State of the Arts Night 2026
You're invited to a choose-your-own-adventure night of arts and culture celebrating EU and U.S. collaboration and exchange! Taking over the first two floors of the Eaton DC, State of the Arts Night 2026 offers an evening of synchronized programming and chance to meet the European and American artists from the inaugural Transatlantic Rising Stars Project in honor of America's 250th, and to experience their history-making works.
These 25 visual, musical, and film-making artists will gather for one night only in Washington, D.C., before traveling home, showcasing what they have created and displayed across the United States.
Experience an immersive installation exploring the stories of 5 award-winning EU film directors, alongside exhibits from Alaska, Minnesota, Wyoming, New Mexico, and North Carolina. Music in a range of genres newly written by EU and Philadelphia artists will be performed in back-to-back sets throughout the evening, and a pop-up gallery will reveal the inaugural art works of the Transatlantic Stars Collection. Guests can also enjoy our European Street Market with live music.
6:00 PM - 10:00 PM
Eaton Hotel
1201 K Street NW, Washington, D.C.
Click here to register!
Exhibiting artist collaborations:
Alison Nolan (Ireland) / Nastassja Swift (Virginia)
Benedetta Cocco (Italy) / Talon Cavender-Wilson (Minnesota)
Jorge Mañes Rubio (Spain) / Hollis Chitto (New Mexico)
Tina Konec (Slovenia) / Carla Klinker (Alaska)
Bim Camilla Eriksson (Sweden) / Polly Burge (Wyoming)
Musical performances by:
Ruth Koleva (Bulgaria), JJ Paulo (Denmark), Citron Sucré (France), Diana Ezerex (Germany), LEFT. (Portugal), collaborating with Philadelphia artists Black Buttafly, Brittany Luna of Catbite, Charlie Hall of The War On Drugs, Khemist Mayfield, and Laurin Talese, with additional performance by Andrei Teodosescu (Romania).
Featured film directors:
Leonardo van Dijl (Belgium), Moonika Siimets (Estonia), Sofia Exarchou (Greece), Mara Tamkovich (Poland), and Guillermo Garcia Lopez (Spain).
Musical Performances
6:45pm: LEFT. (Portugal) + Khemist Mayfield (USA)
7:05pm: Ruth Koleva (Bulgaria) + Charlie Hall of The War on Drugs (USA)
7:20pm: Laurin Talese (USA)
7:25 pm: JJ Paulo (Denmark)
7:30pm: JJ Paulo (Denmark) + Laurin Talese (USA)
7:40pm: JJ Paulo (Denmark) + Laurin Talese + Black Buttafly (USA)
7:50pm: Black Buttafly (USA)
8:00pm Diana Ezerex (Germany) + Brittany Luna of Catbite (USA)
8:30pm Citron Sucré (France) + Diana Ezerex (Germany)
8:40pm Citron Sucré (France) + Brittany Luna of Catbite (USA)
8:45pm Citron Sucré (France) + JJ Paulo (Denmark) + Brittany Luna of Catbite (USA)
8:50pm Citron Sucré (France) + LEFT. (Portugal) + Diana Ezerex (Germany) + Brittany Luna of Catbite (USA)
Art Gallery Lightning Talks
6:30pm – 7:00pm: Tina Konec (Slovenia) / Carla Klinker (Alaska) / Bunnell Center (Alaska)
7:00pm – 7:30pm: Bim Camilla Eriksson (Sweden) / Polly Burge (Wyoming) / Ucross Foundation (Wyoming)
7:30pm – 8:00pm: Benedetta Cocco (Italy) / Talon Cavender-Wilson (Minnesota) / Granite Falls Residency (Minnesota)
8:00pm – 8:30pm: Jorge Mañes Rubio (Spain) / Hollis Chitto (New Mexico) / Santa Fe Art Institute (New Mexico)
8:30 – 9:00pm: Alison Nolan (Ireland) / Nastassja Swift (Virginia) / McColl Center (North Carolina)
EU Market
Music by Andrei Teodosescu, guitarist (Romania)
Vendors: Kirchmayr Chocolatier, YALA Greek Ice Cream, Old Europe Restaurant, Bey-T, Polka Deli, All Mapped Out, Preciosa jewelry, DC Watercolor, Kiki Sandoval Cerámica, Lost Origins Gallery
Panel Discussions
Crystal Ballroom, 1st Floor
Panel 1: 6:15pm – 7:15pm
Common Threads: Crafting Connections Across the Atlantic
What happens when artists separated by an ocean discover shared materials, histories, and questions? Artists from the EU and the U.S. will explore weaving, textiles, beading, quilt-making, and other craft traditions as living forms of cultural exchange. They will reflect on the communities and experiences that shape their work, examining both the differences and common ground between artistic practices on either side of the Atlantic—and how deeper collaboration can strengthen cultural ties for the future.
- Alison Nolan (Ireland)
- Beverly Smith (North Carolina)
- Nastassja Swift (Virginia)
- Asa Jackson (North Carolina)
- Hollis Chitto (New Mexico)
- Jorge Mañes Rubio (Spain)
- Benedetta Cocco (Italy)
- Moderator: Amy Bahr, Hirshhorn Museum
Panel 2: 7:30pm – 8:15pm
Stories That Travel
Award-winning filmmakers from the EU’s 2026 Transatlantic Rising Stars Project discuss how they find the stories they want to tell and what draws them to particular themes and subjects. Reflecting on their recent experience at the Berkshires International Film Festival, they will explore how audiences connect with films across cultures and what makes certain stories resonate beyond borders.
Speakers:
- Guillermo Garcia Lopez, Film Director – Spain
- Mara Tamkovich, Firm Director – Poland
- Leonardo van Dijl, Film Director – Belgium
- Moonika Siimets, Film Director – Estonia
- Sofia Exarchou, Film Director – Greece
- Moderator: Shirin Ghareeb, DC International Film Festival (TBC)
Panel 3: 8:45pm – 9:30pm
Crossing Frames, from Boston to Hollywood
Following a journey across the United States, directors from the EU’s 2026 Transatlantic Rising Stars Project reflect on the people, ideas, and film communities they encountered along the way. They will discuss what surprised them, how filmmaking cultures differ across the Atlantic, and what opportunities exist for deeper collaboration between European and American creators.
Speakers:
- Guillermo Garcia Lopez, Film Director – Spain
- Mara Tamkovich, Firm Director – Poland
- Leonardo van Dijl, Film Director – Belgium
- Moonika Siimets, Film Director – Estonia
- Sofia Exarchou, Film Director – Greece
- Moderator: Seanne Winslow, Writer & Producer
Thank you to our partners!
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