Howard County Arts Council 

About the Event & Exhibit

Paint It! Ellicott City is an annual event that brings artists and spectators interested in the plein air tradition to Historic Ellicott City in early June. Juried artists set up their easels around the historic district, enjoying a summer weekend as they capture the picturesque mill town and all its charms. Juried artists will paint in the historic district of Ellicott City, Maryland for three days, creating original artwork that will be shown in a six-week exhibit at the Capitoline Center's Gallery I. Juried artists will also enjoy a welcome reception, an exhibit reception, and juror's awards. 

Application & Eligibility Requirements

All artists working en plein air, in a variety of media including oil, acrylic, pastel, or watercolor, aged 18 years and older, are eligible to apply. 

Artists wishing to be considered must submit an application below with the following: 

• Contact Info 
• Artwork Portfolio: Up to 4 images of visual artwork examples including medium, dimensions, and year completed. 
• Artists must submit a non-refundable entry fee of $30 by clicking here.

Entry Fee 

A non-refundable entry of $30 is due with entry. All fees go toward awards and costs for the event. Submit fee here. 

Timeline

February-April 13: Call open for juried artist submissions 

April 13: Deadline to apply 

Late April: Acceptance notification 

June 3: Artist kick-off reception hosted via Zoom 

June 4-7: Paint Out in Ellicott City 

June 8, 6-8pm: Opening reception & award ceremony 

June 8 - August 1: Exhibit open to the public

Juror: Valerie Craig

Sales

A 20% commission will be retained by HoCo Arts on all sales of artwork included in the exhibit, as well as any sales during the plein air event. Work is not required to be for sale.

Awards

A minimum of $3000 in cash awards will be presented, including the $2000 Gino Award, named in honor of Gino Manelli (1915-2010), an avid artist and cyclist who established his art studio in Ellicott City in 1966. Over a 70 year artistic career, Gino created landscapes, portraits, and still lifes in a range of media and styles with dramatic color use and a dynamic palette knife, creating emotional, engaging artwork. His work is in galleries in the United States and Europe.

Additional awards will be offered as well.

as of 2/9/2026

Agreement

The decision of the juror is final. All accepted work must remain in the gallery for the duration of the exhibit. HoCo Arts reserves the right to photograph artwork and artists for publicity and educational purposes and to use images of submitted work for the same purposes. HoCo Arts reserves the right to reject work not suitably presented. All work must be original, no reproductions (including giclee, commercially printed, or computer-generated reproductions of paintings, drawings, etc.) Submission of an entry constitutes understanding and agreement with all conditions mentioned in the prospectus.   

Questions about the event or application can be directed to exhibits@hocoarts.org. 

Howard County Youth Poet Laureate Guidelines and Application Instructions

 The Howard County Youth Poet Laureate program, in partnership with the Office of County Executive Calvin Ball, the Howard County Arts Council, and the Howard County Poetry & Literature Society (HoCoPoLitSo), will help amplify the power of youth expression, celebrate community, and promote literacy and literary arts in Howard County. 

 The Youth Poet Laureate, an honorary one-year position formally appointed by the County Executive, will act as an ambassador for literacy, arts, and youth expression and demonstrate a passion for poetry and its power to connect our communities through local public readings and participation in civic events. Along with the official title, the Youth Poet Laureate will receive an honorarium of $500. 

 The next Youth Poet Laureate will serve from September 2026 through August 2027 and will receive an honorarium of $500 paid in two equal installments of $250 at the beginning and end of their term. The Howard County Arts Council (HoCo Arts) administers this program in partnership with Howard County Poetry & Literature Society (HoCoPoLitSo).

 Eligibility Criteria for the Howard County Youth Poet Laureate

The Howard County Youth Poet Laureate program seeks young    writers who are passionate about their poetry and their community. In order to be eligible to apply, you must: 

 ● Be a current Howard County resident, and either live  in Howard County ,  between August 2026 and August 2027 or be available to present in-person at public events in Howard County during this timeframe (for  example, a resident who will be attending a college or university next year  within commuting distance of Howard County). 

● Be between the ages of 14 (and a freshman in High School) and 21 at the time of application.

● Demonstrate community engagement in the arts. .

● Be the creator of original poetic work. 

 HoCo Arts and HoCoPoLitSo Trustees, Board members, and employees and their immediate family members are not eligible to apply. Former  HoCoPoLitSo Bauder Youth on Board members need to have resigned from the Board  at least 60 days before applying. The same person cannot serve consecutive terms as Howard County Youth Poet Laureate.

 Duties of the Howard County Youth Poet Laureate

 The Youth Poet Laureate shall serve as an ambassador for literacy, poetry, and youth expression by participating in 5 to 8 public and/or civic events during the 2026-27 term. Examples of Youth Poet Laureate events and related activities include:

 1. Participation in literary community activities in Howard County, such as the annual Blackbird Poetry Festival produced by HoCoPoLitSo and Howard Community College during National Poetry Month, or HoCoPoLitSo’s, Wilde      Reading Series. 

2. Participation in up to 4 readings and speaking engagements for the Howard County Executive and County Departments as determined and scheduled through HoCo Arts in coordination with the Office of the County Executive.

3. Participation in social media activity related to Youth Poet Laureate events and projects.

4. After their term as Youth Poet Laureate is complete, at their discretion, serve on the selection  panel(s) for future Howard County Youth Poet Laureates.

 To Apply

 To Apply online: Click Here 

 Once you have entered the system, please review the complete application and guidelines, which include detailed instructions. You will need to prepare digital and video work samples, a brief biography and statement about what poetry means to you, and a description of your community engagement in any aspect of the arts. In addition, you will need to secure one or two references from adults (non-family members) who know you and can speak to your community involvement and/or school activities as well as the power of your poetry. 

 Applications for Howard County Youth Poet Laureate open on February 2, 2026. The deadline to submit applications is April 30, 2026.

 If for any reason you are not able to submit application materials online, please contact Dana Whipkey, HoCo Arts Grants and Special Projects Coordinator at grantsandprojects@hocoarts.org or 410.313. ARTS(2787). 

 Timeline

 Application opens: February 2, 2026 

Application deadline: April 30, 2026

Selection notification: August, 2026

Selection announcement: September, 2026