Howard County Arts Council 

Opportunity:
      Howard County Arts Council seeks applicants for teaching artist positions/proposals for its 2025 Summer Camps. Proposals are now being accepted for nine weeks of week-long morning and afternoon visual and performing arts camp sessions from June 23 - August 22, 2025. Proposals are due November 8, 2024.*

*DEADLINE EXTENDED TO MONDAY, JANUARY 6, 2024

      Qualified individuals are invited to submit proposals for youth camp sessions (grades K-7) in any performing or visual arts discipline. Youth camps are 1/2 day sessions (morning or afternoon) for a five-day week. Preference will be given to teaching artists who are able to offer both morning and afternoon sessions in any given week.

      Howard County Arts Council (HoCo Arts) strives to offer students of all ages, backgrounds, and abilities quality arts experiences and a chance to discover their unique creative talents. Priority will be given to proposals addressing the fundamentals of visual and performing arts. Sessions are canceled if enrollment is fewer than five students.

      Teaching artists create a safe and supportive learning environment where students can feel comfortable taking risks and engaging in creative challenges. Individual attention and small class sizes (5-20 students) encourage participation and dialogue.

      Duties & Responsibilities
 

• Develop age-appropriate curricula in cooperation with the Deputy Director and provide full weekly lesson plans in advance of the start of camp.
• Relate needs for supplies and equipment to the Camp Director by the assigned deadline.
• Attend required meetings & staff trainings, including mandatory Zoom call at 5pm on Wednesday, June 18.
• Prepare studio/classroom and collect supplies for class use. Return studio/classroom to the previous condition when camp is dismissed.
• Keep Deputy Director and Camp Director informed of any incidents, concerns, or issues regarding students, equipment, or space.

      Compensation
      HoCo Arts employs teaching artists as independent contractors. Contract teachers are paid according to the number of registrations per camps. Contract rates for camps are as follows (paid in full at the conclusion of the camp week): $25/hr for 5-10 students enrolled in the class, $30/hr for 11-15, and $35/hr for 16-20. A supply budget for up to $100 is provided.



      If you have questions, please contact education@hocoarts.org or call 410-313-2787.

The Howard County Arts Council (HCAC) manages two galleries at the Howard County Center for the Arts with over 21,000 square feet of exhibit space. The HCAC gallery program was established to enhance the public's appreciation of the visual arts, provide a venue to exhibit the work of local, regional, and national artists in a professional space, and provide leadership in the arts by presenting a broad spectrum of arts in all media from both emerging and established artists.

HCAC presents 11-12 exhibits per year of national, regional, and local artists, including two-person, small and large group, juried, curated, and community shows. HCAC rarely exhibits solo shows.

For more information, view the General Exhibit Prospectus.

To apply, please submit the following:

1. Contact Information, including artist or curator name
2. 10-20 digital images representative of the work to be included in the exhibition. Files should be named to correspond to image list. Entries must be JPG or JPEG files, each no larger than 1 MB. If submitting time-based work, work must be submitted as .avi, .wav, .mov, or .m4a files. HCAC has limited technology for use in the gallery, so any special technology needs should be addressed in the proposal. The images should be named using the “LastName_FirstName_01.jpg” format, where the numbers (01, 02, 03, etc…) correspond directly to your image script.
3. Image List which contains artist's name, title, medium, year completed, and dimensions for each piece. The image list should correspond directly to your application images. So, if you have an image named “Doe_Jane_01.jpg” then your image script should have an entry for “01” with that image’s title, medium, dimension, and date. The image script should be a Word document or PDF. Do not send Powerpoint presentations, movies of any kind, or slideshows.
4. Resume which lists education, exhibitions, awards, publications, etc.
5. Artist statement or description of your artistic goals and recent work.

Individual curators: in addition to the above, individual curators should include a brief description of the proposed exhibit and identify the artists invited to participate. Provide information describing your curatorial experience, organizational skills, and samples of written materials used to organize a previous show (letters, marketing, etc).

Organizations: In addition to the above, provide your organization's mission statement and describe your programs and services that meet that statement. Include a brief description of the proposed exhibit and state how it furthers your mission and goals.


Questions can be directed to Elli Maria Hernandez, Exhibits and Programs Manager at exhibits@hocoarts.org.

