Frederick Recognized as a Top 25 City for Art
Frederick’s recognition as a thriving arts community is well deserved. Downtown Frederick is one of eighteen Arts and Entertainment Districts designated by the State of Maryland and was recently honored by the Maryland Department of Business and Economic Development as the top Arts and Entertainment District in the state.
The city is also home to a nationally-juried fine arts and crafts festival, two major film festivals, internationally-recognized public art, a major regional art center and approximately ten other galleries. In the performing arts, there are three theaters within 50 feet of each other in downtown Frederick, an estimated twenty dance studies, over a dozen theater and producing groups, eight choral groups, seven symphonic, brass, or concert bands, and other great events that feature live music. And that is just the half of it.
AmericanStyle magazine showcases the eclectic lifestyles of artists, the elegant homes of craft collectors and features about "the art of creative living," making Frederick a perfect fit to be chosen as one of its arts destinations. Their 2010 Arts Destination poll marks the thirteenth year for such a list, which recognizes a total of seventy-five cities, the top twenty-five in each of three categories: big cities (populations of 500,000 or greater), mid-size cities (populations of 100,000 to 499,999), and small cities (populations of less than 100,000).
Other cities in the region included in the small city category were Annapolis and Cumberland in Maryland and Berkeley Springs, West Virginia. Top large and mid-size cities in the area include Washington, D.C., Baltimore, and Alexandria. Frederick is in great company on this list and this should result in increased tourism and recognition that Frederick is an arts destination. Hope Daniels, Editor-in-Chief of AmericanStyle, suggests the winners “are perfect examples of how art, culture, and tourism can make great things happen.”
The Frederick Arts Council led a write-in vote campaign to ensure Frederick made the list. “We want to thank the entire community for getting behind this effort. Copies of the Summer issue, which lists the Top 25 Cities for Art, is available for purchase at a discounted rate at the Cultural Arts Center, located at 15 W. Patrick Street in downtown Frederick. The Frederick Arts Council fosters the growth of the arts, artists and arts organizations through grants, capacity building, and advocacy. To see the full list, visit www.americanstyle.com.