MSAC Heritage Awards Grant

The MSAC Heritage Awards, presented by the Maryland State Arts Council, honor excellence in traditional arts, recognizing individuals, places, and practices that embody cultural heritage. These awards target long-term achievements in community leadership, artistry, and the preservation of folklife. By celebrating diverse contributions, the program aims to strengthen community ties and promote the arts as vital components of Maryland's cultural landscape.

Maryland State Arts Council
The Council comprises an appointed body of 17 citizens from across the state, 13 of whom are named by the Governor to three-year terms that may be renewed once. Two private citizens and two legislators are appointed by the President of the Senate and by the Speaker of the House. All councilors serve without salary.
To carry out its mission, MSAC awards grants to not-for-profit, tax-exempt organizations for ongoing arts programming and projects. MSAC also awards grants to individual artists and provides technical and advisory assistance to individuals and groups. MSAC reserves the right to prioritize grant awards.
Mission and Goals
MSAC’s most recent strategic plan outlines five goals:
Increase Participation: Broaden MSAC’s constituency, providing avenues designed to increase pathways to engagement.Provide Intentional Support: Embrace thoughtful and targeted approaches to serving known and yet to be known MSAC constituents.Build Capacity: Work strategically to further build organizational and governance capacity to ensure that MSAC is capable of vigorously delivering on its mission.Leverage Connections: Further enhance current relationships and involve additional collaborators, and constituents who will benefit from and advance the work of MSAC.Bolster Maryland Arts: Showcase the high caliber, diverse and relevant work of Maryland's artists and arts organizations; their contributions to community vitality and MSAC’s role as a catalyst.
Heritage Award Guidelines
Heritage Awards recognize long-term achievement in the traditional arts. MSAC defines traditional arts as community-based living cultural traditions handed down by example or word of mouth. Awards are given through the Maryland Traditions and annually recognize six recipients in each of three categories of Person/People, Place, and Tradition:
Awards in the Person/People category are given to individuals or groups whose efforts demonstrate long-term achievement in: ArtistryCommunity leadershipCreative practiceDocumentationEntrepreneurshipPresentationResearchPerformance
Awards in the Place category are given to locations that:Achieve long-term prominence over a period of generationsServe as gathering spaces for community fellowshipServe as sites for traditional practices
Awards in the Tradition category are given in broad recognition of activities that connect communities to folklife through area such as:Traditional practicesRecurring eventsOccupationsLocal knowledgeCultural movementsOrganizations

Eligibility

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