OPPORTUNITY:

    Howard County Arts Council seeks applicants for teaching artist positions for its upcoming Winter & Spring 2025 Class Sessions during the following dates.
Winter 2025 Class Dates: January 18 - March 16, 2025
Proposals due November 8, 2024


Spring 2025 Class Dates: April 5 - June 7, 2025
Proposals due February 3, 2025

    Qualified individuals are invited to submit proposals for youth and/or adult courses and workshops in any performing or visual arts discipline.

    Howard County Arts Council (HCAC) strives to offer students of all ages, backgrounds, and abilities quality arts experiences and a chance to discover their unique creative talents. HCAC is seeking qualified arts instructors to propose classes and workshops for the upcoming session. Priority will be given to proposals addressing the fundamentals of visual and performing arts. Classes/Workshops may be scheduled anytime during normal building hours, from one to four hours, during the designated session dates. Classes/Workshops are canceled if enrollment is fewer than five students.

    Winter & Spring building hours at the Howard County Center for the Arts are: Monday – Thursday, 9am – 10pm; Friday, 9am – 8pm; Saturday, 10am – 4pm; Sunday, 12 – 4pm.

    Teaching artists create a safe and supportive learning environment where students can feel comfortable taking risks and engaging in creative challenges. Individual attention and small class sizes encourage participation and dialogue.


    DUTIES/RESPONSIBILITIES

 

• Develop appropriate curricula in cooperation with the Deputy Director.
• Relate needs for supplies and equipment to the Education Coordinator by the assigned deadline.
• Attend required meetings.
• Prepare studio/classroom and collect supplies for class use/ return studio/classroom to its previous condition when class is dismissed.
• Keep Deputy Director informed of any incidents, concerns, or issues regarding students, equipment, or space.

    COMPENSATION
    HCAC employs teaching artists as independent contractors.  Contract teachers are paid according to the number of registrations per class.

    Classes can be 2-3 hours each and run for either 4 or 8 weeks. Contract rates for classes are as follows (half payable halfway into the term and the remaining half payable at the end of the term):   $25/hr for 5-11 students enrolled in the class, $30/hr for 12-16, and $35/hr for 17+.  A supply budget for up to $100 is provided for youth classes.

    Workshops can be 2-4 hours each and should run only once per session cycle. Contract rates for workshops are as follows: $35/hr for 6-15 students enrolled in the workshop, $40/hr for 16+.  Supply budgets and workshop pricing are decided on a case-by-case basis by the Deputy Director.


If you have any questions, please contact education@hocoarts.org.

Overview

The Howard County Arts Council (HCAC) is seeking up to 12 artists to participate in its 14th Annual Juried Public Art Competition for a temporary outdoor exhibit from August 2025-July 2026. HCAC’s goal is to make art more accessible to the entire community by placing sculpture at sites throughout Howard County. The sculptures will serve as major visual anchor points that will enhance and activate community spaces and generate interest in public art.

HCAC will administer the selection process and provide an identification plaque for each work and promotional support for the exhibit. HCAC staff will serve as the liaison with site administrators. Sale of artwork will be encouraged; a 20% commission of work sold as a result of the exhibit will go to HCAC. Work must remain on view for the duration of the entire exhibit.

Grant Awards

HCAC will provide up to 12 artists with a $3,000 grant to cover the temporary loan, insurance, installation, de-installation, and repairs to the sculpture. If multiple pieces are selected from one artist, a separate grant will be awarded for each piece. Selected artists will receive two grant payments: one after the contract is signed and the sculpture is installed, and the other after the sculpture is de-installed and the site is returned to its original condition. Artist fee is contingent upon HCAC receiving full funding for ARTsites 2025 from Howard County.

Eligibility

The competition is open to all professional visual artists, aged 18 and older, with public art experience commensurate with this project's scope. HCAC board, staff, and their immediate family members, and selection panelists and their immediate family members are not eligible to participate. In addition to finished pieces, proposed work will also be considered (based on previous examples of public work).

Insurance

The artist is responsible for: 

• general liability insurance   
• insurance needed for installation contractors hired by artist.  
• insurance to cover the artwork for vandalism or theft for the duration of the exhibition (or artist must sign an agreement that the work is on display at the artist’s own risk).

