3rd Annual Maryland Traditions Folklife Festival! Maryland’s premier celebration of traditional arts returns The Arts Council presents the Maryland Traditions Folklife Festival, a free celebration for all ages with music stages featuring jazz, doo-wop, West African dance and drum, gospel, and Irish, plus art making with the masters, headliner Lafayette Gilchrist and the New Volcanoes--and more! See event details and free parking! Creative Alliance in Baltimore
Saturday, June 15, 11:00 am - 7:00 pm, rain or shine!
Mexico Vivo of Baltimore City performed Mexican dance at last year’s festival, accompanied by Mariachi band Son de America, of Montgomery County. Photo credit: Edwin Remsberg
The Maryland State Arts Council (MSAC) has recognized 87 Maryland artistsfor creating work of exceptional quality within a range of disciplines. 2013 Individual Artist Award recipients were selected from nearly 600 applicants and awarded grants ranging from $1,000 to $6,000 to advance their artistic careers. Read more.
Pictured: Horizon by Beth Hoeckel of Baltimore City.
Nora Sandler (pictured) of Montgomery County, now a junior at University of Chicago, returns to the Maryland POL State Final as a judge. In 2010, she was the Maryland State Champion and went on to place third at the national competition.
Maryland State Arts Council Awards $50,000 In Grants To Support Living Traditions In Maryland
BALTIMORE, MD (October 9, 2012) – Maryland Traditions, the folklife program of the Maryland State Arts Council (MSAC), has awarded $50,000 in grants for FY 2013. In total, $20,000 was appropriated for the Apprenticeship Awards program and $29,000 was appropriated for the Project Grants program.
Voices Fly captures Virginia Crawford and Laura Shovan’s more than 20 years of combined experience teaching poetry to students through the MSAC Artist-in-Residence (AiR) Program. The program supports meaningful arts education experiences through grants that fund hands-on, intensive workshops for a small core group of students. Past and current MSAC artists-in-residence include visual artists as well as musicians and playwrights.
Maryland State Arts Council Announces Poetry Out Loud Maryland State Champion
The Maryland State Arts Council (MSAC) announced that Brian Gilbert, a senior at Marriotts Ridge High School in Howard County, placed first at the 2012 Maryland Poetry Out Loud (POL) competition on Saturday, March 3 at the Baltimore Museum of Art.
The Maryland State Arts Council (MSAC), an agency of the Maryland Department of Business and Economic Development, has recognized 100 Maryland artistsfrom 15 counties across the state for creating work of exceptional quality within a range of disciplines. This class of outstanding artists was selected from more than 400 applicants, and will be awarded grants ranging from $1,000 to $6,000 to advance their artistic careers.
Photo credit: (l) Butterfly Detail by Peter Dudley, Talbot County. (r) Jeanie by Ken Girardini, Carroll County.
National Symposium on Arts/Cultural/Entertainment Districts: April 4 & 5, 2012
The National Symposium on Arts/Cultural/Entertainment Districts (NSACED) comes to Baltimore April 4 and 5, 2012. Scheduled in conjunction with the National Main Streets Conference, this two-day symposium will offer the opportunity to learn about existing policy and incentive programs, and discuss critical issues facing diverse arts and entertainment districts throughout the U.S. The Maryland State Arts Council is a sponsor of the symposium which aims to bring together policy makers, practitioners, and artists to engage in dialogue on the economic, social and cultural impact of designated and natural arts and entertainment districts.
Study Reveals State's A&E Districts Spurring Jobs, New Business An economic impact study just released by the Maryland State Arts Council (MSAC), an agency of the Maryland Department of Business and Economic Development, shows that the State’s Arts and Entertainment (A&E) Districts, which were first approved more than a decade ago, supported more than 1,600 jobs and nearly $50 million in wages on average annually between FY2008 and FY2010. Maryland was the first state in the country to develop an Arts and Entertainment District program on a statewide basis.
Maryland Department of Business and Economic Development Secretary Christian Johansson today announced the redesignation of the Silver Spring Arts and Entertainment District for a second 10-year period. The Silver Spring Arts and Entertainment (A&E) District is one of Maryland’s 19 A&E Districts and one of the first to be designated when the program was created in 2001.
