NEWS FROM FOUR RIVERS
October 6, 2020
Deadline Friday! Nominations for the 17th Annual Four Rivers Heritage Awards
Four Rivers Heritage Area seeks nominations for its Seventeenth Annual Heritage Awards. These awards recognize individuals, organizations, partnerships, programs and products that contribute significantly to the community by interpreting, promoting, preserving, researching and/or supporting our historical legacy. NOTE: Our ceremony will be going virtual this year!

In 2020, nominations are invited in ten different categories, including Heritage Tourism Product Award, Heritage Volunteer Award, Heritage Partnership Award, Heritage Professional of the Year, Heritage Interpreter of the Year, Legacy Award, and Public/Private Initiative Award. Other categories include the Sponsor of the Year Award, the Stewardship Award, and the Heritage Leadership Award, which goes to an individual for significant and long-lasting contributions to local history and heritage. Self-nominations are accepted.


The nominations deadline is Friday, October 9, 2020. A heritage area awards committee will review and evaluate nominations. Questions? Please e-mail us at heritage_area@aacounty.org, and our Eexcutive Director will schedule a call with you!

Thank you, we are looking forward to recognizing excellence at our 17th Annual Heritage Awards!
A Special Appeal to Our Stakeholders
Please help us get the word out -- share with colleagues and friends!

For the first time, under the direction of the Maryland Heritage Areas Authority (MHAA), our state funding partner, we are offering Emergency Operating Assistance to our partner organizations as part of our annual Mini-Grants program. The amount of funding available ($25,000) is based on a budget planned before the pandemic, and our funds won’t go far. That’s why we are asking you to consider a timely donation to our FY2021 Mini-Grant Fund.

Read more about our Special Fall 2020 Appeal to our stakeholders:
Thanks!
It's Not Too Early to Think about FY2022 Grants
It's not too early to begin planning for projects that could qualify for funding from the Maryland Heritage Areas Authority (MHAA) in FY2022 -- that means the year running from July 1, 2021 to June 30, 2022. MHAA grants support nonprofit organizations and government entities with up to $50,000 for non-capital projects, and up to $100,000 for capital projects located within a Certified Heritage Area. Eligible projects must have a heritage tourism component or contribute to research that will directly inform a heritage tourism product. Grants can support projects involving historical, cultural or natural resources, sites, events or facilities.

In an effort to attract a more diverse pool of grant applicants, MHAA has made a significant change in the cash match requirement; it has eliminated the longstanding 75 percent cash match requirement for all MHAA grants. Now, MHAA will accept any combination of cash and in-kind match to fulfill the one-to-one matching requirement going forward. This change means that organizations are permitted to match MHAA grants with volunteer time and donated services and materials, if that form of match makes sense for the proposed project. Read more about the change in match requirements and applying for grants on the MHT Blog. The next steps in planning your grant project should be (1) Start building your project budget and timeline, and (2) Talk to your heritage area's Executive Director. To schedule a call with Carol Benson, send an e-mail to heritage_area@aacounty.org with your availability, thanks!
Check Out Our Recent Blog Posts!
During this time of curtailed activities due to COVID-19, we have been collecting online resources that readers can use while they practice social distancing in the home. If you haven’t been to our website recently, here are some posts you may have missed.

We will continue to gather resources to keep you informed and to keep all of us connected!



Tonight! Colonial Cocktails: Fish House Punch & Mint Julep (Event Just Added)
Tuesday, October 6
6:30 pm
Historic London Town House and Gardens
839 Londontown Road, Edgewater

From punches to bounces, syllabubs to juleps, colonists imbibed a wide variety of alcoholic beverages. At Colonial Cocktails, you’ll get to make and enjoy two historical drinks and learn about colonial tavern culture. In this session, you’ll enjoy a variety of punch known as Fish House Punch, featuring rum and cognac. Explore the origins of the Mint Julep, originally a medicinal drink, just in time for the Derby and Preakness.

Participants must be 21+. Cost to attend is $25 for members and $30 for non-members. Pre-Registration is required. Maximum of 20 attendees.

Webinar: Save the Bay with Sustainable Lawn Care
Wednesday, October 7
12:00 pm
Organization: Chesapeake Bay Foundation

Are you ready to elevate your lawn to the next level… and help save the Bay? Fall is the best time of year to take crucial next steps to enhance your lawn and your local waterways. Whether you are fighting against weeds or for clean water, the impact begins with choices you make every day. In this webinar, attendees will hear from experts about sustainable lawn care and how these practices affect waterways.

The Chesapeake Bay Foundation (CBF) is excited to partner with Glenstone Museum for this program. Glenstone Museum is dedicated to integrating art, architecture, and nature into a contemplative environment, which is a seamless complement to CBF’s legacy in driving appreciation and advocacy for green spaces in the Chesapeake Bay watershed.

Virtual Lecture – Edmund Brice, Lafayette’s Aide from Annapolis
Thursday, October 8
7:00 pm
Organization: Historic Annapolis

The youngest son of a colonial Annapolis family, Edmund Brice grew up on Prince George Street, studied art under two American masters, covertly aided the revolutionary cause while living in London, and accompanied the young Marquis de Lafayette on his first voyage from France to the new United States. Senior Historian Glenn E. Campbell of Historic Annapolis reveals the little-known story of an Annapolitan who led an unpredictably adventurous life.

