Howard County is launching its first public art program, with a local partnership and a $1.5 million investment from the county over the next several years.
The program, called Arts for All, is aimed at enhancing the county’s cultural landscape by commissioning permanent public art installations, strategically placed in community spaces and county facilities, reflecting the creative talent and vision of the community, according to a news release. The initiative underscores the role of public art in placemaking, providing spaces for inspiration, interaction and reflection.
“Howard County is home to an unparalleled community of artists and local arts organizations that help shape the creative fabric of our county. Our commitment to the arts is a recognition that a vibrant community is defined by how our residents imagine, create, and inspire others,” County Executive Calvin Ball said in the release. “Through a partnership with the Howard County Arts Council, the Arts for All program will commission iconic, permanent public art installations from a nationwide network of visual artists. These installations will serve as places to inspire, reflect, interact, and encourage purpose.”
The Howard County Arts Council, established in 1981, aims to nurture local artists and arts organizations by making the arts accessible to all residents, according to the release.
Through the Arts for All program, Ball and the arts council have launched a public survey to engage residents in selecting locations, themes and types for the public art displays, according to the release. This survey will be open throughout the summer while the arts council prepares to issue a Request for Qualifications from prospective artists. In his proposed fiscal 2025 operating budget, Ball set aside $1.5 million to fund public art installations at various locations over the next several years.
“Public art plays an incredibly important role in communities across the nation. It beautifies our public spaces and drives tourism, supporting our local economy. Public art also tells stories about our shared history to wider audiences and helps shape the identity of our community,” Adam Stull, president of the board of directors of the Howard County Arts Council said in the release. “We look forward to bringing Arts for All to a neighborhood near you!”
Through an existing partnership with the arts council, the county currently participates in the annual ARTsites program, which places temporary public art installations at locations throughout the county, according to the release. This new Arts for All program will advance public art in the county by commissioning permanent public art installations from a nationwide network of visual artists. Located at public facilities and on county land, these public art installations will captivate, inspire and draw people from far and wide to experience their beauty.
“Public art evolves at the intersection of all fields of inquiry and branches of knowledge and can provide a sense of social cohesion, cultural identity, and historical understanding,” Oletha DeVane, a Howard County-based multidisciplinary artist and winner of the 2023 Baker Award for Interdisciplinary Arts, said in the release.
In fiscal 2025, the arts council will receive approximately $1.25 million from the county for operations and local artist grant programs, according to the release. The arts council also plans to relocate its headquarters to the Historic Circuit Courthouse in Old Ellicott City, enhancing its capacity to support the arts community.
