The Arts and Humanities Council of Montgomery County (AHCMC) is pleased to announce that a $25,000 Art Works grant has been awarded to AHCMC in support of the Montgomery County Contemporary Works On Paper Collection.
“In 1975, the Montgomery County Works on Paper Collection began with the intent to encourage and support local visual artists” says Suzan Jenkins, AHCMC CEO. “We are grateful for the continued support of the NEA to promote, support, and expand the visibility of Montgomery County visual artists who reflect the unique and diverse character of the county.”
The Contemporary Works on Paper Collection, part of the county’s public art collection, consists of more than 550 prints, drawings and watercolors by regional artists. To put these works into a broader context, artworks by prominent American printmakers such as Josef Albers, Richard Anuskiewicz, Ilya Bolotowsky and Ellsworth Kelly as well as members of the Washington Color School have been acquired over the years.
“The arts enhance our communities and our lives, and we look forward to seeing these projects take place throughout the country, giving Americans opportunities to learn, to create, to heal, and to celebrate,” said Mary Anne Carter, acting chairman of the National Endowment for the Arts.
In 2018, The Montgomery County Council approved a $50,000 appropriation to reactivate the Contemporary Works on Paper program. Prior to this investment, artworks had not been acquired for the collection since 2001. With this support from the NEA, the Montgomery County Public Art Trust will purchase and frame two-dimensional artworks on paper acquired from regional artists and galleries through a juried call-for-art process opening this spring. These artworks will reflect the inclusive nature of the collection in terms of style, materials, subject matter and cultural representation. Artworks selected through the call for art will be exhibited in public buildings throughout the county, including libraries, recreation centers, and administrative buildings.
Announcements related to the upcoming call for art and other public art news will be shared on AHCMC’s website, www.creativemoco.com. For more information about Montgomery County’s Public Art Collection, visit creativemoco.com/public-art and connect with AHCMC on Twitter (@creativemoco) and Facebook (www.facebook.com/creativemoco)
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About the Arts and Humanities Council of Montgomery County
Established in 1976, the Arts and Humanities Council of Montgomery County (AHCMC) is the county’s designated local arts agency. Our vision is to provide leadership that sustains arts and humanities organizations, artists, and scholars and inspires participation in Montgomery County’s rich cultural assets. For more information about AHCMC, visit www.creativemoco.com or connect with AHCMC on Facebook and Twitter.
About the National Endowment for the Arts’ Art Works Grant Program
The National Endowment for the Arts’ Acting Chairman Mary Anne Carter has approved more than $27 million in grants as part of the Arts Endowment’s first major funding announcement for fiscal year 2019. Art Works is the Arts Endowment’s principal grantmaking program. The agency received 1,605 Art Works applications for this round of grantmaking and will award 972 grants in this category. For a complete list of projects recommended for Art Works grant support, please click here.