Launching with Three Days of Inaugural Programming October 4–6, 2024, Residency Emphasizes Experimental Approaches to Art and Civic Participation

Washington, DC—The National Gallery of Art and the Corcoran School of the Arts and Design at the George Washington University proudly announce the launch of a three-year artist residency for artist-led collective For Freedoms, known for centering art as a catalyst for creative civic engagement and direct action. The residency fosters interdisciplinary collaboration to encourage innovative and accessible approaches to arts research and public practice. A series of dynamic programming and public events will mark the debut from October 4–6, 2024.

This is For Freedoms' first joint residency and long-term collaboration with both a university and the National Gallery of Art, the nation's art museum. Founded in 2016 by artists including Hank Willis Thomas, Michelle Woo, Eric Gottesman and Wyatt Gallery, For Freedoms is known for their public installations, billboards and other campaigns with more than 1,000 artists to date. Their mission is to center artistic expression as a spark to reshape conversations about politics and society and expand participation in democracy.

The residency will be anchored by the theme of interdependence. It is the first large-scale public program produced by the reimagined Corcoran School-National Gallery partnership, which initiated 40 educational events since its launch in fall 2023. Housed in the Corcoran and the National Gallery, with events across GW and DC, the fluid nature of the residency will elevate students and emerging artists through programming, research and education and extend beyond traditional art structures in Washington, DC.

The new residency will act as an interdisciplinary lab and curriculum for art making and interpretation, including a series of “gallery interventions” at the Corcoran and the National Gallery, open studio hours, faculty-class led engagements and podcasts over the next three years. It will encourage students, museum goers and the public to consider new ways of thinking and creating together.

The residency's inaugural events from October 4–6, 2024 will feature performances, talks, installations, workshops on billboard and kite-making, and a procession from the National Gallery to the Corcoran. For Freedoms' billboards will be on view alongside their first monograph, For Freedoms: Where Do We Go From Here? and photos of installations from all 50 states.

“At For Freedoms we believe the best art is visionary not reactionary, that it builds community, provokes reflection, and charts a pathway toward personal and collective transformation. We are so excited to be in joint residency at GW’s Corcoran School of the Arts and Design and the National Gallery of Art. This opportunity will give us the space to imagine what a visionary culture of civic joy might look like decades from now, in a future artists already inhabit, and one that society depends on artists’ vision to realize,” says Eric Gottesman, co-founder of For Freedoms.

In the newly renovated galleries of the second floor of Corcoran’s Flagg Building, artists will facilitate an “engagement room,” a working space filled with prompts and questions to inspire conversations and action, with activations to follow throughout DC. This year, artists, faculty and students will also work with the National Gallery to develop programming that creates accessible audience engagement with the museum’s expansive collection. Throughout the residency, artists will create collaborative spaces at both institutions to enrich and reimagine traditional museum practices.

“We are thrilled to collaborate with For Freedoms and the National Gallery to launch this residency, the first in our new interdisciplinary home for creativity, experimentation, and research. By integrating student, faculty and community voices into our programming, the partnership seeks to cultivate systematic change and foster a sustained impact across our organizations,” says Lauren Onkey, director of the Corcoran School of the Arts and Design at GW. “It will benefit GW's next generation of students and the National Gallery’s millions of visitors.”

“This partnership reflects the shared belief in our institutions that art can act as a tool for civic and creative engagement,” said Kate Haw, Executive Officer, Exhibitions, Programs, and Audience Engagement at the National Gallery of Art. “The For Freedoms residency ushers in the next phase of our collaboration with the Corcoran, provides a unique opportunity for experimental learning and creative exploration across our communities, and supports the National Gallery’s expanding work with living artists.”

Other public programming at the Corcoran School this fall includes the Corcoran Music Festival and “93 Fragments,” an exhibition with the Washington Project of the Arts. Since GW acquired the Corcoran School and Flagg Building in 2014, the Corcoran has hosted over 50 exhibitions and over 500 performances, talks and other events, reaching 50,000 students and visitors.

For more information about the partnership and upcoming events, please visit corcoran.gwu.edu/national-gallery.

About For Freedoms
For Freedoms is an artist-led organization that centers art as a catalyst for creative civic engagement, discourse and direct action. Founded in 2016 by a coalition of artists including Hank Willis Thomas, Eric Gottesman, Michelle Woo, and Wyatt Gallery, For Freedoms is dedicated to fostering an environment of listening, healing, and justice through a wide range of creative engagement. For Freedoms works closely with a variety of artists, organizations, institutions and brands to expand what participation in a democracy looks like and reshape conversations about politics. Learn more at www.forfreedoms.org.

About the Corcoran School of the Arts & Design
The Corcoran School of the Arts and Design at the George Washington University is dedicated to educating the next generation of cultural leaders. Part of the Columbian College of Arts and Sciences, the school functions as an incubator for artists, designers and scholars, who learn from internationally renowned faculty at the intersection of creativity and social innovation. The school offers 22 undergraduate and graduate degrees in art history, design, interior architecture, museum studies, music, fine arts, theater and dance.

About the National Gallery of Art
The National Gallery of Art welcomes all people to explore art, creativity, and our shared humanity. Nearly four million people come through its doors each year—with millions more online—making it one of the most visited art museums in the world. The National Gallery's renowned collection includes nearly 160,000 works of art, from the ancient world to today. Admission to the West and East Buildings, Sculpture Garden, special exhibitions, and public programs is always free.