In 1980, the Howard County Council approved County Code Subtitle 8, Section 12.800 to establish and support a private, non-partisan county arts council.
In the late 1970s, the Maryland State Arts Council led a state-wide initiative to create a network of local arts agencies in order to distribute state funding designated for the arts to every corner of the state. Each county was asked to designate a local arts agency and submit a plan for awarding funds through the Community Arts Development program. At that time, Howard County was awarding grants to the non-profit arts groups through the Howard County Recreation and Parks Arts Grant Committee.
Whether a result of the Maryland State Arts Council initiative or increased pressure from the local arts community to have a separate, impartial grant-making agency for the arts (or a combination of both), the County Council added the provision in the County Code to establish an independent arts council. This action by county leaders, along with provisions for public funding to support the arts council and its grant programs, gave weight to the importance of the arts in the then rapidly growing county.
During that same time period, a group of grassroots arts advocates – made up of artists, musicians, architects, dancers, photographers, and poets – led by Columbia residents Brenda and John Bell, got together to plant the seeds for a multi-purpose arts agency that would foster and nurture the arts in Howard County. Howard Arts United (HAU), now the Howard County Arts Council, was incorporated as a 501 C3 organization in April 1981. Its purpose was to be an “umbrella group” providing a voice for the otherwise independent people and groups interested in all the arts and furthering the opportunities Howard County could provide them for growth and success. Membership was open to all county residents and its Board of Directors was open to nominees interested in furthering HAU’s aims.
HAU applied for designation as the official arts council of Howard County and was recognized as such in 1982. The Committee on Grants was formed to collect data about other arts grants programs throughout the country and prepared the Policies and Procedures for an Arts Grants Program report, which recommended a number of factors to include in an arts grants program that would fit the needs and resources of Howard County. The report, which was endorsed by the HAU Board, was forwarded to Howard County Government for approval.
A major element of report was that the evaluation of grant applications should be carried out by an independent Artistic Review Panel, appointed by HAU Board but independent of it, and that the overall management of the grants program should be given to the Committee on Grants which would become a standing committee of the HAU Board. The purpose of that separation was to make sure HAU Board members and staff could not influence the awards process. Steps were also taken to eliminate any conflicts of interest by including a provision that representatives in leadership positions of applicant arts groups could not serve on the Artistic Review Panel or Committee on Grants. During its review of the report, the County Council proposed changes, namely that tax supported agencies (i.e. Howard Community College, Department of Recreation and Parks, etc.) would not be eligible for tax-supported arts grants. A compromise was reached that would allow these agencies to apply in special circumstances. Thus, the vision for an independent peer-review process was borne and has been developed further with each successive review.
After working with County officials to develop and approve its grant process and guidelines, the proposal defining the policies and procedures for administering a grants program for the arts in Howard County, was put up for public comment for a period of one year and then accepted and enacted, with Howard Arts United being permanently designated in 1984 as the agency authorized to serve as the county arts council in accordance with provisions of the Howard County Charter and Howard County Code. The grant program subsequently established has been cited for its excellence by the Maryland State Arts Council and used as a model for other county arts councils around the state.
In 1986, HAU officially changed its name to the Howard County Arts Council. It is one of 24 local county arts councils, which includes Baltimore City, that make up the County Arts Agencies of Maryland and work closely with the Maryland State Arts Council, a branch of the Maryland State Department of Commerce.
In 1987-88, its first full year as a re-grant agency, the Arts Council awarded $37,000 to 10 arts groups and six public schools. Since then, the grants program has grown tremendously. The Arts Council currently administers seven grant programs: Artists-in-Education; Baltimore City Arts & Cultural; Community Arts Development; Jim Rouse Theatre Subsidy; Mark Ryder Original Choreography; Outreach Howard; and Organizational Development, as well as, scholarships and an emerging artist performing artist competition. In FY15, the Arts Council awarded 98 grants totaling $677,900. Attendance records from organizations supported through these grants show that Howard County citizens make over 350,000 visits to their arts events annually.
In 1983, HAU established the Howard County Center for the Arts. The Center, located in a redeveloped school, is a 27,000 square foot multi-disciplinary community arts facility with two professional galleries, a black box theatre, classrooms, meeting and office space, dance studio, and artists’ studios. Artists have numerous opportunities to showcase their work, collaborate, exchange ideas and engage with the community. The Center is an important community resource where citizens of all ages and abilities can participate in the arts.
During these formative years, the Arts Council developed a number of signature programs that remain in place today: the Community Arts Development and Artist in Education grant programs; Art Maryland, Art HoCo, HoCo Open, and Youth Art Month exhibits; Resident Artist and Organization Studio programs; Cultural Arts Showcase; the annual Howie Awards for outstanding artist, arts educator, and business supporter of the arts; among others.
In 1987, Howard County Government hired consultant Joseph Wesley Ziegler to work with the Arts Council to conduct a cultural needs assessment. The assessment involved over 4,000 participants and was completed in 1989. As a follow-up to the assessment, the Arts Council worked with Zeigler to develop ArtsVision 2001, a 10-year plan for the arts. The plan was used to guide the arts in Howard County and resulted in new facilities, increased opportunities and access to the arts, growth in both organizations and programs, and the development of stronger regional partnerships.