Pictured: Silver Spring Jazz Festival in Silver Plaza on Ellsworth Drive
In Appreciation - Nancy Haragan On Sunday, November 27, the arts community of Maryland suffered a great loss with the passing of arts advocate and visionary leader, Nancy Haragan. As the founding director of the Greater Baltimore Cultural Alliance and as a member of the Maryland State Arts Council Nancy was fearless in her advocacy for the arts and believed strongly in their power to transform the lives of individuals as well as communities. She was fiercely intelligent and had an insatiable appetite for knowledge and new ideas. And, she knew exactly what players to bring to the table to make things happen, the epitome of a ‘mover and shaker.’ Because of Nancy and her work, Maryland is a more creative and vibrant place. She was an original and will be sorely missed.
Dec 3rd - Free ALTA Awards Ceremony and Concert Join the Maryland State Arts Council at the Maryland Traditions 2011 ALTA Awards Ceremony to honor: SINGING & PRAYING BANDS OF MARYLAND | Eastern & Western Shore;PATTERSON BOWLING CENTER & DUCKPIN LANES| Baltimore City; RICH SMOKER, DECOY CARVER| Somerset County. With Performances by: Warner Williams&Jay Summerour | Montgomery County; Chuck Brown & Phil Wiggins |Charles County / Montgomery County; SINGING & PRAYING BANDS OF MARYLAND | Eastern & Western Shore.
Arts Generate $1 Billion in Economic Impact for Maryland In fiscal year 2010, 7.6 million people attended arts events in Maryland, generating $1 billion in economic impact for Maryland, according to a study released today by the Maryland Department of Business and Economic Development (DBED). The study, prepared for the Maryland State Arts Council (MSAC), also showed the arts generated an estimated $36.5 million in state and local taxes, and provided 10,671 full-time equivalent jobs which generated $385 million in salaries. In addition, every $1 of the arts organizations’ operating budgets generated $3.78 in additional economic activity. Arts organizations once again engaged their communities by offering free arts events and more than 5 million attended these events in 2010.
Maryland Traditions, the folklife program of the Maryland State Arts Council, today announced the winners of its annual ALTA (Achievement in Living Traditions and Arts) Awards, recognizing living traditions in the State of Maryland. Names for folklorist and community leader Dr. Alta Schrock, the award is presented to three recipients for their ongoing efforts to preserve and maintain the state's living heritage.
This year's awardees are Rich Smoker, a master decoy carver who lives in Somerset County; the Patterson Bowling Center Duckpin Bowling Lanes, "Patterson Lanes", the oldest duckpin bowling alley in the world located near Patterson Park in East Baltimore; and The Singing & Praying Bands of Maryland from the Eastern and Western Shore which developed as a Christian tradition in the Delmarva
National arts tribute for Maryland's Rand Griffin, COPT The Business Committee on the Arts (BCA), a part of the national arts advocacy organization Americans for the Arts, recently named Columbia-based Corporate Office Properties Trust (COPT) as one of the 10 “best companies supporting the arts in America.”
COPT’s CEO Rand Griffin (l) was among the honorees at the BCA awards dinner, Oct. 5 in New York at the Central Park Boathouse. Also pictured (l-r): Stephanie Griffin; Hannah Byron, assistant secretary, Maryland Division of Tourism, Film and the Arts; Theresa Colvin, executive director, Maryland State Arts Council; and Robert Lynch, president and CEO, Americans for the Arts.
Maryland State Arts Council Announces Launch of Literary Arts Week
The Maryland State Arts Council, in partnership with the Greater Baltimore Cultural Alliance and the CityLit Project, announces the launch of Literary Arts Week in Baltimore this October. This weeklong celebration of the many literary arts activities and artists in the city is a part of Free Fall Baltimore, an initiative of the Baltimore Office of Promotion and the Arts.
The literary arts community will offer 13 free, public events—including poetry readings, writing workshops, spoken word performances, and author appearances—during the week of October 15-22, 2011.