Materials & Construction

Sculpture submitted should have strong visual impact and:

• Must be of a scale and material suitable for long-term outdoor display. 
• Must be of sound design, free standing and suitable for public display.  
• Must be able to be placed or anchored in a secure fashion; should a base be necessary, the artist will be responsible for the design and installation of the base. (Some sites have concrete pads available for installation).  
• Be designed to withstand an outdoor, high traffic, unmonitored environment with no or very little maintenance for the duration of the exhibit. 

The artist is responsible for making and financing any repairs for the duration of the exhibit. Materials must be chosen to endure an outdoor environment for 12 months; materials that are sensitive to severe weather, rust, deterioration and fading should be adequately protected or not used.  

Due to pedestrian and commercial activity around the sculpture sites, the artwork must be compatible with these activities; sculptures that are hazardous, sharp or dangerous to the public, or easily vandalized, ruined or stolen will not be selected. Completed installation must meet all safety requirements and, if it is deemed necessary for any reason, be approved by planning/zoning officials. HCAC will not consider works that have been declined for safety reasons the previous year. 

HCAC reserves the right to remove damaged or improperly installed sculptures. In either case, HCAC will notify the artist to repair or remove the work. If no action by the artist is taken, HCAC reserves the right to remove the work and will notify the artist of its course of action and the artist will forfeit the remaining portion of the grant.

Artist Responsibilities 

Artists selected to exhibit their sculpture will be responsible for:

• signing a contract before the first portion of the grant is disbursed. 
• transportation and proper installation of the sculpture. (Please note: HCAC does not have or provide an installation crew, nor do sites have appropriate staff for installations. Installation/de-installation and employment of any crew is the sole responsibility of the artist.) 
• maintaining any applicable insurance limits for themselves or any subcontractors including, but not limited to, worker’s compensation, automobile, etc. during the construction and installation of the artwork and provide proof thereof. Any lapse in insurance is cause for the immediate termination of the contract. 
• maintaining insurance for damage or theft of the work for the duration of the exhibit or sign an agreement that the work is being exhibited at its own risk and the artist will cover the cost of any repair. 
• maintaining general liability insurance  
• being available for information requests, educational interviews, etc. 
• removing their work promptly at the end of the exhibit. 

Copyright

Participating artists retain sole ownership and copyright of the artwork but must agree to grant HCAC and participating site a royalty-free, world-wide, perpetual license to use any depictions of the work for educational, documentary and non-commercial promotional purposes.

Prospective Sites

HCAC’s goal is to place sculptures at sites throughout the county. All community, commercial and public sites in Howard County are eligible to apply. A selection committee will make final decisions on participating sites. Sites that have courtyards, appropriate lawn sites, or are willing to install concrete pads will be given preference.  

Selection Process 

A selection panel made up of HCAC representatives, public art professionals, and at least one professional with expertise in planning and zoning, architecture and design, or construction, will be convened to review the applications and select the finalists and sites.  

The panel will provide final selections to representatives from participating sites who will then choose the sculptures for their sites. 

Artwork selection criteria include: 

• Quality of work and originality as evidenced by the entry images or, for proposed work, concept drawings and representations of past public works 
• Ability of the artist to successfully complete the work based on comparable experience 
• Durability of work with regard to structural and surface soundness and resistance to weather, vandalism, etc. 
• Public safety  
• Technical feasibility 
• Appropriateness of the work to a public venue 

The selection will be based on the application materials. The panel’s proceedings will be limited to panel members in order to ensure confidentiality of the selection process and open discussion of the merits of the applicants.  

NOTE: HCAC reserves the right to refuse any or all submissions, substituted artwork, and any finalists; to waive informalities in proposals or procedures; to withhold the award should it be determined that artwork or submissions are not adequate, or for any other reason prior to a written contractual arrangement. HCAC also reserves the right to re-issue the call for entry, which may revise selection timeline, or ask artists to submit proposals for review. HCAC reserves the right to accept or reject, at any time, any or all proposals or any part thereof submitted in connection with this call for entry, to waive any defect or technicality, and to advertise for new proposals, where the acceptance, rejection, waiver or advertisement would be in the best interest of HCAC or to terminate the selection process at any time for any project. If, regardless of the reason, the contract for the project is not executed within thirty days after submittal to the artist, HCAC reserves the right to withdraw the selection of the artist. HCAC reserves the right to negotiate unacceptable provisions incorporated within an otherwise acceptable proposal. A proposal which is late, incomplete, unclear, conditional, or which contains irregularities of any kind may be rejected without evaluation. Submission of an application constitutes an understanding and agreement of the conditions set forth herein. 

