Maryland Citizens for the Arts

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 30, 2001

HUNDREDS CONVENE IN ANNAPOLIS FOR MARYLAND ARTS DAY TO SHOW STATEWIDE SUPPORT OF ARTS

Annapolis, MD - Hundreds of arts leaders and supporters from around the state joined forces in Annapolis today, Maryland Arts Day, to promote support for the arts and arts education. Representatives from all 23 counties and Baltimore City met with state legislators to discuss the importance of public arts support and its role in communities across Maryland.

Advocacy efforts this year focused on getting the State Arts Council's requested increase of $2 million through the legislature and maintaining the Art Council's mandated increase of 750,000 in the FY2002 budget. The additional increase would represent the last piece of a 3-year statewide arts initiative to provide state funding for 10 percent of art organization's budgets.

The one-day combined conference and advocacy day, aims to give citizens a better understanding that the arts are a gateway to dealing with a host of issues- education, community revitalization and social services. The Arts - Part of the Solution symposium included presentations about the arts-focused redevelopment efforts in Silver Spring and Cumberland. Participants also learned about arts programs that have evolved into supporting a broad base of community needs outside arts-enrichment.

Ray Barry, Director of the American Film Institute spoke about the Institute's plans for the Silver Theatre; Artist and teacher, Robert Nichols, described the evolution of Brooklyn Park's new Chesapeake Center for the Creative Arts, a middle-school turned Performing arts center; and John Ceschini, Principal, and Susan Denvir, Fine Arts Coordinator, both talked about Rockledge Elementary's nationally recognized Arts Infusion Program. Rebecca Yenawine, Director of Kids on the Hill and Tom McHugh, Founder of the Mainstay were featured in the afternoon panel on the Arts and Society.

Among the speakers were a number of elected officials, including Sens. Barbara Hoffman and Robert Neall, Del. Joan Cadden, and Montgomery County Executive, Douglas M. Duncan.

Held in Frances Scott Key Auditorium at St. John's College, Maryland Arts Day is produced by Maryland Citizens for the Arts in association with the Maryland State Arts Council, and was sponsored by the Lockheed Martin Corporation as well as other businesses and foundations. Maryland Public Television sponsored the closing reception where they also presented their newest on-air/on-line arts collaboration, MPT Artworks.

Located in Ellicott City, Maryland Citizens for the Arts is a statewide arts advocacy organization founded in 1977. Its mission is to speak for the arts on the state and national levels as well as to ensure adequate funding for the Maryland State Arts Council. Maryland Citizens for the Arts and Maryland Citizens for the Arts Foundation produce the Governor's Arts Awards at ArtSalute and Maryland Arts Days.