Art as a vital, sustaining force

Summer 2026 update from Vradenburg Director & CEO Jonathan P. Binstock

The Phillips Collection is proud to celebrate artists living and working in the greater Washington, DC, region in this summer’s juried exhibition, Tomorrow the Sun Will Rise. Building on the museum’s commitment since the 1930s to provide a platform for contemporary artists from the area, this presentation continues a foundational aspect of our mission: to make space for experimentation, dialogue, and reflection on urgent contemporary issues. This institutional history inspires our ongoing engagement with living artists and the growth of a collection shaped by their work. 

Tomorrow the Sun Will Rise speaks to the resilience of artists in the face of increasing uncertainty across economic, social, and political spheres. The 48 artists in the exhibition—selected from more than 1,500 submissions—bring perspectives from an extraordinarily wide range of lived experiences. Their work does not look away from difficulty; rather, it transforms difficulty into something that can be witnessed, shared, and understood. In keeping with The Phillips Collection’s founding belief that art has the capacity to offer solace, reflection, and even healing, the works gathered here extend an institutional commitment to art as a vital, sustaining force. This same spirit animates our Creative Aging exhibition, also on view in the Community Exhibition galleries. Featuring art created through our many programs with older adults, the exhibition captures how art is essential at every stage of life.

The capacity of art to bring joy is the focus of our new initiative at Phillips@THEARC: Art-Play-Practice. Our first installation in the series brings the artistic vision of Sam Gilliam to life in a dynamic space for creative discovery and has already engaged hundreds of students and families since its opening in June. We are launching monthly Saturday workshops inspired by the installation this fall—join us!

Also beginning this fall is the 86th season of Phillips Music. The outstanding lineup of 30 concerts is curated around the theme of creative partnership and inspired by our upcoming exhibitions.

All of this work is made possible by the generosity of our supporters. The Phillips Collection recently received a $15 million gift from the Sherman Fairchild Foundation, the largest in the museum’s history. This extraordinary investment enables us to do what great museums must: strengthen our infrastructure, invest in our exceptional staff, and plan boldly for the future. I am deeply grateful for this transformative gift, which will enhance our ability to serve our community and steward our collection for generations to come.

I look forward to seeing you in the galleries, at Phillips@THEARC, and at Phillips Music this season.