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Making our community a vibrant, more creative place to live, work, and play.

The Howard County Arts Council was created in 1981 to serve the citizens of Howard County by fostering the arts. We are devoted to nurturing local artists and arts organizations, furthering the public’s appreciation of the arts, and ensuring that the arts are accessible — regardless of age, ability or economic status.

Learn more about our history, mission, goals, leadership, and commitment to supporting local artists and arts organizations in Howard County.

American Jow Ga Lion Dance Team performs at the 2024 Celebration of the Arts (photo by Katie Simmons-Barth)
Two dancers wearing a large lion head and one dancer wearing a mask surrounded by confetti

Building a strong foundation for the arts

To support our mission and goals, we sponsor a wide variety of arts initiatives that nurture and strengthen the arts. We award grants and scholarships, provide advancement opportunities for artists and arts organizations, create an environment for open expression and exchange, encourage people — young and old alike — to discover their own artistic talents, and act as the primary voice and advocate for the Howard County arts community. And, we provide a home for the arts at the Howard County Center for the Arts in Ellicott City.

Our Mission

Our Vision

Our Equity Statement

Our Core Purpose

Our Core Values

Our History

Recognizing the important contributions the arts make to community life, the Howard County Council adopted Section 12.804(a) to the County Code in order to establish a private non-profit arts agency to foster the arts and selected the Howard County Arts Council to play that role. The ensuing public-private partnership has resulted in three remarkable decades of artistic programming and growth. This record has been accomplished in large part from recognition by County government and the Arts Council that arts and culture are not a luxury, but rather are vital to the creation of a vibrant, healthy community. Indeed, Howard County has become known throughout the region and beyond for the strength and vibrancy of the arts in its community.

The front entrance of the Center for the Arts (HoCo photo)
The front entrance of the Center for the Arts

HoCo Arts Timeline

Incorporation

Rockland Art Center
Resident Artist Studio Program
Exhibit Program
Arts Calendar 

County Arts Council Designation
Summer Art Camp
Art Maryland Exhibit
Education Program

Arts Advancement Program

Community Arts Development Grant Program
Artist-in-Education Grant Program
Howie Awards
Arts and Business Luncheon
Youth Art Month Exhibit

Arts and Cultural Needs Assessment

Cultural Arts Showcase
Road to the Arts

ArtsVision 2001
Art HoCo Exhibit
HoCo Open Exhibit
Howard County Center for the Arts Redevelopment Project
No Boundaries Partnership

Baltimore City Arts and Cultural Grant Program

Jim Rouse Theatre for the Performing Arts Partnership
Artists-in-Communities Residency Program

Jim Rouse Theatre for the Performing Arts Gala

Black Box Theatre
Celebration of the Arts in Howard County Gala
Jim Rouse Theatre Subsidy Program

Future of the Arts in Howard County Endowment
Holiday Open House and Sale
Community On-Line Calendar Partnership

Thunder Hill Elementary Public Sculpture Commission
Howard County Arts Organizations & Resource Directory
Head StART in ART Partnership
Fabulous Fifty+ Players Musical Theatre Program
www.hocoarts.org

Arts Scholarship Program

National Study of Model Community Arts Programs

ArtsVision: State of the Arts in Howard County 2003
Rising Star Professional Development Award

Benchmark Public Sculpture Commission

Technical Assistance Grant

ARTbuzz
Mark Ryder Original Choreography Grant

Open Mic Summer Series

artRELIEF
Facebook, Twitter

30th Anniversary
Paint It!  Ellicott City

ARTsites
John Holland Service Award
2020 Vision

Outreach Howard Grant
Head StART in ART : Tubman Center Partnership

ARTreach Festival
Metamorphosis Mosaic Mural Commission
ARTreach Courtyard Concerts
Howard County Arts Facility Need Assessment
Organizational Development: Equipment Grant
New Cultural Center Partnership

35th Anniversary
RE-CREATE: Ellicott City Artist Relief Fund
New website with Arts Calendar
Migrated to Salesforce CRM

Capital Campaign Feasibility Study
20th annual Celebration of the Arts
Selections from the Rouse Company | The Howard Hughes Corporation Art Collection in celebration of Columbia’s 50th Anniversary

Coleen West Leadership in Arts Howie Award
Covington Emerging Artist Award
FY19-FY23 Strategic Plan
RE-CREATE: Ellicott City Artist Relief Fund
Merriweather District Artist Residency Partnership

Downtown Columbia Arts & Culture Mediation
Howard County Courthouse Advisory Committee
MSAC 50th Anniversary Public Art Project: Head StART in ART Mosaic Mural

COVID-19 Emergency Relief Grants for Artists & Arts Organizations
HoCo Rise COVID-19 Emergency Relief Grants
Virtual Exhibitions
Long Reach Artist Studios
HoCo Arts Chats

40th Anniversary
Holiday Maker-Mart Pop-Up Market

ARTreach Festival
25th annual Celebration of the Arts
Community Arts Up Close
FY24-FY29 Strategic Plan
New Gallery Flooring & Walls
School’s Out Workshops

FY24-FY29 Strategic Plan
Website Redevelopment
IAM Creativity Grant Program
Howard County Poet Laureate
Courthouse Relocation Partnership

Howard County Flag Redesign
Howard County Youth Poet Laureate
Arts for All Public Art Program
Arts & Cultural Plan for Howard County

1980 – 1990

1991 – 2000

2001 – 2010

2011 – 2020

2021 – Present