As the nation’s capital still rallies post the surge of federal officers, and continues to navigate the presence of the D.C. National Guard, Washingtonians came together across all eight wards for Art All Night — a citywide celebration of the arts and local creatives Sept. 12-13 — presented by District Mayor Muriel Bowser.
“We know that Washington, D.C., is the capital of creativity. Artists and makers across D.C. help us celebrate the history and culture of our community, and this weekend, we celebrate them,” said Bowser.
Art All Night — and Dine All Night on Sept. 13 — is a collaboration between the D.C. Department of Small and Local Business Development (DSLBD), D.C. Commission on the Arts and Humanities (CAH), D.C. Public Library (DCPL), D.C. Main Streets programs, and the city’s Business Improvement Districts (BIDs).
Beginning as Art All Night: Nuit Blanche D.C. in 2011 by Shaw Main Streets, 14 years later, the event features more than 150 artists across 28 neighborhoods, BIDs and Main Streets, highlighting music, visual, literary, and performing arts, while activating public spaces and helping bring an increase in foot traffic to small and local businesses.
With new technology and even more programming, this year truly allowed people to tap into the arts across the whole city.
“Art All Night has always been about celebrating community, creativity, and connection,” said Rosemary Suggs-Evans, director of DSLBD. “This year, we’re making it even easier for residents and visitors to be part of the experience with our new mobile app. It’s a tool that puts the festival in your hands—helping you explore incredible artists, small businesses, and cultural activations that make D.C. such a vibrant place to live, work, and visit.”
The festive weekend showcased painting, photography, sculpture, crafts, fashion, music, dance, theater, film, poetry and featured live performances from celebrated local artists such as R&S Band, Major League, 911, Danjalé, DC Vybe, the celebrated Black Alley, and legendary Backyard Band.
“It’s so important for people to build community around art because of freedom of expression and freedom of speech,” hip-hop artist Danjalé Williams, who performed at Sycamore and Oak on Friday, Sept. 12, told The Informer.
‘It Opens Up the Doors’: Highlighting Local Business Across the River
For Rosalind Gallmon, owner of The Soy Chick, Art All Night is important beyond showcasing the arts, but also uplifting local entrepreneurs.
“[This event] is important because they’re highlighting Black businesses in Southeast, D.C., and [especially in] Ward 8 where they say that we can’t do this,” Gallmon said. “We want to show them that this is what we do on a regular basis.”
As residents went across the city, they were able to tap into the District’s many Black-owned businesses, which has a much higher concentration (35%) than the national average (3%).
Ramzy Richardson, co-founder of Back to Nature, was thankful for the opportunity to showcase his products— aluminum-free deodorant—- to the many attendees.
“It opens up the doors and possibilities for all young business owners, small business owners and people trying to make it in this industry, and in this life,” he told The Informer.
While they presented their own wares, Trevor Rodgers, Richardson’s business partner and fellow co-founder, said he was excited to participate in Art All Night to witness all it offers to the community.
“We’re here for the art, we’re here for the culture, we’re here for the business,” Rodgers said. “We’re here for everything.”
‘Art Is the Glue That Holds Us Together’
As an Art All Night performer, Williams emphasized the importance of showcasing the arts throughout the city, creating an outlet for artists to express themselves, and providing residents the access to tap into local arts and their own creativity.
“The arts are vital to D.C.’s community because it’s a melting pot of culture and art is the glue that holds us together,” she said. “So many people use their artistry as a way to voice the things that they normally wouldn’t be able to say.”
Shalay Briscoe, Williams’ mother, was thrilled to experience Art All Night in action.
“It’s absolutely amazing [and] such a family vibe,” she told The Informer. “The people are great, the energy is great and the ambiance is great. I love it.”
For Briscoe, who wrote lyrics for her daughter early in her career, taking in the city’s booming arts scene was wonderful, but watching Williams shine and joining her on stage was a true highlight and moment she will cherish forever.
“To have her follow in my footsteps, then surpass me, then turn around and pull me forward with her,” said Briscoe, “it’s absolutely amazing.”
The exciting artistic energy was palpable, offering inspiration for hip-hop and R&B artist Eddie Lee, who also performed at Sycamore and Oak on Friday night.
“l’m happy to be here, the energy is great–dancing, rapping, everything,” Lee told The Informer.
As the area still adjusts to life after the surge of federal officers, the artistic takeover provided a moment of unity and highlighted the healing power of the arts.
“Art All Night is important because creative expression is what [energizes] the community,” Lee said.