The DC Office of Motion Picture and Television Development is pleased to recognize the Anacostia Arts Center in Southeast Washington as the December 2013 One City Location of the Month. Located at the south end of the 11th Street Bridge between Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue SE and 13th Street SE, the Anacostia Arts Center is a community-based non-profit that brings independent creative projects together under one roof. The 9,300 square foot facility, which includes an art gallery, café, and theater space, has helped to transform the Anacostia community into a budding arts destination.
The Anacostia Arts Center, which opened in June of this year, houses a 1,000 square foot Black Box Theater that seats 60-80 people; rental space for five galleries or boutiques; a short term exhibition gallery called Blank Space SE, Nurish Bar and Café, and an 800 square foot multipurpose lounge area. The center also boasts sleek wooden floors, skylights that reflect natural light over two levels, and a large, sunny lobby with tables and chairs for dining and people-watching on Good Hope Road. All spaces are available at an affordable flat rate and they include 24-hour access, utilities, and free Wi-Fi.
The land, on which the Anacostia Arts Center currently sits, was originally the home of Woolworth, a discounted apparel store, for the majority of the 20th century. The last two decades of the century proved difficult for the Woolworth chain, causing the decline and eventual fall of the once widely popular store. The “W” tiled into the floor at the Art Center’s main entrance serves as a reminder of the Woolworth department store.
In 2011, the DC Film Office launched One City Location of the Month to bring attention to the wide range of varied, cinematically compelling locations that are available to film and television productions. Former One City Location of the Month recipients include the National Museum of Women in the Arts in Northwest, the Anacostia Riverwalk Trail, Barracks Row in Southeast, and the Brookland neighborhood in Northeast.
To learn more about the Anacostia Arts Center and to view photos, please visit the One City Location of the Month feature on our web site. If you are interested in using the Anacostia Arts Center for a future filming location, please contact us at [email protected].