AIR@2700

Receiving one of the top-tier awards from the National Endowment for the Arts American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) grant, Arlington Arts proudly announces the selection of four regional artists to receive $20,000 awards from the inaugural AIR@2700 grant.

The work of these artists-in-residence (AIR) will help activate a new flexible outdoor arts space at 2700 South Nelson Street (“2700 Arts Space”), adjacent to the Arlington Cultural Affairs building located at 3700 South Four Mile Run Drive, with work that is representative of the rich diversity of Arlington County.

The winning artists-in-residence are: Jazz musician Amy K. Bormet; visual artist MasPaz (Federico Frum); visual artist Adam Henry; and vocalist Munit Mesfin (Sefanit Mesfin-Champagne).

Artists in Residence

Suite for Sweethearts by Amy K. Bormet

At the height of the Swing Era, a racially integrated women’s big band called the International Sweethearts of Rhythm attracted the finest women jazz instrumentalists and toured nationally in the 1930s and 40s. From 1942 through 1949, the band’s home base was right here in Arlington at 908 South Quinn St (no longer extant). Inspired by the Sweethearts, Ms. Bormet will compose and perform a suite of new music for her large ensemble, Bitter Sweethearts. In addition to the composition and performance, the rehearsals of “Suite for Sweethearts” will be open to the public in the Theatre on the Run. The project will include a zine of ephemera from the Washington Women in Jazz Archives and the International Sweethearts of Rhythm collection at the Smithsonian American History Museum.

^{Image (left): Four members of International Sweethearts of Rhythm, one of whom is Rosalind "Roz" Cron. Black and white photoprint. Image from the International Sweethearts of Rhythm Collection, Archives Center, National Museum of American History.}

The world premiere of Suite for Sweethearts by Amy K. Bormet takes place on Friday, October 3, 2025 at 7:00 and 9:00pm. Bormet also invites the public to two free Open Rehearsals (Free) on Thursday and Friday, October 1 and 2 (8:00 – 10:00 pm), as well as an improvisation workshop for all experience levels (Age 14+) on Sunday, October 5 at 2:00pm. These presentations are a part of a weekend showcase at Theatre on the Run, alongside programming by fellow Artist in Residence Munit Mesfin.

About the Artist

As a performer, composer, and director, Amy tours the US, Europe, South America, and Asia. Amy was an artist-in-residence for Betty Carter Jazz Ahead, and a Mary Lou Williams Emerging Artist at the John F. Kennedy Center. As an advocate for women musicians, Amy created, directs, and finances the Washington Women in Jazz Festival. Her 17-piece jazz orchestra, Celestial Spang-A-Lang, co-led with Baritone Saxophonist Dr. Leigh Pilzer, premiered at the Atlas Performing Arts Center for the Washington Women in Jazz Festival in March 2023. Amy is the chair of the alumni board at University of Michigan School of Music, Theater, and Dance where she studied with Geri Allen, and a proud graduate of DC’s Duke Ellington School of the Arts and Howard University.

View the artist's website.

Mural by MasPaz

A colorful and inspirational mural inspired by the themes of Historic, Global and Sustainable Arlington will be rendered on half of a sweeping, block-long expanse of blank wall on the side of 2700 South Nelson Street. The other portion of the wall will be reserved for screenings of film and video art projects. It is the artist’s intention to honor early indigenous ancestors that once walked this region, along with the vibrant immigrant communities that now inhabit Arlington, while also honoring ancient indigenous practices and present-day practices that we can be used sustain and protect our environment. A community workshop/forum will take place to inspire the final design. The project may also incorporate coordinating work on the back facade of 3700 South Four Mile Run Drive.

^{Image (left): A mural by MasPaz that represents grounding oneself and returning to the earth. Written in Spanish is "Camine Descalzo" - meaning walk barefoot. The themes of this mural are some of the same themes that MazPaz plans to touch on with the AIR@2700 mural.}

About the Artist

Federico Frum aka MasPaz is a Colombian born multidisciplinary artist, who grew up and still lives in the South Arlington neighborhood of Arlington
Ridge. He is known for his distinctive street murals that explore topics of earth preservation and indigenous peoples.

His work has been exhibited in galleries throughout the US and Latin America and his larger murals can be found in streets and spaces internationally. Mas Paz means ‘more peace’ in Spanish, a message he strives to embrace through art and philanthropy.

He has created murals for National Geographic, a stamp for the US Postal Service, led free art classes online during the pandemic and has painted around the world, in places like Pakistan, South Africa, and Brasil. MasPaz recently was invited to his hometown of Bogota, Colombia to paint a mural for Words, Beats and Life, a local nonprofit.

View the artist's website.

Temporary Sculpture by Adam Henry

Noticing that pets, and especially dogs, are a very visible and important part of our Arlington community, artist Adam Henry has conceived a project perfectly suited to a site located beside one of Arlington’s most popular dog parks. The larger than life, 10-foot tall, wooden, golden retriever – the most owned pet in Arlington County – will have a dog-collar with a QR-code inviting participants to upload selfies and stories about their own pet. The work is intended to symbolize the history and growth of the pet population in Arlington. Pets can bring us comfort, give us a reason to go on walks around our neighborhoods, and help us to get to know our neighbors. He believes Arlington County has recognized the value pets bring into our lives and community in many ways, including the many dog parks around the county.

