Traditionally focused on bringing people together, Arts & Entertainment was one of the hardest hit industries of the COVID-19 pandemic. According to a study by the Americans for Arts organization, COVID-19 caused over $1.7 Billion in total financial loss to the Arts & Cultural Sector across the United States.
Despite the challenging year, things are looking up for our local arts & entertainment community. We caught up with some of these local businesses & organizations and asked them to ‘tell us something good’ — ranging from accomplishments despite COVID, to returning services & exciting new initiatives, to encouraging trends they are seeing in their industry.
Here’s what they had to share:
TAG: The Artists Gallery
TAG/The Artists Gallery is in full swing celebrating our new space at 501 N Market Street. Our new year kicked off with a joyous ribbon cutting ceremony orchestrated by the Downtown Frederick Partnership. Our 2021 calendar is packed with solo shows, invitational shows, artist talks, demonstrations, monthly newsletter and the much anticipated Salon Show for the community. TAG has been in operation for 30 years and we are happily looking forward to another 30!
Warehouse Cinemas
While it's been an interesting journey to say the least, Warehouse Cinemas is extremely grateful to the Frederick community for supporting our new 10-screen movie theatre in the old Frederick Towne Mall. In spite of the COVID headwinds in our industry, we found success by showing classic movies (and some new movies), serving grilled cheese sandwiches, flatbread pizzas, beer, wine and cocktails, not to mention popcorn. We're looking forward to movie blockbusters just around the corner and continuing to serve the Frederick community.
District Arts
In the past six months, DISTRICT Arts has made a resounding recovery from last year’s covid lockdown and business restrictions. Our art-loving customers have been redecorating, outfitting new home offices, starting new businesses and looking to art to brighten their lives. In the very near future, we envision the return of featured artist and themed exhibition receptions with champagne and canapés and without face masks!
Way OFF Broadway
If people thought the summer of 2020 was a disaster, then they haven't seen anything yet because this summer Way Off Broadway is excited to present Disaster! - A 70s Disaster Movie Musical! Disaster! had been on our 2020 Season and had to be cancelled because of the shutdown. We're thrilled we were able to reschedule the run for this summer now that theatres are reopened!
Celebrate Frederick Summer Concert Series
Celebrate Frederick has announced its popular summer concert series is returning this year. The free series will start June 6th and run every Sunday from 7pm to 8:30 pm at the Baker Park Bandshell through August 29th. The full line-up can be found online.
Delaplaine Arts Center
It’s been a challenging year, but thanks to the support of the Frederick community The Delaplaine Arts Center is emerging even more dedicated to our mission to provide visual arts opportunities and experience to all.
We're open daily with free gallery admission, and we're moving full steam ahead with a full schedule of classes and workshops, summer camps for kids and teens, exhibitions, and free public programs. Through our Virtual Delaplaine initiative developed during the early days of the pandemic and still going strong, we are able to provide dynamic online as well as on-site programs.
We invite everyone to stop in the Delaplaine and visit delaplaine.org to see all the artful things coming our way this summer!
Robert Leembruggen rehearses for MET's Digital Mainstage production: The Tempest
Maryland Ensemble Theatre
Over the past year, Maryland Ensemble Theatre has kept audiences entertained, with free virtual improv shows from MET Comedy Night and a plethora of original and classic programming from our Mainstage Season of Surprises.
Wrapping up our season, we are thrilled to see live audiences again when they join us at ThorpeWood for Midsummer: A Most Rare Vision an outdoor theatrical celebration! As restrictions continue to ease, we look forward to welcoming performers, artists, audiences alike back to MET.
Downtown Frederick Partnership Alive @ Five
Alive @ Five is back! The 2021 season kicks off July 1 with live music, beer and wine on the creek every Thursday through September 30. Alive @ Five is an outdoor happy hour every Thursday from 5-8pm in the Carroll Creek Amphitheater. 21+ only / $5 entry + $5 drinks / food available for purchase on site / different band every week... lineup coming soon!
Alive @ Five is Downtown Frederick Partnership's largest fundraiser of the year. Every gate fee you pay and drink token you buy helps to support our work in the downtown community. Interested in supporting the event? Sponsorships are available and selling now. Email mainstreet@downtownfrederick.org for more info.
Thank you, and cheers to an amazing season!
Frederick Arts Council
The FAC is pleased to advance the arts by collaborating with the community despite the challenges of the pandemic through numerous public art projects including FAC’s outdoor amphitheater and public art project Sky Stage, our new Art Center, and via grant giving.
The Public Art Master Plan had a successful first year of implementation including Healing Bouquet’ mural by Gera Luz at 201 S Market St; the Golden Mile-In Focus streetscape community photo exhibit facilitated by Wing Young Huie; and the Lester Bowie mural at 69 S Market St by Rafael Blanco among other projects. Sky Stage’s continuous programming provides opportunities for artists such as installation artists Larry Cook, Lusmerlin Lantigua, pop-up art markets, and performances —both live streamed and in person— such as music, theater, readings,and dancing.
The FAC is also proud to have provided support to the artists and arts organizations by disbursing funds through an Artist Relief Fund and Resources for Emerging Arts Development Initiative (READI) grants. In addition, the FAC awarded Community Arts Development grants and opened a new art center at 5 East Second Street featuring exhibitions and resident arts organizations.
Weinberg Center for the Arts
The Weinberg Center for the Arts opened its doors on May 15th for the first live performances in 14 months since closing due to the pandemic.
First on the schedule for the historic theater will be community dance recitals. Local dance companies are thrilled to have their students dancing across the Weinberg stage once again in front of a live audience. Executive Theater Manager, John Healey, commented, “Thousands of young dancers have had the opportunity to perform on this professional stage in front of sold out houses of families and friends. When COVID-19 shut everything down last March, dance students from area companies lost an important arts experience. As restrictions started to ease, we felt it was important to the Frederick dance community to give their students the chance to perform at the Weinberg Center for the Arts.”
Looking forward, the first show of the Weinberg’s upcoming 2021-22 Season John Hiatt and The Jerry Douglas Band was announced last week with more to come in next few months and a full season announcement on August 5th.