Halcyon House to Make Public Debut With May 31 Awards Gala and As HQ for Social Innovators

Halcyon House, which has not held a large public event since December 2011, is set to make its grand unveiling May 31 as the venue for S&R Foundation’s Washington Awards Gala — and stage for the Halcyon Incubator.

S&R Foundation’s 2013 award winners will be officially honored at the awards gala May 31 with musical performances by four of the five awardees and an imaginative pairing of their music and food by chef Eric Ziebold.

Says Kate Goodall, chief operating officer of the S&R Foundation: “We’re elated to be able to offer Washington Awards Gala guests a complete creative and sensory experience, as they listen to the music of the talented awardees, watch a performance by the Washington Ballet, and taste the courses thoughtfully paired to each performance by James Beard Award-winning chef Eric Ziebold. Eric is a master of his craft, and has been so generous with his time and energy to ensure the gala will be nothing short of spectacular.”

Another highlight is a joint performance by the Washington Ballet and the Evermay Chamber. This newly formed partnership will come to fruition in April 2015, when the Evermay Chamber Orchestra performs the musical score for the Washington Ballet’s new interpretation of “Swan Lake” at the Kennedy Center. As a special treat, Sachiko Kuno, president and CEO of S&R Foundation, says, “Guests will be treated to an exclusive first-look at the future home of S&R’s Halcyon Incubator.”

The historic 18th-century mansion at 3400 Prospect St., NW, was sold by the Dreyfuss family in March 2012 to the S&R Foundation and Ryuji Ueno and Sachiko Kuno, who are renovating the place. It will be headquarters for the foundation’s more scientific and social programs of innovation, such as the Halcyon Incubator and Illuminate.

Like the mythological halcyon birds, who lays her eggs amid days of seaside calm, Halcyon House will house a fellowship of social innovators and experimenters. The foundation has set ambitious goals.

According to S&R, “the Halcyon Incubator was founded on the principle that intrepid individuals with transformative ideas can solve 21st-century challenges. … By promoting novel approaches, and solutions to 21st-century issues and challenges, the Illuminate community provides a platform for inspiring bold thought and sparking positive change in the world.”

The Halcyon Incubator’s partners and advisory committee, according to the foundation, include “Georgetown University, Tandem Legal Group, WeWork and Sage Communications and will provide critical resources and mentorship for the development of social startups. The Halcyon Incubator program is unique in that it provides all of the elements of success for its fellows, including rent-free housing and office space, complimentary strategic, legal and public relations resources, mentorship, as well as access to a network of potential funders from all sectors, all without requiring equity in its fellows’ ventures.”

“Our dynamic group of partners and advisors represents a comprehensive organizational cross-section of the business, government, academic and philanthropic communities,” says Kuno. “Each of these individuals and organizations are trailblazers in their own right and will provide our fellows with unrivaled insight, mentorship, inspiration, and assistance to help them build a successful foundation for their social ventures.”