Connecting with the Arts – October 2020
Welcome back to the Arts Council of Anne Arundel County’s monthly blog series, “Connecting with the Arts”, where we are featuring news and updates happening with art organizations in Anne Arundel County. Tune in the last Friday of each month to connect and learn more about the art organizations that are making an impact in our community.
As we make our way further into the Fall season (and this pandemic), we continue to learn how resilient the arts sector is as they keep up with bringing innovative programming to the community during these difficult times.
In this month’s post, we start by celebrating the variety of art that can be found in local area cemeteries with Anne Arundel Genealogical Society. We then leap into Ballet Theatre of Maryland’s new Season of Hope that is sure to fill you with hope and gratitude for the future. Jug Bay Wetlands Sanctuary takes us on a learning adventure along the Patuxent River! Celebrate Halloween safely this year by joining the Hammond-Harwood House for Pumpkins on the Avenue. Show some love for Historic London Town and Gardens by browsing their online auction where you can find all sorts of unique and special items to bring home. Lastly, let’s congratulate Creating Communities for being this year’s inaugural recipient of the Innovation Award from the Community Foundation of Anne Arundel County!
Connect and learn more about these organizations by clicking their logos below. We hope you enjoy!
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Anne Arundel Genealogical Society Cemetery Art
This year the Anne Arundel Genealogical Society received a grant through the Arts Council of Anne Arundel County and the Trader Foundation for Maryland Burial Sites to create a booklet and weblink celebrating the variety of art that can be found in local area cemeteries. The genealogical society has collected comprehensive records and inscriptions for its 500+ burial sites and shares its information with the those researching their family history and with the county’s Cultural Resources Division to help assure the protection of these sites.
This free booklet is available at various sites throughout the county including the Kuethe Historical and Genealogical Library in Glen Burnie, St. Anne’s in Annapolis, and the county’s Cultural Resources Division office and will be available at various events throughout the county. A weblink featuring the booklet is also available HERE.
Ballet Theatre of Maryland is excited to announce our 2020-2021 Season of Hope.
We have named our 42nd season The Season of Hope as we are filled with hope and gratitude when we envision our triumphant return to the stage following this global pandemic. We are also excited and hopeful for the future of dance in our community under the leadership of newly appointed Artistic Director, Nicole Kelsch!
Our season will open with a bite when BTM performs Founding Artistic Director Edward Stewart’s “Dracula” in October. November brings former Artistic Director, Dianna Cuatto’s “An American Southwest Carmen”, which is sure to spice up the stage! BTM’s holiday gift to audiences, the beloved and revered classic, “The Nutcracker” will make its appearance in December.
In February, BTM dives under the sea and into audiences’ hearts when Cuatto’s highly admired “The Little Mermaid” splashes onto the stage. In April, to close our brilliant Season of Hope, we will showcase BTM’s versatility in both existing and newly commissioned classical and contemporary works! We look forward to presenting dance to our patrons whether in person or virtually. For more information on performances and tickets, please visit www.balletmaryland.org or call 410-224-5644.
Sharing Jug Bay Wetlands Sanctuary’s Cultural History through Kayaking
In 2019, The Friends of Jug Bay, a non-profit organization that supports the Jug Bay Wetlands Sanctuary, received a mini grant from the Arts Council of Anne Arundel County to initiate an educational Sanctuary’s kayak archaeological guided program.
The Jug Bay area within the Patuxent River possesses rich archaeological resources and colonial and Native American history that goes back more than 10,000 years. By offering kayak guided programs the Sanctuary is able to share in a fun way all of this knowledge with the public, while also highlighting the importance for their preservation. There is so much history and evidence to be seen at Jug Bay that the Sanctuary could be considered as an “Open-Air Outdoor Native American History Museum” where participants can experience cultural history first hand! As we continue to offer this kind of programming we invite anyone interested in learning about the cultural history of Jug Bay, and how it connects with the natural environment, to come to Jug Bay Wetlands Sanctuary and join us for a kayaking archaeological learning adventure along the Patuxent River!
Pumpkins on the AvenueFun for Families and Kids of All Ages!
Hammond-Harwood House cannot host the traditional Pumpkin Walk this year. Instead, celebrate Halloween by bringing a decorated pumpkin and adding it to the Pumpkin Patch on the front lawn between 12 p.m to 4 p.m on Friday, October 30 2020.
Pick up a pre-packed goodie bag, enjoy a scavenger hunt in the front lawn, take photos and post on social media. Watch storyteller Andrea Lovett for a frighteningly tame story and a few belly laughs in the online video telling of the Ghost With The One black eye by visiting hammondharwoodhouse.org/event/pumpkins-on-the-avenue/ or the Hammond-Harwood House social media. Award Winning Storyteller, Andrea Lovett is both a storyteller and teaching artist. You can find her at Young Audiences of Massachusetts, HERE.
Donations are appreciated. Donate here
Show Some Love for London Town!
The Love for London Town online auction benefits Historic London Town and Gardens. It will run from Saturday, November 7 at 8am through Friday, November 13 at 10pm. Proceeds will support caring and sharing the history and horticulture at Historic London Town and Gardens. Some highlighted offerings include a private Colonial Cocktails workshop with executive director Rod Cofield, a handcrafted cabinet emblazoned with London Town’s mermaid logo, special “Marshy Point” azaleas, and much more. Learn more and register to bid HERE.
Creating Communities 2020 Innovation Award
Creating Communities is excited to announce that our small but mighty arts organization is the inaugural recipient of the Innovation Award from the Community Foundation of Anne Arundel County. We are grateful for their incredible support and wisdom through the years as well as to the Arts Council of Anne Arundel County for their commitment to and investment in the arts in our community.
For thirteen years, Creating Communities has pushed the envelope on developing innovative arts programs in schools, community centers, partnering nonprofits and neighborhoods ensuring access to the creative experience for children and adults. Throughout COVID-19, we have delivered for our community over and over again, adding valuable programs where there were none. Over the summer we offered a 100% scholarship arts program via Zoom and we are currently hosting arts and photography programs at Centro de Ayuda and Eastport Methodist Church, all outdoors and with COVID protocols, for 50 students as well as a Community Learning Institute.
We are so excited for this valuable recognition for our amazing mentors, board, donors, and partners. Creating Communities will continue to activate the lean, agile and responsive model we have so carefully cultivated through the years and who knows what we will accomplish next! www.amashowcase.com
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