Holidays are officially over and art is officially back in the city.
We will have some big news to announce about BYT’s arts involvement in 2010 next week, but in the meantime….
This weekend has several “can’t miss” events and openings so to ease your planning process, here is a handy digest of things not to miss. Follow the links for more information:

THURSDAY

• Sadly, the “Icarus takes Flight” dance installation performance at Phillips collection (in collaboration with Washington Ballet’s Septime Webre) is sold out for both this and next week but those who secured their spots should be in for a treat

In lieu of that maybe consider:

• DCCAH celebrates their grant progam and presents Art Salon GRATITUDE @ Hamiltonian Gallery (start time: 7pm) which “bring together artists, gallery owners, educators and enthusiasts to build the District’s creative economy through conversation” and will feature unplugged performance by 2010 Grammy nominee and Young Artist grantee, Christylez Bacon as well as works by Regie Cabico, Aysha Upchurch, Tom Goss and Aniekan Udofia.

• and Tracy Chevalier, who loves Vermeer so much she dedicated a book to his painting, is giving a talk tonight at the Voice of America Auditorium.

FRIDAY

• Civilian Art Projects kicks off their 2010 with a great show: George Jenne’s “Don’t look now” is a mixed media installation drawing on cinematic references (including the seminal Nicholas Roeg movie starring Julie Christie and Donald Sutherland reeling from their child’s death, that it is named after) and childhood nostalgia. Opening reception starts at 7pm.

• At almost the same time Adam DeBoer (keep your eyes peeled for our interview with him tomorrow) has the opening of his show “Memory Meets Imagination Halfway” @ The DCAC which takes notes from the works of Francisco Goya, Balthus and Eric Fischl and sets narrative paintings dealing with emerging sexuality, manners and culture rituals in the sunny locales of Spain and California. If it sounds beautiful and interesting, that is because it is.

• Also – The 2010 HOME Showcase at Hillyer is tonight.
• And Albus Cavus hosts their Classroom fundraiser at The Fridge

SATURDAY

Brings out the big guns

• Transformer offers up probably the most endearing “show” this month: “Snow Globe” a unique creative collaboration between DC-based artists Jessica Cebra, Zach Storm, and The Washington Ballet. Make sure you stop in for the live ballet performance at 6pm preceeding opening reception at 7.

• Industry Gallery, the only DC gallery dealing with 21st century design opens it’s doors today with “Round the corner”. Read our full preview here.
• Same time, only downstairs, Conner contemporary uses their great space for 3 different openings: “Anyone Other Than Me”  by Jeffrey Kost who used his polaroid camera to infiltrate the nightlife world of club kids, drag queens, transsexuals, street urchins etc, offering a compelling look into a culture that STILL fascinates; then “Sounds a Grown Man Should’t Make” a sound installation by Matthew Sutton which is exactly what it sounds lie; and “Living Fossil” in which Taylor Baldwin builds sculptures that explore personal, economic, and environmental relationships between people and objects.

LET ME KNOW IF WE MISSED ANYTHING. AND GOOD LUCK.