For Immediate Release Contact: Julie Westendorff jwestendorff@alleganyarts.org 301.777.2787 (ARTS)   Allegany Arts Council Names 2023-2024 General Operating Grant Award Recipients CUMBERLAND—The Allegany Arts Council announced on Giving Tuesday the recipients of its FY2023-2024 General Operating Grant program, totaling just over $30,000 in funds which support arts organizations and programming in Allegany County. Arts organizations were […]

For immediate release Contact: Julie Westendorff jwestendorff@alleganyarts.org 301-777-2787 Two Exhibitions to Open October 28 at the Allegany Arts Council CUMBERLAND, MD—Two new exhibitions open October 28-November 21, 2023, at the Allegany Arts Council’s Saville and Schwab Galleries. The Saville Gallery features the work of Frederick-based artist, Steven Dobbin, including metal sculptures, found objects and titles […]

For Immediate Release   Contact: Julie Westendorff art@alleganyarts.org 301.777.2787 (ARTS)   Allegany Arts Council Announces Winners of 2023 Western Maryland Watercolor Society Exhibition, Where Water Meets Pigment CUMBERLAND—The Allegany Arts Council announced the winners of the 2023 Western Maryland Watercolor Society Exhibition, Where Water Meets Pigment, during an awards presentation held on Saturday, September 30, […]

CUMBERLAND—The Allegany Arts Council is pleased to present two new exhibitions which will be on display beginning Saturday, September 30, 2023, in its Saville and Schwab Galleries, 9 N. Centre Street in Cumberland. Inch by Inch: The Art of Greg Malloy features the work of the local artist who is using an innovative approach for […]

For immediate release Contact: Julie Westendorff jwestendorff@alleganyarts.org 301-777-2787 Allegany Arts Council announces winners of 24th Annual Will’s Creek Exhibition of Fine Art CUMBERLAND—The Allegany Arts Council announced winners of its 24th Annual Will’s Creek Exhibition of Fine Art this past Saturday evening. The contest is the longest-running, national competition of the Arts Council and focuses […]

For immediate release Contact: Julie Westendorff jwestendorff@alleganyarts.org 301-777-2787 Allegany Arts Council presents 24th Annual Will’s Creek Exhibition of Fine Art  CUMBERLAND—The 2023 Will’s Creek Competition & Exhibition of Fine Art will be on display at the Allegany Arts Council from August 26-September 23, 2023. The show will include the work of 27 artists from throughout […]

The Allegany Arts Council held its 12th Mountain Maryland Plein Air Competition & Exhibition June 12-17, 2023. The event brought 30 artists from throughout the United States and Canada to Western Maryland for a week of outdoor painting. Renowned Plein Air painter Charlie Hunter served as juror for the competition. The following artists took home awards at the Plein Air Reveal Event held Friday, June 16, at the Ali Ghan Shrine Club.

The 12th Mountain Maryland Plein Air Competition & Exhibition will take place June 12-17, 2023. This exciting event will bring 30 premiere plein air painters to Western Maryland from across the United States for a week of outdoor painting.

The Allegany Arts Council is thrilled to announce the lineup for the 2023 Levitt AMP Cumberland Music Series that will take place on the Festival Grounds at Canal Place each Thursday at 6:30PM from June 1-August 3, 2023. Launching with a performance by ragtime-fusion act Blair Crimmins & the Hookers, the roster of acts includes everything from Dixieland jazz, to a world guitar ensemble, to a classic soul singer.

The Allegany Arts Council will welcome California-based artist Charles Anselmo for a solo exhibition featuring works in both the Saville and Schwab galleries April 29-May 27, 2023. Working exclusively with photographic film, Anselmo's large scale prints on translucent Habotai silk show the urban landscape in moments of decline, depicting cities as living entities suspended in social memory.

The Allegany Arts Council announced the winners of its 9th Annual Allegany National Photography Competition & Exhibition on Saturday, April 1, during a public opening and awards ceremony. Juror Todd Tubutis, Director of the Art Museum of West Virginia University, selected winners from an outstanding selection of photographs.

