DCPS Arts
District-wide Events
DCPS (DC Public Schools) Arts Events 2023-24
December
Song Sourcing workshop- Dec 2 at Planet Word Museum
Students from schools across the district came together at Planet Word to compose lyrics for songs about their experiences. Hosted In partnership with Children’s Choir of Washington/Planet Word
January
DCPS Dance Festival- January 12- Atlas Theater-
80 Dance students from across DCPS will engage in a full day of dance sessions with professional dancers. The day will culminate in a performance at Atlas Theater of the dances learned that day. Tickets, https://www.atlasarts.org/events/dcps/ Hosted In partnership with Urban Elements Dance, Atlas Theater, and Joy of Motion Studio.
February
DCPS Teacher Art Exhibit - Feb 16th at MLK Library, teacher art exhibition of works inspired by Alma Thomas’ art, teaching and life
DCPS Digital Art show- Feb 15th- A new student exhibition opportunity in partnership with Reagan National Airport – focused on the exciting digital work happening across the district. Hosted In partnership with DC Public Libraries and Reagan National Airport
March
DCPS High School Vocal All-City Voices Music Event - March 8th is a remarkable occasion for singers in grades 6- 12 to come together on a day dedicated to the exploration of various vocal genres, community, and the sheer delight of music. Hosted In partnership with Alexandria Harmonizers .
Everyday DC- March 28th - A partnership with the Pulitzer Center, Everyday DC is a middle school photojournalism Cornerstone unit that provides students the opportunity to show their perspective on their city through images - in contrast to prevailing media narratives. The exhibition of this year’s student photographs will take place at the Charles Sumner Museum and Archives beginning on March 28, 2024
Let's Go-Go - March 22nd Let's Go-Go is the new All-City Instrumental Ensemble program in partnership with Washington Performing Arts, Growing Brains + Finding Rhythm, Capital City Go-Go, Monumental Sports, and the Innovative School of the Performing Arts. Through this program, DCPS students will perform and compose Go-Go music. The performance will take place at the half time show of the Capital City Go-Go basketball game on March 22nd. Hosted in partnership with Washington Performing Arts, Capital City Go-Go, Shorty Corleone, Growing Brains, and Monumental Sports.
April
DCPS Elementary School Vocal Showcase- April 26th- The Elementary All-City Vocal Music Event, in partnership with the Children's Chorus of Washington, is an extraordinary opportunity for young singers to unite in a day dedicated to discovering the world of music, building community, and sharing the joy of singing. All City Vocal will assemble close to 200 4th-6th grade students from 17 different schools across the district to come together, rehearse, and perform in unison, showcasing their hard work. The day-long event culminates in a public performance, at THEARC Theater (1901 Mississippi Ave SE Ste 101, Washington, DC 20020), 3:30 p.m. to 4:45 p.m., offering these young singers a platform to display their musical achievements and the power of collaborative performance.
May
Build Day DC-
May 4th, 2024, at the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden. Build Day is the culminating celebration of the Enchanted City Cornerstone unit, where students imagine what their city could and should be through architectural sculptures. In partnership with Hirshhorn Kids, Corcoran School of Art + Design and Boolean Girl, this event features a hands-on exploration of design and building. We’ll celebrate DCPS student-artists with an exhibition of their city designs. Art and design activities will be available for artists of all ages to get everyone building and dreaming.
Color the Curb – This event is held in partnership with Ddot and DC Commission on Arts & Humanities to provide curb mural to promote student pedestrian safety. 4 schools this year include; Cleveland, Leckie, Noyes and Whittier, Dates TBD. Hosted in partnership with Ddot & DC Commission on Arts & Humanities.
DCPS Performing Arts Festival In collaboration with the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, the DC Public Schools Performing Arts Festival unfolds over four exhilarating days, showcasing over 100 student ensembles and schools from May 20-23, 2024. This dynamic event encapsulates the rich diversity of music and performing arts groups spanning from kindergarten to twelfth grade, serving as a vibrant celebration of the remarkable achievements of DC Public Schools' students, teachers, and community partnerships.
Transform DC- Transform DC is a high school Cornerstone unit focused on collaborative mural making and public art. This year’s theme will be "The Sound of DC" (incorporating the 50th anniversary of Hip-Hop, Go-Go and all things DC music) An exhibition of this year’s panels will open on the West Lawn of the National Building Museum on May 30, 2024, and continue all summer. Hosted in partnership with local artist Blue Robin, the community day event will feature participatory art making, artist workshops and fun.
For more information please contact dcpsarts@k12.dc.gov