Montgomery County student wins Poetry Out Loud

The Maryland State Arts Council presented the Maryland State Poetry Out Loud Finals at Baltimore’s Enoch Pratt Central Library, Saturday, Feb. 27. About 100 people watched nine regional winners compete for the title of Maryland State Poetry Out Loud Champion, a prize of $200, and an all-expenses paid trip to Washington, D.C., for the Poetry Out Loud National Finals, April 25-27, sponsored by the National Endowment for the Arts and the Poetry Foundation.


Nora Sandler, a student at Richard Montgomery High School in Montgomery County, won the contest with her recitation of “Hate Poem” by Julie Sheehan. Douglas Eber, from Hereford High School in Baltimore County, and Alessandra Daniels from James M. Bennett High School in Wicomico County, finished with second- and third-place honors.

Stanley Plumly, Maryland’s poet laureate, spoke about poetry recitation and read one of his poems. WYPR-radio personality Aaron Henkin hosted the event. Dominick Murray, deputy secretary for the Department of Business and Economic Development, spoke about the legacy of Lucille Clifton, a former Maryland poet laureate who recently died. He then read Clifton’s poem “won’t you celebrate with me.”

Local arts council raising its voice in Prince George’s County

After a year as executive director of the Prince George’s County Arts Council, Lionell Thomas says: “We’re now a major force. We have increased our visibility, and the breadth and depth of what we do.” Grantmaking is still a major function, he adds, noting that “we are a conduit for linking residents, artists and arts organizations to cultural resources.”

One of the council’s newest initiatives is the Prince George’s County Arts Network (PG-CAN). It’s an emerging group of artists, arts organizations, arts professionals, patrons, stakeholders, and public and private agencies – all interested in advocating for the arts in Prince George’s County. “They are expected to become the foot soldiers on arts and cultural issues,” Thomas says. Funding for the arts and using the arts to promote economic development are two prime concerns.

Prior to joining the arts council, Thomas was with the DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities for 22 years, where he held numerous roles, including deputy director and interim executive director. He is especially proud of his work to bring arts programs into underserved communities.

The Prince George’s Gazette posted an article about Thomas, last week. Also, check the arts council’s new web site for updated news items.

Artscape, book festival pay dividends for Baltimore

Two annual weekend events in Baltimore – Artscape and the Baltimore Book Festival – provided nearly $30.5 million in economic impact for Baltimore City in 2009, according to a study released by the Baltimore Office of Promotion and the Arts last week. The study was prepared by Forward Analytics, a Pittsburgh-based market research firm whose clients include festivals and events across the nation.

The 28th Artscape was a $25.97 million boost for Baltimore. It drew 350,000 visitors, including 10 percent (35,350) from outside Maryland and about 47 percent (163,800) from beyond the Baltimore metropolitan area. They spent $9 million with Artscape vendors – $3.5 million on art from the exhibitors and $4.3 million on food and beverages.

Held in the Mount Vernon area, the 14th Baltimore Book Festival was a $4.51 million event for the city. It drew 55,000 visitors, with 6,000 coming from outside of Maryland. About 42 percent of the respondents in the study spent two days at the festival. Total sales were: $651,908 for books; $620,252 for food and beverages; and $42,880 in purchases from other retailers.

This year, Artscape will be July 16-18, and the Baltimore Book Festival will be Sept. 24-26.

Scholarships, early sign-up offer savings for AFTA summit

The Baltimore Office of Promotion and the Arts (BOPA) is offering $250 scholarships to Baltimore artists and arts professionals interested in attending the Americans for the Arts (AFTA) annual conference, June 25-27 in Baltimore. These awards are intended to go toward the $350 registration fee. BOPA’s deadline for applications – to be reviewed on a first-come, first-awarded basis – is Friday, March 26.

Also, Americans for the Arts has extended the early-bird registration deadline for this year’s 50th-anniversary conference, the Half-Century Summit. The new deadline is Friday, March 19. Save up to $175 with early registration. Check online for additional ways to save.

The AFTA conference features Arianna Huffington, co-founder and editor-in-chief of The Huffington Post, as opening keynote-speaker and an increasing roster of other speakers and presenters, including: Rocco Landesman, chairman, National Endowment for the Arts; Janet Brown, executive director, Grantmakers in the Arts; Tom Cochran, CEO and executive director, The U.S. Conference of Mayors; Liz Lerman, director, Liz Lerman Dance Exchange (Takoma Park); John Waters, filmmaker; and Ben Cameron, Doris Duke Charitable Foundation.

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