On Saturday, February 28, we were thrilled to officially celebrate our grand opening and open house at the Capitoline Center, located at 8360 Court Ave in Historic Ellicott City. Public officials, families, friends, and community members joined us to tour our new space and mark this exciting new chapter.
Visitors had the opportunity to explore our new theatre, dance studio, classrooms, galleries, resident arts organizations, and resident artist studios, meet the HoCo Arts team, and learn more about the programs we’ll be offering in the months ahead. One of the highlights of the afternoon was a hands-on craft activity where prospective campers created a project to take home—a fun preview of the creativity that awaits them this summer.
We are incredibly grateful to everyone who stopped by to celebrate with us – thank you for helping us make our grand opening such a success. If you weren’t able to attend, we invite you to learn more about our programs and upcoming opportunities — we can’t wait to see you at The Cap!
To view more photos of the event, visit the Howard County Flickr Feed
Grand Opening of the Capitoline Center February 28, 2026 (HoCo Arts)
Save the Date: October 24, 2026
Get ready for a stellar evening at HoCo Arts’ annual gala – the 29th annual Celebration of the Arts in Howard County! Plans are underway for a memorable night of arts and entertainment. Details are coming soon! Visit HoCoArts.org/Celebration.
Join HoCo Arts for a fun and creative summer at the Capitoline Center in Historic Ellicott City! Camps are open to the public, regardless of residency in Howard County, for students entering grades K-7. Campers must be at least five years of age by September 1, 2026, to be eligible for summer camp. Campers are grouped by grade and may enroll for a full day or half day week-long sessions. The regular camp day is 9am-3:30pm. Before-care beginning at 8am and after-care until 6pm are also available. Camps conclude with an exhibit or performance of student work on the last day of each camp session. Summer camps begin June 22 and run through August 21, 2026. Register at hocoarts.org/camps.
We are pleased to welcome Falon Gustin as the Visitor & Facility Services Assistant! Falon Gustin is an artist and graduate of Savannah College of Art & Design, where she earned her B.F.A in Art History. Having worked through college as a tutor, Falon is passionate about education and connecting with people.
As Visitor and Facilities Services Assistant, Falon works directly with resident artists and Howard County Arts Council visitors alike, to make their experiences with HoCo Arts as rewarding as possible. An Ellicott City local herself, Falon is excited to help support her community and fellow artists. Welcome to HoCo Arts Falon!
HoCo Arts awards nearly $1m annually in grants to local arts organizations, nonprofits, PTAs, and artists. Join a live, virtual Info Session for application tips and to ask questions about our grant programs – register today!
Creative Howard – Apply by April 1
Supports projects for small Non-CAD non-profit arts organizations and arts businesses.
Info Session: March 4 at 12pm: Register Here
Community Arts Development (CAD) Grant Deadline: May 7
For Howard County non profit arts organizations or non-profit organizations presenting arts related projects.
Info Session: March 19 at 12pm: Register Here
April 16 at 7pm: Register Here
Artists-in-Education (AiE) Grant Deadline: June 4
For Howard County PTAs wishing to bring artists to their schools for Residencies, workshops, or presentations.
Info Session: March 18 at 12pm: Register Here
April 15 at 7pm: Register Here
For complete information about grant programs, guidelines, and more, visit hocoarts.org/grants
We were sad to hear that former Howie Award honoree, devoted teacher, and artist Pamela Lennon recently passed away. Pam taught art at several schools throughout Howard County and believed every child deserved access to the arts, especially students in underserved communities.
In 2000, she was named Outstanding Elementary Art Educator by the Maryland Art Education Association, and in 2004 she received the Howie Award for Outstanding Arts Educator from HoCo Arts.
Our heartfelt condolences to her family, friends, and the many former students whose lives she impacted.
Naomi Ayala is the author of Wild Animals on the Moon (Curbstone Press); This Side of Early (Curbstone/Northwestern University Press); and Calling Home: Praise Songs and Incantations (Bilingual Press, University of Arizona). She’s the translator of La sombra de la muerte/Death’s Shadow, a novel by His Excellency José Tomás Pérez, and of Luis Alberto Ambroggio’s poetry collection La arqueología del viento/The Wind’s Archeology. Naomi’s essays have appeared in The Massachusetts Review and Tricycle: The Buddhist Review. She is a recipient of artist fellowships from the DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities and co-editor of The Skinny Poetry Journal.
Linda Dove holds a Ph.D. in Renaissance literature and teaches college writing. She is also an awardwinning poet of five books: In Defense of Objects (2009), O Dear Deer, (2011), This Too (2017; reprint 2026), Fearn (2019), and Switchfish (2023), as well as the scholarly collection of essays, Women, Writing, and the Reproduction of Culture in Tudor and Stuart Britain (2000). Poems have been nominated for a Pushcart Prize, the Robert H. Winner Award from the Poetry Society of America, Best of the Net, and Best Microfiction. While in southern California, she served as the Altadena Poet Laureate from 2012- 2014, as well as the founding editor of MORIA Literary Magazine. She recently relocated to her hometown of Columbia, Maryland.
Mallory Smith is a high school English teacher at Reservoir High School, where she teaches AP Literature and Composition to seniors and English for Multilingual Learners in 10th grade. She holds a degree in English and Creative Writing from Washington College and earned her MFA from the University of Florida, where she taught poetry as a graduate assistant for three years and published her thesis with honors. She later earned her master’s in teaching from UMBC, graduating summa cum laude. In 2021, she was named UMBC Teacher of the Year. Mallory currently advises the National English Honor Society and is passionate about helping young people find their voices and see themselves as leaders, storytellers, and changemakers.
Maryland Arts Day – Maryland Citizens for the Arts
Registration deadline: February 6
Maryland Arts Day, organized by Maryland Citizens for the Arts, will take place on February 12, 2026, in Annapolis. As the state’s largest arts advocacy event, it brings together 500+ arts professionals from across Maryland to connect with legislators, build relationships, and advocate for strong public support for the arts.
Join us on Saturday, February 28, 3-5pm, as we celebrate this exciting new chapter with a public Open House at our new home—the Capitoline Center, formerly the Circuit Courthouse in Historic Ellicott City. Visit the newly renovated spaces designed to create, perform, and learn. The Open House will be held in conjunction with the exhibit reception for Gallery II: Connected Geometry. We look forward to seeing you when the doors open to the public at 8360 Court Avenue! More about our relocation is here.
Application deadline: February TBD (for Camp Counselors) March TBD (for Camp Volunteers)
Looking for a fun summer job or community service hours? Apply now to be a Counselor or Volunteer for our summer art camp program!
Visual and performing arts camps are offered to children grades K-7 grades in one-week sessions from June 21 – August 22. Camp counselors and volunteers serve as classroom aides and help ensure that campers have a positive and safe camp experience during week-long arts camps.
Camp Counselors:
- Must be age 18 by June 15, 2026
- Must be able to commit to at least one full camp session, Monday-Friday, 8:30am-4:30pm.
- Position is seasonal and is paid at the rate of $16/hr.
Camp Volunteers:
- Must be age 15 by September 1, 2026.
- Must be able to commit to at least one entire week ½ day camp session, Monday-Friday, 8:45am-12:00pm or 12:30pm-3:45pm.
- Position is seasonal and unpaid; however, community service hours may be earned.
For more information and to apply, follow the appropriate link below: