Art and Democracy: 60 Years of Kartemquin Films
Sun, Oct 04
|National Gallery of Art
Special Preview: While We Are Here Accessibility: Open Captions; Audio Description; Wheelchair Seating
Time & Location
Oct 04, 2026, 2:00 PM – 4:15 PM EDT
National Gallery of Art, Constitution Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20565, USA
About the event
Special Preview: While We Are Here
Legendary documentary production house Kartemquin Films was founded in Chicago in 1966. Inspired by American philosopher John Dewey, the cofounders believed documentaries in the candid new style of cinema verité could play a role in the communication needs of a democratic public. They also imagined a production studio enabling makers of all kinds to tell vital stories.
In the past 60 years, Kartemquin has been a collective, a small team of labor-oriented producers, a media arts center, and a mini-studio. It has never lost its relationship with Chicago, even while taking on projects as far away as Easter Island and Kenya. Today, Kartemquin filmmakers continue to create with a faith in storytelling for a stronger democracy. Programmed in conjunction with Treasures of American Cinema
September 19 - 27, 2026
Accessibility:
Open Captions; Audio Description; Wheelchair Seating