Arts and Humanities

Contact

Arts and Humanities

Phone 301-891-7119 Fax 301-270-4568 Email arts@takomaparkmd.gov

Address

Arts and Humanities Coordinator Brendan Smith
City of Takoma Park
7500 Maple Avenue
Takoma Park, MD 20912

Hours & Location

8:30 AM - 5 PM Monday - Friday
Takoma Park Community Center

FREE Takoma Park Arts Events

Please join us for our FREE Takoma Park Arts events at the Takoma Park Community Center at 7500 Maple Avenue, including film screenings, art exhibitions, theater, concerts, and poetry readings. No tickets or reservations are required. Sign up for our e-newsletter to get details about all of our upcoming events. You also can watch many of our previous events on our YouTube channel. 

The Sounds of Silents Film Screening with Peter Tavalin

Friday, Dec. 8 at 7:30 pm 

Bringing a modern musical sensibility to the original moving image, pianist Peter Tavalin improvises a live score to accompany the silent film Steamboat Bill, Jr. The classic film by Buster Keaton is an icon of American comedy and features the most famous stunt of the era with the two-ton facade of an entire house crashing to the ground around Keaton.

Public Art

The Arts and Humanities Division has organized a wide range of public art projects located across Takoma Park, including a kid-friendly makeover of B.Y. Morrison Park, a sidewalk poetry program, and even a 17-foot-tall crocheted octopus that lived atop the downtown clock tower until it was donated to a local preschool.  Visit our Public Art page to learn more about our public art program and see a map of City-funded public art projects.

Sidewalk Poetry Online Map

A new online map provides a looping 5-mile walking or biking route to see 10 poems by local residents which have been stamped into concrete sidewalks. The map includes photos and locations of the poems on a route that includes many popular destinations, including Sligo Creek Trail, Adventist University, the Takoma Park Community Center, and downtown. You can find more info here about this fun public art project.

Takoma ARTery Online Artist Directory

The Takoma ARTery arts group has launched an online artist directory featuring artwork and info about local artists. The directory, which was supported by a City grant, is a great place to find original art and crafts so shop for some art and support our arts community!

Takoma Park Arts and Humanities Committee

The Takoma Park Arts and Humanities Committee is a volunteer body that advises the City Council on all matters relating to the arts and humanities. You can learn more about the Committee's work and our arts programs in the 2022-23 Annual Report. You also can find the 2021-22 Annual Report

Cultural Plan

Takoma Park's Cultural Plan, EMPOWERING A CREATIVE COMMUNITY:  A Vision for 2018-2023, was developed by the Takoma Part Arts and Humanities Commission and unanimously approved by the City Council. The Cultural Plan offers guidance on the City's role in providing arts programs and supporting the local artist community which helps knit Takoma Park's community together.   More history about the development of the Cultural Plan can be found on the Cultural Plan Project page.

TAKOMA PARK ARTS SERIES

Art Exhibitions

Bimonthly exhibitions feature work by a diverse range of artists in the galleries at the Takoma Park Community Center. There is more info on the Art Exhibitions page. We are not seeking submissions from artists at this time.

Performing Arts

Performances usually occur on Thursday or Friday evenings, including concerts, theater, dance, and even puppet slams.  All performances are free with cash donations accepted to support the performers. Past performances have featured Balkan folk singers, the Silk Road Dance Company, guitarist Yasmin Williams, a one-man Spanish-language play, and Appalachian storytelling. You can find more info here.

Film Screenings

Documentaries, dramas, comedies, and short films spanning a wide range of topics are shown in the Takoma Park Community Center auditorium. Film directors often hold a Q&A with the audience after the screening.

Poetry Readings

Poetry readings feature selected poets from across the D.C. area. Some readings have focused on timely themes, including the experiences of immigrants, formerly incarcerated poets, and bilingual readings. The readings are free to the public and are held in the Takoma Park Community Center auditorium.

Takoma Park Holiday Art Sale

The 15th Annual Takoma Park Holiday Art Sale was held at the Community Center on Dec. 4, 2021, featuring 25 regional artists selling a wide range of fine art, photography, jewelry, and clothing.

The 2023 Holiday Art Sale has been cancelled because of disruptions from the library renovation. You can see a sampling of work from former art sales here.

ADA Statement

The City of Takoma Park is committed to ensuring that individuals with disabilities are able to fully participate in our programs. Anyone planning to attend an event who wishes to receive auxiliary aids, services, or reasonable accommodations may contact Arts Coordinator Brendan Smith at least 72 hours in advance at (301) 891-7266 or through the Maryland Relay Service (1-800-725-2258 TTY/Voice) or by email at brendans@takomaparkmd.gov.

Poet Laureate Program

The Takoma Park Poet Laureate program honors the achievements of a local poet who provides literary leadership in the community. Our goal is to not only support and promote Takoma Park’s poets but also to stimulate interest in poetry among city residents and encourage their own expressions of poetry and literature. You can learn more about the program here.

Takoma Park’s Poet Laureate is Taylor Johnson. He was the Guggenheim Museum’s first Poet-in-Residence in 2022. The Academy of American Poets selected him as a Poet Laureate Fellow with a $50,000 award in 2023 to recognize his work in Takoma Park. You can learn more about him on his website and read his poem Trans Is Against Nostalgia here.