THE GRAND OPENING

The Return of the ARTIVISM Blog!

written by Kai Malette

"Happy New Year!"

I say, a month and a half into 2026. It's the thought that counts. This blog disappeared for quite some time, and honestly? For good reason. We needed time to be with our families, get our energies right; take some rest in preparation for the next humongous step in the ARTIVISM journey. Did you miss us? Are you wondering what we've been up to in the past few months?

Well, I can answer all of those questions, and more, my friends! ARTIVISM continues to serve the community by cultivating spaces for artists to shine. We've seen growth like nothing we had ever imagined, and all of our efforts have not been in vain, because we've just hit a huge milestone-- one that any creative team only ever dreams about.

That's right, y'all: ARTIVISM has opened a gallery.

The Final Jam

You read that right. Social Activism and Creative Expression has a base of operations. All of our jams, all of our parties, they'll be at the gallery from now on. It's been a dream come true for us to have our own gathering space, and we plan to use it as much as possible.

Before we talk about that though, we should cover something familiar, for old times' sake. If you've been with us for a while, you know that Sankofa Video, Books, and Café has been the home of the Tuesday Jam Sessions, ARTIVISM's most well-known and talked about event. It seemed everyone had missed us while we were gone, and were excited to come through once more, even if they knew it would be the last in this location.

Our final Sankofa jam session was on the 3rd of February, which conveniently lined up with the birthday of one Kai Malette. If that name's familiar, it's because it's me! Yeah, I had a birthday jam session with ARTIVISM at Sankofa; we're cool like that!

Safe to say, the last night at Sankofa was beautiful. Under the glow of the purple light, we filled the room with joy, music, and love. Not to mention, our lovely supporters came to fill out the entire venue, one last time. You all are some of the most loyal people we've come across and we love you for that.

We upgraded our stage presence while we were gone as well. Gone are the days of a few guitars and the occasional saxophone. Now, we've got a full horn section, a dedicated beat pad, and a piano that stays completely stable, alongside musicians that inspire the crowd to play along. I've seen it firsthand--people really love a good trumpet.

If you're disappointed that the jams are moving away from Sankofa, don't be too sad! The jams will continue. Every Tuesday, 8 PM. See you there, yeah?

Grand Opening, Day One: Jamie Renee Showcase

With the final jam at Sankofa complete, it was time to shift our focus to the first day in our new home. If anyone tells you that we were anxious, they'd be right. The excitement was almost too much to bear! To top it all off, we were starting the weekend with our beloved Jamie. So much good energy, just emanating from the space.

Jamie's showcase was a special one-- not just because it marked our grand opening, but because it marked a new era for her. In her own words, it had been years since she has performed onstage in front of a large crowd, and before becoming a vital part of the ARTIVISM team, it probably would have never happened again. But because ARTIVISM's whole M.O. is (re)igniting creative passions, Jamie found the spark, and her showcase, 'Through the Storm' was an emotional ride through various stages of her recent days.

The team puts on a show like no other!

The night had more than Jamie's performance, as well. The space was opened to vendors who have partnered with us in order to facilitate their own community connection. They were also spectacular audience members when it came down to participation.

We wanted to make sure our first night was something special, for both Jamie and her return to performance, and to set the tone for the rest of the weekend. Personally, I think we succeeded.

Jamie, you know we love you. So thank you for starting us off!

Grand Opening, Day Two: Jus Josh Showcase

Day Two was filled with fresh energy. The first night went amazingly well, so we had to keep it going for the second night. Same story, different tune. Literally.

Where Jamie's showcase was to be filled with reflective energy and introspective thoughts, Jus Josh, one of ARTIVISM's co-founders, went for a high-energy, vigorous performance, complete with a spark show, duo raps alongside old friends, and a special feature with his mother. Yes, the messaging of ARTIVISM has been so powerful that the parental figures in our lives have been in full support. They even brought a cake in celebration of this achievement! The love was palpable in the gallery, folks. It's what we stand for.

I would never joke about the spark show. We did NOT know that was going to happen.

Like the night before, our vendors took to the retail space with good intentions, and together, we packed this space OUT. Say what you will about Josh, but he knows how to put on a good show, drawing the crowd to the performance space so that they could see what all the hype was about.

Josh, you are one of the souls of ARTIVISM, and one of one as an artist. Dear readers, take a listen to what Jus Josh has released on all platforms, and know that it's just vibes.

Grand Opening, Day Three: Super Bowl

Ah, the Super Bowl (or Benito Bowl, if you were only watching for the halftime performance). The most anticipated football game of the year, where you can never predict what will happen in any play. Unless you were predicting the O-Line of the Patriots, in which case, you could predict a few things.

Either way, ARTIVISM was more than happy to open our doors to the community to watch the game as one big old family.

Mildly embarrassing night to be a Pats fan. Someone's parlay probably hit though!

Honestly, after two straight days of shows and partying, it was nice to kick back, eat some homemade food, and enjoy the space for what it is: a community hub filled with love. A third space for people to be with like-minded individuals. And for that Sunday, a place for people to use their conditional Spanish to sing along to a reggaeton beat.

From Now On

So, the grand opening has come and gone. What are we up to now? Well, as you are well aware, ARTIVISM is continuously growing and expanding.

We've got Salsa Nights, Paint and Sips, Karaoke, Yoga, and so much more already on the slate. Events that touch the creativity lying dormant in each of us, ready to be unleashed at a moment's notice. Each time that you see an event announcement, let someone know! I can guarantee that in the span of a month, we'll have something for literally anybody.

The space we've created is ours, but it's not solely for us. If you're a creative that wants to host an event, to see their work come together in a space that celebrates it, we're here for you. Vocalists, painters, party planners, filmmakers. You create it, we'll help you show it. Our website lets you book with us, and we'll offer whatever support you need.

I've been told to let up on calling what we do 'shenanigans.' Yes, we are a group that prioritizes joy and creation, but we're far past being just a 'silly' bunch. We stand for more now. Social Activism Through Community Expression. Our very existence, our new base of operation, it's meant to stand as a beacon for the community to come together, beyond just the business of it all. We're here for you. And after the weekend we just had, and the events that we've got planned for the future in this spot, we are so excited knowing that you're showing up for us.

10 Florida Avenue, Washington D.C.

ARTIVISM is home.

About the Author: Kai (they/he) is ARTIVISM's resident publicist and saxophonist.