Birthdays are special occasions, and CHAW’s 45th birthday celebration is not just a great excuse for a party. It’s also a time to focus on what makes the Capitol Hill Arts Workshop an essential part of our community.
If you’ve ever wandered south of Eastern Market on 7th, you may have seen a building with harlequin columns and a friendly vibe at 545 7th Street SE. CHAW occupies a three-story former school and is a community space thoroughly dedicated to the arts. No matter what your age or socioeconomic status, you can take a class there. Whether figure-drawing, clay-throwing or darkroom experimentation is your thing, CHAW is a space that welcomes everyone to find an artistic spark within.
I recently chatted with Hannah Jacobson, CHAW’s executive director, about the history of the non-profit. During our conversation, an older gentleman arrived with his painting of a well-endowed nude while a dance class hammered out a beat overhead– all this happening under the watchful eye of a plaque made with a baby doll’s head and black pen caps whose inscription, in Latin, cautions against the folly of serving material needs alone. This was a fitting backdrop as Hannah and I talked about the importance of having a community space where people can be surrounded by the arts. “When you are surrounded by art, it’s both a personal and a communal experience,” Hannah summed it up.
Why is it important to have a communal space for the arts? It all boils down to emotional vulnerability. When you have a space where you can safely explore your creativity, you can enjoy a transformative personal experience while being in a like-minded community. It is like a place for prayer, reflection or meditation: one you didn’t know you needed until you find it.
If it weren’t for the community, CHAW might not be at its present location. The Capitol Hill Arts Workshop started in 1972, operating out of the basements of several local churches until the community pushed for establishing the non-profit at the former B.B. French School. You can read an article from the Washington Post in 1977, discussing the fate of the French school by clicking here. This story may resonate with many of us who wonder if every single vacant church and school building needs to become condos. After a three-year back-and forth with the DC government, CHAW opened its doors at its present location in 1980. The District made a special arrangement with CHAW. The organization pays a token amount of rent but is responsible for all the aspects of maintenance and upkeep on the property.
The coming-together of the community to transform the dilapidated building was, in Hannah’s words, an urban barn-raising. Marines from the Barracks toiled alongside neighbors from all walks of life. Whether re-roofing the building or clearing squirrel nests, everyone came together to turn a vacant property into a space for creation. From the outset, CHAW has been of and for the community. You can see their impact in projects such as the Alphabet Animals, a collaboration with the District Department of Transportation. According to Hannah, who personally oversaw this effort, every art piece was mounted at its respective location by DDOT employees who did the work with reverence, care and respect. You can learn more about the Alphabet Animals project by clicking here.
Celebrate CHAW and its place in the community for the past 45 years this Saturday, June 10! The Alphabet Animals Fun Run kicks off at 9 a.m. and the party continues throughout the day. You can find information about the events by going to the Facebook event page.
If you go:
WHAT: Capitol Hill Arts Workshop’s 45th Birthday Party!! ??
WHERE: Throughout the day at CHAW, 545 7th Street SE. The Alphabet Animals Fun Run starts at Summit to Soul, 727 8th Street SE.
WHEN: Saturday, June 10 2017, starting at 9 a.m.
WHY: Because birthday! Also, make sure you say hello to Claudia and to me at our Fun Run station– we’ll be over at the Ladybug on 2nd and L SE.
WAIT! Before you go: CHAW’s operations are dependent on your donations. If you want to make sure we have this gem for years to come, consider making a donation.