Community Partnerships

At CHAW, partnerships are more than collaborations—they’re a way to make a bigger impact, reach more people, and respond to the community’s needs. By working with organizations that share our mission, we can pool resources, amplify results, and bring arts access to people and places that traditional programs might not reach. These partnerships make CHAW’s work stronger, more relevant, and more resilient, positioning us as both a creative hub and a connector in a wider ecosystem of arts, education, and community care.

Capitol Hill Art League

Capitol Hill Art League (CHAL), a visual arts program of Capitol Hill Arts Workshop (CHAW), produces and promotes juried and non-juried exhibits throughout the year. CHAL is a consortium of 100+ local artists who mount seven juried shows per year in CHAW’s Gallery Space. Artists/members are 18 years- 80+ from the DC-metro area including Virginia and Maryland. We show and sell our art work at galleries and various venues in the DC region.

Dedicated to providing show, sales and professional development opportunities to new and established artists, CHAL is run by volunteer members. Annual membership dues are $50.

Taffety Punk Theatre Company

Taffety Punk Theatre Company is CHAW’s Theater in Residence. A dynamic ensemble of actors, dancers and musicians, TPTC ignites public passion for theatre by making the classical and the contemporary exciting, meaningful and affordable.

Light Switch Dance Theatre

Light Switch Dance Theatre (est. June 2013) is a site-specific project based company dedicated to multi-disciplinary performances in non-traditional spaces. Sandra C. Atkinson, MA (Founder/Artistic Director) creates socially conscious art driven by the human condition. LSDT strives to make every space an interactive artistic place.

Serve Your City/ Ward 6 Mutual Aid

SYC/W6MA established operations in a donated classroom at CHAW during the pandemic and has remained an integral partner ever since. Through shared values and resources, we support one another in our missions. SYC/W6MA offers tutoring, athletics, and essential services for more than 200 families, while CHAW provides pro bono classes and space to house the network. This relationship is a powerful example of how creative institutions can play a central role in mutual support ecosystems.

DC Arts Education Alliance

CHAW is a co-founding member of this city-wide network comprising seventeen of the largest arts education organizations in the city. By collaborating across organizations, we strengthen arts education and ensure all DC youth have equitable access to high-quality arts experiences.

Arts Institute for Creative Advancement

Seventeen of the largest arts education organizations in the city, led by Capitol Hill Arts Workshop, The Theatre Lab School of the Dramatic Arts, Life Pieces To Masterpieces, and Sitar Arts Center have teamed up to train young people who are disconnected from or under-engaged in school and work to enter DC’s creative economy. Through an intensive education and apprenticeship program in technical theater, youth ages 18-24 will be prepared for careers as offstage theater professionals whose roles include lighting and audio engineering, set construction, scenic painting, rigging, and stage management.

Playtime Project

Since 2013, CHAW has partnered with Playtime Project to bring arts workshops to children experiencing housing insecurity, helping them build resilience through transformative play.

American Youth Chorus

American Youth Chorus (AYC) provides music education, performance experience, and community for Washington, DC-area children in grades three to eight. Artistic Director Jonathon Hampton teaches music theory and history, reading and writing of diverse music of all genres, centered on U.S. composers spanning centuries. AYC was founded in 2008 as part of a multigenerational family of choruses who they sing with and learn from—NorthEast Senior Singers and parent organization Congressional Chorus. Performance highlights include The White House, The Kennedy Center, The National Archives Museum, Library of Congress, and the U.S. Department of State. Annual concert trips and retreats take students abroad to showcase their artistic skills and develop teamwork, independence, confidence, and artistry, in addition to meeting and experiencing performances of professional caliber musicians. Several year-round AYC performances give back to DMV-area audiences at arts centers, schools, civic and community events. AmericanYouthChorus.org

Community Connections

Beyond these core partners, CHAW frequently works with local schools, libraries, and community groups, offering a wide range of arts programs to students across the DMV.

If you are interested in collaboration with Capitol Hill Arts Workshop contact Deputy Director, Brian Washington brian@chaw.org