The 9th Annual Allegany National Photography Competition & Exhibition (ANPCE) will take place this year from April 1-22. The public is invited to an opening reception and awards ceremony on Saturday, April 1, from 6:00-8:00PM. The program will feature 2023 juror, Todd J. Tubutis, Director of the Art Museum of West Virginia University.

The Allegany Arts Council has announced a ribbon-cutting ceremony to celebrate the recently-completed mural entitled Skipper's View—the organization’s most recent project in the Public Art Across Maryland program. The ceremony will take place Friday, March 24, 2023, at 2:00pm at 211 E. Market Street, Cumberland.

The Allegany Arts Council and Allegany County Library System are pleased to announce the semi-finalists in development of a Public Art Across Maryland (PAAM) planning grant. The proposed project, located on the patio of the newly-constructed LaVale Library, seeks to add an attractive outdoor public art installation and address practical issues of shade and usage during summer months.

The Allegany Arts Council will once again partner with Allegany County Public Schools for its Allegany County Student Art Showcase which will take place from March 4-25. The show, Emerging Artists, features the artwork of Allegany County public elementary, middle and high school students working in a variety of mediums - watercolor, collage, assemblage, pottery, and more.

The Allegany Arts Council is pleased to announce two exhibitions that will take place in its Saville and Schwab Galleries February 4-25, 2023. The Saville Gallery will feature Studio Sessions Showcase, exhibiting the work created by ten artists-in-residence during the Arts Council’s January Studio Sessions program.

From January 10-27, 2023, the second floor of the Allegany Arts Council will be transformed into a dynamic artist-in-residence space. During the three-week period, ten artists will be on site creating new works, demonstrating their processes, and collaborating with other artists as part of the Studio Sessions program.

The Allegany Arts Council is pleased to announce recipients of its first-ever Individual Artist Grant Awards. Artists in Allegany County were given the opportunity to apply for up to $2,000 in funding to support their artistic practice. With nearly 30 applications received, 15 received full or partial funding, totaling more than $20,000 in awards.

In partnership with the Allegany County Library System, the Allegany Arts Council is developing a Public Art Across Maryland (PAAM) grant application to fund a public art project for the newly-constructed LaVale Library located at 815 National Highway.

The Allegany Arts Council’s 2022 Holiday Market will open from 1:00PM-8:00PM on Black Friday and continue with hours from 11:00AM-5:00PM, Tuesday through Sunday, through December 23. The market will feature handmade and original creations by artists throughout our community and region, including handmade note cards, jewelry, ceramics, ornaments, knitwear, woodwork, paintings, photography, and much more.

The Allegany Arts Council will present the work of Mooresville, North Carolina-based artist, Anne Harkness, in her exhibition titled, "In Plain View." The exhibit will take place October 29-November 19, 2022 in the Saville Gallery. Also taking place October 29-November 19, an exhibition titled, “Something Else,” featuring the drawings of local artist Cole Fiscus will be on display in the Arts Council’s Schwab Gallery.

The Allegany Arts Council recently awarded a total of $25,000 in General Operating Grants to nonprofit organizations helping to make our region a community "alive with the arts!" The eleven organizations receiving awards were: Chorus of the Potomac, Cumberland Choral Society, Cumberland Jazz Society, Cumberland Theatre, Embassy Theatre, FSU Center for Literary Arts, FSU Department of Theatre & Dance, Mountainside Baroque, Savage Mountain Punk Arts, Tri-State Community Concert Association, and World Artists Experiences.

The Allegany Arts Council’s 2022 Mountain Maryland Artist Studio Tours will take place Saturday and Sunday, 8 & 9, from 11:00AM to 5:00PM each day. This annual event allows community members to visit local artists in their studios, giving visitors an opportunity to see artists’ workspaces, talk with artists about their process, and purchase one-of-a kind work. The 2022 tour spans from Flintstone to Swanton, featuring painting, quilting, jewelry, woodworking, photography, ceramics, and sculpture.

