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Arvind Manocha wants to make one thing clear: He doesn’t believe Wolf Trap is perfect in its mission to be a place for all DMV residents to feel seen.
“I don’t believe anyone is perfect in that regard. I think one is always striving to do more. And some of these things take many years to change,” Manocha, the president and CEO of the Wolf Trap Foundation for the Performing Arts, tells City Paper. “But I feel like if you look back at the work we’ve done, it is a broader roster of artists. It is more welcoming. It is more inclusive, it is more representative of the community around us because the community around us is filled with everybody.”
For the last 10 years, Manocha has led the Vienna venue, which happens to be the only national park in the country dedicated to the arts. (He previously helmed the iconic Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles.) Manocha sees Wolf Trap’s stage as a space that’s meant to be encyclopedic
“To me, there’s a certain nobility and a certain responsibility that comes with that. And it’s a little old fashioned—we live in an era and an age where everything is about targeting an audience and owning that segment,” Manocha says, but at Wolf Trap “we’re trying to appeal to everyone.”
He continues, “It’s maybe not as efficient from a business plan standpoint, but there’s something there, which is more than just owning the segment and rather making sure that everyone feels included and welcomed and spoken to. I think that’s a lovely aspiration.”
Even a quick glance at the venue’s calendar confirms Manocha and his team’s efforts to reach a wide swath of individuals. In a single week, Wolf Trap might host fully staged opera, hip-hop celebrations, traditional Indian music, symphony nights, ballet, and major headliners—from Sting and Robyn to Lionel Richie and Brandie Carlile. This past June, the venue hosted its first Out and About Festival to celebrate queer and trans musicians, both local and internationally known (Carlile headlined).
As a queer man and the son of Indian immigrants, it’s not surprising that Manocha has spent his past 10 years broadening Wolf Trap’s offerings and audience. He wants locals to know not only that they are invited to the venue but also welcomed. And in an industry that’s largely dominated by White, cishet men, Manocha knows his identity influences his work. “Conscious or unconscious, it has to be a part of the way you make decisions,” he says. “I think when you grow up feeling a little bit on the outside, you are very aware of what it feels like to be on the outside and you mostly, not all, but most people then strive to find a way to not allow for people to feel like they’re on the outside.”
This drive comes naturally to Manocha, and while he’s not Wolf Trap’s talent scout, he’s constantly paying attention to the programming they’re offering. “You don’t want anyone to feel like their interest or their reason for attending an event doesn’t exist. You want to create a sense of openness and belonging,” he says.
That effort can be seen in Wolf Trap’s 50th anniversary fundraising campaign that concludes on Sept. 23 with this year’s Wolf Trap Ball. The 100 acre park, which originated in 1966 when philanthropist Catherine Filene Shouse donated the large chunk of land to the National Park Service, was always meant to be a community resource. With half a century behind them, the team contemplated how to commemorate the park’s 50th anniversary, which was celebrated in 2021, but also set Wolf Trap up for the next five decades.
Despite the pandemic, they launched a $50 million capital campaign (a target they’re expected to hit). Over the last three summers, improvements to the park have been made including the creation of new gathering spaces and pavilions available for year-round use. The seating area has received upgrades to better accommodate wheelchairs and patrons with mobility issues. Likewise, newly built wheelchair accessible picnic decks overlook the meadow. (“One of the most beautiful parts of the park and it had never been available to anyone with any kind of mobility challenge because of the sloped terrain,” Manocha says of the area.) For artists, the backstage areas have been improved to ensure they feel comfortable and supported physically and mentally. There’s also a new sound system, which has helped crystalize the audio experience for audiences. Funds have also gone toward Wolf Trap’s music and education programs, artist training support, and financial accessibility to ensure the public can access the venue’s programming at reduced prices.
“We have set in our DNA the goal that we will be a public resource,” says Manocha, who’s grateful that patrons have stuck with the venue through the pandemic. “I want artists to feel that when they play at Wolf Trap, they’re performing at a venue that does good in the world … From the public’s perspective, I don’t ever want to feel like a transactional space.”
As Manocha and Wolf Trap continue towards its mission to “be for everyone,” Manocha promises: “We are going to stay broad and encyclopedic.”
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