Come out and see the show through November 5. Maryland Masters: Edwin Remsberg’s Portraits of Maryland Traditions, a gallery of stunning photographs depicting Maryland folklife from across the state. Edwin Remsberg’s work captures vibrant and personal portraits of some of the state’s oldest living traditions – like foxhunting, Smith Island Cakes, boatbuilding, Native American beadwork, and African-American gospel quartet singing – as well as some of its newest – like Colombian vallenato accordion and South Indian bharathanatyam dance.View images and brochure.
Creative Differences Visual-art winners stand out in Baker Artist Awards exhibition By Alex Ebstein, Published: September 14, 2011 by Baltimore City Paper
9/11 Memorial of Maryland Dedicated on 10th Anniversary of Attacks On the 10th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks, the 9/11 Memorial of Maryland was dedicated at Baltimore’s World Trade Center to honor the 68 Marylanders who lost their lives at the Pentagon, New York’s World Trade Center and Shanksville, Pennsylvania. The memorial rests on the plaza of Baltimore’s World Trade Center where 1,000 guests, including the victims’ families, first responders, supporters and the public, joined in a light rain to be a part of the dedication program to honor those lost and remembered.
Governor Martin O’Malley confirmed the significance of the arts to Maryland by approving more than $11 million in Maryland State Arts Council grants to Maryland organizations and county arts councils for fiscal year 2012 activities.
“Creativity is part of our state’s competitive edge in the modern marketplace,” said Governor O’Malley. “By supporting these arts organizations, Maryland spurs innovation and creates distinctive products and locales that attract tourists, businesses and residents, and improves the quality of life we enjoy in our state.”
Maryland: Smith Island Cake one of National Geographic's Five American Desserts Worth the Trip! Maryland: Smith Island Cake! Some call it an architectural marvel—thin, buttery rounds of cake stacked high and stuck together with fudge frosting. Locals simply call it a Smith Island cake. Named after Maryland’s island in the Chesapeake Bay, where the recipe originated in the 1800s, Smith Island cake was declared the state’s official dessert in 2008. Taste the cake itself at the Smith Island Baking Company. Beyond the island, many places along Maryland’s Eastern Shore serve up the dessert, including the Watermen’s Inn in Crisfield.
Maryland Traditions was selected in recognition of the Arts Council's ongoing activity in documenting, perpetuating and sharing Maryland's musical, cultural and artistic traditions.
Maryland 9/11 Memorial on track for 10th anniversary Baltimore Sun - For organizers of the 9/11 Memorial of Maryland, the unexpected announcement Sunday that U.S. forces had killed al-Qaida leader Osama bin Laden came as a moving coincidence. Memorial committee members had planned to release renderings of the Inner Harbor site this month. The memorial, which will incorporate wreckage from the World Trade Center and the Pentagon, is to open in time for the 10th anniversary of the attacks in September.
Maryland State Champion, Kari Barclay from Richard Montgomery High School in Montgomery County, has advanced to the Poetry Out Loud National Finals. Watch it live online! Friday, April 29, 7-9pm.
ARTIST-IN-RESIDENCE APPLICATION DEADLINE -MAY 20, 2011
Apply for the Maryland State Arts Council's Arts in Education (AiE) Artist-in-Residence program using eGrant, the online application system. Deadline for eGrant submissions is May 20. Hard-copy applications must be postmarked by May 27. The AiE residency program offers opportunities in performing arts, playwriting, poetry and visual arts. For information, call or e-mail Chris Stewart at the Arts Council, 410-767-6476.
MSAC Individual Artist Awards 2011 Celebration, May 16, 2011
The Maryland State Arts Council invites you to attend a celebration and reception to honor the recipients of the 2011 Individual Artist Awards in Choreography / Classical Music Composition / Classical Music Solo Performance / Dance Solo Performance / Poetry / Sculpture / World Music Composition / World Music Solo Performance.
Traditional Irish Music by Laura Byrnes on flute - 2011award recipient, Billy McComiskey on accordion, Jim Eagan on fiddle, and Donna Long on piano.
MARYLAND TRADITIONS FOLKLIFE FESTIVAL DRAWS 3000 VISITORS!
