This June, Anne Arundel County is celebrating Arts Month! Local artists and arts organizations from across the county will open their doors and invite the public to participate in this month-long showcase of Anne Arundel County’s vibrant arts scene. AND Creative Studio and the Arts Council of Anne Arundel County are heading up Arts Month, which will feature events, exhibits, workshops, live music, galleries, festivals, performances, and much more.
Annapolis Arts Week, led by Alison Harbaugh and Darin Gilliam from AND Creative, is back this year from June 1-7, including Maryland Federation of Arts’ iconic plein air event, Paint Annapolis. Next up will be South County Arts Week, led by the Arts Lab of South County, from June 8-14. This will be followed by North County Arts Week, led by the Chesapeake Arts Center, from June 15-21. Wrapping up the month will be Artist’s Week from June 24-30, which will highlight activities that celebrate and support artists, including art talks, workshops, seminars, parties, and networking events.
Visit Annapolis & Anne Arundel County will promote Arts Month through a focused marketing campaign that folds in Annapolis Pride and Juneteenth events, declaring June Arts and Heritage Month in Anne Arundel County.
“With Annapolis Arts Week gaining momentum over the last few years, we noticed more and more conversation about how the arts create an impact throughout the entire county. This sparked larger ideas and collaborations that ultimately birthed Anne Arundel County Arts Month. Our goal is to showcase the arts in our County and also support local artists, arts organizations and businesses,” states Darin Gilliam.
The AND Creative team will manage an Arts Hub during Annapolis Arts Week. Located at Lightbox Studio at 209 West Street, the Arts Hub will serve as an information center, pop up gallery, event space, merch station, and much more. Arts organizations and businesses, as well as individual artists, can apply to be a part of the Arts Hub by going to the Arts Month website.
“Having a central location for the community to gather, take in free art events, and meet up with other creatives is so important. We hope this new addition will help to grow the arts scene, introduce the community to what’s happening around the county during June, and give artists a place to present their work,” said Alison Harbaugh.
For a full calendar of events, suggested itineraries, gallery directories, and more, guests can visit the new website for Anne Arundel Arts (www.AnneArundelArts.com). Many activities will be outdoors and free to the public, while others will require tickets or reservations.
Events submitted to the calendar will be included in the dynamic promotion by Visit Annapolis & Anne Arundel County as well as by AND Creative. County artists and arts organizations are encouraged to submit their events to the calendar portal as soon as possible.
