The Art Connection in the Capital Region expands community access to art through donated original works of art. We do this by working with artists and art collectors who have art to donate and by matching the artworks to nonprofit community groups who need art for their facilities.
Through these donations and subsequent placements a love of art is nurtured–an art connection is made! By bringing art to more members of our community, we hope to share the beauty, healing, creativity and inspiration that art brings to our lives.
The neighborhood sites eligible for art placements are nonprofit providers that serve community members directly, such as shelters, children's centers, treatment facilities and social services groups which have no funding for art.
The Art Connection in the Capital Region is a nonprofit organization serving the greater metropolitan area of Washington, Baltimore and Northern Virginia. Our activities are carried out largely by volunteers.
The Art Connection in the Capital Region is modeled after an organization established in Boston in 1995 by Fay Chandler, a painter and sculptor working there since the early 1970s. As Fay considered what would happen to her unsold inventory of work, she became convinced that donating the work to public, charitable and educational groups in the community that lacked funds to purchase art would accomplish the best results. Since then, the Boston group has placed more than 3,000 original works of art from over 180 artists and collectors in more than 230 nonprofit organizations throughout the Boston metropolitan area.
"I do feel that my art 'does its right work' when it is in a public space where many people can get nourishment from it. Since as artists we have gifts to give the world—the Art Connection is one good way to spread the wealth."
Marilyn Banner, artist, on the placement of her artwork at Calvary Women's Services in Washington, DC