Hey there! Mercy here--quick question for you all. Do you love the arts and want to support and celebrate them pretty much all the time, but find that concerts and shows and galleries and the like can get rather pricey? Or, perhaps it’s just too hard to find those hole-in-the-wall (free) poetry slams or coffee shop art displays. Well, if you’re like me—on a budget, but also a lover of all things art (even the kind I can’t quite understand)—then I have some amazing news for you...
The Kennedy Center is designing the REACH, an arts center dedicated to making the arts inclusive, accessible, and interactive for all members of the DC community and beyond.
The REACH is currently under construction, directly west of the Kennedy’s Center main entrance. . It will consist of three separate enclosed pavilions, and eleven outdoor and indoor spaces designed for performances, events, classes, and more. One of these outdoor spaces is a stage with a video wall, built for concerts, shows, and creative film screenings. Another space is an arts cafe, encouraging artists, audiences, and passersby to mix and mingle. The goal of these eleven spaces is to provide a place for art to be shared by diverse artists and celebrated by any and all.
As part of the Kennedy Center’s mission to make the arts more accessible, the Center is also constructing a pedestrian bridge over Rock Creek and Potomac Parkway to allow walkers to travel from the National Mall and/or the Tidal Basin to the Center. While the Kennedy Center has always been a walkable distance from various Metro stations, this new pathway will be safer, cleaner, and easier to traverse, especially for families with young children or those with disabilities.
And, before I reveal my personal favorite part of The REACH, let me share a quick disclaimer with you. I love any and all things nature, and I strongly believe that cultivating and tending to our earth is a pure and beautiful art form. So, when the Kennedy Center announced that The REACH would include a “green roof” and 130,000 square feet of carefully planned green space, I just about melted with happiness. So, if you’re ever looking for me, chances are I’m at The REACH strolling through the ginkgo tree grove or lounging on the grass overlooking a sparkling fountain. I honestly couldn’t be more excited.
So, all of this begs the question—when do we get to experience The REACH?! I’m glad you asked. The grand opening is Saturday, September 7th, 2019, followed by a series of special events for the next seven days. We will have the opportunity to participate in classes and activities, gawk over amazing art performances, and dive into diverse cultures and art forms (also roll around in the beautifully landscaped grass).
So mark your calendars for September 7, 2019. I’m sure I speak for all of us at AmLit when I say that I am so excited by the work the Kennedy Center is doing to make art inclusive, accessible, and interactive. For more information, check out their website at https://reach.kennedy-center.org.
Love to you all!!
Mercy
