Members of the 22/23 Sparkplug Collective (Credit: Jerry Truong/The DC Arts Center)
The Sparkplug Artists’ Collective is a one-year program that serves as a much-needed resource for artists seeking to establish, reignite, or sustain a professional art career. The collective provides a fertile environment for continued artistic and professional growth by providing mentorship, support, workshops, critiques, juries, art excursions, and coveted art exhibition opportunities in The DC Arts Center’s Main Gallery. In addition, Sparkplug members will grow their professional networks by developing meaningful relationships with local curators, collectors, and established artists while gaining access to a deep roster of Sparkplug alumni. Since its inception in 2007, the Sparkplug Artists’ Collective has served nearly 100 early, mid-career, or established artists in the greater Washington, DC, area.
Sparkplug members meet monthly and engage in studio visits, moderated peer critiques, and various social events. Additional art excursions and workshops help to solidify collaborative relationships and offer the knowledge, skills, and resources that advance career sustainability. The exhibition opportunities provided at The DC Arts Center allow for heightened artistic visibility and additional artistic enrichment.
Each year, through an application and interview process, artists from wide-ranging backgrounds and experiences are invited to join the collective.