Two exhibitions will take place October 1-22, 2022 at the Allegany Arts Council. The Saville Gallery will feature Cumberland and New York-based artist Bill Dunlap for his exhibition, "A Little Light in Great Darkness," and the Schwab Gallery will feature a group exhibition with work by members of the Appalachian Pastel League.

The Allegany Arts Council is pleased to announce a new grant program for individual artists offering awards of up to $2,000 to individual artists or artist teams who either reside in, sell in, or create work in Allegany County, Maryland. The goal of the program is to support artists in the creation of new works. Funding may be used for the purchase of materials, rental of studio space, hiring of models, artist payments, or other project-specific expenses.

The Allegany Arts Council is now in the running to bring a free outdoor music series to Cumberland starting in 2023.
Supported by the Mortimer & Mimi Levitt Foundation, a social impact funder at the intersection of music and public spaces, the Allegany Arts Council hopes to qualify as one of the Top 20 finalists in the public voting phase of the Levitt AMP [Your City] Grant Awards. The public is urged to support the Allegany Arts Council’s proposal by participating in the public voting process, via online or text, taking place from September 12–21, 2022, at levitt.org/vote.

The 2022 Will’s Creek Competition & Exhibition of Fine Art will be on display at the Allegany Arts Council from September 3-24, 2022. The show will include the work of 43 artists from throughout the United States, chosen from nearly 450 pieces submitted to the competition. A Public Opening and Awards Presentation with 2022 juror, Ian Alden Russell, will be held Saturday, September 10, 2022, from 6:00PM-8:00PM, and is free and open to the public.

The Allegany County Arts Council is pleased to announce a collaboration with the Maryland Federation of Art. This "gallery swap" competition will result in two juried exhibitions featuring the work of Allegany Arts Council members at the Circle Gallery in Annapolis, MD, and the work of Maryland Federation of Art members at the galleries of the Allegany Arts Council. Both exhibitions will take place August 6-27, 2022.

The Allegany Arts Council will present the exhibition, Fade to Blue: A Photographic Journey, in its Saville and Schwab Galleries July 2-30, 2022. The exhibition showcases photographs Michael Hunter Thompson took in and around the former Allegany High School building before its demolition.

The Allegany Arts Council is pleased to present the 2022 Annual Members Exhibition, May 28-June 25, in its Saville and Schwab Galleries at 9 N. Centre Street in Cumberland. The exhibit will feature the work of more than 60 Arts Council members and will include photography, painting, woodworking, sculpture, and mixed media pieces.

The Allegany Arts Council and Schoolhouse Quilters Guild, Inc. will host the first-ever 2022 Schoolhouse Quilt Show & Competition to take place June 3-5, 2022, at the Allegany County Fairgrounds in Cumberland, Maryland. The event will feature three full days of quilt exhibition, programs and workshops, a quilt boutique, vendors, and much more.

The Allegany Arts Council is now accepting applications for its 2022-2023 grants program. The program, made possible by County Arts Development funding of the Maryland State Arts Council, supports non-profit organizations and individual artists in the creation of activities and programs that champion the arts in our community.

The Allegany Arts Council is pleased to announce two exhibitions which will be on display from April 30-May 21, 2022 in the Arts Council’s Saville and Schwab Galleries.

The Allegany Arts Council announced the winners of its 8th Annual Allegany National Photography Competition & Exhibition on Saturday, April 2, during a public opening and awards ceremony.

Join the Allegany Arts Council Saturday, April 9, from 4:00-5:30PM as we go Behind the Scenes of the 8th Annual Allegany National Photography Competition & Exhibition. This annual program has become an exciting part of each year's competition as Frostburg State University Associate Professor of Art Robert Hein dives deeply into the exhibit, pointing out themes and techniques in photography and speaking directly with artists and viewers about the show.

The 8th Annual Allegany National Photography Competition & Exhibition (ANPCE) will take place this year from April 2-23. The show will be available for viewing both in person at the Allegany Arts Council’s galleries at 9 N. Centre Street in Cumberland, and via digital gallery at  https://www.alleganyartscouncil.org/saville-exhibition/.