The first Maryland Traditions Folklife Festival drew more than 3000 visitors to experience folk and traditional arts live and up close. The indoor-outdoor festival featured performances on multiple stages by singers, musicians, and dancers, as well as workshops for children, crafts demonstrations, and traditional foods. The event marks the 10-year anniversary of the founding of Maryland Traditions. Learning how to do screen painting. Photo: Michael G. Stewart
Station North Receives Arts & Entertainment District Outstanding Achievement Award
Baltimore (March 30, 2011) – In recognition of significant contributions made to Maryland’s economy through art and culture, the Station North Arts & Entertainment (A&E) District was presented today with the Arts & Entertainment District Outstanding Achievement Award by the Maryland Department of Business and Economic Development (DBED).
“The Station North Arts and Entertainment District demonstrates the power of Maryland’s greatest asset: the talents, skills, ingenuity, education, and creativity of our people,” said Governor Martin O’Malley.
Join UMBC for a conversation with representatives of Maryland's only statewide program to sustain living traditions through documentation and presentation. Maryland Traditions folklorists from Western Maryland, Eastern Shore, and the Capitol region share their efforts along with self-taught Jazz pianist Lafayette Gilchrist, recipient of Maryland Traditions' Master and Apprentice awards.
MARYLAND POETRY OUT LOUD COMPETITION WINNERS
The Maryland State Arts Council presented the 2011Maryland Poetry Out Loud Finals on February 26, 2011 at the Enoch Pratt Free Library. An audience of more than 175 listened as Kari Barclay was named the 2011 Maryland Poetry Out Loud State Champion.
Pictured:James L. Tucker, Jr., Fine Arts Coordinator, Maryland State Dept. of Educ.; Jamila Anderson, third place winner, Baltimore County; Susan Muaddi Darraj, Assoc. Prof. of English, Harford Community College, Kari Barclay, Maryland State Champion, Montgomery County; Gayle Danley, MSAC performing artist-in-residence; Kate Moran, second place winner, Talbot County; Stanley Plumly, Maryland Poet Laureate.
FREEWORKSHOP! LOGIC MODELING AND PROGRAM PLANNING , MARCH 31, 5PM
March 31, 2011 5-7:30 PM. Presented by Maryland Nonprofits at the MSAC offices. This workshop will help program managers develop a framework for a comprehensive evaluation plan by reexamining the components of their programs. Program available to all MSAC Grants for Organizations (GFO) and Artist in Communities (AIC) grantees.
MARYLAND STATE POETRY OUT LOUD FINALS! FEB 26, 1PM AT ENOCH PRATT CENTRAL LIBRARY
Join us for this inspiring event hosted by WYPR's Aaron Henkin of The Signal with MSAC Individual Artist Award winner ellen cherry as musical guest. Nine regional winners will compete for the title of Maryland State Poetry Out Loud Champion, a prize of $200, and an all-expenses paid trip to Washington, DC for the Nationals April 27-29, 2011.
REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS OPEN FOR 1812 BICENTENNIAL FRANCIS SCOTT KEY BRIDGE PUBLIC ART PROJECT
The Request for Qualifications for the 1812 Bicentennial Francis Scott Key Bridge Public Art Project is open to artists and professional design teams (including artists, designers, artist-led team, architects, landscape architects, etc.) located in the United States.Qualifications due to Maryland State Arts Council on March 18, 2011.
MARYLAND TRADITIONS CO-HOSTS "THE SIGNAL" THIS FRIDAY AT NOON ON WYPR 88.1FM
Maryland Traditions co-produces this week’s feature broadcast of “The Signal” on WYPR 88.1-FM in Baltimore. This week’s episode features Appalachian gospel singer Burton DeBusk and his apprentice, Hugh Campbell (Cecil County), talking songwriting, spirituality, and swapping songs with Baltimore “urban folk” impresario Caleb Stine. Aaron Henkin hosts along with Maryland Traditions folklorist Cliff Murphy.
“The Signal” will be broadcast at 12pm on Friday, Feb. 18th, with an encore broadcast at 7pm.