Registration required. Cost: $15 per household for General Admission; $10 per household for HA Members and Volunteers

John Shaw Walking Tour
Saturday, October 10
10:00 am
Old Treasury Building in State Circle
Host Organization: Hammond-Harwood House

This tour explores the fascinating life of acclaimed 18th century Scottish born cabinet maker John Shaw. The tour visits his workshop, church, and the homes of his clients. The tour meets at the Old Treasury Building in State Circle. Buy tickets in advance. Price is $15 or $10 for Members.

Nominations Date Extended for Maryland Preservation Awards
The Maryland Historical Trust has extended the deadline for nominations for the 2021 Maryland Preservation Awards! Nominations are due October 15, 2020.

The Maryland Preservation Awards, presented annually by the Board of Trustees of the Maryland Historical Trust, are the highest level of recognition for historic preservation, heritage education and community development projects in Maryland. Since 1975, the Maryland Historical Trust has honored the outstanding preservation efforts of more than 270 individuals and projects throughout the state.  

Awards are presented in four categories: Leadership and Service, Education and Community Engagement, Project Excellence and Stewardship.

To learn more or submit a nomination, visit https://mht.maryland.gov/awards.shtml.
Maryland Federation of Art Call for Entries
The following MFA shows are now open for entry with deadlines coming up soon:

Money may be the root of all evil, but it's kind of hard to live without it. For MFA's forth online People's Choice exhibition we want artists to explore the growing wealth inequality in America and what money means to you.

Deadline: October 27th
Awards: 3 year long MFA Membership

Where there's light, there must be shadow. Whether an artists knows it or not, light and it's contrast are essential to their craft and a majority of what they're interpreting. Pieces that play with this dynamic are eligible for this all-media online show.

Deadline: November 5th
Juror: Joseph Di Bella, University of Mary Washington
Awards: $500

Your mom, your cousin, your dog - everybody is going digital. Previously called Focal Point, we've moved this show in a digital direction to showcase some incredible computer made and software altered art.

Deadline: November 20th
Juror: Marta Finkelstein, VCU School of Arts
Awards: $1,000
Take Historic London Town's 5 Minute Visitor Survey
Historic London Town's Visitor Survey

2020 has been a year full of drastic changes to the normal rhythm of our lives. Historic London Town wants to know how you're doing and what's important to you in this era of change.

Will you take a 5 minute survey to tell them about your needs and priorities?

This information will be used to shape how London Town serves its community through programs, activities, and long-term planning efforts.

Thank you for taking the time to make London Town more relevant to its visitors!
County Arts Development (CAD) Grant - Call for Panelists
The Maryland State Arts Council relies on a diverse array of experts from across the state of Maryland to do the important work of evaluating applications. MSAC selects County Arts Development (CAD) panelists with a focus on diversity of experiences, diversity of location, and expertise in arts agencies of all disciplines in all of Maryland’s diverse communities. Panelists must be Maryland residents. 

Selected CAD panelists serve a six-month term, which may be renewed in the future. 

Panelists receive compensation of $450-500 for their services, based on the number of assignments. 

What does a panelist do?
Selected panelists: 
  • Attend one in-person or virtual training session in January 2021. 
  • Review and evaluate 8 applications on MSAC’s online grants management system SmartSimple from February - March 2021. 
  • Schedule and implement in-depth conversations with 1 or 2 assigned agencies. 
  • Attend one panel meeting held in Spring 2021. 

Panelists must have access to a computer with an internet connection to complete reviews.

How do I apply to be a panelist? 
Submit your application via MSAC’s online grants management system SmartSimple. 
  • Click the Apply Here button below to log in or create a free account in SmartSimple.
  • Under Funding Opportunities, select "Public Call."
  • Select "Panelist" from the dropdown options and click "Save Draft" to populate the application.
  • Select “County Arts Development” as the Grant Program.
 
Questions? Contact Dana Parsons (dana.parsons@maryland.gov) for assistance. 
Pandemic Perspectives: Stories Through Collections
Smithsonian's National Museum of American History
Tuesday Colloquium
Join Via Zoom 4 - 5 p.m. ET

Join curators and historians for Pandemic Perspectives: Stories Through Collections, an engaging series of panels offering perspectives on the current pandemic. Panelists will virtually share objects from the past as a springboard to a lively discussion of how to better understand the present. Audience questions are encouraged and will be addressed in the moderated dialogue.
Pathways Grant Program Now Open for Entries
The Pathways Grant Program provides support for projects at historical organizations throughout the state of Maryland. This is a program of the recently-rebranded Maryland Center of History and Culture (formerly the Maryland Historical Society). The goal is to build the long-term resiliency and efficacy of museums, historic sites, and other organizations that make up Maryland’s heritage community. Pathways is made possible by an annually recurring allocation from the state’s Preservation of Cultural Arts Fund.

Important dates:

  • November 13, 2020: Letters of Intent (LOIs) due
  • December 11, 2020: Full application due

Eligible projects include a marketing initiative to reach new audiences, the development and implementation of a multi-year fundraising plan, or the creation of a new collections-care policy, but applicants are encouraged to be creative in making the case for projects that further the long-term sustainability and impact of their organization.
Volunteers Needed for Chesapeake Maritime Heritage Festival
Downtown Cambridge is now partnering with Chesapeake Maritime Heritage Festival -- and plans are underway for a June 19-20, 2021 event at Cambridge Municipal Yacht Basin. The festival will encompass the entire Bay region with work & classic boats, exhibitors, speakers, art & photos. This debut event will highlight the area's seafood industry, as well.

Anyone interested is invited to become part of the management team now. Please email Bobbie.Maritimefest@yahoo.com with your interest. 
Four Rivers Heritage Area | 410-222-1805 | heritage_area@aacounty.org | fourriversheritage.org