Art Focus: Learn How to patch well-worn clothing at final Arlington Art Truck activation

This column is sponsored by Arlington Arts/Arlington Cultural Affairs, a division of Arlington Economic Development.

Visit ‘Patch or Swap’ at the Rosslyn Jazz Fest on Sat Sept 6 (Josh Brick Photography)

Learn to patch your favorite threads, or swap for another item.

The 2022 Arlington Art Truck activation “From Our Waist to Waste” (by Elman Studios)

We’ve all had clothes we loved and lost to coffee stains, rips or years of wear. This fall, Arlington Arts invites you to rescue those pieces and give them a second life. Launching at Rosslyn Jazz Fest on Sept. 6, the final activation of the Arlington Art Truck, PATCH OR SWAP: A Textile Rescue Lab, runs through Sept. 27.

Led by sculpture and collage artist Roxana Geffen, this hands-on project teaches simple, visible mending techniques to patch, sew and embellish your clothes in creative ways. Participants will receive an artist-designed instructional zine and free materials to work on-site or take home. Prefer to skip the sewing? Swap a garment on the community Swap Rack, and either leave a story with your item or share a favorite outfit memory in exchange for a new piece.

This activation is presented in partnership with the Arlington Visual Arts Studio Tour (AVAST), which invites the public to explore working artist studios across Arlington on Sept. 27 and 28. Pick up a tour map when you visit the Truck.

Since its launch in 2018 with support from the National Endowment for the Arts, the Arlington Art Truck has brought award-winning, interactive art experiences to neighborhoods across the county. A 2019 finalist for Americans for the Arts’ Gard Award, the Truck has hosted dozens of mobile artist residencies, each designed to blur the line between participant and presenter. While PATCH OR SWAP marks the final Art Truck activation, Special Projects Curator Cynthia Connolly will continue producing bold, participatory art experiences in new spaces around Arlington.

For more information about Rosslyn Jazz Fest and upcoming Arlington Arts programs, visit our website. Schedule updates will be posted on the Arlington Art Truck webpage and on Instagram @arttruckarlington.

Find the Art Truck Here:

Saturday, Sept. 6, 1–7 p.m. – Rosslyn Jazz Festival, Gateway Park, 1300 Langston Blvd., Rosslyn Metro
Saturday, Sept. 13, 8 a.m.–1 p.m. – Rock ‘n’ Recycle, Trades Center, 4300 29th Street S.
Saturday, Sept. 20, noon–5 p.m. – Green Valley Day, between Drew Community Center at 3500 23rd Street S. and John Robinson Town Square
Saturday, Sept. 27, 11 a.m.–6 p.m. – Clarendon Day, 3100 Clarendon Blvd., Clarendon Metro

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