About The Project

“Sitar offers children and young people invaluable opportunities for their future.”

— Sitar Parent, 2021

In 2021, it was time for Sitar Arts Center to design our strategic road map for the next 5 years. We began where we always do and invited our community to join us in envisioning Sitar Arts Center's future impact. We heard loud and clear the call to expand the life-changing opportunities, learning, and belonging that so many find at Sitar. At the same time, the latest data from our city reinforced that there are many more families with limited access to affordable and enriching afterschool and summer programs for their children—especially in Wards 1, 4, and 5.

Sitar now has the extraordinary opportunity to meet this call and to grow in place. Our Building the Next Stage capital campaign enables us to purchase Sitar Next Door. The 6,346-square-foot facility anchors the ground floor of a new Jubilee Housing development that creates deeply affordable housing for families. The expansion is directly adjacent to Sitar’s current home at 1700 Kalorama Road NW and ensures that Sitar will grow sustainably.

Sitar Next Door makes it possible to enroll hundreds more school-aged students in our affordable afterschool and summer arts education programs each year. Outfitted with a recording and sound engineering studio, a S.T.E.A.M. lab, flexible performance space, and new arts learning studios, Sitar Next Door prepares us to respond to the call from students ages 16-24 through alternative workforce training programs and meaningful support on their pathways to careers in the creative industries.

Campaign Goals

Campaign Budget

To reach the Next Stage, Sitar will invest in:

Facilities | $3.6M

  • Purchase and Renovation of Sitar Next Door at 1724 Kalorama

  • Critical Upgrades to our theater, dance studio and classrooms at Sitar Arts Center at 1700 Kalorama Road NW (COMPLETED)

Programs & Resources | $1.9M

  • Programming Expansion Funds

  • Cash Reserves

Other | $200K

  • Campaign Costs

With significant investment from our supporters and City, we have already raised 95% of our goal.

Pie chart of budget breakdown

Naming Opportunities at Sitar Next Door

Additional naming opportunities are available at Sitar Arts Center at 1700 Kalorama Rd NW and for restricted programming funds. For more information on naming opportunities, please contact Essence Newhoff at essence@sitarartscenter.org. 

Naming Opportunities at $1,000,000

The Flex: Flexible Theater and Community Space (RESERVED)

Centerpiece space at Sitar Next Door. Serves as flexible theater for a variety of performances, with portable seating for 85 and modular stage options, as well as a community space for student assemblies, workshops and rehearsals, camp lunch, and community events.

Naming Opportunities at $500,000

  • Cornerstone space at Sitar Next Door. Storefront views into a music room for ensemble instruction in percussion, keyboard, and more, and for advanced band rehearsals. Also includes recording and engineering studio and music storage space.

  • Visual arts studio at Sitar Next Door. Storefront views and learning space for drawing, painting, 3D art, and mixed media.

  • 11-station digital arts accelerator lab at Sitar Next Door, complete with a green screen and focused for students to learn in areas of video production, graphic design, game design, and other S.T.E.A.M. exploration.

Naming Opportunities at $250,000

  • 24-seat A/V equipped conference room that can serve as rental opportunities for local groups, for Sitar Arts Center's Board of Directors meetings, and as flexible space for other leadership and community gatherings.

  • Located within the Advanced Music Studios, a full scale recording engineering studio for student learning and production that also can be rented to local musicians and other professional collaborations.

  • Located within the S.T.E.A.M. Lab, a studio for video production with green screen, lighting, cameras, and other specialized equipment for student learning and workforce development.

  • Gathering space for young adult and teen students at Sitar Next Door. Prominently placed adjacent to the welcome lobby with storefront views.

  • Entryway and gathering space connecting the Student Lounge, Art Walk Gallery, Faculty and Staff Lounge, and Program Offices, designed to welcome the Sitar community from the moment they walk in under the marquee Sitar Arts Center sign.

Naming Opportunities at $100,000

  • Two multi-purpose workshop and instruction areas will increase our year-round offerings.

  • An art walk and exhibition space will display student and professional works.

  • Situated within the Advanced Music Studios, a 260SF storefront band and ensemble room for music instruction and rehearsals.

  • Rear kitchen to support nutritional breakfast, snack, and lunch for Camp Sitar participants, as well as catering for community events and meetings.

  • Situated within The Flex, the full scale sound and light board will be elevated and provide learning and production opportunities.

  • The back-of-house space of The Flex will include backstage dressing and makeup areas, restroom, and storage for performances and events.

Naming Opportunities at $50,000

  • Lounge and small kitchen area for Sitar's teaching artist faculty and staff.

  • Office suite including an open floorplan workspace and private office for Sitar Programs staff.

  • A set of restrooms with choices: female, male, gender-inclusive.