The D.C. performing arts scene is brimming with excitement and creativity, with musicians and dancers exploring classic styles and emerging expressions that span a huge range of cultures and communities. The D.C. business scene is also vital and innovative, with local restaurants, boutiques, and other businesses immersing themselves in the community in intriguing ways. A new online extension of our Mars Arts D.C. community engagement program, Mars Arts D.C.: Virtual showcases the meeting of arts and business in D.C., in original, high-quality video productions.

Our two inaugural, fall 2020 Mars Arts D.C.: Virtual series are:

• Rhythm & Motion: Four original films, each spotlighting a particular D.C.-based or -raised artist in a combination documentary and performance/masterclass format.
• Dance in D.C.: In each of six original films, shot by award-winning D.C.-based director Francisco Campos-Lopez, a local dancer performs onsite at a local business, and the artists and proprietors discuss their mutual connections and the D.C. community.

Read more about these inaugural Mars Arts D.C.: Virtual series in our press release.

Coming soon: over the next year, Mars Arts D.C.: Virtual will be exploring the many roles one must fulfill to find success as an independent artist, including creator, leader, producer, and performer through several series featuring D.C.-based art and artists who not only survive but thrive and develop their craft along with their careers. Beginning in July 2021, the first of these series, Creator’s Notebook, focuses on the role from which it pulls its name: the creator.