Staff at Art Enables, a local non-profit that supports artists with developmental and/or mental disabilities, arrived to find a smashed window and the majority of their office equipment stolen this morning. Thieves appear to have entered through a small window in the studio, taking several computers, a camera, an external hard drive and equipment used to connect to the internet, then left through the front door. more ›

Upon seeing the work of the Art Enables’ artists at Artomatic both last year and this year, our curiosity was piqued. The nonprofit art space labels their work “outsider art inside the beltway,” and they insist that they are not a school for disabled artists, but part outsider art studio and part employment program. The 27 artists work full days at the studio one to four times per week—honing their skills, experimenting with new ideas, and enjoying the camaraderie among their fellow artists. more ›

>> Conner Contemporary opens Academy 2007, their annual BFA/MFA art show featuring talented graduates from the region. The curators have been touring student shows since January to find the best from this year's class in a wide variety of media. Find the Next Great Artist this Friday at their opening reception from 6 to 8 p.m. more ›

>> Celebrate the grand opening of the Honfleur Gallery this Saturday at 7 p.m. This very welcome addition to the city's art scene is located near the Anacostia metro and appropriately begins its life with East of the River, a mixed media exhibition that includes both professionals and first-timers who celebrate their history with the area. Especially notable is the work by John Muller from DreamCity, an organization that does some serious community building in D.C. — so much they've earned a nomination for the Mayor's Art Award, which will be handed out next month at the Kennedy Center. Muller presents a photographic storyboard of DreamCity's upcoming play Southside, "a call for non-violence within the communities and neighborhoods of not only Washington, D.C., but throughout the country." While we love art for its own sake, we love D.C. even more and are excited to see a gallery focused so closely on its community and the people living in its own backyard. If you stop by Saturday, let us know what you think of the new place. more ›

Last year, we gave you a gift guide that was local, local, local. We suggested books, art, music and D.C.-specific creations for you to put on your wish list and give to your loved ones for the holiday season. Well, though there are only five days till Christmas this time around, we thought we'd throw it out there again anyway for those of you who, like us, have procrastinated on the gift-giving, but still want to hand out something meaningful. (Do still check out last year's guide; a lot of the suggestions still pertain and are still available.) more ›

It falls to me to fill in for our peerless Arts Editor for the next few weeks. Don't worry: DCist Heather will be back soon! Being the end of December, there is not much for me to mention, since the whole city is being shuttered for Christmas. If I miss something, help me out in the comments section. >> Art Enables moved to a new location in NE and has been open for about a... more ›

Is the heat sapping all your energy? As if the Fringe Festival wasn't enough to get you going (have you bought your tickets yet?), this week we found some events to get you geared up, bustin' a move, and exercising those important wrist muscles flipping open your pocketbook. more ›