Howard County Arts Council Distributes Relief Funds to Over 30 Ellicott City Artists

The Howard County Arts Council (HCAC) announced that the Re-CREATE: Ellicott City Artist Relief Fund, established to assist artists and non-profit arts and cultural organizations affected by the July 30 flash flood in Historic Ellicott City, has distributed $40,579 in aid. Grants were awarded to artists in amounts up to $9,648 each; no applications were received from non-profit arts or cultural organizations. A list of artist recipients will be posted to HCAC's website.

"We're very proud that the Howard County Arts Council was able to provide support to the arts community which contributes so much to our county's unique character and we are thankful to those that donated to the fund and supported our efforts," said Coleen West, HCAC Executive Director. "When individuals recognized artists' needs after the flood, they turned to the Arts Council in acknowledgment of our leadership and long-term relationships within the local arts community, and we worked hard to expedite the process and provide timely support."

Re-CREATE: Ellicott City Artist Relief Fund was established in August 2016 from an immediate outpouring of support and concern from artists involved in HCAC's annual Paint It! Ellicott City plein air event. Paint It artists contacted HCAC to offer help by donating 20-100% of the sale of their artwork. The Relief Fund grew dramatically with a $10,000 challenge grant from Mary and Earl Armiger, leaders in the county's philanthropic community, and a $5,000 grant from the Maryland State Arts Council (MSAC). HCAC's Board President, Buzz Bartlett, praised "the speed and spirit among contributors that enabled the Arts Council to raise the much-needed relief funds."

A unique feature of HCAC's Relief Fund is that funds can be used to support artists who lost their artwork, including artists whose artwork was on display or consignment at galleries and was not covered by insurance. "Because of the Howard County Arts Council's ongoing support and services to artists and arts organizations, we were aware that the needs of Ellicott City artists would be unique and we needed to develop a relief program to address that," said West. "Their artwork - for instance - is not considered a reimbursable loss by other relief agencies. In addition, artists have studio space issues that often baffle other relief agencies. "

Vermont-based Craft Emergency Relief Fund, a national leader in disaster relief for artists, contacted HCAC immediately and provided valuable information. Information gathered from other relief efforts, such as the 9/11 New York Arts Recovery Fund, the Joan Mitchell Foundation, and the National Coalition for Arts Preparedness and Emergency Response, was also used to guide the development of the Relief Fund process. In addition, HCAC reached out to Ellicott City galleries to obtain names of artists whose work was damaged or lost and to verify the value of artwork lost. In speaking to affected artists, HCAC learned that many were relying on the income from the work lost to get them through the fall and winter.

HCAC's goals - to aid the arts community, particularly individual artists whose livelihood was negatively impacted, and to disburse funds as quickly as possible - were achieved. The priority deadline for grant requests was November 11 and the first of the grant checks went out December 14, just in time for the holiday season.

To learn more about Re-CREATE and other Arts Council programs, call 410-313-2787 or visit hocoarts.org.