It's not hard to promote the things most people know about Washington, D.C.: It's where you can see the Lincoln Memorial, the Washington Monument, the White House (the list could go on), and where our country's leaders do important work. But it can be a more ambitious task to promote the city's non-political qualities, like its dedication to the arts and sports.
That's one of the many tasks on the docket for Angie Gates, the new president and CEO of Events DC, the city’s premier host of conventions, entertainment, sporting, and cultural events.
Originally from New Orleans, Gates has been a D.C. resident for almost two decades now. She most recently served as the director for the city's Office of Cable, Television, Film, Music, and Entertainment (OCTFME). Before that, she was the first Black general manager of D.C.'s historic Warner Theatre. Her accomplishments run the gamut, from training as a professional boxer to winning two Emmy Awards from her time at OCTFME.
In mid-November, we caught up with Gates during her first week on the job at Events DC to discuss her appreciation for the city, how she plans to leverage her entertainment and venue management background in her new role, her Emmy-winning projects, and the boxing lesson that stays with her.
How long have you lived in D.C.? What are some things you’ve grown to really love or appreciate about it?
I've been in D.C. since 2004, and I'm a proud Ward 6 resident. I'm very excited to call D.C. home. This is such an inclusive and diverse city. I sometimes refer to D.C. as a pot of gumbo. [Laughs] And I appreciate and value the culture. I love the entertainment and sports here in Washington D.C., which makes this job perfect. But just the people—I haven't had one day be the same. There's always something you can do, see, and I run into different people all the time. There's something to offer in all eight wards. And I've been here a long time, so to experience at least one thing different every day—it feels good.
You have extensive experience with venue management and the entertainment industry. How do you plan to leverage those experiences to help you lead Events DC?
That's a great question. I just shared with the team my "4 L Principles," and "leverage" is one of them. ... I have a vast network system. I started in venue management even before I came to Washington, D.C. I started in venue management in New Orleans at the historic Saenger Theatre. Then being here in D.C. at the Warner Theatre, I worked on shows that sat in residency, and [I've worked] on large-scale events.
The Walter E. Washington Convention Center, operated by Events DC, offers 2.3 million square feet of usable space.Photo: Courtesy of Washington.org
D.C. has a wonderful landscape of indoor as well as outdoor activity. So one of the first things I'm leveraging is my rolodex, going through and contacting promoters, meeting planners, and event organizers [to say], "Hey, I'm here, and we have so much to offer. We have several venues in our portfolio. If you haven't been here, come visit some of our venues." We have, of course, the convention center, but we have entertainment and sports arenas as well. ... So I'm starting with my rolodex first, and then looking at opportunities to engage our locals. I definitely want to make sure that I stay connected nationally and internationally, as well as maintain local relationships.
What are some of your favorite projects or accomplishments from your role as director of the Office of Cable, Television, Film, Music, and Entertainment?
It's interesting because as a film commissioner at that particular time, I would recommend some of the venues under the Events DC portfolio. So I was very familiar with the spaces. And then this is a music town as well. What I often think about from the tourism and hospitality perspective, coming from OCTFME, is highlighting our local community of creatives and talent. We have a lot to brag about and talk about when we're trying to leverage our convention and meetings here in Washington, D.C.
[As far as favorite projects,] I would say 202Creates. [D.C.] Mayor [Muriel] Bowser really gave me and the team at OCTFME the opportunity to just really explore, build, and leverage all of the creativity here in Washington, D.C. 202Creates was a month-long celebration in September where I got to meet so many people across all eight wards and really see that D.C. has a lot to offer. When we talk about tourism and hospitality, you have your music, your film, your dance, and culinary, which is something that we're focusing on here as well, [plus] the fashion industry and visual arts. I would see that for 30 days straight with 202Creates.
Another program that I really value—it was launched during the pandemic—is Care for Creatives. It was a pay-what-you-can mental health counseling service that we did with The George Washington University. As we were coming out of a pandemic, I realized how important it was to be able to offer this type of service to our creative community. So if you have a penny in your pocket, that's what you would pay to get that confidential service.
And of course, some of our large-scale events, like Emancipation Day. That's something that I'm looking forward to working on with Events DC getting engaged next time around.
You’re also a two-time Emmy winner! I feel very few people can say that. Can you tell me about the projects behind those wins?
With the team at OCTFME, we were able to bring home the District of Columbia government's first Emmy. ... It was with Bell Biv DeVoe, known as BBD and part of New Edition, and we did an interview [with them] and the interview was just so authentic. That battle band had been together maybe 30 years, and right when the cameras were cut, we all knew it was something special. And so we submitted it, and that was the first Emmy as I mentioned for district government, my first Emmy, and it was just an epic moment for us. But we did this for the city; we did this for the creatives.
My second Emmy that I just recently brought home is from 2022. And that's for The Road to Representation episode "The Plan Takes Root." It's about becoming the 51st state. I was so blessed that particular evening because my 80-years-young mother was there in the audience and actually saw me receive that award. And now it's just a priceless, priceless moment.
What are some of the things you’re most looking forward to working on at Events DC in 2023?
One of the first things I'm going to do is a listening tour, and that tour will be conducted internally where I get to sit down and have one-on-one meetings with every single person on the team. Then I'll have my listening tour externally, where I'll talk to stakeholders, residents, especially residents around our venues, and working closely with some of our partners like Destination DC, the hotel association, and the restaurant association.
Apart from that, I'm thinking, what deals can we close? What deals can we close with event and meeting planners that are maybe considering another city? There's nowhere else you should go than right here in Washington, D.C. So closing those deals that we're in discussion with, that's a top priority. But long term, I also want to make sure that I get us back to where we were prior to the pandemic and exceed that. It's important to exceed that and make sure that we have the proper infrastructure in place to accommodate a large return of tourists to our great city.
The National Portrait Gallery is part of the Smithsonian Institution, and admission is free.Photo: Courtesy of Washington.org
What’s something surprising about Washington D.C. that you think meeting or event planners should know?
This is not just a political city. I think what is very surprising to most is the amount of cultural activities that are just free. A lot of people are traveling for business, but they also are staying a little bit longer for leisure. And that's one component that works great in D.C.—you can bring your entire, multi-generational family. We have something to offer the kids, we have something to offer the seniors, and everything in between.
Before we end, I have to ask about your training as a professional boxer.
I trained as a professional boxer while I was in New Orleans. ... One of the biggest lessons I learned in that process is endurance. It prepared me to learn how to sustain. Who knew two or three minutes was really that long when you're boxing? But sometimes, you just have to go that one extra minute. And that was one of the biggest takeaways that I've actually continued to remind myself of when I face challenges. I literally go back to that boxing ring and say, "Hey, just last one minute longer. You'll get through." And at the end, if you fall, you get back up. That's been a life lesson that I take with me.
Do you still box?
I do a lot of aqua and hydro classes. There's actually hydro kick-boxing that I do now that's in the pool. I promise you I still have a solid punch. [Laughs]
This interview has been edited and condensed.
