MAYOR MURIEL BOWSER AND OCTFME TO HOST THE 40TH ANNUAL MAYOR'S ARTS AWARDS

IMMEDIATE RELEASE

September 22, 2025

CONTACT: Michelle Bailey, [email protected],

(202) 491-4872; Raymone Bain, (202) 386-3042, [email protected]

LATOYA FOSTER

Director

Office of Cable Television, Film, Music and Entertainment (OCTFME)

Invites You To Attend

"Mayor Muriel Bowser Presents the 40th Annual Mayor's Arts Awards…

A Night of Elegance and Inspiration"

Thursday, September 25, 2025

The National Theatre

In Celebration of the 40th Anniversary of the Mayor's Arts Awards,

this year's theme is "A Night of Elegance," and is a Black-Tie/Formal event.

The Mayor's Arts Awards was created to celebrate the vibrancy of Arts, Culture, and Entertainment in the Nation's Capital, and to pay tribute to DC Residents who have helped shape DC as the "Capitol of Creativity."

Washington, DC……LaToya Foster, Director, Office of Cable Television, Film, Music and Entertainment (OCTFME), invites you to attend "Mayor Muriel Bowser Presents the 40th Annual Mayor's Arts Awards…A Night of Elegance and Inspiration," on Thursday, September 25, 2025, at The Historic National Theatre, 1321 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20004. 

Doors open at 6:00PM.

In celebration of the 40th Anniversary of the Mayor's Arts Awards, this year's theme is "A Night of Elegance and Inspiration," and is Black-Tie/Formal.

Tommy McFly, Award-winning, WRC NBC News 4 Broadcaster, is Host. Tommy is an alum of OCTFME's 202Creates Residency Program.

 The Mayor's Arts Awards is the culmination of 202Creates Month, celebrated throughout the month of September to recognize DC's Creative Community which includes: Culinary, Cosmetology, Sports, Entertainment, the Arts, Artists, Actors, Writers, Poets, Musicians, Chefs, Filmmakers, Fashion, Performing Arts, Tech Entrepreneurs, Visual Artists, Production Support Companies, and Entrepreneurs who contribute to the District's Creative Economy.

DC has seen its vibrant Creative Community grow significantly from a $2B a year industry, to a $15+B a year industry due to Mayor Bowser's innovative initiatives, programs, financial and developmental support, and sustainability and wellness directives.

DC residents nominate, vote, and select the winners in 13 categories across all Eight Wards, via on-line voting, which allows Washingtonians to vote for their most inspiring creatives. Public voting began on September 17, 2025, and ends on Monday, September 22, 2025, at 5:00PM.  Residents can still vote by going to: https://www.dcmayorsawards.com.

  Blues Alley, "the nation's oldest continuing Jazz Supper Club," is receiving the Mayor's Lifetime of Achievement Award.

  The categories for this year's Awards are:

-Mayor's Arts Award for Excellence in Arts Education

-Mayor's Arts Award for Excellence as a Community Arts Philanthropist

-Mayor's Arts Awards for Excellence in the Creative Industries 

-Mayor's Arts Awards in Fashion and Beauty Industries

-Mayor's Arts Award for Excellence in GO-GO Music

-Mayor's Arts Award for Excellence in Humanities

-Mayor's Arts Award for Excellence in Media Arts

-Mayor's Arts Award for Excellence in the Nightlife Economy

-Mayor's Arts Award for Excellence in Performing Arts

-Mayor's Arts Award for Excellence in Visual Arts

-Mayor's Arts Award for Emerging Creative Award

-Mayor's Arts Award for Excellence in Youth Creativity

-Mayor's Arts Award Larry Neal Writer's Award

Says LaToya Foster, OCTFME Director, and DC Film Commissioner, "From Mayor Barry's vision to Mayor Bowser's leadership, the Mayor's Arts Awards has always reflected the voice  of our residents by honoring the incredible artists and organizations who make DC the Creative Capital."  

WHAT:

"Mayor Muriel Bowser Presents the 40th Annual Mayor's Arts Awards…A Night of Elegance and Inspiration"

WHO:

-DC Mayor Muriel E. Bowser

-LaToya Foster, Director, OCTFME

-Tommy McFly, Host, Award-winning, WRC NBC-4 Broadcaster

-Donnie Simpson, Award-Winning, Radio Hall of Fame Broadcaster

-Eric Roberson, Grammy-Award Nominated Recording Artist

-Symone Harcum, Award-Winning Opera  

-The Washington School of Ballet, National, Award-winning professional Ballet Company

-Crush Funk Brass Band, Brass Band

-Black Alley, Genre infused band

-Sandy Choi, Violinist  

-Susanna Mendlow, Cellist  

-Kyle on the Mic, Red Carpet Host

-Justin Stewart, Red Carpet Host

-Chris Styles, DJ

-Adimu Colon, Announcer

MAA TALENT BIOS:

Click HERE

ATTIRE:

Black-Tie/Formal

WHEN AND TIME:

Thursday, September 25, 2025

5:00 PM Media Check-In

6:00 PM RED CARPET

7:00 PM AWARDS

WHERE:

The National Theatre

1321 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW

Washington, DC 20004

MEDIA INSTRUCTIONS:

Please RSVP by COB on Wednesday, September 24, 2025, to: 

Michelle Bailey, [email protected], (202) 491-4872; 

or Raymone Bain, [email protected], , (202) 386-3042

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