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Category Archives: Culture

Around Town: November 6-7

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Welcome to November, Greater Washington! Who doesn’t like umbrella-reversing wind and freezing rain? Lucky for you, our non-profits offer some wonderfully entertaining ways to escape the cold. A day in a beautiful gallery or a night at the theatre are great ways to start the month:

Saturday, November 6

10:00 AM — Heart of L’Arche Tour (L’Arche of Greater Washington DC): Take a one-hour tour, meet core people and board members, and hear from a family whose life has been touched by L’Arche. Get to the heart of it all!

3:00 PM — The Best Haunted House Ever (Encore Stage & Studio): Catch an afternoon performance of this hair-raising tale at The Children’s Theatre. Think deliciously scary, but not too scary. Performances run through November 7. Full schedule here and tickets right here.

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The Price is Right?

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Good morning, Greater Washington. I hope that you had a good-and-haunted weekend. Over on the Hill, we had a sane rally not too far away and an insane number of trick-or-treaters at our door. We went through 8 bags of candy in about 2-3 hours.

Our excessive candy purchases, which came with a Halloween discount from the 14th Street SE Safeway, led me to think a bit about pricing. This evening, I came across this article from the Chronicle of Philanthropy, which opens with a thorny question: “When non-profit groups set prices for their services, they are often encouraged to follow models set by businesses. But is this the best approach for all?”

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Around Town: October 29-31

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Happy Friday, Greater Washington. And more importantly, Happy Halloween! In between encounters with your friendly neighborhood ghosts and goblins, you should consider celebrating with our great non-profits — visiting a haunting house or dancing Halloween-style in Dupont are also great follow-ups to rallies on the Mall.

Friday, October 29

7:00 PM-9:00 PM — Thriller on H Street (Joy of Motion Dance Center): learn the moves and dance under the stars on H Street NE. Moonwalk contests and door prizes are also involved. Seriously, need I say more?

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Around Town: October 23-24

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Coming this weekend to a non-profit near you …

Saturday, October 23

8:00 AM-2:00 PM — DC Stop Modern Slavery Walk (Polaris Project): join thousands on the National Mall as they raise awareness of human trafficking and funds for organizations working to end it. Register here!

10:00 AM-noon — West End Walking Tour (Coalition for Smarter Growth): take a morning walking tour from Downtown to Georgetown and explore how community involvement has shaped the neighborhood, plus check out Francis Field and Michael Jordan’s old haunts!

8:00 PM — Dance Performance (Dana Tai Soon Burgess & Co): catch the premiere of “Charlie Chan and the Mystery of Love” and leap into 1930s Hollywood through a multi-media dance exploration set to period music and the spoken word poetry of Wilma Consul. — SOLD OUT

8:00 PM — Masterworks 2 Concert (Fairfax Symphony Orchestra): head over to the George Mason University Center for the Arts for a beautiful evening of Sibelius, Mozart, and Bartok. Tickets right here.

Saturday, October 24

3:00 PM-6:00 PM — The World’s Largest Indoor Picnic (A Wider Circle): for real! Kids can enjoy a giant Wii screen, Moonbounce, and miniature golf course, while adults can stop by the driving range or silent auction, plus there will be plenty of good food all afternoon.

3:00 PM-6:00 PM — Voice of the River: The Paintings of Leea Baltes (Potomac Conservancy): experience the serenity of our natural world in this brand new exhibit of acrylic paintings at River Center Lock 8.

7:00 PM — 8:00 PM — Dance Performance (Dana Tai Soon Burgess & Co): do not miss your chance to see one of the first performances of “Charlie Chan and the Mystery of Love.” Friday and Saturday night shows sold out before I could type this. Tickets this way.

Have a great weekend and hop over to Happenings for extra information.

In The News …

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Good morning, Washington, and welcome to Wednesday! We have a number of news items that caught my eye in the past couple of days:

Top Fund Raisers in ‘Philanthropy 400’ Saw Steep Drop in Donations: according to the Chronicle of Philanthropy and Chronicle of Higher Education, “private giving to the nation’s biggest charities, including more than 100 colleges, dropped 11 percent last year.” More than 25% of those 400 are colleges or universities. However, four of the top 10 did experience an increase, including the AmeriCares Foundation (No. 3), which “achieved an 18.1-percent rise in giving, mostly in food, medicine, and other donated goods.” Continue reading →

Short and Sweet?

