About the Residency Program
The Residency program places visual and performing artists in the community, conducting interactive art engagements. Residencies will include, but are not limited to, expansion of the Torpedo Factory Art Center’s Post Grad Residencies, Site See, the City’s Mobile Art Lab, as well as new locations including hospitals and senior centers. The guiding principle of the Residency Program is equity, ensuring all residents of Alexandria have equitable access to arts and culture while presenting programs that will equitably employ artists. A second guiding principle is creating meaningful relationships with the community. The two principles will inform the locations of art programs serving communities in Alexandria where there are less arts and culture programs and connecting artists directly with community members.
Current Artist Residencies:
Mobile Art Lab Residencies:
- Family Hip Hop Dance Class with The Lion’s Den
Sunday, Jan. 21 at 2:00 p.m., Charles Houston Rec Center, 901 Wythe St.
Join Mobile Art Lab group the Lion's Den for a Family Dance Class. This dance class will be both full of energy and of deep connection as movers are encouraged to stay present in their bodies and in the moment. Beginning with an infectious warm-up to get the mind and body ready, movers will learn easy-to-groove-along phrases that spark joy and cultivate community in a non-pressure environment! This is an open-level class - a mix of movement and mindfulness to help us remember why we dance in the first place, to have fun! Open to all ages!
This event is free, however registration is encouraged. Please register at https://MALFamilyDanceClass.eventbrite.com.
About the Lion’s Den:
The Lion's Den, a Filipina-owned small business is a DMV-based dance & wellness community dedicated to creating spaces for people to freely express themselves. We're a welcoming hub that believes how you move in your body impacts how you move in the world. Through heart-centered programming and community-focused practices, The Lion's Den provides in-person and virtual classes, events, workshops, and performance opportunities to help cultivate confidence and new connections. We got our humble start in 2017, renting space at the Safeway supermarket off King St. and Quaker Lane, and have since partnered with countless local small businesses and organizations including The Kennedy Center, Joe's Movement Emporium, and Dance Place to name a few, to further spread the benefits of dance and the arts. Weekly classes are currently held in Alexandria Studios Local Motion Project and P.I.E.S. Fitness Studio.
Founder Lauren DeVera has been an Alexandria resident since 2016 and can be found performing, teaching, curating events, and coaching creatives and entrepreneurs across the DC metropolitan area and online community. Her mission is to empower folks to take up space, pursue their passions, and live courageously! To learn more, visit lauren-devera.com.
Torpedo Factory Art Center – Post Grad Residencies:
- Zines of Home with Wes Holloway
Thursday, Jan. 11, 5:45 p.m., Tenants and Workers United, 3801 Mt Vernon Ave. #215
What does "HOME" mean to you? Is it a specific place, a memory, the people around you? Join artist Wes Holloway in learning how to create a mini art zine (booklet) from start to finish. The completed product will be a physical piece of art that can be shared, gifted, traded, or kept for their own personal use. All supplies provided, and all abilities welcome.
The event is free but registration is recommended. Click here to register.
- Zines of Home with Wes Holloway
Wednesday, Jan 24 at 10:30 a.m., St. Martins Senior Center, 4650 Taney Avenue
Tuesday, Jan 29 1:30 p.m., Alexandria Adult Day Services Center.
- Affirming Wall Hangings with Aliana Grace Bailey
Tuesday, Jan. 23 , from 2-4 p.m., Annie B. Rose House, 399 Pendleton St.
Join artist Aliana Grace Bailey in a workshop centering Black healing and care. Community members will explore affirmations, basic textile collaging techniques, and create an affirming wall mobile focused on a theme of their choosing. Throughout the workshop, participants will be invited to reflect communally as they meditate on their experiences and feelings.
Tuesday, Jan. 23, at 6:00 p.m., Kate Waller Barrett Branch Library, 717 Queen St.
Join artist Aliana Grace Bailey in a workshop centering Black healing and care. Community members will explore affirmations, basic textile collaging techniques, and create an affirming wall mobile focused on a theme of their choosing. Throughout the workshop, participants will be invited to reflect communally as they meditate on their experiences and feelings.
This event is free, however registration is required. Register here or email arts@alexandriava.gov to be added to a waitlist.