NEWS

Please contact us at msac@msac.org or 410-767-6555 if you need more information.

STUDY REVEALS STATE’S A&E DISTRICTS ARE 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.

SECRETARY JOHANSSON ANNOUNCES REDESIGNATION OF THE SILVER SPRING ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT DISTRICT
Second of Maryland’s 19 Arts and Entertainment Districts to be redesignated for another 10 year period.

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 ANNOUNCES WINNERS OF 2011 ALTA AWARDS
Annual Achievement in Living Tradition & Arts Award Recognizes Key Contributors to Maryland's Living Traditions

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.

MSAC Gallery - Maryland Masters: Edwin Remsberg's Portraits of Maryland Traditions

MSAC's FY2011 Annual Report Released

To save resources, both financial and environmental, MSAC's annual report has gone digital.
Read the full FY2011 Annual Report 5MB
 

Free Tickets for NEA National Heritage Fellowships Concert at the Music Center at Strathmore in Bethesda on Sept 23
Maryland's own Warner Williams is a fellowship recipient and will perform!

Baker artist awards 2011 winners at the Baltimore Museum of Art through Oct 2, 2011. Reception Oct 1

9/11 Memorial of Maryland Dedicated on 10th Anniversary of Attacks
On the 10^th 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.   

February 2012 newsletter - Arts Maryland
Check out Arts Maryland -February 2012 

Archives of past newsletters

Baltimore Receives Inaugural Our Town Grant from NEA!

National Residency Grant Awarded To Baltimore's Contemporary Arts Inc. and the Todd Marcus Jazz Orchestra

Corporate Office Properties Trust one of 10 Best Companies Supporting the Arts in America

GOVERNOR O’MALLEY ANNOUNCES $11 MILLION IN ARTS AWARDS
Grants to 268 Maryland Organizations Maintain Jobs in the Arts Industries

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.”

MSAC Invites Nominations for Grants Review Panelists by Aug 2, 2011

Maryland Touring Artists Roster Application Deadline Aug 10, 2011

Surprise sector for job growth: the arts
A new National Endowment for the Arts analysis projects a healthy rate of growth in arts jobs through the year 2018. June 30, 2011

Sondheim Prize finalists engage senses, issues
Every year at this time, the Baltimore Museum of Art showcases the finalists for the Janet & Walter Sondheim Artscape Prize The Baltimore Sun, June 25, 2011

Maryland Traditions miracle
Baltimore Sun. June 28th, 2011

Maryland's own Warner Williams receives NEA Lifetime Honor
National Endowment for the Arts Announces 2011 NEA National Heritage Fellowship Recipients
 

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.

Visits National Geographic for pictures and more deserts.

Folklife Festival on WJZ TV featuring banjo maker Pete Ross - See it here!
Ron Matz was in Highlandtown talking about Maryland Traditions Folklife Festival with Cliff Murphy, co-director of Maryland Traditions, Felix Wills, araber wagon maker and, banjo maker Pete Ross.

Maryland Traditional musicians Phil Wiggins, Warner Williams, Ahmad Borhani, and The Legendary Orioles on The Signal
ON THE SIGNAL 6/10/11  A special collection of documentary recordings with some of Maryland’s finest traditional musicians, from the archives of Signal producer Aaron Henkin and Maryland Traditions folklorist Cliff Murphy...

Maryland Traditions Folklife Festival on FOX TV! See it here.
The Maryland Traditions Folklife Festival is this Saturday in Baltimore!

FOX 5’s Paul Raphel visited the Creative Alliance at the Patterson in Baltimore to learn more about the event!

 See the videos!

Maryland Traditions taps family team with award Frederick News Post

Traditionally Maryland - Maryland Traditions featured in Maryland Life Magazine
May 31, 2011 -  Maryland Life Magazine!

Plans for the 9/11 Memorial of Maryland Unveiled
By Associated Press, Published: May 18
BALTIMORE — The design for a 9/11 memorial was presented to the Baltimore Public Art Commission on Wednesday, and it turns the plaza of the World Trade Center at the Inner Harbor into a sundial recalling the events of Sept. 11, 2001.

9/11 Memorial of Maryland Website

MSAC Individual Artist Awards Deadline - July 28, 2011
The Maryland State Arts Council (MSAC) Individual Artist Awards (IAA) are grants awarded to Maryland artists through an anonymous, competitive process to encourage and sustain their pursuit of artistic excellence.

Maryland Traditions wins Preservation Award
The Maryland Traditions program of the Maryland State Arts Council will receive a 2011 Maryland Preservation Award from the board of trustees of the Maryland Historical Trust.

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.

WARD MUSEUM FEATURED IN NEA ARTS MAGAZINE
The quarterly magazine of the National Endowment for the Arts features the Ward Museum on Maryland's Eastern Shore.

A salute to William Donald Schaefer from Maryland Citizens for the Arts
As last respects are being paid to William Donald Schaefer, the dynamo Baltimore mayor and Maryland governor, it's a great time to remember what he did for the cause of culture. Baltimore Sun

Baker Award Winners Announced
Beatboxer Shodekeh, cellist Audrey Chen and artist Gary Kachadourian each win $25,000 in annual arts competition. Baltimore Sun
 

MARYLAND MAKES IT TO THE POETRY OUT LOUD NATIONAL FINALS !
Friday, April 29, 7-9pm.

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.

MARYLAND TOURING GRANTS DEADLINE- APRIL 29, 2011!
www.msac.org/touringThe Maryland Touring Grants is designed to promote artistic opportunities for professional touring artists in Maryland.

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.

List of 2011 Individual Artist Award Recipients.

