About the Maryland State Arts Council - MSAC

MARYLAND STATE ARTS COUNCIL

With a celebrated record of commitment to innovation, collaboration and leadership in the arts reaching back four decades, the Arts Council was founded to encourage and invest in the arts for all Marylanders. With a strong record of support for artists, arts programs and organizations, MSAC continues its work to build an even stronger creative community.

MSAC is heartened by national recognition and statewide support. Our elected leaders understand the power of the arts and consistently invest public resources to serve all Marylanders. We are encouraged by the power of partnerships forged with industry innovators such as AEMS, Maryland Citizens for the Arts and other service organizations to promote the advancement of the arts and arts education in our state.
 

Authority
Maryland State Arts Council is an agency of the State of Maryland under the authority of the Department of Business and Economic Development , Division of Tourism, Film and the Arts

Martin O'Malley, Governor | Anthony G. Brown, Lieutenant Governor
Christian S. Johansson, Secretary | Dominick E. Murray, Deputy Secretary
Hannah Byron, Assistant Secretary, Division of Tourism, Film and the Arts

Since it was established in 1967, the purpose of the Council has been "to create a nurturing climate for the arts in the State" as stated in its founding legislation.

The Council is an appointed body of 17 citizens. Thirteen are named by the Governor to three-year terms, which are renewable once. Two private citizens and two legislators are appointed by the President of the Senate and by the Speaker of the House. Councillors serve without salary.

To carry out its mission, MSAC awards grants to not-for-profit, tax-exempt organizations for ongoing arts programming and arts projects. MSAC awards grants to individual artists, and provides technical and advisory assistance to individuals and groups. The Council also carries out programs of its own to enhance the cultural life of the residents of Maryland. MSAC receives its funds in an annual appropriation from the State of Maryland and from grants from the National Endowment for the Arts, a federal agency. The Council may also receive contributions from private, non-governmental sources.

Mission Statement and Goals
The mission of MSAC is to encourage and invest in the advancement of the arts for the people of our State. The goals of the Council are to support artists and arts organizations in their pursuit of artistic excellence, to ensure the accessibility of the arts to all citizens, and to promote statewide awareness of arts resources and opportunities.

MSAC's programs are aimed at benefiting all Maryland residents regardless of political or religious opinion or affiliation, marital status, race, color, creed, age, national origin, sex or sexual orientation, physical or mental disability, or geographic location within the State.

Professional Grant Review Panels
To assist the Council in its decision-making, professionals in the arts are appointed to a variety of grant review panels. The function of panels is to evaluate applications from organizations and individuals and to offer policy recommendations to the Council. More than 100 individuals will serve as grant review panelists to the Council's programs in any one fiscal year, including Grants for Organizations, Artists-in-Education, Folk and Traditional Arts, Individual Artist Awards, Arts in Communities, and Community Arts Development. Anyone wishing to serve or to nominate someone to serve should contact MSAC for detailed information and nomination forms.

Staff
MSAC maintains a professional staff to administer its grants programs and Council-initiated programs. Staff members are available to provide technical assistance to the arts community.

Meetings
All Council and Grant Review Panel meetings are open to the public in accordance with the Open Meetings Law set forth in Sections 10-501 through 10-512 of the State Government Article of the Annotated Code of Maryland. The dates, times, and locations of Council and Grant Review Panel meetings may be obtained by contacting MSAC.

Disclaimer
Information on this site is believed to be accurate but is not guaranteed. The State of Maryland disclaims liability for any errors or omissions. Access to and use of text and image files in the Maryland State Arts Council (MSAC) site are subject to the following terms and conditions: 1) The material in this site is copyrighted by the Maryland State Arts Council or by third parties from whom we have obtained permission to publish their materials on this site. Any commercial use or publication of any material from this Web site is strictly prohibited; 2) The Maryland State Arts Council retains any and all rights, including copyright, which it may have in MSAC files, and/or images and text they contain.