House Expansion

By Janet Rems

Montreal’s L’Arsenal à Musique will perform at this year’s Open House Arts Festival. Courtesy of Kennedy Center

When the Kennedy Center’s Open House Arts Festival started 25 years ago, its prime function was to expand the arts center’s accessibility. That hasn’t changed.

The year’s theme is “Stage and Street Spectacular.” Moving more performances outdoors, Garth Ross, director of the Center’s Performing Arts for Everyone program, says, “there will be a great deal more street festival atmosphere—more informal, immediate interaction.”

Also new will be the blending of the center’s Book Festival, in its 14th year, into Open House offerings.

Since launching, the multidisciplinary Open House has taken on the role of kicking off the Center’s performance season. “We’re trying to strike a balance between presentation and participation,” Ross says of the 20-plus acts in the free festival.

Set for Saturday, Sept. 12, the all-day Open House will offer performances in venues throughout the center.

For details, visit www.kennedy-center.org.

(September 2009)