Winter can be isolating at the best of times. Layer on a pandemic that has kept us physically separated for the most part for almost two years now, and some days can feel outright unbearable. While I hold out hope for a return to in-person events, site visits, and meetings in the coming months, I’m continually bolstered by the arts community that shows up for MSAC's free virtual professional development sessions.
Starting this month, Coffee with the Council will move to a twice-a-month schedule, holding space with MSAC council members, staff, artists, and arts professionals from around the state for topic-driven discussions as well as open conversations about pressing issues. In addition, we’re looking forward to a continuing series of sessions with Maryland Volunteer Lawyers for the Arts around legal best practices for artists and arts organizations, and we’ll be diving into succession planning in a series of sessions with Maryland Nonprofits in the coming weeks.
You can find updated listings and registration information for all professional development offerings on our Eventbrite page by clicking here or visiting the MSAC Events page in the About section of msac.org.
We invite you to join us and join in the conversation!
Steven Skerritt-Davis
Executive Director
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WE'RE HIRING!
MSAC is looking for its next Arts & Entertainment (A&E) Districts and County Arts Development (CAD) Program Director. Each of these core programs extends the reach of the MSAC across the state and enhances participation in the arts. Through the CAD program, MSAC supports a network of locally-designated arts councils in each of Maryland's 24 jurisdictions. MSAC's nationally-recognized A&E Program now encompasses designated districts in the majority of the counties in Maryland, with continued interest from additional communities each year.
This position provides technical assistance to organizations, analysis of their compliance with the policies and procedures set forth by the MSAC to maintain designation and/or grant funding by the State of Maryland, and serves as the industry expert and spokesperson for the programs. For more information, click here. Deadline to apply is February 8 at 4 p.m.
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Are you a nonprofit presenting organization or venue looking to discover and hire performers for the upcoming year? Are you interested in finding out who is on the Touring Artists Roster? Or maybe you just want to find out more about MSAC’s Presenting and Touring program?
MSAC is excited to host a Touring Artist Roster Showcases on Thursday, February 3 and Wednesday, February 9. These two digital events will each include 15 short performances by artists from the Maryland Touring Roster, for a total of 30 different presentations! These events will take place virtually and will be open to the public to attend. The goal of these events is to share the work of touring artists across the state who would be willing to travel to a location near you!
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Photo Courtesy of the Baltimore Sun. |
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SCULPTURE AT BALTIMORE MUSEUM STARTS WORK
THANKS TO A GRANT FROM MSAC
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The American Visionary Art Museum's “giant whirligig (left),” is coming down for conservation. The process, which will give some much-needed maintenance to the sculpture, is being funded by a Public Art grant from MSAC! Valerie Williams, the museum's director of development says, "A huge THANK YOU for your tremendous support of our beloved Giant Whirligig!!!" Read more about the project by clicking here.
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February 1: Success with Succession Planning
Join MSAC and your fellow colleagues across the state for a discussion about succession planning and how to plan for successful leadership transitions. Click here to register.
February 15: Open Discussion
Join MSAC and your fellow colleagues across the state with your favorite coffee drink for a conversation about the arts in Maryland. Click here to register.
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PUBLIC ART DEADLINE EXTENSION AND GRANT AWARDS UPDATES |
Public Artists have more time to apply for the open Request for Qualifications for Bowie State University's new MLK Jr. Communications Arts & Humanities building ($515,000 all-inclusive budget). The application deadline has been extended to 5:00 pm Wednesday, February 16. Please visit Public Art Across Maryland: Artwork Commissions for more information about the project and to apply.
Public Art Grant Awards
The Public Art Across Maryland grants program awarded $179,040 in awards for Quarter 2. New Artworks awarded nine grants totaling $124,040 and Conservation awarded three grants totaling $55,000. The remaining quarterly grant deadlines in fiscal year 2022 are February 18 and May 12. Please review the Grant Guidelines before applying.
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CREATIVE AGING
NETWORKING SHOWCASE
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Maryland organizations are invited to the Creative Aging Networking Showcase to hear from teaching artists ready to work with you to host a creative aging program! The showcase is February 10 from 10 - 11:30 a.m. To register, click here.
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REGIONAL OPPORTUNITIES
NATIONAL & BEYOND
PUBLIC ART OPPORTUNITIES
RESIDENCIES
FELLOWSHIPS & GRANTS
STUDIO SPACES
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The MSAC Online Resource Bulletin, maintained by Maryland Art Place, includes regional, national, and international exhibition opportunities, grants, fellowships, residencies, and information on available studio spaces in the area. To add to the list, email Caitlin Gill at caitlin@mdartplace.org.
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Allegany Arts Council
Anne Arundel Arts Council
Howard County Arts Council
Kent Cultural Alliance
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SUZANNE COLEY
(BALTIMORE COUNTY)
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Suzanne Coley holds an example of her couture textile books, which combine precision and intentionality of the design with bold experimentation and abstraction. Her textile books can be found in the permanent collections of the Smithsonian Institute and the National Museum of Women in the Arts. Photo by Quiltfolk Magazine. |
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Textile artist Suzanne Coley learned sewing and quilting from her grandmother and aunt, both professional seamstresses, and completed her first quilt at age 12. She combined the textile skills she learned from her elders with book arts and printmaking to develop a new style of textile book she calls “couture textile books.”
A proud member of the African American Quilters of Baltimore guild, Coley and her artistic practice are featured in the latest issue of Quiltfolk magazine.
Coley is participating as learner artist in a 2021-2022 MSAC Folklife Apprenticeship Grant in which she is studying the little-known sharecropper-style quilting tradition with master artist Catherine Wooten of Howard County.
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CURRENT MSAC OPPORTUNITIES |
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FUNDING
Arts in Education Grants provide matching funds of up to $5,000 to eligible Maryland-based nonprofit organizations and government entities to support educational engagements led by Teaching Artists on MSAC’s Teaching Artist Roster.
Deadline: Monthly on the 5th
Creativity Grants aim to strengthen the vitality and sustainability of artists and small organizations, in order to maintain a strong arts infrastructure in the state.
Deadline: Rolling
Deadline: Rolling
Deadline: Rolling
Deadlines: February 18, May 12
Professional Development Grants encourage and support relevant professional development opportunities for artists and arts organizations throughout Maryland.
Deadline: Rolling
Special Request Grants support needs of arts organizations and programs that fall outside of the eligibility of MSAC’s established grant programs.
Deadline: Rolling
ROSTERS
The Arts in Education Teaching Artist Roster supports teaching artists and the elevation of their careers by providing funding to Maryland schools and community groups to book Teaching Roster Artists, fostering connections to statewide networks, providing individualized feedback to strengthen artists’ programming, and heightening visibility through print and online marketing.
Deadline: Rolling
The Maryland Performing Artist Touring Roster is a list of juried, Maryland-based artists who have a demonstrated history of successful, professional touring engagements. Coupled with the Maryland Touring Grant, the Program is designed to promote the artistic collaboration between Maryland touring artists and Maryland presenting organizations to increase opportunities for professional performing artists to obtain successful touring engagements.
Deadline: Rolling
Questions? Contact the MSAC staff person for the program you’re interested in learning more about.
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