Press Releases
April in Bethesda – Public Invited to Attend Film Fest, Art Exhibits and Local Writer’s Showcase
For Immediate Release: Thursday, April 4, 2019
A variety of art presentations are available this month in the Bethesda Arts and Entertainment District. Options include the Bethesda Film Fest; opening receptions and painting exhibits at four art galleries; and, the Local Writer’s Showcase of literature arts.
The Bethesda Film Fest will feature five powerful documentary short films. Screenings will be held at 7 p.m. on Friday, April 5, and at 6 p.m. and 8 p.m. on Saturday, April 6, at Imagination Stage, 4908 Auburn Ave., Bethesda. Tickets are available at www.bethesda.org/bethesda/bethesda-film-fest for $10. Remaining tickets will be sold at the door. Films selected for the Bethesda Film Fest include:
- Bravery with Grace – Nthanze Kariuki, Gaithersburg, MD
- Breaking Free – Michael Grundmann, Harrisonburg, VA
- The Rage of Evil – Carolyn McCulley and David Ehrenberg, Falls Church, VA
- Through Chinatown’s Eyes: April 1968 – Penny Lee and Lisa Mao, Silver Spring, MD
- Zsudayka’s Journey – Lawrence Ray Green, Washington, D.C.
The public also is Invited to opening receptions for art exhibits to be held throughout downtown Bethesda on the evening of Friday, April 12. Gallery B will host a public reception from 6 – 8 p.m. for concurrent solo exhibitions by Katherine Tzu-Lan Mann “Echoing Green” and Astrid Kohler “Conflux.” Gallery B is located at 7700 Wisconsin Avenue, Suite E, Bethesda. Receptions for other art exhibits will be held on the evening of April 12 at Studio B, 7475 Wisconsin Avenue, 6 – 8 p.m.; Triangle Art Studios, 7711 Old Georgetown Road, 6 – 8 p.m., and Waverly Street Gallery, 4600 East West Highway, 6 – 9 p.m.
Bethesda’s 2019 Local Writer’s Showcase offers a free opportunity for members of the public to attend an award ceremony and hear local poets and writers read an excerpt of their work. Over 700 pieces were submitted to this year’s Poetry, Essay and Short Story Contests. A total of $4,400 in prize money will be awarded to the 31 Showcase winners from Washington, D.C., Maryland and Virginia.
- The Poetry Contest Awards Ceremony will take place on Thursday, April 25 at 7 p.m. at Gallery B, 7700 Wisconsin Avenue, Suite E, Bethesda. Award-winning poet Michael S. Glaser, who served as Poet Laureate of Maryland from 2004 – 2009, will be among those reading their work.
- The Annual Bethesda Essay and Short Story Contest Awards Ceremony will take place on Friday, April 26 at 7 p.m. at the Hyatt Regency Bethesda, 7400 Wisconsin Avenue, Bethesda.
Bethesda Arts and Entertainment District: From award-winning theatre to independent films, downtown Bethesda’s Arts & Entertainment District is filled with inspiring artists and art venues. It is managed by the Bethesda Urban Partnership, Inc. and is the producer of The Trawick Prize: Bethesda Contemporary Art Awards, Bethesda Painting Awards, Bethesda Fine Arts Festival, Bethesda Artist Market, Bethesda Art Walk, Dance Bethesda and Play In A Day. The Bethesda Arts & Entertainment District is one of three such districts in Montgomery County, as designated by the Maryland State Arts Council.
Bethesda Urban Partnership: Established by Montgomery County in 1994, Bethesda Urban Partnership, Inc. (BUP) is a downtown management organization that maintains and markets downtown Bethesda. The organization was developed to promote downtown Bethesda as a desirable place to live, work and visit as well as foster a community that features restaurants, retailers, arts venues and more.
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Media Contact: Lorraine Driscoll 240-777-6533, Stephanie Coppula 301/215-6660