DC Arts Center's Cuisine des Artistes Hosts Celebrated Local Chefs, Artists 5/13

The District of Columbia Arts Center will welcome celebrated, talented DC-area chefs and artists for its biannual dinner fundraising event, Cuisine des Artistes, taking place on Thursday, May 13 at the historic Meridian House from 6:30 - 10:00 p.m. Featuring a first course of artist-created hors d'oeuvres, followed by tapas-style entrees collaboratively created by artist-chef pairings and a final course of artist-created desserts, this year's Cuisine des Artistes promises to thrill DC arts patrons and food lovers alike.

The highlight of the evening will be the main course - tapas-style entrees created by renowned local chefs, working with some of DC's most talented and exciting artists. For this year's event, DC Arts Center is thrilled to announce the participation of several notable chefs including Barton Seaver, Executive Chef of Blue Ridge Restaurant and Esquire's 2009 Chef of the Year. Mr. Seaver will be working with local artist Kate Damon of Kaze Design. Other artist chef pairings include Dean Gold of Dino, working with artist Ellyn Weiss and Gustavo Huapella of Rumba Café, partnered with G. Byron Peck, artistic director of City Arts.

In addition to the entrees created by the artist-chef pairings, guests will enjoy hors d'oeuvres and desserts created by fifteen local artists, including Trevor Young, Erick Jackson, Billy Colbert, Kristina Bilonick and Ryan Hill. The artist-created hors d'oeuvres will be served during the evening's opening cocktail hour, as guests enjoy eclectic entertainment courtesy of Holly Bass, Happenstance Theatre and Landless Theater.

During the celebration, Don Russell, Director of Provisions Library, will be presented with the 2nd bi-annual Herb White Award in recognition of his thirty years directing arts, non-profit, philanthropic and publishing ventures.

With this combination of delicious food, exciting entertainment and inspiring artistic creativity, Cuisine des Artistes 2010 is a must-attend event for DC-area art lovers, gourmands and theater-supporters!

Proceeds raised through the event go to support DC Arts Center, a 20-year-old nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting budding artists in the Washington, D.C. area. DCAC's 750 square foot gallery and 50 seat theater provide a professional venue for visual and theatre artists. They also provide a structured program through which artists in all media can practice both the craft and the business of art. Today, the arts center is one of the only grassroots organizations available to artists looking to break into the mainstream. Just as artists have come to depend on DCAC's support, so too has the community come to associate DCAC with outstanding and original artistic expression.

Cuisine des Artistes will be held on Thursday, May 13 at the Meridian House from 6:30 - 10:00 p.m. For more information, please visit www.dcartscenter.org.