Programs

Maryland’s Arts & Entertainment Districts help develop and promote community involvement, tourism, and revitalization through tax-related incentives.

The Arts Capital grant provides eligible organizations with state capital funding for projects that improve or produce a complete, usable, and accessible arts facility.

The Arts in Education (AiE) program promotes and strengthens lifelong learning in the arts across Maryland's schools and communities.

The Arts Relief general operating support (ARGOS) program was offered in FY 2023 (July 1, 2022 - June 30, 2023) only, as the result of a one-time state supplemental budget package.

Maryland's county arts agencies are designated government offices and nonprofit organizations that support local arts activities, with MSAC providing funding and technical assistance to help them achieve their goals.

The Creativity Grant supports arts projects and collaborations in Maryland communities, strengthening the vitality and sustainability of artists and small organizations to maintain a stable arts infrastructure.

The Grants for Artists program supports the sustainability of artists' livelihoods by providing funds for working or living expenses through an annual random selection process based on eligibility.

Grants for Organizations provides operating support to entities offering public arts programming — strengthening Maryland's arts infrastructure, uplifting communities, and driving economic impact.

The Independent Artist Network is a statewide network of artists who have access to resources, professional development, and additional opportunities to connect further with artists and partners for future collaboration.

Land acknowledgments recognize Indigenous peoples dispossessed of their relationships with land by settler colonists and encourage learning about Indigenous history, culture, and efforts toward positive change led by Indigenous communities.

Maryland Traditions — the State's traditional arts program — identifies, documents, supports, and presents traditional arts.

The Poet Laureate of Maryland is an honorary state position in which the selected poet, serving at the Governor's discretion for up to a renewable four-year term, provides public readings and programs for Maryland citizens.

A literary arts program created by the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) and the Poetry Foundation, Poetry Out Loud encourages the mastery of great poetry through memorization, performance, and competition in students across Maryland.

The Maryland Presenting and Touring Program supports a rich and artistically diverse network of professional artists and performing arts organizations.

We support professional growth in Maryland’s arts sector through the Professional Development Opportunity grant program and a regular schedule of free virtual and in-person sessions.

Our Public Art Across Maryland Program promotes and supports the inclusion of art in the everyday experiences of Marylanders.

Special Requests support needs of arts organizations and programs that fall outside of the eligibility of MSAC’s established grant programs.