DemFest Arts
Context
Democracy is not just expressed in government, it is in the arts too. Artists speak to people, periods, materials and issues relevant to democracy through their art, from historical events and leaders, to famous government symbols (e.g., Congress, the American flag, Uncle Sam, etc.), to topics and trends like political polarization, disinformation, and civic (dis-)engagement. Thus, a festival devoted to democracy should feature democracy-related art too!
Learning Life invites performing artists to submit their democracy-related art for performance at the first Democracy Festival in the DC region. DemFest will be held on Saturday, October 26, at 1:00-6:00pm at Friendship Collegiate Academy, 4095 Minnesota Ave NE in DC, across the street from the Minnesota Avenue Metro Train Station on the Orange Line. Please mark your calendar now!
Criteria for Performing Arts Submissions
All professional and amateur performing artists in the Washington, DC region can submit democracy-related art for presentation at DemFest. “Democracy-related art” is defined broadly here to include art about past or present, local to global government or people’s action concerning issues of public concern (civil rights and/or responsibilities, elections, use or abuse of power, violence, citizen engagement, poverty, discrimination, climate change, etc.).
Click here for the criteria / rubrics judges will use to score the art performances in order to determine award winners. More about the awards below.
Performing artists can submit one or two applications, each application for one democracy-related performance. Performances can be of diverse kinds: theater, dance, opera, music, poetry, miming, puppetry, circus, comedy, etc. Artists can perform alone or with one or more fellow performers. Performances can be up to one hour long, but preference will be given to those 3 to 15 minutes long to allow for more performances.
Learning Life especially encourages artists to submit theatrical performances, much preferably in costume, of little-to-well-known, past or present, U.S. or foreign democracy leaders’ speeches, debates, other critical moments in history, or excerpts thereof. Actors should, ideally, have their lines memorized, but performances read compellingly from a script are admissible.
Performance & Youth Awards
Art submissions must follow the above guidelines to be eligible for performance at DemFest. Approved artists are responsible for bringing their own costumes, music, props and other materials necessary for their performance.
Approved democracy-related performing arts will take place in the theater at Friendship Collegiate Academy at one of three possible one-hour blocks between 1 and 5pm on October 26. DemFest organizers will announce your performance time in advance, but in the meantime, please reserve 1:00-5:00pm on October 26, or in students’ cases, 1-6pm, including the culminating party at 5:00-6:00pm, where best youth performance certificates and cash awards will be announced and handed out (more below on the awards).
For performing artists ages 25 and under: If Learning Life approves at least six youth art submissions for performance at DemFest, there will be certificates and cash prizes of $100, $200 and $300 for third, second and first place youth finishers. The youth awards will be announced and handed out at DemFest’s culminating party between 5 and 6pm on October 26.
Submission & Acceptance Process
When you are ready, submit your democracy-related performing art work here.
Submissions are accepted until 11:59pm Sunday, October 6. Applicants will receive application decisions via email on a rolling basis until all available performance times are filled.
All students accepted for DemFest performance must pay their own DemFest entry ticket either in advance ($3 for youth 17 and under, $5 for adults 18 and over), or at the door ($5 for youth, $7 for adults). Friendship Public Charter School students are exempted / get free entry. All proceeds support DemFest and the larger DMV Democracy Learning Community.