Arts Club of Washington
{{Short description|U.S. nonprofit organization}}
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| name = Arts Club of Washington
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| image = Cleveland Abbe House.jpg
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| caption = Cleveland Abbe House in 2022
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| coordinates = {{coord|38|54|5.3|N|77|2|44.55|W|region:US-DC_type:landmark|display=inline,title}}
| map = Location map Washington, D.C. central.png
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| formation = May 1916
| founder = Bertha Noyes
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| website = {{URL|artsclubofwashington.org/}}
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File:Arts Club of Washington - theater.jpg
File:Arts Club of Washington - interior.jpg, who lived at the Cleveland Abbe House at the start of his presidency.]]
The Arts Club of Washington is a private club to promote the Arts in Washington, D.C.
Founded by Bertha Noyes in May 1916, its first president was Henry Kirke Bush-Brown; Mathilde Mueden Leisenring was among its original members,{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z4ouVv4ZEx4 |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211215/Z4ouVv4ZEx4 |archive-date=2021-12-15 |url-status=live|title=Pat Moore on Mathilde Mueden Leisenring Exhibit |publisher=YouTube |date=2011-12-09 |accessdate=2017-01-30}}{{cbignore}} as were Susan Brown Chase, Catharine Carter Critcher, Lola Sleeth Miller, Bertha E. Perrie, and Mary Gine Riley.{{cite book|author=Virgil E. McMahan|title=The Artists of Washington, D.C., 1796-1996|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=X4jrAAAAMAAJ|year=1995|publisher=Artists of Washington|isbn=978-0-9649101-0-2}}
It is located at the Cleveland Abbe House. Since 2006, the Club has awarded the Marfield Prize, also known as the National Award for Arts Writing, for nonfiction books about the arts written for a broad audience.
Programs
The club supports visual, performing, and literary arts in Washington, D.C.{{Cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/style/arts-club-of-washingtons-quirky-downtown-haven-of-clubby-culture-survives-the-ages/2011/05/09/AFVC8u7G_story.html|title=Arts Club of Washington's quirky downtown haven of clubby culture survives the ages|last=Montgomery|first=David|date=2011-05-20|work=Washington Post|access-date=2018-04-05|language=en-US|issn=0190-8286}} It hosts a noon-time concert series.{{Cite news|url=https://artsclubofwashington.org/friday-noon-concerts/|title=Friday Noon Concerts - DC Art Events {{!}} DC Wedding Reception Venue|work=DC Art Events {{!}} DC Wedding Reception Venue|access-date=2018-04-05|language=en-US}} It awards arts scholarships.{{Cite web|url=https://corcoran.gwu.edu/arts-club-washington%E2%80%99s-2018-scholarship-competition|title=The Arts Club of Washington's 2018 Scholarship Competition {{!}} Corcoran School of the Arts & Design {{!}} The George Washington University|website=corcoran.gwu.edu|language=en|access-date=2018-04-05|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180406041313/https://corcoran.gwu.edu/arts-club-washington%E2%80%99s-2018-scholarship-competition|archive-date=2018-04-06|url-status=dead}}
The Marfield Prize, National Award for Arts Writing
The Marfield Prize, also known as the National Award for Arts Writing, is given annually by the Arts Club of Washington to nonfiction books about the arts written for a broad audience. Intended to help increase access to the arts, the Prize "celebrates prose that is lucid, luminous, clear, and inspiring—writing that creates a strong connection with arts and artists."
The Prize of $10,000, which the Club asserts is the only one of its kind in the country, honors nonfiction books first published in the U.S., by a single author who is living at the time of the book's nomination. First given in 2006, the prize's endowment was established by long-time Arts Club member Jeannie S. Marfield in honor of Florence Berryman and Helen Wharton.{{cite news |last=Thompson |first=Bob |title=Tale of Folk Hero Wins New Award For Arts Writing |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/04/25/AR2007042502665.html |accessdate=2013-02-27 |work=The Washington Post |date=April 27, 2007}}
The award is given to the author of a nonfiction book about any artistic discipline (visual, literary, performing, or media arts, as well as cross-disciplinary works. Works of art history and criticism, biographies and memoirs, and essays are all eligible. Anthologies, creative works of fiction or poetry, books for children, exhibition catalogs and self-published books are not eligible.{{cite web |title=2014 Award Guidelines |url=http://artsclubofwashington.org/about/award-for-arts-writing/ |publisher=Arts Club of Washington |accessdate=2014-12-30 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141225191054/http://artsclubofwashington.org/about/award-for-arts-writing/ |archive-date=2014-12-25 |url-status=dead }}
Members of the club noticed that there was a lack of "good, accessible writing about the arts," according to former award administrator Sarah Browning. Club members decided to use a bequest by longtime member Jeannie S. Marfield to remedy the situation. In addition to the annual winners, the Club publishes the names of several finalists.
List of winners
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- [http://artsclubofwashington.org/ Official website]
- [https://thepeoplesarchive.dclibrary.org/repositories/2/resources/950 Arts Club of Washington, D.C. Collection, 1916–1990], DC Library
- [https://www.aaa.si.edu/collections/arts-club-washington-scrapbooks-8431 Arts Club of Washington scrapbooks, 1916–1991], Archives of American Art
Category:Arts organizations based in Washington, D.C.
Category:Non-profit organizations based in Washington, D.C.
Category:Arts organizations established in 1916