About the Artist

Adam Henry is a portrait artist, muralist, sculptor, and fabricator who views art as an accessible form of communication and way to connect with others. Originally from Brooklyn, NY, Adam attended the Pratt Institute of Art and has continued his art practice over the last 25 years. His appreciation of all art forms has enabled him to develop a varied practice ranging from theater staging to album covers to portraits. Henry lives and works in Arlington, VA.

View the artist's website.

Roberta Flack Tribute by Munit Mesfin

Legendary, 5-time Grammy-award winning musician Roberta Flack is known the world over. But it is not widely known that the icon, who passed away on February 24, 2025, lived in Arlington’s historically African American Green Valley neighborhood as a child. She grew up playing organ at Macedonia Baptist Church and Lomax African Methodist Episcopal Zion, and attending the Hoffman-Boston High School, where she was voted “Most Musical”! This project will celebrate Roberta Flack’s place in Arlington’s history using her music, her social justice activism, and her children’s book for a multi-generational, multi-disciplinary, and multi-locational community engagement culminating in performances at the new outdoor space located at 2700 South Nelson Street. People of all ages will participate in workshops that cover songwriting, poetry, movement and musical performance.

Vocalist Munit Mesfin and the First Take Band offer Killing Me Softly: A Love Letter to Roberta Flack on Saturday, October 4, 2025 at 7:00 and 9:00pm at Theatre on the Run. Bringing Flack’s children’s book, The Green Piano to life via an interactive performance, Munit and z Lovebugs Celebrate Roberta, Music and You! occurs on Sunday, October 5 at 11:00am. These presentations are a part of a weekend showcase at Theatre on the Run, alongside programming by fellow Artist in Residence Amy K. Bormet.

On April 23, 2025 Munit Mesfin performed at Charles Drew Elementary as part of her Artist in Residence Tribute to Roberta Flack.

Green Piano: Every Story has a Song!

June 2-6, 2025, for families with young children
Presented in partnership with Arlington Public Library

Every Story has a Song! is for children and an accompanying adult featuring special guest, Munit Mesfin. Munit will explore Roberta Flack’s children’s book, The Green Piano, which tells the story of Roberta's love for music, desire to learn the piano, and the first piano that her father found, fixed, painted and gave her.

We will travel through the story of this Arlingtonian musical legend who was raised near the libraries we visit, musically animating the story, adding actions, and creating short phrase songs that will help us remember the story. We will use instruments to help bring the story to life and to create a song or chant at the end of that revolves around the key concepts in the book.

No registration: First-come, first-served seating.

View all Green Piano: Every Story has a Song! event pages.

About the Artist

Munit Mesfin is an Ethiopian American singer, songwriter, teaching artist, and producer. She is a pioneer of the Ethio-Soul movement, bringing elements of jazz improvisation, reggae grooves, and songs of resistance, with soulful, sultry melodies in her Ethiopian flavored style. Her influences hail from around the world - from Girma Beyene to Miriam Makeba, Roberta Flack to Zap Mama, Bob Marley to Chaka Khan!

Munit was born in Ethiopia and raised in India, Namibia, South Africa, and the US, an experience that made her quite the global citizen and a woman who strongly believes in human rights, peace, and freedom for all! She sings and writes about social issues, Pan-Africanism, self-knowledge, liberation, and introspection as a way of life. Her live shows are filled with joyful storytelling and positive vibrations!

View the artist's website.

2700 Art Space

^{2700 Arts Space, Rendering by Graham Projects}

The 2700 Art Space, installation beginning in 2025, is a temporary outdoor arts and maker space adjacent to the Arlington Cultural Affairs building located at 3700 South Four Mile Run Drive. In collaboration with public art and placemaking firm Graham Projects, the County worked with community stakeholders to conduct a series of engagement conversations to help build a framework for potential site uses and ideas. The resulting design, based on the needs and ideas shared by community stakeholders, artists and designers at Graham Projects, “The Glade”, takes inspiration from the nearby Four Mile Run Stream, surrounding adjacent industrial landscape, and local cultural history to create an array of interlinked outdoor clearings activated for arts and community programming. Take a virtual tour.

The 2700 South Nelson Project replaces two buildings acquired by Arlington County in April 2021 at 2700 South Nelson Street and 2701 South Oakland Street with a temporary flexible outdoor arts and maker space. The acquisition of the property aligns with multiple goals of several adopted plans and policies, including the 2018 Four Mile Run Valley Area Plan that proposed a vision of a larger Arts & Industry District for the area. The area offers a mix of arts, creative activities, industrial, service and production uses. A vision for an arts and industry district was outlined by a County Board appointed group of citizens and can be found in The SNAIQ: Report from the Arts District Committee.