Targeting Tourism Citywide Initiative Promotes Local African American Heritage by Jeff Davis In an effort to attract more visitors to the area, several Washington, D.C., organizations are joining forces to spotlight African American culture and heritage while promoting tourism to the city. ìBlues & Dreams: Celebrating the African-American Experience in Washington, D.C.î includes more than 100 events, offerings and hotel packages that run from Sept. 15 to Nov. 30. Organized by the Washington, D.C., Convention and Tourism Corp. (WCTC) and Cultural Tourism D.C., the effort will be anchored by two art exhibits featuring African American themes. The National Gallery of Artís exhibition of the art of Romare Bearden, along with an African American quilt exhibit at The Textile Museum, lead the way for the fall tourism initiative. Operating under the mission to market Washington as a place for meetings, conventions as well as leisure, the WCTC has worked with museums in the past to promote Washington area tourism, but this fallís programming is the first effort based specifically around African American culture, said Victoria Isley, vice president of marketing and communications at WCTC. ìWe have felt the D.C. area has a wealth of African American heritage and cultural sites,î Isley said. ìWe looked at the exhibits, and theyíre such a great anchor.î Last summer, for instance, the organization worked around the Corcoran Gallery of Artís exhibition highlighting Jacqueline Kennedy Onassisís years in the White House. Together with Cultural Tourism D.C., formerly known as D.C. Heritage Tourism Coalition, the WCTC hopes this series of events will add a new dimension to the Washington tourist market. ìThis is helping launch an ongoing effort to promote African American culture,î Isley noted. The tourism initiative kicks off with ìThe Art of Romare Bearden,î which opens at the National Gallery of Art on Sept. 14 and runs through January of next year. The exhibition features rare works by the 20th-century American artist that center on themes such as religion, jazz, history and literature. Many of Beardenís works also highlight the locales in which he lived, including the rural South, Harlem and the Caribbean island of St. Martin. The National Gallery first contacted the cityís tourism offices about a year ago to discuss incorporating the Bearden exhibit into various tourism initiatives, said National Gallery of Art spokeswoman Deborah Ziska. ìThis exhibit is the cornerstone for the celebration, and it really sets the tone,î she said. ìBearden appeals to a broad spectrum, so it looked like a great time to join with the city.î Because one of the WCTCís goals is bringing more African American tourists to Washington, the partnership between the gallery and the other organizations seemed a natural fit. ìThis is a first,î Ziska said. ìWe havenít really worked with [tourism groups] before, but Iím really excited.î In addition, the Capital Childrenís Museum hosts a hands-on program for children of all ages to experience Beardenís art first hand. ìComposition, Color and Collage: Say It With Shapesî allows visitors to use magnet boards and collage-making activities to create their own Bearden-inspired artwork. The museum has also created an interactive theatrical show that explores Beardenís work through music, theater and art. The other exhibit anchoring the fall tourism initiative, ìAfrican-American Quilts From the Robert and Helen Cargo Collection,î opens at The Textile Museum on Oct. 3 and continues through February. The quilts on displayówhich range from patchwork and story quilts to strip quiltsófeature African American designs from the South, mostly Alabama, that weave together a unique slice of African American history. In connection with the two art exhibits, other Washington organizations are also planning events for the tourism initiative. The Washington Performing Arts Society joins the cultural programming with a performance by acclaimed jazz musician Wynton Marsalis. The famed conductor and trumpeter, who knew Bearden personally, performs with the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra at the Kennedy Center on Sept. 21. The WCTC has also enlisted the help of numerous restaurants and hotels in Washington for the tourism endeavor, working with them to offer special deals and events in keeping with the theme of spotlighting African American heritage. Area restaurants, for example, will be offering various African American food specialties on their menus during the event. Additionally, special ìBlues & Dreamsî packages, starting at $69, can be found at 25 Washington-area hotels this fall. These packages include accommodations, transportation arrangements and a guide to the various cultural programming and events around town. WCTCís Isley said the group hopes that in addition to fueling tourism, the initiative also promotes African American awareness in the community, and she noted that low tourism numbers did not play a role in the organizationís motivations for the fall initiative program. ìWe certainly look at the number of visitors, but right now weíre having a very productive summer,î she said. The number of visitors coming to Washington has rebound since the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, which caused a drastic downturn in tourism. According to WCTC data, domestic tourism in Washington is now back to 2000 levels, although the number of international visitors is still slightly down. With the slow but steady increase in tourism, the WCTC says it is excited to further promote visits to the city through ìBlues & Dreams.î Isley said the office has had calls from individuals and organizations from all over the world wanting to participate in the initiative. As National Gallery spokeswoman Ziska put it, ìSome cities have to build a museum to showcase African American culture, but we have it all right here.î For more information on all of the events related to ìBlues & Dreams: Celebrating the African-American Experience in Washington, D.C.,î please visit www.washington.org or call (202) 789-7000. Jeff Davis is an editorial intern for The Washington Diplomat.