Arts Organizations

Applications available for community grants The Board of Directors of the Washington County Arts Council announces that the 2013 Community Arts Development Grant Guidelines and Application are available online at www.washingtoncountyarts.com . The purposes of the program are to better serve artists, arts organizations and audiences and to encourage local decision-making, arts activity and funding for the arts at the local level. For more information, call Mary Anne Burke at 301-791-3132.

Maryland State Arts Council has announced that Thursday, Jan. 11, 2007 is the deadline for the 2008 ARTvantage Grant Program. The grant provides opportunities for people to experience and participate in a wide range of art forms and activities, enable arts organizations and artists to expand and diversify their audiences, extend the arts to underserved populations, and emphasize the potential of the arts to help strengthen communities. This grant must be submitted in collaboration with another nonprofit organization.

The Board of Directors of the Washington County Arts Council has elected new officers for 2008, and also appointed two new directors. The new officers are Donna Newcomer, president; Kathy Harple, vice president; Carl Disque, second vice president; Joan Bontempo, secretary; and Michael Murray, treasurer. Joining the board as new directors are Toni Rinehart Sullivan and Tom Riford. The Washington County Arts Council was founded 40 years ago to enrich the cultural, educational, economic and social life of the community through nurturing the arts.

The Board of Directors of the Washington County Arts Council announced that the 2012 Community Arts Development Grant Guidelines and Application are available. The deadline for submitting an application is Saturday, July 30. The purposes of the Arts Development Grant program are: • to better serve artists, arts organizations and audiences throughout Maryland. • to encourage local decision-making, arts activity and funding for the arts at the local level. Awards are made possible through the Maryland State Arts Council’s Community Arts Development program, which “provides funds and technical assistance to the local arts councils of the 23 counties of Maryland and Baltimore City.

FREDERICK, Md. - The Frederick Arts Council is offering organizational development workshops on two challenges that face nonprofit arts organizations, fundraising and strategic planning. Both workshops are free and open to the public, but registration is required. The workshops will be from 5 to 7:30 p.m. at the Cultural Arts Center of Frederick County, 15 W. Patrick St. On April 24, a workshop entitled, "Fundraising Gifts - Cultivating and Asking for Major Gifts" will teach participants how to effectively identify, cultivate and ask for a substantial monetary gift.

The Washington County Arts Council Board of Directors has announced the 2010 Community Arts Development grant recipients. The awards were made possible through the Maryland State Arts Council. Following is a list of recipients, the programs affected and the amount received. o Potomac Classical Youth Ballet, spring performance, $1,000. o Ballet & All that Jazz, Saturday programming, $500. o Hagerstown Community Concert Association, student outreach program, $350.

James Pierne, president of the board of directors of the Washington County Arts Council Inc., recently distributed the 2012 Community Arts Development grants. This year's awards, totaling $12,000, were made possible through the Maryland State Arts Council. Following is a list of the organizations receiving the grants, the project for which they received the grants and the amount of the grants. Augustoberfest Charitable Foundation, Augustoberfest event, $1,000 Ballet & All that Jazz, The BTJ Dancers, $1,000 City of Hagerstown-Blues Fest, Blues Fest, $2,000 Hagerstown Choral Arts Inc., concert support, $1,000 Hagerstown Community Concert Association, student outreach program, $1,000 Maryland Symphony Orchestra, The Kinder Konzerts Series, $ 2,000 Potomac Playmakers, 2011-12 season, $3,000 Washington County Museum of Fine Arts, 80th Cumberland Valley Artists Exhibition, $1,000 The Community Arts Development program of the Maryland State Arts Council provides funds and technical assistance to the local arts councils of the 23 counties of Maryland and Baltimore City.

The Nora Roberts Foundation is donating $13,000 to Boonsboro High School, with $8,000 going to the band to buy musical instruments and equipment, and $5,000 going to the drama department, school system officials said. The Board of Education voted 7-0 Tuesday night to accept the donation. Several board members expressed gratitude for the foundation's donation as well as its past donations. Donna Brightman said that during her 3 1/2 years as a board member, Roberts has made several donations to the school system.

BOONSBORO -- Eagle Scout projects typically have something to do with the outdoors. But that isn't the case with Jimmy Horner's. "I wanted to do something with the arts because I'm interested in them," the 17-year-old Horner said. "I want to be an animator for Disney. " Horner said he could have chosen a project that involved improving a public park or something along those lines, but chose instead to fix up the interior of the Washington County Arts Council at 14 W. Washington St. in Hagerstown.

After-school celebration Oct. 22 Lights On Afterschool Celebration will be at 6 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 22, at the Boys & Girls Club of Washington County, 805 Pennsylvania Ave. Activities will include technology demonstrations, physical fitness games, arts and crafts, and refreshments. RSVP by Tuesday, Oct. 20, to mkrantz@myactv.net or call 301-733-5422. Arts Passport available in Frederick FREDERICK, Md. - The Frederick Arts Council and local arts organizations are again sponsoring the Arts Passport.