Hickok Cole Celebrates Art Night’s Return at New HQ

Hosted in partnership with Washington Project for the Arts (WPA), Art Night has raised over $1.5 million in support of the DC arts community.

Washington, DC—November 2, 2021—Last month, Hickok Cole celebrated its 21^st Art Night in the firm’s recently delivered headquarters near Union Market, raising $132,824 in support of WPA and the local arts community. During the pandemic, Art Night became Art Month with the fundraiser’s first online gallery and digital campaign, garnering the annual collection its biggest audience to date. This year’s event built on old and new traditions to bring artists, collectors, and the DC real estate community together—in person and online—for a unique celebration of art. 

“While it didn’t look the same as a typical year, this year’s Art Night was special in its own way. The first one in our new home, it exceeded our expectations and made us feel united once again,” said Senior Principal Mike Hickok. “We are very grateful for the unwavering support and generosity of our Art Night patrons. Knowing we could count on them to return and celebrate with us this year demonstrates how deeply ingrained Art Night is within our community.”

On October 21st, Hickok Cole welcomed sponsors, artists, and staff to celebrate the launch of the online gallery and view the collection on display throughout the firm’s new 25,000-SF office. This year’s collection featured over 70 local artists and more than 200 works curated by WPA. With Hickok Cole’s relocation in July, the team made a concerted effort to feature the work of artists from the Union Market neighborhood, including emerging and established artists from Howard University, Gallaudet University, and The Catholic University of America. They joined new faces and long-time favorites for a collection of diverse voices, backgrounds, and creative points of view. At a variety of price points across mediums, the gallery brought together compelling and affordable pieces for experienced and aspiring collectors alike. As always, 100% of sales benefited WPA and the artists directly, with all proceeds shared equally between the two. 

“NoMa’s creative culture and reputation as the District’s mural capital were some of the main reasons we found it so appealing,” said Senior Principal Yolanda Cole. “We designed our new office with Art Night in mind, knowing the event would thrive in this new environment and that we’d encounter a treasure trove of local artists already embedded in the community. Engaging with and supporting these artists who call our neighborhood home is a tradition we have every intention of keeping.”  

Art Night is made possible through the support of sponsors—Art Devils, Art Angels, and Art Cherubs—who pre-committed to purchase artwork. As part of their VIP experience, each Devil worked directly with Schwanda Rountree of Rountree Art Consulting to identify art for purchase prior to the virtual gallery opening. This year, Hickok Cole garnered its highest level of participation at the Devil and Cherub levels, contributing to a record-breaking pre-event commitment of $102,500.

Hickok Cole Creative designed and developed all promotional materials for the virtual campaign and physical signage for the in-person event inspired by graphic trends, current events, and Hickok Cole’s new space. In partnership with the Hickok Cole marketing team, they crafted a month-long social media campaign consisting of behind-the-scenes content, artist interviews, and process videos to promote the online gallery and facilitate direct connection and engagement with the artists and their work. 

Interested in joining our heavenly host of sponsors for Art Night 2022? Connect with Laura Roth to learn more.  

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About Hickok Cole
Hickok Cole is a forward-focused design practice connecting bold ideas, diverse expertise, and partners with vision to do work that matters. Informed by research and fueled by creative rigor, we look beyond today’s trends to help our clients embrace tomorrow’s opportunities. We’ve called DC home for more than 30 years, and are proud to have designed homes for some of the area’s leading organizations, including National Geographic, the International Spy Museum, and American Geophysical Union’s net-zero headquarters renovation.

About Washington Project for the Arts
Washington Project for the Arts (WPA) is a not-for-profit visual arts organization that supports artist-driven projects, advocacy, and dialogue so that artists can live, work and flourish.