Blog
A Tribute to Maureen L. Dwyer
After 27 years of service to Sitar Arts Center, including 15 years as executive director, Maureen Dwyer is closing one chapter and beginning another. Tomorrow, June 30, is her last day with Sitar.
We are taking this moment to celebrate Maureen’s many achievements and tremendous impact on D.C. youth and families.
For nearly three decades, Maureen has helped shape Sitar into the community it is today. She has been a steadfast leader, a trusted partner, a passionate advocate for arts education, and a champion for D.C. youth. Her vision, determination, and care have left an indelible mark on the young people, families, teaching artists, staff members, donors, volunteers, and community partners who have been part of Sitar’s story. We are deeply grateful for all that she has done for and accomplished at Sitar.
When Maureen joined Sitar in 1999, Sitar looked very different from what it does today. We were a small afterschool arts program operating out of the basement of a Jubilee Housing building in Adams Morgan, united by a powerful belief: that every child deserves access to the arts, regardless of their family’s ability to pay or background.
Over the next 27 years, Maureen helped transform that belief into a thriving reality.
Under her leadership, Sitar has grown into a vibrant community anchor welcoming up to 900 young people annually. We have grown our programs, deepened our partnerships, strengthened our operations, and increased opportunities for young people to explore their creativity, discover their talents, and envision new possibilities for their futures. We have expanded initiatives, including Camp Sitar and Early Childhood Arts, and launched Creative Career Programs, and the Bloomberg Arts Internship.
We have also grown in ways that cannot be measured by numbers alone.
Through Maureen’s leadership, generations of young people have a place where they belong. They have teaching artists who encourage them. They have opportunities to express themselves and build confidence. They have community and possibility. They have a safe place where their voices matter.
This sense of belonging has always been at the heart of Maureen’s vision.
She has tirelessly championed the idea that the arts are not a luxury but an essential part of a young person’s growth and development. She has worked to ensure that young people from all backgrounds have access to high-quality arts experiences and the opportunity to discover their creative potential.
Her commitment never wavered—even during the most challenging moments.
When the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted daily life and forced organizations across the country to rethink how they worked with their communities, Maureen led with empathy, creativity, and determination. She worked alongside staff, families, teaching artists, and supporters to keep young people connected to the arts and to one another during a time when connection mattered more than ever.
Beyond Sitar’s walls, Maureen has been an advocate for arts education and youth development throughout Washington, D.C. She helped build partnerships, strengthen coalitions, and elevate the importance of arts access for young people across our city. Through her leadership, Sitar has become a trusted community resource and a respected voice in the broader arts and education landscape.
One of Maureen’s most enduring contributions is the strong foundation she leaves behind. During her tenure, Sitar expanded its footprint, including the acquisition and development of Sitar Next Door, creating new opportunities to welcome and serve future generations of young people.
Her commitment never wavered—even during the most challenging moments.
When the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted daily life and forced organizations across the country to rethink how they worked with their communities, Maureen led with empathy, creativity, and determination. She worked alongside staff, families, teaching artists, and supporters to keep young people connected to the arts and to one another during a time when connection mattered more than ever.
Beyond Sitar’s walls, Maureen has been an advocate for arts education and youth development throughout Washington, D.C. She helped build partnerships, strengthen coalitions, and elevate the importance of arts access for young people across our city. Through her leadership, Sitar has become a trusted community resource and a respected voice in the broader arts and education landscape.
One of Maureen’s most enduring contributions is the strong foundation she leaves behind. During her tenure, Sitar expanded its footprint, including the acquisition and development of Sitar Next Door, creating new opportunities to welcome and serve future generations of young people.
For all of this, and so much more, we are deeply grateful.
Thank you, Maureen, for your leadership.
Thank you for honoring and expanding the vision of Sitar Arts Center’s founder, Rhonda Buckley-Bishop.
Thank you for your belief in the power of the arts.
Thank you for helping generations of young people discover that they belong, that their creativity matters, and that their voices deserve to be heard.
If Maureen’s leadership has inspired you, if Sitar has touched your life, or if you believe in the power of the arts to create belonging and opportunity, feel free to send a note to let us know and we will happily share it with Maureen. Or, consider making a charitable donation in her honor toward the Community Anchor Fund, which the board of directors will establish to ensure Sitar’s sustainable future.
Together, we can honor her legacy by supporting the work she has devoted so much of her life to advancing.
Today, we celebrate all that Maureen has given to Sitar and to our community.
We thank her.
We honor her.
Please join us in wishing her every success, joy, and adventure in the chapter ahead.