Ray Barker, archivist of special collections/Washingtoniana, DC Public Library; Cynthia Connolly, artist, and booking agent, d.c. space; Claudia Joseph, artist, and booking agent, d.c. space; Rogelio Maxwell, artist, and director and curator (1976–1985), Hardart Gallery; Silvana Straw, poet, writer, performer, and DC’s original Poetry Slam Champion; and Richard Squires, artist, and founder, Museum of Temporary Art

Often overshadowed by the presence of national museums, Washington, DC’s independent visual and performance art spaces have nonetheless played a critical role in shaping the cultural life of the city. While many of these local venues no longer exist, the DC Public Library is taking strides to preserve this rich history of a thriving arts community; prominent figures from that community share their experiences in this program presented at the National Gallery of Art on October 19, 2019. Artists Cynthia Connolly and Claudia Joseph speak of their work as booking agents at music venue d.c. space. Rogelio Maxwell, founder of Hardart Gallery, and Richard Squires, founder of the Museum of Temporary Art, discuss the histories of their respective spaces, and DC’s original Poetry Slam Champion, Silvana Straw, who had been featured at these art spaces, contributes a short performance. Finally, the artists join Ray Barker, archivist of special collections/Washingtoniana at the DC Public Library, for a conversation. This program, the second of a multipart series, is held in collaboration with the DC Public Library.