Mayor Bowser Kicks Off 202Creates Month, Marks a Decade of Showcasing DC as the Capital of Creativity

(Washington, DC)-Today, Mayor Muriel Bowser and the DC Office of Cable Television, Film, Music and Entertainment (OCTFME) are kicking off the 10th annual 202Creates Month, the District's annual celebration of the artists, makers, filmmakers, musicians, entrepreneurs, and innovators who power Washington, DC's creative economy.

"People who know DC know that we are an arts city. We want more people to understand that part of our story, and that's part of the reason we launched 202Creates in 2016," said Mayor Bowser. "Over the past decade, it's grown into a tremendous celebration of DC arts and culture-a month-long celebration with something for everyone."

Throughout September, the District will mark the anniversary with programming spanning music, film, television, fashion, food, theater, visual arts, entrepreneurship, and cultural experiences. The milestone also comes during a significant year for DC culture, including the 15th anniversary of Art All Night and the 50th anniversary of Go-Go.

Since its launch in 2016, 202Creates has grown from a month-long celebration into a year-round platform. It supports the people, ideas, businesses, and cultural institutions that make Washington, DC a creative capital.

"202Creates started with a simple but powerful idea: DC's creators deserve to be seen, supported, and connected to opportunity," said OCTFME Director and DC Film Commissioner LaToya Foster. "Ten years later, that commitment extends across an entire creative ecosystem-from filmmakers and musicians to designers, writers, performers, entrepreneurs, venues, and creative businesses. We are celebrating what we have built together while continuing to create pathways for the next generation of DC talent."

Every year, a highlight of 202Creates is Art All Night, the District's largest overnight, two-night arts festival, which drew more than 250,000 attendees last year. Supported by the DC Department of Small and Local Business Development (DSLBD), Art All Night will once again transform neighborhoods across all eight wards into destinations for visual art, live music, dance, film, fashion, installations, and interactive experiences on September 11-12.

"Art All Night has always been about more than one night or one performance; it is about bringing people into our neighborhoods to experience the incredible creativity and local businesses that exist across the District," said DSLBD Director Rosemary Suggs-Evans. "As we celebrate 15 years, we are making it even easier for residents and visitors to connect with the artists, businesses, and neighborhoods that bring Art All Night to life."

Residents and visitors can learn more about Art All Night, explore participating neighborhoods and programming, and download the Art All Night app at DCArtAllNight.org.

202Creates Month 10th Anniversary Events:

Over 12 years, the Bowser Administration has invested in the people, industries, venues, and infrastructure that support DC's creative economy.

More than a decade of creating, by the numbers:

• $15 billion creative economy
• $15.6 million invested in 85 film and television productions through the DC Film, Television, and Entertainment Rebate Fund from FY2016 through FY2025, including Rustin, Captain America: Brave New World, Zero Day, and A House of Dynamite
• $232.3 million in direct, indirect, and induced qualified spending impact generated by rebate-supported productions - more than $14 in economic activity for every rebate dollar invested
• 2,071 DC resident hires and $8.9 million in resident compensation generated by rebate-supported productions
• 1,134 film, television, media, and entertainment permits issued from FY2019 through FY2025
• $6 million invested to support Go-Go since 2021, supporting artists, organizations, events, education, and initiatives that preserve and grow DC's homegrown sound, building on Mayor Bowser's signing of legislation designating Go-Go as the official music of Washington, DC
• The 202Creates Residency Program, which provides workspace, mentorship, networking, professional development, and resources that help artists and creative entrepreneurs advance their work, has served more than 250 creatives

To celebrate this milestone year, OCTFME will host the 2nd Annual 202Creates Con on Monday, September 28 at 11 am. The free event will feature fireside chats, panels, immersive activations, live performances, and networking opportunities designed to connect and elevate DC's creative community.

For more information and to find a full list of events, visit 202CreatesMonth.com.

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