EST.2007
Washington, DC
FOUNDER
Paul So
In 2007, Paul So, an avid painter and a physics professor at George Mason University, founded Hamiltonian Artists with the vision of creating an innovative career incubator program for emerging visual artists. As a scientist in a highly competitive field, Paul appreciated the tremendous benefits of his post-doctoral training and saw great potential in applying a similar model and combination of professional development training, mentorship and financial support to the early careers of visual artists.
In partnership with Hamiltonian Gallery, a prominent exhibition space in the heart of DC’s culturally vibrant U Street Corridor, the first class of Hamiltonian Fellows debuted during the gallery’s inaugural new. (now). exhibition in 2008. Since then, Hamiltonian Artists has nurtured the careers of over 60 Hamiltonian Fellows and successfully hosted a series of free professional development lectures and workshops for DC’s creative community. In 2019, the Board of Directors of Hamiltonian Artists chose to merge the two organizations into a single 501c3 nonprofit to better serve the mission.
Today, Hamiltonian Artists is a dynamic catalyst for DC’s creative economy and a vibrant center for contemporary art in Washington, DC. Through its unique investment into the next generation of cutting-edge artists, Hamiltonian helps artists to develop important business skills, professional experiences and visibility to support and sustain their art career. Through artist talks, public events and its membership program, the organization contributes to the vitality of DC’s burgeoning arts scene by deepening the appreciation for contemporary art and culture throughout Washington, DC and beyond.
Hamiltonian Artists is a tax exempt charitable organization under Internal Revenue Code Section 501(c)(3).
Mission
Hamiltonian Artists' mission is to build a dynamic community of innovative artists and effective visual art leaders by providing professional development opportunities and advancing their entrepreneurial success.
Values
We believe that access to information and experience on how to navigate the contemporary art industry creates confident artists who make well-informed decisions regarding their careers. In turn, these artists will positively impact our society and the economy through the longevity of their careers. Our three core values are:
- PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
- ARTISTIC EXCELLENCE
- COMMUNITY
Hamiltonian Artists gratefully acknowledges those who came before on this site.
We are located in a building that was historically occupied by one of the first Black-owned and -run printing companies in Washington, DC: the Hamilton Printing Company. The company was founded by brothers Col. West A. Hamilton and Percival Y. Hamilton in 1910 and more permanently settled into 1353 U Street NW in 1922, until the dissolution of the company in the 1970s. The building still proudly displays “Hamilton” on the façade. The Hamilton Printing Company produced their own newspaper the Washington Sentinel, which gave poet Langston Hughes his first job in Washington, DC.
The U Street Corridor is historically known as Black Broadway. We are proud to continue the legacy of supporting creativity in the District and honored to do so in such a significant place.
We humbly acknowledge the Nacotchtank people on whose ancestral homeland we gather, as well as the Native peoples who have practiced and who continue to practice their culture in the region, including the Chickahominy, the Manahoac, the Mattaponi, the Monacan, the Nansemond, the Nentego, the Pamunkey, and the Piscataway Conoy peoples.