World Trade Center beams for Maryland's 9/11 memorial arrive The Baltimore Sun, November 23, 2010|Three giant steel beams twisted and fused together during the collapse of the North Tower of New York's World Trade Center in the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001. The rubble, which arrived Tuesday, will be reborn as Maryland's 9/11 memorial, to be erected at Baltimore's World Trade Center in time for the 10th anniversary of the attacks.
93 MARYLAND ARTISTS RECEIVE INDIVIDUAL ARTIST AWARDS
BALTIMORE, MD (January 31, 2011) – Governor Martin O’Malley today announced that 93 Maryland artists have been selected to receive Individual Artist Awards totaling $246,000 from the Maryland State Arts Council, an agency of the Maryland Department of Business and Economic Development. Pictured: "One and the Other" by Christian Benefiel
BALTIMORE’S ZIGER/SNEAD SELECTED TO DESIGN MARYLAND 9/11 MEMORIAL
BALTIMORE, MD (January 20, 2011) – Following a comprehensive review process, the Maryland 9/11 Memorial Committee today announced that Baltimore architectural firm Ziger/Snead has been selected to lead the design of Maryland’s 9/11 memorial.
ANNAPOLIS, MD (December 9, 2010)–Governor Martin O’Malley today announced that the Town of Bel Air has been selected to join the State’s Arts and Entertainment (A&E) Program. Administered by the Maryland Department of Business and Economic Development (DBED) through the Maryland State Arts Council (MSAC), the program provides tax benefits designed to boost economic development and create a cultural district filled with artists and arts enterprises. Maryland was one of the first states to develop a statewide A&E program.
GOVERNOR RECEIVES ARTIFACTS FROM NEW YORK'S WORLD TRADE CENTER TWIN TOWERS
ANNAPOLIS (November 23, 2010) — Governor O’Malley today officially accepted artifacts from World Trade Center in New York to Maryland. The twenty-two foot long artifact from the Twin Towers will be the centerpiece of the Maryland 9/11 memorial to be dedicated on the 10th anniversary of the 9/11 tragedy - September 11, 2011.
THIRD ANNUAL MARYLAND PRESENTERS NETWORKING MEETING, NOV 15, 2010
The Third Annual MD Presenters Networking Meeting will be hosted by John Healey at the Weinberg Center for the Arts in Frederick, MD on November 15, 2010 from 10:00 am - 3:00 pm. Research associates from the Maryland Cultural Data Project(MDCDP)will lead us through a comprehensive study they conducted on 37 MD presenters based on three years of data that was entered into the MDCDP.
Grants for Organizations eGrant Deadline: Oct 21
A flagship program of the Council, the Grants for Organizations (GFO) program provides unrestricted operating support in recognition of its importance to the vitality and sustainability of the state's arts organizations. MSAC annually awards grants to not-for-profit, tax-exempt organizations, as well as units of government, for ongoing arts programs and arts projects, through the GFO program.
PUBLIC ART PROGRAM DIRECTOR POSITION OPEN AT MSAC
The Maryland Department of Business and Economic Development is seeking qualified applicants for the position of Program Director within its Division of Tourism, Film and the Arts, Maryland State Arts Council (MSAC). The primary responsibilities of this position will be to administer the MSAC’s Public Art program.
Steel artifact from Twin Towers to be centerpiece of memorial
ANNAPOLIS, MD (September 10, 2010) – As the ninth anniversary of the September 11 terrorist attacks approaches, Governor Martin O’Malley today announced that the World Trade Center in Baltimore will be the site of the Maryland 9/11 Memorial. The memorial will be installed next year on the 10th anniversary of the attacks along the Inner Harbor building’s pedestrian promenade and will include a steel artifact from the Twin Towers in New York that will serve as the centerpiece. The Maryland 9/11 Memorial Advisory Committee, comprised of businesses, public safety personnel, artists, the victim’s families and other stakeholders, will oversee the installation.
Now that the Cultural Data Project is in eight states, we have learned much on how organizations of all shapes and sizes can best use the system. If you are new to the Maryland CDP, or merely want a refresher attend a morning New User Training. If you are already participating, attend the afternoon Reports training session.