The Allegany Arts Council is pleased to once again partner with Allegany County Public Schools for its annual Allegany County Student Art Showcase which will take place from March 5-26. The show, Emerging Artists, features the artwork of Allegany County public elementary, middle and high school students working in a variety of mediums - watercolor, collage, assemblage, pottery, and more.

A Closing Reception for the two exhibitions currently on display at the Allegany Arts Council will take place on Saturday, February 26, 2022, from 6:00PM-8:00PM. The event is free and the public is invited to attend.

The Allegany Arts Council and Schoolhouse Quilters Guild, Inc. are pleased to announce a partnership to host the first-ever 2022 Schoolhouse Quilt Show & Competition to take place June 3-5, 2022, at the Allegany County Fairgrounds in Cumberland, Maryland.

The Allegany Arts Council and the Arts & Entertainment District of Cumberland are pleased to announce Making Our Case for Public Art, a special evening with February exhibiting artist, Erwin Timmers, exploring how public art transforms communities. The event will take place Friday, February 25, 2022 at the Allegany Arts Council, and will kick off with a cocktail reception at 5:30PM followed by the program at 6:00PM.

The Allegany Arts Council will present two exhibitions February 5-26, 2022.

The Allegany Arts Council, Allegany Museum, Allegany High School, AHS Historical Research Methods Students, and photographer Michael Hunter Thompson are pleased to present a special program entitled, “If These Halls Could Talk: A Tribute to Allegany’s Campobello", to take place July 2-23, 2022. If These Halls Could Talk is a collaborative effort that combines the unique artistic talent of photographer Michael Hunter Thompson and the research and project development of students at Allegany High School enrolled in the Historical Research Methods class.  The project celebrates the history and legacy of the former Allegany High School located on Sedgwick Street in Cumberland and incorporates several events.

In light of the current COVID surge and Governor Hogan's recently declared state of emergency, the public opening originally scheduled for this Saturday, January 8, at the Allegany Arts Council has been canceled.

The Allegany Arts Council and its Saville Gallery are pleased to announce a group exhibition featuring the work of Washington, DC and Baltimore-based artists Travis Childers, Holly Trout, and Annie Farrar. The show, which will be on display January 8-29, 2022, will include a variety of mediums including sculpture and collage.

The Allegany Arts Council will present the joint exhibition, Cloth-Metal-Art, featuring the work of artists Peggy Black and Dustin Davis. The exhibition will be on display in the Arts Council's Saville Gallery from November 13, 2021 through December 4, 2021.

The Allegany Arts Council is pleased to announce the next workshop in its Young at Art series, "Being Still with Still Life - Developing Drawings through Intuitive and Experimental Practices,” which will take place Wednesday, November 10, from 1:00-4:00PM.

The Allegany Arts Council’s 2021 Mountain Maryland Artist Studio Tours will take place this weekend, Saturday and Sunday, October 9 and 10, from 11:00AM to 5:00PM each day. This annual event allows community members to visit local artists in their studios, giving visitors an opportunity to see artists’ workspaces, talk with artists about their process, and purchase one-of-a kind work.

The Allegany Arts Council is pleased to announce the Public Opening for two exhibits featuring local artists—Conversations in Color: The Artistry of Sibyl MacKenzie, Elizabeth Blaisdell, and Michael Kenneth O'Brien in the Saville Gallery, and the Allegany Area Art Alliance Membership Exhibition taking place in the Schwab Gallery. The Public Opening is scheduled for Saturday, October 9, 2021, from 6:00PM-8:00PM and the event is free and open to the public.

A storm predicted to bring heavy rain and potential flooding to the area Wednesday evening has pushed back the public opening of the temporary public art project, A Mazing City, once again. A rain date has been set for Saturday, October 2, from 2:00-6:00PM.

The Allegany Arts Council is pleased to announce the next in its Young at Art series, an initiative specifically geared toward novice artists 55 and older and generously funded by the Community Trust Foundation. For this workshop, Young at Art: Photo Safari on the C&O Canal, participants will be transported along the C&O Canal to a series of outdoor photography shoots.