Timeline 

Artist and Site RFPs posted December 2024 

Proposals due at HCAC February 24, 2025 

Sites notified April 2025 

Artists notified April 2025 

Contracts due May 2025

Artwork installed  August 1-15, 2025

Artwork de-installed July 15-30, 2026 

Submission Guidelines and Checklist 

Only complete and properly formatted applications will be forwarded to the selection panel for consideration. HCAC reserves the right to refuse incomplete or improperly formatted applications. Handwritten statements will not be accepted. Every effort will be made to ensure the safe handling of materials submitted; however, the selection panel and HCAC assume no responsibility for any loss or damage to materials.  

To apply, please submit the following: 

1. Contact information: Name, address, telephone, email, and website 
2. Statement of interest and relevant experience including a brief artist statement about your art, your interest in and/or commitment to public art, and any relevant experience. 
3. Current resume highlighting experience with site-specific work and public art. 
4. Contact information for two references familiar with your work. 
5. Digital images of up to 6 works available for consideration:

• For existent work: up to 3 images for each; for proposed work: up to 6 images of models or concept drawings for each (if only submitting proposed work, include at least 3 images of previous work that demonstrate public art experience). 
• Do not present your work as a collection of images (i.e. in a PowerPoint file or pdf); each image must be a separate JPG file. 
• Digital images should be saved as JPG files, each file not to exceed 1MB. If the sculpture is kinetic or interactive, images may be accompanied by a video file. 
• Each image file should be named using the “LastName_FirstName_01” format, where the numbers directly correspond to the image identification list described below.  

6. Numbered image identification list indicating: 

• Title 
• Year created 
• Materials 
• Dimensions 
• Approximate weight 
• Sale price (or insurance value if not for sale) 

7. Brief description of each submitted artwork, including all pertinent information (materials used, interactive or kinetic elements, presentation details, maintenance needed, etc.), as well as description of installation method and requirements for each piece, including: 

• Timeline 
• Installation procedure 
• Anchoring mechanisms 
• Sculpture footprint dimensions 
• Minimum dimensions, including depth of concrete pad, if required 
• Machinery and equipment needed (crane, forklift, drill, etc.) for installation and whether you can provide it. Sites will not provide machinery or equipment. 

RFP: 

All application materials must be submitted online by 11:59PM on February 24, 2025.

For questions, contact us at exhibits@hocoarts.org or (410) 313-2787.
 

Project Description

The Howard County Arts Council (HCAC) is seeking up to 12 publicly accessible sites to host sculpture for a temporary outdoor exhibit from August 2025–July 2026 as part of ARTsites, HCAC’s annual juried public art competition. Selected sites can be public or privately owned and will choose and display one sculpture each. HCAC’s goal is to make art more accessible to the entire community by placing sculptures at sites throughout Howard County. The sculpture will serve as major visual anchor points that will enhance and activate community spaces and generate interest in public art.

A selection panel made up of HCAC representatives, public art professionals, and at least one professional with expertise in planning and zoning, architecture and design, or construction, will be convened to review the applications and select artist finalists and sites. The panel will provide a pool of selected sculptures to representatives from participating sites; those representatives will choose the sculptures for their sites from the pool.

The competition is open to all professional artists, aged 18 and older, with public art experience that is commensurate with this project’s scope. HCAC will provide a grant to each selected artist to cover the temporary loan, installation and de-installation of the sculpture.

HCAC will provide a name plaque for each work and publicity materials. HCAC staff will serve as a liaison with artists and site administrators. Sale of installed works will be encouraged; a 20% commission of work sold as a result of the exhibit will go to HCAC. Work must remain on view for the entire duration of the exhibit.

Eligibility

• All community, commercial and public sites in Howard County are eligible; HCAC’s goal is to place sculptures at sites throughout the county. 
• Sites that experience high levels of pedestrian traffic are recommended. 
• Sites must be visible and accessible to the public. 
• Sites that have courtyards or other paved pedestrian spaces conducive to the display of outdoor sculpture or sites willing to install a concrete pad will be given preference; some work may be appropriate to place on lawns.
• Sites should be publicly accessible 24 hours per day or, if they are sited in a park or similar site, be accessible during normal hours of that site’s operation.
• Sites that contain commercial or political advertising (other than the name and location of the business), or would impede pedestrian traffic, or create a safety or traffic issue will not be considered. 