ARTS IN COMMUNITIES PROGRAM GRANT DEADLINE - APR 28, 2011
Not-for-profit Maryland organizations may apply for support of arts activities that will take place in Maryland.

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.

UMBC and Maryland Traditions Panel Presentation on Sustaining Living Traditions - 4pm, Mar 30, 2011
Maryland Traditions: A Panel Presentation

March 30, 2011 – UMBC Library Gallery – 4:00 p.m.

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.
 

Baltimore Trade Center site for Maryland 9/11 Memorial
Governor Martin O'Malley announced Friday that the World Trade Center in Baltimore will be the site of the Maryland 9/11 Memorial.

ABC2, Posted: 09/11/2010

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

FORMER MSAC CHAIR, E. SCOTT JOHNSON, PRESENTED WITH MARYLAND ARTS ADVOCATE OF THE YEAR AWARD AT MARYLAND ARTS DAY
Maryland Citizens for the Arts selected Maryland State Arts Council immediate past Chair, E Scott Johnson as the 2011 Sue Hess Maryland Arts Advocate of the Year Award. Scott was presented with the award at Maryland Arts Day 2011 on February 9, 2011 in Annapolis.

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.

TOWN OF BEL AIR SELECTED AS THE 19TH A & E DISTRICT
Newest district joins 18 communities across Maryland

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.

MSAC AND UMBC FORM EXPLORATORY PARTNERSHIP IN MARYLAND TRADITIONS PROGRAM
Folklife Program Collaboration begins in Academic Year 2010/2011

PUBLIC ART PROJECTS ELIGIBLE FOR FUNDING THROUGH MARYLAND’S TRANSPORTATION ENHANCEMENT PROGRAM!
Applications accepted the first business day in January to the close of the first business day in March 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.

RESPECTING HUMANITY: extended through MAR 18, 2011
 

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.

WORLD TRADE CENTER IN BALTIMORE TAPPED AS SITE FOR MARYLAND 9/11 MEMORIAL

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.

New Training Session Dates for MARYLAND CDP!
Don't miss the opportunity to attend one of these sessions to learn more about the Maryland CDP and how to put it to work for you!

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.

MARYLAND STATE ARTS COUNCIL ELECTS OFFICERS, WELCOMES THREE NEW COUNCILORS
A new slate of Maryland State Art Council officers was elected at the Maryland State Arts Council’s annual meeting in June and assumes leadership this month. Three new councilors also begin their terms July 1, 2010.

GOVERNOR O’MALLEY ANNOUNCES $11 MILLION IN ARTS AWARDS

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.”

Maryland Poet Laureate Stanley Plumly Elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.
Election to the American Academy is one of the highest honors in our country, and the Academy's membership constitutes an honor roll of our most distinguished leaders in academics, the arts, business, and public affairs.

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.

Apply to the Arts in Education Roster to be an artist in the schools - Deadline Sept 17, 2010
The application period for the artists-in-residence and visiting performers programs is now open. Click here to download the guidelines and application which provides detailed information on the program and how to apply. DEADLINE: September 17, 2010. www.msac.org/applyaieroster

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!

Arts in Communities application deadline - July 14, 2010
Not-for-profit Maryland organizations may apply for support of arts activities that will take place in Maryland. www.msac.org/aic

MARYLAND TRADITIONS ANNOUNCES WINNERS OF 2010 ALTA AWARDS
Annual Achievement in Living Tradition & Arts Award Recognizes Key Contributors to Maryland’s Living Traditions

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.

New Program Recognizes Cultural Contributions of Maryland's Small Businesses
Traditional Small Business Recognition Program Supports Ongoing Efforts to Preserve Maryland’s Living Heritage

Maryland Traditions master/apprentice team Samia Ahmad and Irum Ahmad on WYPR
Maryland Hindustani Traditions

Hear the Interview: Traditional artists Samia Ahmad and Irum Ahmad were interviewed. For nearly ten years, the Maryland State Arts Council‘s “Maryland Traditions” program has paired master teachers with apprentices who want to learn the techniques and history of a variety of traditional and folk arts. This year, teachers included a Colombian vallenato button accordion player, a Persian drummer, a Guatemalan marimbist, and an Appalachian Gospel singer.

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.

Public Assistance Available to Nonprofits for February Severe Winter Storm Expenses
Allegany, Carroll, Frederick, Garrett, Montgomery, and Washington counties and the Upper Eastern Shore and Southern Maryland areas are eligible.

FY 2011 Individual Artist Awards - Deadline August 4, 2010
Guidelines Now Available.

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

You're Invited! Individual Artist Awards Celebration May 20 at American Visionary Art Museum
Join the Maryland State Arts Council to celebrate the 97 artists who received an Individual Artist Award for 2010.

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.

Pamela Dunne Retires
Assistant Director's Last Day was March 31, 2010.

Arts and Entertainment Districts Designation Guidelines Available Now - Deadline: October 1, 2010
Deadline:  October 1, 2010

April e-Newsletter
Check out our AprilArts Maryland e-newsletter.

Maryland Traditions and WYPR collaborate on "The Signal"
Velvet Hammer: Ahmad Borhani and Persian Classical Music in Maryland. WYPR 88.1 FM, March 19, 2010 - 12 PM and again at 7 PM. www.signalradio.org.

Mid Atlantic Artist Registry
An online registry of Individual Artist Award fellowship recipients

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.

Governor O'Malley Announces 2010 Individual Artist Awards
98 Maryland artists to receive total of $250,000 in arts grants

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.

The Language of Objects exhibition extended to Apr 19
 

MSAC Presents Cherry Adler Award to The Puppet Co.

In Memoriam - Lucille Clifton
Former Maryland Poet Laureate dies at 73

MSAC closed May 28, 2010 for State of Maryland Service Reduction Days