The Allegany Arts Council announced the winners of its 22nd Annual Will’s Creek Exhibition of Fine Art at a public opening on Saturday, September 11, in its Saville Gallery.

Truly A Mazing things are worth the wait!! The debut of the temporary public art project, A Mazing City, originally scheduled for September 10, will instead take place Wednesday, September 22 with a public opening from 6:00-8:00PM on the grounds of Canal Place.

Get ready for something A Mazing!! The Allegany Arts Council is pleased to announce a temporary public art project in collaboration with local artists Christopher Sloan, Bill Dunlap, and Arnold d'Epagnier. The project, A Mazing City, will be installed on the grounds of Canal Place beginning September 10, 2021, and will remain through December 1, 2021.

The 2021 Will’s Creek Competition & Exhibition of Fine Art will be on display at the Allegany Arts Council from September 4-October 2, 2021, and will also be available for viewing via a digital gallery on the Allegany Arts Council’s website.

The Allegany Arts Council invites members of the public to participate in a community input meeting regarding a proposed Public Art Across Maryland (PAAM) grant project application. The meeting will take place Thursday, September 16, 2021, at 5:00PM, at the Allegany Arts Council.

The Arts & Entertainment Districts of Cumberland and Frostburg, in concert with the Downtown Development Commission and Schoolhouse Quilters, Inc., will celebrate the art of quilting in their first ever collaboration, QuiltWalk 2021.

The Allegany Arts Council recently awarded a total of $27,350 in grants to nonprofit organizations and artists helping to make our region a community "alive with the arts!"

The Allegany Arts Council will present two exhibitions from July 31-August 28, 2021.

The 11th Annual Mountain Maryland Plein Air Competition & Exhibition will take place June 15-19, 2021. This exciting event will bring 27 premiere plein air painters to Western Maryland from across the United States for a week of outdoor painting.

The Mountain Traditions Project Exhibition is now on display at the Allegany Arts Council. This limited exhibition will run through June 13, 2021, with a Panel Presentation & Public Opening to take place Saturday, June 5, 2021, from 5:00PM-8:00PM.

The Allegany Arts Council is pleased to welcome Alec Edwards to its staff. Edwards will serve as program associate, supporting program development, gallery operations, and creative projects.

The Allegany Arts Council is pleased to welcome the Western Maryland Watercolor Society for its 33rd spring exhibition, Color Harmony.

The Allegany Arts Council is pleased to present the work of Alexandria, VA-based artist, Charlene Nield, in an exhibition entitled, "The Art of Happenstance: Chance Meetings & Destined Friends," to take place May 1-29, 2021.

The Allegany Arts Council, Allegany College of Maryland, Frostburg State University, Allegany County NAACP Branch 7007, and the Community Resilience Council are pleased to announce a call to artists on the theme of “Creative Community Creating Unity.”

The Allegany Arts Council, in partnership with the Allegany County Library System, the Frostburg State University Center for Literary Arts, and WVU-Potomac State College, is pleased to announce the publication of the 2021 edition of the Backbone Mountain Review. Join us for a virtual launch party via Zoom on Sunday, April 25, 2021, at 2:00PM to hear directly from the contributors of this year's journal.

The Allegany Arts Council is now accepting applications for its 2021-2022 grants program. The program, made possible by County Arts Development funding of the Maryland State Arts Council, supports non-profit organizations and individual artists in the creation of activities, programs, and placemaking efforts which champion the arts in our community.

The Allegany Arts Council announced the winners of its 7th Annual Allegany National Photography Competition & Exhibition on Saturday, April 10, during a live-streamed awards ceremony.

The Allegany and Garrett County Arts Councils, along with partners Allegany College of Maryland, Dove Center, Family Crisis Resource Center, and Frostburg State University are proud to announce a project supporting National Sexual Assault Awareness Month. The digital exhibition entitled, "What Were You Wearing?" will be available online from April 3-24, 2021, and will be available for viewing beginning 11:00AM on Saturday, April 3 at https://www.alleganyartscouncil.org/schwab-exhibition/.

