Greater Reston Arts Center Inc

THE GREATER RESTON ARTS CENTER (GRACE) ENRICHES COMMUNITY LIFE BY PROMOTING INVOLVEMENT AND EXCELLENCE IN CONTEMPORARY VISUAL ARTS. IN PURSUIT OF THIS MISSION GRACE PROVIDES A YEAR-ROUND PROGRAM OF

EVENTS: THE TEPHRA ICA FESTIVAL, FORMERLY THE NORTHERN VIRGINIA FINE ARTS FESTIVAL, IS A NATIONALLY RANKED, JURIED, OUTDOOR SHOW OFFERING THE COMMUNITY AN OPPORTUNITY TO ENJOY AND PURCHASE SUPERIOR FINE ART AND FINE CRAFT FROM OVER 200 ARTISTS. THE FESTIVAL IS BOTH THE INSTITUTION'SLARGEST FUNDRAISER, AND ITS MOST-ATTENDED EVENT, TYPICALLY ATTRACTING OVER 20,000 PEOPLE TO RESTON TOWN CENTER THAT WEEKEND. THERE ARE OPPORTUNITIES FOR PATRONS TO ENGAGE IN ART, EXPERIENCE INNOVATIVE PERFORMANCES, AND FOR FAMILIES TO ENGAGE IN CREATIVE ARTMAKING. THE 2021 FESTIVAL WAS POSTPONED TO SEPTEMBER 2021 DUE TO COVID-19, SO IT DID NOT OCCUR IN THIS REPORTING PERIOD.

EDUCATION: THE INSTITUTION IS COMMITTED TO ITS DIVERSE EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS THAT SEEK TO REACH AND ENGAGE THE WIDE AND DIVERSE AUDIENCE WE SERVE. WE ANNUALLY PUT ON OUR EMERGING VISIONS EXHIBITION, WHICH INVITES STUDENTS K-12 FROM ACROSS THE COUNTY TO COME IN AND VIEW THE EXHIBITION; AND WITH THEIR TEACHERS (ASSISTED BY A CURRICULUM WE PROVIDE), CREATE ART INSPIRED BY THAT EXHIBITION EXPERIENCE. SELECTED WORKS ARE THEN SHOWN IN OUR GALLERY. WE HAVE CONTINUED TO OFFER OTHER INNOVATIVE PROGRAMS FOR CHILDREN, INCLUDING EXPLORE MORE!, A POPULAR GALLERY DROP-IN PROGRAM;, FREE ART-MAKING PROGRAMS FOR CHILDREN; AND OUR ANNUAL SUMMER ART CAMPS OFFERING SUBSTANTIVE INSTRUCTION AND CREATIVITY FOR CAMPERS.

EXHIBITIONS: THE INSTITUTION MOUNTS SIX TO EIGHT CONTEMPORARY ART EXHIBITIONS EACH YEAR, TYPICALLY FEATURING WORK BY EMERGING AND ESTABLISHED ARTISTS FROM THE MID-ATLANTIC REGION. THIS INCLUDES SOLO EXHIBITIONS AS WELL AS THEMATIC GROUP SHOWS AND PRESENTS A DIVERSE EXHIBITION SCHEDULE FEATURING A BROAD RANGE OF CONTEMPORARY ARTISTS WORKING IN A WIDE VARIETY OF MEDIA. EXCEPTIONAL EXHIBITIONS IN THIS TIME PERIOD INCLUDED THE QUANTUM SHIFT EXHIBITION FEATURING WORK FROM LIGHT AND SPACE ARTIST GISELA COLON RECEIVING COVERAGE IN THE WASHINGTON POST, OUR ANNUAL INVITATIONAL EXHIBITION HIGHLIGHTING REGIONAL ARTISTS TITLED AN EXCELLENT THOUGHT ABOUT A QUALITY IDEA, ANNE SMITH: A POINT OF LONGING, AND AMANDA OUTCALT: FLEETING MOMENTS. AS AN EXTENSION OF THE QUANTUM SHIFT EXHIBITION, WE INSTALLED ONE OF THE MONOLITH SCULPTURES IN WASHINGTON, DC JAMES MONROE PARK. EACH EXHIBITION IS AUGMENTED WITH A SERIES OF PUBLIC PROGRAMS, INCLUDING CURATOR TALKS, ARTIST WORKSHOPS, AND OUR CREATIVE RESPONSE PROGRAM, FOR WHICH EXPERTS IN THEIR FIELD RESPOND TO THE ARTWORK ON VIEW AND ENGAGE THE AUDIENCE IN CONVERSATION.