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It will house artists-in-residence and possibly, local traditional arts groups. A permanent collection of looms, spinning wheels, quilting frames and other traditional-arts tools will also be at the center. MCTA is a joint venture of the Allegany Arts Council, Frostburg First: Main Street Program, Frostburg State University and the City of Frostburg. The Arts Council will operate and fund the center as one of its programs. Students from the university are expected to document both the traditional artwork in process and the artwork for sale, in addition to staffing the center as interns. To expand MCTA’s impact on the local economy and attract local visitors and tourists, plans exist for the center to partner with Allegany County Tourism, Western Maryland Scenic Railroad and Great Allegheny Passage.
Maryland Spotlight shines on state treasures The Maryland Tourism Office is expanding its Pretty. Close. marketing campaign to highlight the state’s cultural, natural and family-friendly features. Maryland Spotlight is a monthly focus on destinations and attractions linked to specific themes. May’s focus has been on the state’s wine industry.
June highlights the free things to do in Maryland. July will
encourage visitors and residents to “buy local” – particularly
from a culinary aspect that highlights the state’s abundance
of fresh produce and seafood. And in August, the emphasis will
be on family fun.
Councilors and staff from the Maryland State Arts Council (MSAC) went on a walking tour of the Downtown Frederick Arts and Entertainment District last week. Shuan Butcher, executive director of the Frederick Arts Council, and John Healey, director of the Weinberg Center for the Arts, led the tour. During the planning process that established Imagine Maryland – MSAC’s five-year strategic plan designed to strengthen the arts as a vital asset in the state – participants said they wanted to see MSAC councilors and staff visit local neighborhoods. Two planned workshops that promote communications are also byproducts of Imagine Maryland’s implementation. On May 28, MSAC and the Greater Baltimore Cultural Alliance host Marketing Your Company Online. And, on June 8, MSAC and the Liz Lerman Dance Exchange present a workshop for performing artists: Beyond the Studio and Stage: Engaging Your Community. The latest issue of the Maryland Tourism Monitor – the Tourism Office's monthly report measuring visitor activity, advertising response and state travel trends – is now available online. The Monitor details fiscal year-to-date sales and use tax revenues, as
reported through March by the Maryland Comptroller’s
Office. Tourism-related tax codes increased by 12.2 percent over
last year’s figures, compared to a 7.3-percent gain for
all sales tax categories – representing a 67-percent higher
rate of growth. Frederick Arts Council energizes annual festival, local economy Last fall, the Frederick Festival of the Arts, Inc., merged with the Frederick Arts Council. “Given the economic climate,” says Shuan Butcher, executive director of the Council, “it was a good move and a good fit.” A result of the merger was a $100,000 reduction in the festival’s overhead. No longer did the event require an office and staff. The current budget for the festival, Butcher says, is $115,000. For
the first time in its 16-year history, the
festival – June
6-7 at Carroll Creek Linear Park in Frederick – is offering
free admission. Moreover, entertainment at the event has expanded
to now include two stages for performers, instead of
one. Fort Meade hosts bicentennial discussion Kate Marks,
outreach and partnership coordinator for the Maryland War of
1812 Bicentennial Commission (located in the Maryland Tourism
Office), discussed plans for the bicentennial as a guest speaker
at Fort Meade’s “Beacon of Light” lecture series.
The series sheds light on subjects of common interest among the
Fort Meade community. It takes its name from Gen. George G. Meade’s
nickname, the “Lighthouse General.”
Second annual Chesapeake Bay Wine Festival, May 30-31, noon-6 p.m., Terrapin Park, Stevensville, (410) 739-6943. Wine in the Garden, May 28, 5-8 p.m., Howard County Conservancy at Mt. Pleasant Farm in Woodstock. Frederick Arts Festival, June 6-7, Carroll Creek Linear Park, Frederick. This annual event is free for the first time in its 16-year history. Take
a War of 1812 field trip in Southern Maryland The conference is the first in a series of meetings – designed for War of 1812 bicentennial stakeholders – that will take place during the next two years around the state. Call or e-mail Kate Marks, 410-767-6974, for more information and to register. Deadline is May 29. Join
the 1812 Commission's listserv Grants for arts presenters
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