The 7th Annual Allegany National Photography Competition & Exhibition (ANPCE) will take place this year from April 3-24. The show will be available for viewing both in person at the Allegany Arts Council’s galleries at 9 N. Centre Street in Cumberland, and via digital gallery at  https://www.alleganyartscouncil.org/saville-exhibition/.

CUMBERLAND- The Allegany Arts Council has awarded emergency grant funding to five local arts organizations that have experienced losses due to COVID-19.

The Allegany Arts Council is pleased to announce "Young at Art: Exploring Watercolor for the Never-Before Artist" to take place Thursday, February 18, 2021, from 2:00PM-4:00PM via Zoom.

The Allegany Arts Council is thrilled to present an exhibition of Morgantown, West Virginia artist, Hannah K Freeman, in her show, "Harmony," to take place February 6-27, 2021.

The Allegany Arts Council is pleased to again offer emergency grant funding to local arts organizations in order to mitigate losses suffered due to COVID-19.

The Allegany Arts Council is pleased to announce the winners of the 2020 Members Show.

The Allegany Arts Council announced the winners of the 2020 Western Maryland Watercolor Society Exhibition, Color in Motion, during a virtual awards presentation held via Zoom on Saturday, November 7, 2020.

The Allegany Arts Council and its Schwab Gallery will host the Western Maryland Watercolor Society's exhibition, Color in Motion from November 7-28, 2020. The exhibition features work by a variety of watercolor artists from throughout the region and highlights various techniques using wet-on-wet styles, color drippings, and the layering of watercolor pigments.

Chris Sloan's solo exhibition, Salient Points - Thoughts on the Future of Humanity, will be on display in the Allegany Arts Council's Saville Gallery from November 7-28, 2020. The exhibition, which includes oil paintings, sculpture, and digital art, explores three themes—Extinctions, The Victory of Science, and The Invisible Domain.

The Allegany Arts Council is thrilled to present Art on Demand, the latest addition to its virtual programming. This collaboration with local arts educator and artist Bobby Croft, provides online art lessons for school-aged kids to enjoy whenever they feel inspired to create.

The Allegany Arts Council’s Saville Gallery will show the work of Baltimore ceramics artist Brad Blair in a solo exhibition, Obscure Oddities: Clay Creations, which will be on display through October 31, 2020.

The Allegany Arts Council announced the winners of its 21st Will’s Creek Exhibition of Fine Art during a virtual awards ceremony and juror chat. The event took place Saturday, September 12, 2020 via Facebook Live and YouTube and included remarks from juror Jessica Beck and reactions from award winners.

The Allegany Arts Council, in collaboration with the Judy Center which has pledged $3,500 to the project, distributed 700 personal creativity kits to Allegany County public elementary school students receiving free lunches.

The Allegany Arts Council recently awarded a total of $25,000 in grant money among 15 area nonprofits that are helping to make our region a community "alive with the arts!"

The Allegany Arts Council is pleased to announce Emergence: The Artistry of the Appalachian Pastel League, a group exhibition to take place July 25-August 22, 2020 in its Saville Gallery.

The Allegany Arts Council launched its 6th annual Allegany National Photography Competition & Exhibition (ANPCE) with its first-ever LIVE virtual awards ceremony and juror chat. The event took place Saturday, June 27, 2020 via Facebook Live and YouTube and included an opportunity for those watching at home to ask questions of juror Brownie Harris.

The Allegany Arts Council’s 6th Annual Allegany National Photography Competition & Exhibition (ANPCE) is going virtual! For the first time in ANPCE history, the show—which runs from June 27-July 18, 2020—will be available via an online digital gallery.

The Allegany Arts Council is now accepting applications for its 2020-2021 grants program. The program, made possible by County Arts Development funding of the Maryland State Arts Council, supports non-profit organizations and individual artists in the creation of activities, programs, and placemaking efforts which champion the arts in our community.

The Allegany Arts Council, in conjunction with the Maryland State Arts Council, is pleased to announce the unveiling of a new logo and video designed to promote Cumberland’s Arts & Entertainment District.