The Power of
free live music
The Allegany Arts Council is pleased to announce the lineup for the 2023 Levitt AMP Cumberland Music Series which will take place on Thursday evenings from June 1-August 3, 2023, on the Festival Grounds of Canal Place.
The Levitt AMP Cumberland Music Series is supported in part by the Mortimer & Mimi Levitt Foundation, which partners with towns and cities across America to activate underused public spaces through the power of free live music, creating welcoming, inclusive destinations. Presenting a broad array of music genres and cultural programming, Levitt venues and concert sites are community anchors where families, friends and neighbors of all ages and backgrounds come together. Learn more at levitt.org.
In April 2022, the Allegany Arts Council partnered with Allegany County, the Mountain Side of Maryland and Frostburg State University to develop a grant for a $90,000 Levitt Foundation matching award. The Levitt AMP program provides funding to small and mid-sized communities looking to activate underutilized public spaces, to develop community pride and to foster economic growth through the arts. In August 2022, we were named as one of 36 nationwide finalists, and in September, members of our community came out in force to vote for Cumberland as a next AMP site, elevating us to 8th in the rankings. In November, we were named as one of 15 U.S. cities to receive this prestigious funding, which will include 10 weekly concerts in 2023, 2024 and 2025, joining more than 650 Levitt AMP concerts across the nation.
The Levitt AMP funding guidelines require a diverse and broad range of artistic performances which stretch communities and pay all participating performers, both with artist fees and music royalties. In this year's lineup, attendees will see everything from Dixieland jazz to a world guitar ensemble, to a classic soul singer. Our performers will be representative of communities across the U.S. and feature a diverse array of performers and performances.
All concerts are free to the public and all are invited to attend. Levitt AMP performances are family-friendly and attendees are encouraged to bring lawn chairs, picnic blankets, food and beverages. There is absolutely no cost to you to participate, although donations will be accepted.
All concerts in the series begin at 6:30PM with doors opening at 5:30PM. We ask that people do not arrive earlier than 5:30 as our sound and production teams will be making final adjustments.
The Levitt Foundation has specific guidelines for talent in its Levitt AMP program, which require all participating performers to be professional artists, play, perform and sell original music, and have an established internet and social media presence. You can check out our performers on streaming services like Spotify and others to learn more and to hear sneak peeks of their performance styles.
A goal of the Levitt Foundation funding is to introduce communities to a wide range of genres and experiences. It is a fun way to get to know new styles of music and artists.
Yes! Children and families are encouraged, and so is dancing, toe-tapping and singing along. We promise many of the performers will have you on your feet!
In 2023, it is unlikely food and beverage will be on-hand, which is why we encourage you to consider your own snacks and beverages as part of your concert plan. In years 2024 and 2025, we will consider additions to the series to include more activities, food and beverage providers, etc.
All of the 2023 concerts will take place on the Festival Grounds of Canal Place, which is a wide open lawn with no affixed seating. Parking is available in the Canal Place parking lot, located in front of the train depot building, or street parking may be found in and around downtown Cumberland. Paid garage spaces are available at the City Center Parking Garage.
You can also access the concert location on foot from Washington Street, from the C & O Towpath, or from Industrial Boulevard, or on bike from the Great Allegheny Passage.
Send us a quick note to be added to the e-mail list - art@alleganyarts.org. Subject: Levitt.
Donations may be made below or by stopping by the Allegany Arts Council anytime during business hours. If your business is interested in becoming a sponsor of our 2024 or 2025 series, contact Julie Westendorff, Executive Director, at jwestendorff@alleganyarts.org.
Your donations help support expenses related to the concert series which includes artist fees, production and marketing costs, advertising, hospitality and rental equipment for performers.
The Levitt AMP Cumberland Music Series is pleased to welcome New York-based Jessica Lynn!
Jessica Lynn is being hailed by press around the world as a rocket force and is quickly becoming a household name. A unique face and voice in modern music, she has been seen by millions on the road and in her three full-length nationwide concert television specials. Jessica’s powerful voice and fierce stage presence showcase the multi-faceted singer/songwriter’s instrumental talents playing piano, guitar, harmonica, and the drums. In five years of international touring, Jessica has shared stages with some of the most recognizable names in country and rock music such as Brad Paisley, Keith Urban, Richard Marx, Montgomery Gentry, Lonestar, The Allman Betts Band, Phil Vassar, Jo Dee Messina, ZZ Top, and the “Queen of Country” herself, Loretta Lynn.
