Outreach Program
Exposure to the arts is transformative and inspiring. Yet, we are aware that many people in our community do not have the resources necessary to access the arts. Through a variety of programs, Maryland Hall ensures the arts are made accessible for the residents of our greater Annapolis community.
Maryland Hall OutReach
Maryland Hall's outreach programs offer ongoing initiatives to make the arts accessible to all students, particularly those who are at-risk and underserved students in our community. Our outreach introduces underserved students to new arts concepts and experiences and provides meaningful hands-on opportunities to increase self-expression and creativity in a collaborative setting. What began in 2008 with a few after-school workshops in collaboration with the Annapolis Gardens Boys and Girls Clubs has grown into many year-round programs serving over 1,000 students yearly. This is a vital and growing program that allows kids to connect with their peers, uncover talents and develop important life skills.
We are so thankful to the individual donors and foundations that make all these programs possible, especially Anne Arundel County, Kohnken Family Foundation, RBC Wealth Management Foundation, and Parole Rotary Foundation.
Jovenes Artistas (Young Artists)
This after-school program is for Middle and High School students facing adversity. Providing a safe environment for self-expression, confidence building and motivation to stay in school, Jovenes Artistas combines mentoring, arts experience and emotional support to allow students to express their personal stories in creative ways. The program meets three times a week at Maryland Hall and serves 25-30 students each academic year. At the end of each 6-week arts session, students present a gallery exhibit of their artwork or perform music recitals.
Hood2Good Movement (H2G)
H2G, led by Kenneth Starkes, was formed by Annapolis High School students in 2018 in response to their friend’s death. Since its founding in 2018, Hood2Good has collaborated with the City of Annapolis in service missions and has grown into a three prong organization: community service events, community engagement and youth showcases. Recent initiatives have included organizing coat drives, school supply distributions, and hosting round table discussions between youth and City officials and leaders. Youth showcases, hosted in Maryland Hall’s Bowen Theatre and the Front Stairs, give students a place to express themselves through dance, music and visual arts.
Creating Communities
Creating Communities was a multi-award winning nonprofit that served the Annapolis and Anne Arundel County communities with positive and life-changing art, music and STEAM program from 2007-2022. Founded by nationally-renowned jazz musician and community leader Rob Levit, Creating Communities offered, in its early years, innovative, healing and collaborative arts programs to adults with mental illness, hospital and hospice patients, war veterans, adults in addiction recovery as well homeless adults. However, Creating Communities signature programs were for youth and families for which it received many awards. These programs included the Family Arts Cohort, the Youth Arts Fellowship and its flagship program, the Arts Mentorship Academy which was founded and delivered for fifteen years at Maryland Hall for the Creative Arts. Creating Communities was the recipient of the 2020 Innovation Award from the Community Foundation of Anne Arundel County for its service during the pandemic – the only time the award has been given.
Founder and executive director Rob Levit saw a need for quality arts programming as well as mentoring for youth and families in Annapolis and Anne Arundel County regardless of race, ethnicity, zip code, economic status or any other factor that would prevent community members from gaining access to the life-changing and transformational power of the arts. For his work with Creating Communities and beyond, Rob Levit has received the Martin Luther King Peacemaker Award, the Innovator of the Year Award from the Maryland Daily Record, the Community Trustee Award from Leadership Anne Arundel, the Excellence in Arts Leadership Award from the Arts Council of Anne Arundel County and many other commendations.
Creating Communities is thrilled to continue its journey as part of the ArtReach program at Maryland Hall where the good work of bringing the transformational power of the arts will continue.
To continue to support or donate to Creating Communities programs please contact Maria Lugar, Director of Development, at 410-263-5544 ext. 26 · mlugar@marylandhall.org.
For information about Creating Communities programs at Maryland Hall please contact Laura Brino, Director of Programming, at 410-991-3898 or lbrino@marylandhall.org.
Free Events, Performances and Activities
With keeping the arts accessible as a vital part of our mission, Maryland Hall sponsors a variety of programs each year that are free and open to the public. Annual events include our ArtFest Open House, art gallery talks, music lectures, exhibitions and tours, drawing thousands of community visitors. Our partnership with World Artists Experiences brings thousands of local residents to Maryland Hall for free performances by performing artists from around the world. Through our Outreach Program, we also ensure performances for school children are accessible by underwriting their class trips to Maryland Hall to see school show performances.
Support the Healing Power of the Arts
Help us keep our Outreach Program thriving by becoming a member of Maryland Hall.