Mission Statement: The Alper Initiative for Washington Art is an artist-centered gathering and exhibition space where the creative voices of the Washington, D.C., region are showcased, amplified, and brought into dialogue with the broader currents of contemporary art.

The Alper Initiative for Washington Art is dedicated to preserving, presenting, and creating Washington’s art history through three annual exhibitions, a salon-style gallery talk series, a library of 200+ Washington art books, and a database of Washington artist proposals made available to guest curators.

The Alper Initiative for Washington Art was made possible through a generous endowment from American University alumna, artist, and art advocate, Carolyn Small Alper (1927-2020). According to her vision, the Alper provides the space and resources to fulfill one of the American University Museum's primary objectives and the region's greatest needs: promote an understanding and appreciation of our region's art and artists from our past, present, and future. The Alper is an exhibition space and a center for study and research, but primarily a meeting place for people and ideas.

 

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Spring ’26 Alper Exhibition

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Humanist Touch: Works from the Weber Collection, February 7—May 17, 2026

J.J. McCracken, The Feeding (Alice), 2020, 22 x 16 x 12 inches.

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