Private & Public Agency Site Responsibilities

Sites selected to exhibit sculpture will be required to:

• Privately owned sites must carry General Liability Insurance in the amount of $2,000,000, personal property insurance covering vandalism or theft, and provide proof thereof. 
• Appoint a site administrator who will provide logistical and administrative support for the duration of the exhibit, including installation and de-installation. 
• Monitor the work and notify HCAC immediately of any damage or vandalism. 
• Install a concrete pad or other anchoring construction if the sculpture the site selects requires it.  
• Install the name plaque provided by HCAC in the area that the sculpture is sited.  
• Enter into an agreement with HCAC regarding these requirements and willingness to host the sculpture for the duration of the exhibit. 
• Have representatives available to attend meetings as necessary and be available for publicity purposes.

Guidelines for Sites to Consider

Public art should ideally

• Be placed at a site where it will enhance and activate the space or at least not detract from it (e.g. creating a “blind” spot). 
• Be sited where it will be highly visible, in a location that experiences high levels of pedestrian traffic or creates a place to congregate. 
• Be placed at a site where it is not overwhelmed by, nor competing with, the scale of the site or adjacent architecture, large retail signage, billboards, etc. 
• Not block windows or entranceways, nor obstruct normal pedestrian circulation in and out of a building, nor be a safety hazard. 
• Not be placed at a site if the landscaping and maintenance requirements of that site cannot be met.

Artist Responsibilities

Artists selected to exhibit their sculpture will be responsible for:

• Signing a contract with HCAC and site.
• Transportation and installation of the sculpture.
• Maintaining general liability insurance during the installation process and any applicable insurance limits for themselves or any subcontractors including, but not limited to, worker’s compensation, automobile, etc. during the installation of the artwork.
• Being available for public information, interviews, etc.
• Removing work promptly at the end of the exhibit.

Copyright

Participating artists retain sole ownership and copyright of the artwork, but must agree to grant HCAC and participating site a royalty-free, worldwide perpetual license to use any depictions of the work for educational, documentary, and non-commercial promotional purposes.

Timeline

Artist and Site RFPs posted    December 2024 

Proposals due at HCAC   February 25, 2025 

Sites notified      April 2025 

Artwork selection meeting   April 2025* 

Artists notified     April 2025 

Contracts due      May 2025 

Artwork installed    August 1-15, 2025 

Artwork de-installed    July 15-30, 2026 

*This meeting date will be set by HCAC and all sites will be notified of the date and time after the proposal deadline. Accepted sites will need to send a representative to this meeting to select the artwork for their site.  

NOTE: HCAC reserves the right to refuse any or all submissions, sites, and any finalists; to waive informalities in proposals or procedures; to withhold the selection award should it be determined that the site or submissions are not adequate, or for any other reason prior to a written contractual arrangement. HCAC also reserves the right to re-issue the call for entry, which may revise selection timeline, or ask sites to submit proposals for review. HCAC reserves the right to accept or reject, at any time, any or all proposals or any part thereof submitted in connection with this call for entry, to waive any defect or technicality, and to advertise for new proposals, where the acceptance, rejection, waiver or advertisement would be in the best interest of HCAC, or to terminate the selection process at any time for any project. If, regardless of the reason, the contract for the project is not executed within thirty days after submittal to the site, HCAC reserves the right to withdraw the selection of the site. HCAC reserves the right to negotiate unacceptable provisions incorporated within an otherwise acceptable proposal. A proposal which is late, incomplete, unclear, conditional or which contains irregularities of any kind, may be rejected without evaluation. Submission of an application constitutes an understanding and agreement of the conditions set forth herein.

Application

Complete applications will be forwarded to the selection panel for consideration. Handwritten statements will not be accepted. Sites interested in applying for the project must submit the following:

• Attached Submission Form, filled in completely. If submitting for multiple sites, fill out a separate form for each site.
• Photograph(s) and/or scale drawing of each proposed site.

All application materials must be submitted online by 11:59PM on February 24, 2025. 