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I just noticed today (courtesy of Culturebot) that the Knight Arts Challenge Philadelphia is accepting applications through the end of the month. I’m jumping a few states away, but after clicking through their website, I found the philosophy of the Arts Challenge, and the application process in particular, quite intriguing.

In a nutshell, this September, the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation “launched a three-year, $9 million initiative … providing new funding opportunities to the steadily rising Philadelphia arts scene.” The parameters for applicants are broad to say the least:

1) The idea must be about the arts. 2) The project must take place in or benefit Philadelphia. 3) The grant recipients must find funds to match Knight’s commitment.

When I first read this, I asked, “That’s it?”

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Around Town: October 16-17

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Have a great weekend, folks. And always feel free to send us an email or leave a comment if you’d like to report back on an event. We’d like to hear all about it!

Saturday, October 16: 8:00 AM — Macy’s Shop for a Cause (Carpenter’s Shelter): buy a $5 ticket to enjoy some cool all-day sales at Macy’s and 100% of ticket sales will benefit Carpenter’s Shelter.

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7 Questions – Jill Strachan (Capitol Hill Arts Workshop)

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Today on “7 Questions,” we have with us … Jill Strachan, Executive Director of the Capitol Hill Arts Workshop (CHAW), which provides educational, exhibition, and performance opportunities to all ages. And which also happens to be just a few hops from my home. Continue reading →

Around Town: October 9-10

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Looking for an adventure over the long weekend? How about several adventures? Check out these great volunteer opportunities, as well as fall-themed festivals (hay rides!), with our non-profits:

Saturday, October 9

9:00-11:30 AM – Fun Run (Latin American Montessori Bilingual Charter School): take your pick from a 10K, 5K, or 1 mile and run, walk, or push a stroller through Rock Creek Park; all proceeds will go to a new wing at the school.

9:30-4:30 PM – Volunteer Training (ASHA for Women): learn about current laws and social services affecting victims of domestic violence and find out how you can become an advocate.

Noon-12:30 PM – Sea Revels @ Magical Montgomery (Washington Revels): swing by this busy festival in downtown Silver Spring and catch a nautical song and dance performance, commemorating men and women of the sea.

1:00-6:00 PM – Oktoberfest at Hard Bargain Farm (Alice Ferguson Foundation): celebrate the season and support the Foundation’s education programs all at once; the afternoon will feature Barvarian dance, German cuisine, hay rides, and a silent auction.

2:00-3:30 PM – Volunteer Orientation (For Love of Children): both new and retuning volunteers are invited to learn more about tutoring programs and helping children succeed in school.

8:00 PM – Velocity DC Dance Festival (CityDance Ensemble): take a dancing tour around the world with The Washington Ballet, CityDance Ensemble, The Suzanne Farrell Ballet, Furia Flamenca, Urban Artistry, a DJ, and many more (really!).

Sunday, October 10

Noon-3:00 PM – BSF 38th Annual School Fair (Black Student Fund): stop by the largest independent school fair in the region and meet representatives from over fifty schools, all ready to answer questions about testing, admissions, and financial aid.

Enjoy the three-day weekend and catch you on Tuesday!

Around Town: October 2-3

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Welcome to October! If weather.com tells the truth, we should finally have sunshine and clear skies this weekend … just in time for some great events and outdoor tours with our non-profits:

Saturday, October 2

9:30-11:00 AM – Volunteer Orientation (For Love of Children): learn how you can be part of the mission and goals of For Love of Children through their tutoring program. New volunteers welcome!

10:00-11:00 AM – Heart of L’Arche Tour (L’Arche Greater Washington DC): meet core people, assistants, and board members, and hear what a family member has to say about having his or her child or sibling live at L’Arche. Remember to call in advance for directions!

10:00-noon – White Flint Walking Tour (Coalition for Smarter Growth): take a tour along the Pike, learn about new neighborhood developments, and speculate on ones still to come. Along the way, chat with CSG staff about community engagement and how you can get involved.

Sunday, October 3

3:00-6:00 PM – Origins: The Mass in B Minor (Washington Bach Consort): in the season opener, enjoy the nucleus of what was to become the Mass in B minor, a work Bach hoped would garner him an official title at Court. Music from his rivals and colleagues is included as well.

As always, just drop by our Happenings page for more info. You can also search for events by date and check out a listing of volunteer opportunities.