By The People festival seeks to bring people together
Nonprofit Halcyon is partnering with dozens of Washington-based arts organizations, local businesses, and government agencies for the arts takeover of the city, which will include everything from visual arts installations, an augmented reality art hunt, and high-profile speakers to a range of musical performances, with most events being free.
Jenny Sabin will present an installation at the Smithsonian鈥檚 Arts and Industries Building.
Courtesy of Pablo Enriquez
Halcyon, a nonprofit that supports socially engaged artists and social entrepreneurs seeking to address some of the world鈥檚 greatest challenges, is looking to blanket Washington with art during its inaugural By The People festival this month.
鈥淎ustin has South by Southwest and Aspen has its Ideas Festival,鈥� says Kate Goodall, co-founder and chief executive officer of Halcyon, in a statement. 鈥淲e believe it鈥檚 time for Washington, D.C., to have its own destination festival 鈥� one that is open to all, that reinforces this country鈥檚 founding principles and builds on its longstanding commitment to civil discourse.鈥�
Running June 21-24, the international festival will be headquartered in the Smithsonian鈥檚 Arts and Industries Building on the National Mall, with official activities taking place throughout the city. Sites include the Washington National Cathedral, Union Market, THEARC West, and The Parks at Walter Reed.聽
The nonprofit is partnering with dozens of Washington-based arts organizations, local businesses, and government agencies for the arts takeover of the city, which will include everything from visual arts installations, an augmented reality art hunt, and high-profile speakers to a range of musical performances, with most events being free.
The festival seeks to unite people around the themes of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness while also bringing together people of varied backgrounds and perspectives. 鈥淚 can鈥檛 think of a better way to bring people from different backgrounds together than through art and dialogue,鈥� says Ms. Goodall in an email interview. 鈥淭he goal is to engender dialogue by uniting individuals from all walks of life 鈥� especially those on opposite sides of an issue.鈥�
Beyond the various art installations and performances, the festival will include curated discussions with experts representing opposing views on high-profile issues.聽
鈥淏y combining those far-reaching dialogues with art installations and performances,鈥� Goodall says, 鈥淏y The People invites visitors to open their minds and engage with one another on a deeper level.鈥�
It is the hope of organizers that such engagement will remind visitors of what they have in common. 鈥淚n the current political climate, it鈥檚 sometimes hard to remember that we鈥檙e more alike than different, stronger together than apart,鈥� she says. 鈥淣o matter someone鈥檚 political disposition, geographic location, age, race or gender, we generally agree that the founding principles of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness are critical not only to the foundation of this country, but to its future.鈥�
Goodall explains that the festival has been designed to allow for connection and inclusion and that organizers decided that the events would be free, save for entrance fees for a few performances.聽
The festival touches neighborhoods throughout the city in an attempt to foster even greater inclusion and participation. 鈥淚t鈥檚 expansive and ambitious,鈥� Goodall says. 鈥淚t also was important to us to bring the festival to all four quadrants of the city.鈥�
In all, programming will include more than 100 events, and the various installations will feature art that is almost entirely being created for the festival itself. Installations include Jenny Sabin鈥檚 鈥淟UX,鈥� a knitted canopy of light representing the theme of 鈥淟ife鈥�; Dan Steinhilber鈥檚 鈥淯ntitled Interface Site,鈥� a colorful forest of interconnected inflated bubbles made of plastic wrap to inspire discussion around the theme of 鈥淟iberty鈥�; and Maya Freelon鈥檚 鈥淩eciprocity Respite & Repass,鈥� a lighthearted sculpture made of colored tissue paper referring to the theme of 鈥淗appiness.鈥�
Halcyon鈥檚 programs outside the festival include an arts lab as well as an incubator for social entrepreneurs.
鈥淭he word 鈥楬alcyon鈥� refers to a time of peace and tranquility,鈥� says Goodall. 鈥淥ur hope is that the By The People Festival will provide four days of calm and joy in which we can all examine our founding principles together.鈥