Meet Philippa Hughes.
Philippa is a well-known art collector and art connector in DC who is famously known for creating the Pink Line Project, a consolidated and searchable calendar of all things cool and creative in DC. FamousDC was lucky enough to chat with Philippa about the DC art scene and what makes our city just as fun as any other. Here is what she had to say about the past and present.
Written by FamousDC contributor Brittany Horowitz.
1. How did the Pink Line Project get started?
I came to DC as a lawyer, but I really liked art all of my life, so I was looking around for art related activities to do, and there was all of the obvious stuff, but I was interested in emerging art and underground art. It was hard to find even for someone really interested. I started to blog for fun, and I started to write about art stuff. I would post about cool things to do on the weekend, and people started to follow. I realized readership began to grow, and there were activities not being listed in media outlets. I later hosted an event, and hundreds of people came, and I realized people must really want this. It kept growing, and I realized I could make a business around art and all of the stuff I loved already. So that’s what I did.
2. How have you seen the DC art scene change since your start in the industry?
It has been five years since my first blog post in April 2007, and things have changed dramatically. We have art fairs that attract galleries from all over the world and a lot of blogs and websites devoted to art and music.
3. Where do you see the DC art scene going in the next five years?
There is a real energy that is growing. It still has a ways to go though. DC has its own character in the art scene. It’s not going to be LA or NY because DC is small, and there are less people. We have a little city, and we have our own little character that is defined by government and politics. That is part of our identity, and we should be proud of that. I want to make a connection with the world I inhabit and the classic DC. I want to make that connection so they are not separate.
4. What do you say to people who complain about the lack of options available in the DC art scene?
There was a recent article I read about DC and people were complaining about always going to parties where there were only discussions on taxes and policy – well go to different parties. People are lazy. If you spent two minutes on the blog you’d find tons of things to do. The only thing holding people back are themselves. I love trying new things all of the time. I can’t say I have a favorite museum or attraction. I don’t want to fall into a rut. I purposely try to do different things all of the time to stimulate the brain and discover new things.
5. How can patrons get involved and support the arts?
Volunteer! Events are typically inexpensive, and they really require volunteering. Attending a $10 event is a huge support. Just show up. There are tons of local artists and musicians who sell their work, so buying their work is important and it’s a way to support artists.