Dear reporters, when covering the Anacostia arts scene it is important to remember...

Anacostia Playhouse: 2020 Shannon Place SE

I love the Anacostia Playhouse!!!! This past Saturday I checked out a performance of their first full run play, 'Broke-ology' and I had a great time. I am so happy to see the Anacostia Playhouse finally open for business and getting positive media coverage. They really deserve it. The playhouse is a wonderful addition to the Anacostia and Ward 8 community both as an arts and culture venue and a community resource. Adele and Julia, the mother and daughter team behind the Anacostia Playhouse are so warm, open, honest, and committed to being a part of our east of the river community that I am looking forward to us working together for a long time.

That being said, I have noticed that some reporters (most of them considered "local") are taking an unusual angle when reporting on the new playhouse's addition to the Anacostia neighborhood. It is almost as if some of these articles are setting up the Anacostia Playhouse as if it is the only arts venue in the neighborhood -- or at the very least the only arts venue worth talking about.

Anacostia Art Galery & Boutique
2806 Bruce Place SE

That's just not accurate. The Anacostia Playhouse joins a group of flourishing and diverse arts and culture venues in the neighborhood. It is unfair (and overly simplistic) to place the fate of the success of Anacostia and Ward 8 on the shoulders of this one playhouse. To be fair, I am probably a little biased because I work for an arts and culture nonprofit based in Anacostia (we were instrumental in bringing the playhouse to the Anacostia neighborhood) so I kind of know what I am talking about.

So that being said I thought I would just post (again) a directory of arts and culture venues in the Anacostia neighborhood. This list is by no means complete but it should give a starting point to some of the neighborhood's gems. Hopefully those who report on the local arts scene in the future can use this as a little arts and culture cheat sheet to make their stories a little more accurate and diverse.

America's Islamic Heritage Museum
2315 MLK Jr. Ave SE
(photo by David Y. Lee)

I understand everyone is looking for a perspective when writing a story but it would be nice if that perspective wasn't so short-sighted and predictable. These type of one-sided stories set up an "us vs. them" mentality that does absolutely no good for the community. There has to be a way to welcome new projects into the community without ignoring the history and contribution of those who have been here for a while. I've said it once and I will say it again. A lot of this so called "friction" is generated by those who neither live nor work in the 20020 or 20032 zip code.

If you are interested in learning more about the evolving arts scene in Anacostia the Washington City Paper did a good job of highlighting Anacostia arts venue in their cover story a few months back. If you didn't get a chance to read it you should check it out.

FYI -- you can find this list of Anacostia arts venues along with other Anacostia projects and small businesses on my other blog, www.eatshopliveanacostia.com.

And now the Anacostia arts and culture lineup...

AMERICA'S ISLAMIC HERITAGE MUSEUM

2315 Martin Luther King Jr. Ave SE
202.610.0586

ANACOSTIA ART GALLERY
2806 Bruce Pl SE
202.610.4188

ANACOSTIA ARTS CENTER
Available for rent: Gallery and retail space and a black box theater!

1231 Good Hope Rd SE
202.365.8392

ANACOSTIA PLAYHOUSE
2020 Shannon Place SE

ANACOSTIA PUBLIC LIBRARY

1800 Good Hope Rd SE

202.715.7707

BLANK SPACE SE

Pop-up gallery & Creative rental space

1231 Good Hope Rd SE in the Anacostia Arts Center!

202.365.8392

FREDERICK DOUGLASS NATIONAL HISTORIC SITE

1411 W St SE

202.426.5961