Yesterday, following a lunchtime concert in downtown Hagerstown, one of the musicians sent me an email saying "it turned out pretty well, a lot of folks turned out and we had one of our best crowds. Thank you for having us play, and we look forward to next year with you. Thanks for improving our County with all the great art/music programs." So, I was surprised then to read Lauren LaRocca's astonishing assertion that there is no support for the arts in Hagerstown.
According to her column published August 16, in the Frederick News-Post (a newspaper published in a neighboring city; we have our own daily newspaper here in Hagerstown) she's spent the better part of 15 years searching for evidence in bars around town. The truth is that thereis enormous support for the arts in Hagerstown, and you don't have to look very hard to find it.
Hagerstown is home to the Maryland Symphony Orchestra, and the community's sustenance of that excellent orchestra has grown over its inception 26 years ago. Last year more than 70,000 patrons heard the MSO's performances.Hagerstown is home also to the Washington County Museum of Fine Arts, one of only four accredited museums of fine art in the state of Maryland. Every year tens of thousands visit the museum, tour its exhibits, take classes,and attend lectures and performances.
Working in partnership with the City of Hagerstown, the Washington County Arts Council presents more than 50 performances by local bands and actors during the summer months, and attendance at those events grows every year.LaRocca might find it instructive to visit our beautiful City Park on a Saturday evening. Or a Sunday evening. Or a Wednesday evening. Or visitUniversity Plaza at lunchtime on Thursday. Music all the time. There's so much of it going on that a person could scarcely take it all in. And it's all supported with dollars from local individuals and businesses. Onereason we have more arts events per capita than any other jurisdiction is because financial support by business and government consistently increases every year.
And what about the Western Maryland Blues Fest? Tens of thousands of Blues fans over four days, plus school workshops, art exhibits. A national magazine calls it one of the best-run and best-supported festivals in the country. It's been going on for twelve years, and it's 100% home-grown and locally supported. It's hard to miss.
While LaRocca was sitting alone in the Maryland Theatre, half a block away there were more than 60 guests packed into the Arts Council Gallery for an opening reception, and a few blocks away hundreds of listeners were attending a concert-featuring local musicians-at the bandshell in City Park.
It's worth noting that the historic theatre LaRocca visited last week was rescued from dereliction by community donors and volunteers. It took considerable support to save the Maryland Theatre, and Hagerstown is rightly proud of this cherished landmark.
Today, very real and progressive support for the arts is making magical things happen in Hagerstown. City and County officials have committed to the creation of the Barbara Ingram School for the Arts. A local businessman donated the building which will become that school. The entire downtown will serve as the school's campus. Some 300 students will attend the school, ontrack to open in January 2009. Sure, not everyone in the community is sold on the idea, but support for the school is so strong that it will become a reality. In Hagerstown.
No comments:
Post a Comment