Culture

Maria Bastasch. Photo by Scott Suchman.

District Denizens: Maria Bastasch

December 7, 2023 @ 1:00pm |

Our editor-in-chief Monica Alford invited seven friends, collaborators and partners in crime who just so happen to be some of the driving forces behind D.C.’s thriving creative scene. 

Maria Bastasch, imagination designer and creatrix of Disco Mary Collective, takes a seat at the Petite Cerise table and chat hidden talents, alternate career tracks and what she’s up to next.

District Fray: Sum yourself up in one sentence.
Maria Bastasch: Just getting started.

Alternate career track.
Working for the CDC in the Level 4 infectious disease unit.

Favorite touristy part of D.C.
Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception.

Ideal work environment.
Large open space with squishy pillows to sit on the floor and areas to build/paint/workshop concepts in real time. Basically, what I’m trying to build now with Disco Mary’s latest pop-up.

Hidden talent.
I am inconsistently a solid impersonator.

Dream D.C. collaborator.
National Museum of Women in the Arts — so excited for its reopening.

Upcoming project with Monica and her team.
Many big dreams planned, but most immediately will be the Mindful Drinking Fest the last weekend of January. For this, Disco Mary will be throwing a rave at Culture on January 27. We will be working together to bring all of this to life. Hope to see you there!


What’s next for you.
This winter, we will be launching a new concept with the Disco Mary Collective Playhaus, a multi-use space focused on fine arts and performance, workshops, events and retail. We want to explore creative and playful mediums for self-care. We want to connect those seeking a new mode of self-expression with working artists and healers. It is custom upcycled vintage, a nonalcoholic bottle shop, yoga flows, apothecary curations, daily “procrastination” coworking hours and so much more to share. It opens mid-December in Union Market.

Get ready to rave and stay up-to-date with all of Disco Mary Collective’s events and pop-ups by visiting their website at discomary.com and following them on Instagram
@discomarycollective.

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