. InsideNova published a story about the grim results. ArlNow also covered the story, including graphs, as well as details about how the arts organizations have been greatly helping the community despite the shutdown.
Arts organizations also continued to take advantage of our Community Post subscription with ArlNow. The Arlington Philharmonic/Crescendo published a column about the concerts and events being conducted by this only youth chamber music program in the area.
If you would like to support the work Embracing Arlington Arts by making a donation, here’s how:
* Make tax-deductible contributions online.
* Tax-deductible contributions by check: check made out to Embracing Arlington Arts and sent to Embracing Arlington Arts, 754 North Vermont Street, Arlington, VA 22203
Every dollar helps us help the arts organizations in so many ways. Thank you in advance!
Embracing Arlington Arts 