Professional Development Workshops – Transformer coordinates and hosts a series of annual leadership workshops for the DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities' Young Artist Grant Awardees.

Flat File - Launched in spring 2007, Transformer's Flat File consists of works in a variety of two-dimensional mediums including photography, painting, drawing and printmaking approximately 16" x 20" in size and smaller. Currently featuring works by regionally, nationally and internationally based emerging artists, the program is open to both artists that have exhibited with Transformer in the past and those who are new to Transformer.

Works are available for viewing and purchase at Transformer's gallery space on an on-going basis, and may be included in art fairs and traveling exhibitions.

Artists interested in submitting work to the Flat File program should submit:

1. an artist statement
2. a resume or short bio
3. 5-10 images (JPEGs or slides) of works proposed for inclusion
4. self-addressed stamped envelope if return of materials is requested

For further information about purchasing work from Transformer's Flat File, or questions about submitting work samples for consideration of inclusion, please contact us at info@transformergallery.org.

The FRAMEWORK Panel Series - Launched in December 2002 this program seeks to develop critical arts dialogue while simultaneously growing the Washington arts audience. Working to build a stronger arts infrastructure in DC, Transformer has partnered with The Corcoran College of Art, The Goethe Institut, and The Warehouse Theater in presenting Framework panels. Topics have included: The Importance of the Curator, Financial Stabilization and Economic Opportunities, The Role of Community Organizations in Supporting Emerging Artists, and Artist as Activist. Guest speakers have included: Sasa Glavan, Center for Contemporary Art (Lljubljana, Slov.); Jose Dominguez, DC Commission on the Arts & Humanities; Celia O’Donnell, Creative Capital (NY, NY); Kathy Freshley, The Eugene & Agnes E. Meyer Foundation (DC); and Helen Frederick, Pyramid Atlantic (Silver Spring, MD), Kathleen Gilrain, from SmackMellon in New York, among others.

Temporal Projects

• Bartering in the Land of Abundance - From August 26-28, 2008, The Floating Lab Collective set up a series of objects within Transformer’s project space, encouraging visitors to take an object in exchange for an object they leave behind. To document and archive the exchanges, a Floating Lab Collective artist on site made quick drawings of each item and recorded its known history. Floating Lab Collective said: “The purpose of bartering in this instance is to subvert both its semantic value and the traditional context of the art object as mercantile in nature. This project places the object in a social interstice, basically removed from the law of profit by emphasizing the sociability of the object in the context of bartering.” Read what The Washington Post had to say about the project.
• From August 8-26, 2008, John James Anderson's video work Moment of Zen: Meeting Buddha in the Road was featured in Transformer's storefront window. "In the video the protagonist focuses on his concept of nothingness – television static – and believes himself enlightened" says Anderson, " -- before realizing that the television and his concept is nothing more than a false Buddha." For more information about John James Anderson and to purchase DVDs of Moment of Zen: Meeting Buddha in the Road, please contact the artist directly at: johnjamesanderson@gmail.com
• On Saturday, August 11 2007, Transformer presented a one-night-only performance by Sharon Cheslow and James Schneider. Cheslow and Schneider (aka Matterlink), who both emerged from DC's 1980's punk scene, fused their improvised sound and image work to create a "sonic image" performance. Appropriately, as they foud themselves in their native town at the same time, they confronted themes of "home" and "homeland."

Public Art Projects

• From September 7, 2007 to September 29, Transformer presented the chance video dances series of public art-projections, directed by Jane Jerardi, performed by Brian Buck, Jane Jerardi and Ginger Wagg and with videography by Fernando Ortega and Michael Wichita. Click here for the full press release in PDF format, and visit chancedance.org for more information. Also check out the Washington Post Express write-up.
  
  
  
• The Grate Project

  Seeking to create large scale paintings that will exist in the public realm, from September 15 through September 30, 2007 Kelly Towles created murals that completely covered the roll-down security grates at One World Fitness, outside the artist studios at 926 N Street in Blagden Alley, and at the Black Cat nightclub. Re-vitalizing these grates into dynamic contemporary artworks, The Grate Project is intended to further dialogue about the nature of street art and public art work, while enhancing DC's street-scapes.

  For a press release featuring further information on The Grate Project, as well as artist bio information, please click here.

  Read what Washington City Paper had to say about The Grate Project by clicking here.

  The Grate Project was made possible through the support of the Creative Communities Fund - The Community Foundation of the National Capital Region, Transformer, One World Fitness, The Black Cat, and Furioso Development Corporation. Special thanks to Giorgio Furioso, Dante Ferrando, and Karim Steward for making The Grate Project possible.