Kate Goodall and Virginia Shore: A look back at a DC arts festival designed to promote empathy

In these divisive times, is civil conversation between people on different sides of an issue possible? Can the arts bridge the cultural divide and help provide common ground?

Reflecting on the inaugural By The People Festival held last month in DC, we’re convinced the answer is yes.

For five days in June, tens of thousands of festival-goers from diverse backgrounds, countries, states and ages took in art installations, performances, dialogues and an augmented reality exhibit powered by ARTECHOUSE. With mostly free events in every quadrant of the District, the event was established to be DC’s very own destination festival. Unlike events such as Austin’s South by Southwest, Aspen’s Ideas Festival or Miami’s Art Basel — all with admission fees that prohibit many from participating — By The People was intentionally open to all.

The result was a five-day arts takeover of Washington that inspired, informed, transformed and delighted — frequently in unexpected ways.

One festival-goer approached artist Chloe Bensahel at the Washington National Cathedral after viewing her moving textile work “Je Tisse Mon Histoire” — which she describes as “a symbol of violence inflicted on others in the name of religion.” The visitor said he had spent the entire day talking about art, which he said was out of the ordinary given that he works at a tech startup.

Nekiska Durrett — one of the featured artists at The Parks at Walter Reed (the former Army medical center) — said her goal was to “honor Walter Reed’s sacred space,” which she did by creatively incorporating text into its landscape. Her favorite festival moment? When visitors — including a toddler in a purple polka-dot dress that matched Durrett’s artwork — were not afraid to come right up to the art and engage with it.  “When you put art where people are, they feel ownership over it and feel free to interpret it in ways that are comfortable to their life experiences,” she said.

At the historic Smithsonian Arts and Industries Building, strangers were invited by staff members to find “common ground” around the festival themes of life, liberty and happiness. Unscripted conversations took place against the backdrop of Rachel Schmidt’s interactive installation “Monument to Picnics.” Judith White, 70, and Donna Lee, 31, were among hundreds of participants. They discovered many things in common: Both had lived in Cleveland, had been to Hawaii, had a work association with business ethics and government regulation, and love dogs. “I was initially taken aback that Judith and I share significant aspects of our lives since we are complete strangers who were brought together randomly,” said Lee. “But after some reflection, I realized it’s not that uncommon to have common ground. Though commonalities may not be easily recognizable, there will inevitably be something we share that connects us together if we’re given the opportunity and open to the possibility.”

At Union Market, where Rebecca Clark’s oversized images of animals provided a backdrop for diners, a young visitor approached the artist. “I’ve never seen any of these animals before,” the child confessed.

“Without knowing it, that child spoke volumes about our separation from the natural world,” said Clark. “I identified all the animals for her — deer, bear, wolf, sloth, bee — adding that I’m sure she’s seen a bee before, though maybe not so large! She promised she’d look more closely at bees from now on.”

The Building Bridges Across the River staff valued the festival’s commitment to displaying the art of people of color in underrepresented communities. For instance, at THEARC in Ward 8, work by two local artists — Nathaniel Brodie, 17, and Kerell Partee, 21 — was displayed alongside that of visual art superstar Nick Cave. “This kind of pairing is unprecedented here,” said Kimberly Douglas, director of theater operations, “and will undoubtedly inspire these young artists to do something great — not only where they live but on the national stage.”

From Maya Freelon’s colorful tissue paper work at the Smithsonian to Imran Qureshi’s painted walkway at the National Cathedral to Jefferson Pinder’s dramatic “Sonic Boom” second-line procession at Walter Reed, the art installations offered up many Instagram-worthy moments. When a mother posted a photo of her daughter in front of Avish Khebrehzadeh’s “Childhood Toy (Tank),” “the picture made me think deeply about how art can go beyond displays in white cubicle spaces and connect the community together,” Khebrehzadeh said.

One of the most moving moments of the festival was between By The People Dialogue participants Yousef Bashir, a Palestinian peace activist and author, and Yossi Klein Halevi, an American-born Israeli and author. Reflecting on the festival, Bashir said, “If we can’t have a civil conversation, how can we make peace?” As a result of their conversation, Halevi offered to provide a blurb for Bashir’s upcoming book, and the two agreed to promote each other’s books and to work together on peace-building efforts.

“Many things unite us as a community — our shared national experiences, our special mix of diverse cultural expressions, and our delight in simple pleasures and pastimes. Just as many things threaten to divide us,” said Septime Webre, By The People’s artistic director of performing arts and the Hong Kong Ballet’s artistic director. “By gathering as a community to talk, listen and experience exciting new things together, we will understand and appreciate each other more deeply — sparking new thoughts, emotions and questions about the world we share.”

Art and civil dialogue provide people with a prism through which to interpret and make sense of the world. Art provides a safe space to think about and talk about tough issues, like race and the environment. By The People showed us that people are hungry for these opportunities and that DC is ready to embrace a festival uniquely its own.

Kate Goodall is co-founder and CEO of Halcyon, a DC-based incubator of socially engaged artists and social entrepreneurs and producer of the By The People Festival. Virginia Shore is an independent art adviser and the curator/artistic director of visual arts of By The People.