For questions, contact us at exhibits@hocoarts.org or (410) 313-2787.
 

For complete RFP for private sites, click here.
For complete RFP for public agency sites, click here.

 
Creative Howard Grant Program Guidelines
       Grant activities must take place within this grant period, ending June 30, 2025; projects are not funded retroactively, please plan ahead.
FY25 Application Calendar

September 1, 2024: Grant applications available online (Rolling deadline based on funds available; applications due 60 days prior to proposed project start date.)
November 1, 2024: Earliest project start date for projects. (Applications submitted by 11:59 PM EST on the first day of the month will be reviewed that month; applications received after that will be reviewed the following month.)
April 1, 2025: Last deadline for FYE June 30, 2024.
       Final Report Due within 15 business days of project completion.
Creative Howard Overview
       The purpose of the Creative Howard grant program is to strengthen the vitality of the Howard County arts community and recognize the role of small nonprofit arts organizations and arts businesses in Howard County’s creative eco-system.
       The goals for Creative Howard are:
       · To increase access to the process of requesting grants to arts organizations and support needs in the arts community that may fall outside of the eligibility requirements of HCAC’s Community Arts Development grant program.
       · To provide small non-profit 501c3- designated arts organizations with a foundation to apply for future Community Arts Development grants.
       Creative Howard supports eligible activities of small arts organizations (both 501c3 nonprofit arts organizations and for- and nonprofit arts businesses) with grants up to $2,500. There is no matching fund requirement for Creative Howard grants. Applicants may receive funding for only one application per fiscal year (July 1-June 30).
Deadline
        The deadline for Creative Howard is rolling. The deadline to submit the application is the first day of each month at 11:59PM.  Applications will be reviewed monthly and Creative Howard grants will be awarded throughout the fiscal year until total funding allocated for the program is awarded.
       HCAC will begin accepting applications on September 1, 2024 for the FY25 application cycle. The grant period for FY25 ends June 30, 2025. Funded activities must occur within the grant period. HCAC does not fund projects in progress or completed before the grant application deadline.  Applications must be submitted at least 60 days before the proposed activities occur.
       The application process will be closed once funding allocated for the program is fully awarded and will only be reopened should new funding become available.
Eligibility
        Nonprofit arts organizations and arts businesses (see definitions below) located and operating in Howard County for at least one year prior to the application’s submission and throughout the funded project with an operating revenue of $100,000 or less (see application process below) are eligible to apply.
       Not eligible to apply are current FY25 HCAC grant recipients, Howard County governmental agencies, and organizations that receive direct funding from Howard County, such as, Howard County Public Schools, Howard County Recreation and Parks, Howard Community College.
       Eligibility:
       · Applicant must maintain their primary physical office and conduct at least 50% of all business operations, programs and activities in Howard County (i.e.: 50% of rehearsals, 50% of Board and committee meetings, 50% of performances, workshops, etc.). Corporate papers, such as the 990 and Personal Property Tax forms, letterhead, website, and program materials submitted must show primary office is located in the County.
       · Applicant must have one fully completed and documented fiscal year of operations as of the date of the application submission.
       · Applicant must produce or present arts programs, services or projects that are accessible to the public and relevant to its community (demonstrate need).


 

• Applicant may receive funding for one Creative Howard grant per fiscal year; the program may consist of a one-time activity or a series of related activities.
• A program is eligible for funding through Creative Howard if it supports an arts and/or cultural activity that is presented at a location in Howard County.
• Program activities must be open to the public with or without an admission fee, virtual programming is eligible.
• Program activities may include, but are not limited to, dance, design, folk and traditional arts, history exhibit  or historic reenactment, lectures or seminars, literature, media arts, music, theater, visual arts, and workshops. This list is not exhaustive and applicants are encouraged to think creatively about their programs.
• Program budget must be based on cash income and expense only.
• Program  expenses must be directly related to the artistic activities described in the application.

       Submission of an application constitutes an understanding and agreement of the conditions set forth in these guidelines.
       Please read the full guidelines, before starting the application. FY25 Creative Howard Guidelines.pdf Only successfully submitted, complete, on-line applications will be accepted and reviewed. Incomplete or hard copy applications will be disqualified.
       Arts Council staff is available to assist applicants with any questions about completing this application by mailing grantsandprojects@hocoarts.org.