Grants to 264 Maryland Organizations Maintain Jobs in the Arts Industries Governor Martin O’Malley today announced more than $11 million in Maryland State Arts Council grants to Maryland organizations and county arts councils, reaffirming his commitment to the arts in Maryland.
“Our investment in the arts organizations in Maryland is another strategy to strengthen small businesses and create and retain jobs in the creative industries,” said Governor O’Malley. “Support of the operations of these arts organizations stimulates the economy and contributes greatly to the quality of life we enjoy in our State.”
New MSAC Officers and Councilors Begin Terms on July 1, 2010
A new slate of Maryland State Art Council officers, elected at the Council's annual meeting on June 4, assumes leadership this month. William Mandicott was elected Chair of MSAC, Abigail Hoffman remains Vice Chair, and David Terry becomes the Secretary-Treasurer. Two new members, Margaret Footner and Lora Bottinelli, join the Council.
Magical Experiences Arts Company on WYPR’s The Signal
MSAC artist-in-residence Joanne Margolius heads up a theater troupe called The Magical Experiences Arts Company (MEAC). MEAC works with the Maryland School for the Blind, United Cerebral Palsy Del Rey, and Regional Institute for Children and Adolescents, among others, presenting innovative and creative theater programming to empower, inspire, and education children, adolescents, and adults with severe multiple disabilities. Listen now!
Maryland Traditions, the folklife program of the Maryland State Arts Council, announced the winners of its annual ALTA (Achievement in Living Traditions and Arts) Awards, recognizing living traditions in the State of Maryland.
Maryland Folk Arts Celebrated at Creative Alliance
BALTIMORE, MD (May 5, 2010) – Maryland Traditions, a program of the Maryland State Arts Council, will present a traditional and folk arts showcase on Thursday, June 10, 7:30 p.m. at the Creative Alliance in Baltimore. Featuring performances by singers, musicians and dancers, the program also includes the Maryland Traditions 2010 ALTA (Achievement in Living Traditions and the Arts) Awards ceremony and recognition of the 2010-11 recipients of the program’s Master and Apprentice and Project Grants.
Maryland's Nora Sandler Takes Third Place in National Poetry Competition
The Maryland State Arts Council is pleased to announce Maryland State Champion Nora Sandler’s third place win in the Poetry Out Loud National Finals competition at the Lisner Auditorium in Washington, DC on April 27th. Nora was one of three competitors in the East Central and Northeast Regional Semi-Finals that moved on to the national final. This is the first time that Maryland has been in the national finals. Poetry Out Loud Website
DBED Secretary Christian Johansson Reads Across Maryland
Secretary Christian Johansson visited Southwest Baltimore Charter to read to first graders as part of the Read Across Maryland challenge. The Secretary joins the Governor and Lt. Governor in an effort to encourage parents, teachers, and students to read every day for 30 days for the month of March. Read Across Maryland is part of the National Education Association’s (NEA) Read Across America, an annual reading motivation and awareness program.
Frederick Receives Arts & Entertainment Outstanding Achievement Award
In recognition of the significant contributions made to Maryland’s economy through art and culture, the Downtown Frederick Arts & Entertainment (A&E) District was presented today with the Arts & Entertainment Outstanding Achievement Award by the Maryland Department of Business and Economic Development (DBED).
MSAC Announces Maryland Poetry Out Loud 2010 State Champion
Nora Sandler of Montgomery County won a $200 prize and will move on to the Poetry Out Loud National Finals in Washington, DC, April 25-27, 2010. This year 43 schools from 14 counties participated in the recitation competition which awards more than $100,000 to students and schools at the state and national levels. MSAC partnered with the National Endowment for the Arts and the Poetry Foundation to conduct the competition.
Scholarships for Americans for the Arts Conference In Baltimore
Application deadline: Friday, March 26, 2010. Funds are availabe for artists to attend the 2010 AMERICANS FOR THE ARTS HALF-CENTURY SUMMIT, June 25-27, 2010 in Baltimore. Scholarships in the amount of $250 toward the registration fee of $350 are offered to individual artists and arts professionals living in Baltimore.
