Artomatic media contact: Marina Reiter, 202-271-4748
NoMa BID media contact: Leslie Braunstein, 703-234-7762

For immediate release: May 13, 2008

Artomatic, the Washington, D.C., area’s homegrown art extravaganza, offers more than 60 live performances and activities during its second exciting weekend, May 16-18, 2008. In addition to displays by over 700 visual artists, this weekend will include free films, music, poetry, dance and musical performances. Highlights will include:

Friday, May 16: The Flights of Fire fire-dancing troupe returns to perform outside from 9 p.m. to 11 p.m., while inside the building there will be a “Night of Comedy” and Meet the Artists Night, where visitors will get to interact with hundreds of artists participating in this year’s event. In addition, attendees can enjoy live music performed by Movimiento, Mostly Monkee, Pygmy Lush, Collider, Caberet Heaven and other cutting-edge bands.

Saturday, May 17: Artomatic will host a self-portrait workshop for children and a piñata-making workshop for children and adults on Saturday morning. During the afternoon, everyone can participate in Community Drum Circle! Evening activities include the D.C. Independent Film Festival, a performance by Guy Nyame African Cultural Dance Company, several poetry readings, a special meet-up for bloggers and live music by Circle of Saints, Ephemeral Sun, Fire Wheel, IZZ, American Sinner, Allie & The Krunch, Konduit, Kinetic Element, and others.

Sunday, May 18: There’s no rest for Artomatic artists and performers who will be offering a mobile-making workshop, poetry readings and live musical performances by Albatross, 7 Door Sedan, play with me, Dan Mazer and Aaron Tidd.

Artomatic is open Wednesdays and Thursdays as well, so be sure to check the Artomatic Web site for schedules for those days. Also on Thursday nights in the NoMa (North of Massachusetts Avenue) neighborhood is the James Bond Film Festival, with free films beginning at dusk. This Thursday’s movie is From Russia With Love. For a schedule of festival movies, visit www.nomabid.org.

All Artomatic events are free. For the full weekend schedule, visit the Artomatic calendar at www.artomatic.org/event. For more on children’s activities, visit www.artomatic.org/kids.

The NoMa Business Improvement District (BID) is hosting Artomatic 2008 at the Capitol Plaza I building, located at 1200 First Street (1st and M Streets), N.E., in Washington, D.C., just one block west of the New York Avenue Metro station.

For more information, call the Artomatic infoline at 202-339-9007. Visitors are strongly encouraged to take Metro to Artomatic.

Held regularly since 1999, Artomatic transforms an unfinished indoor space into an exciting and diverse arts event that is free and open to the public. In addition to displays and sales by hundreds of artists, the event features free films, educational presentations and children’s activities, as well as musical, dance, poetry, theater and other performances.

ARTOMATIC
May 9–June 15
1200 First Street, N.E.,
(Corner of First and M Streets)
Washington, D.C.
(New York Avenue Metro station: Red line)
Free, but donations accepted

HOURS
Wednesday–Thursdays: 5 p.m. to 10 p.m.
Fridays–Saturdays: Noon to 2 a.m.
Sundays: Noon to 10 p.m.
Closed Mondays and Tuesdays

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About the NoMa BID: NoMa is an emerging mixed-use neighborhood north of the U.S. Capitol and Union Station in Washington, D.C. Private developers have invested over $1 billion in 2007–2008 alone, with plans to develop more than 20 million square feet of office, residential, hotel, and retail space in the 35-block area covered by the NoMa BID over the next 10 years. For more information about the BID, including an interactive development map, see the BID Web site at www.nomabid.org.

About Artomatic: Artomatic is a creative community that collaborates to produce and present a free arts spectacular. Participation is open to all, from recognized artists to undiscovered talents, who work in a variety of arts forms. In partnership with the development community, Artomatic transforms unused building space into a playground for expression, serves as a catalyst for community growth in up-and-coming neighborhoods, and helps to grow our creative economy. The nonprofit Artomatic organization is headed by a volunteer Board of Directors and is funded in part by the D.C. Commission on the Arts and Humanities, an agency supported by the National Endowment for the Arts. For more information, visit www.artomatic.org.