Prince George’s County Arts and Humanities Council Commemorates 40 Years of Artistic Excellence
PGAHC Kicks Off 40th Anniversary Year with a Series of Exciting Events and Art Opportunities
April 4, 2022-–Largo, MD––The Prince George’s Arts and Humanities Council (PGAHC) is celebrating 40 years of service to the Prince George’s County community. Since its founding in 1982, PGAHC remain steadfast to promote, foster, encourage, coordinate, and exchange information and activities concerning culture and arts within the County. Legislated by the Prince George’s County Council to be the Arts Agency for the County, PGAHC believes diverse high-quality arts and humanities programs are essential to create a rich and vibrant community.
"To this day PGAHC is still driven by the creative passion and spirit of our founders, which has enabled us to constantly push new boundaries and expand our offering portfolio," said Rhonda Dallas, PGAHC CEO and Chief Curator, who has been with the Council for 13 years. "Our strategy of establishing and developing new art programs that address the changing needs of our community has enabled us to continuously fulfill our mission of fostering artistic excellence and expanding art opportunities in the County." PGAHC today is more diversified than ever with unique programming offerings spanning across six areas:
Public Art/Art In Public Places (AIPP)
This program provides meaningful opportunities for artists to contribute to the development of art and culture in Prince George's County, and to visually enhance public settings for its citizens. The program also strives to further its mission through collaborations with other organizations and private sector construction in the County to facilitate the presence of public artwork in a greater variety of locations.
Arts Education
This program offers industry standard best practices professional development training for educators and artists that build a creatively engaging and vibrant arts community.
Prince George’s Film Office
The Prince George’s Film Office supports film community by streamlining and simplifying the on-location filmmaking process. Additionally, this office provides resources and incentives for film makers and content creators in Prince George’s County.
Arts’tination
Arts’tination is PGAHC’s newest art gallery space at the National Harbor purposed to support local artists and curate immersive creative experiences. Beginning as just a window installation, the space has grown to hold several local resident artists, all of whom handcraft, create, and run their own stalls. Featuring the artwork of several of local artists, Arts’tination features both an expansive event space and a dedicated workshop space suited for community workshops, art exhibits, events, and more.
Office of the Poet Laureate
The mission of the Office of the Poet Laureate is to highlight literary arts and culture by promoting a countywide appreciation of poetry through engaging programs and services for county residents and youth, a vibrant and interactive series of community activities, and a focus on initiatives which support and sustain the cultural life of Prince George's county.
DesignPARK 3311
This program offers a community of creative entrepreneurs in Prince George’s County’s emerging film and fashion industries access to resources for fashion design, film and audio production, and a state-of-the-art co-working space.
“These past 40 years have given us plenty of reasons to celebrate," said Rhonda Dallas, CEO and chief curator, Prince George’s Arts and Humanities Council. "The Prince George’s County Community has progressed over the past 40 years in all areas of the arts and humanities. PGAHC has played a substantial role in the defining moments of the arts in the County, and we are proud of its achievements. The arts have become a critical pillar of the County’s culture and an important resource to strengthening our community and building stronger connections. We will continue to work hard to increase access to creative arts and expand art opportunities throughout the County. There will always be challenges, but the future is bright.”
In celebration of its achievements, PGAHC will host a series of exciting events throughout the year to share with the community the milestones and achievements over the last 40 years, while looking forward to future opportunities to expand the arts within the county. The 40th anniversary celebration events include:
2022 Virtual Festival of Literary Arts, April 22–24, 2022 – Presented in partnership with the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission, Prince George’s County Memorial Library System, and the Nora Roberts Foundation, the 2022 Festival of Literary Arts is purposed to celebrate National Poetry Month and support the cultural life of Prince George’s County by engaging readers, facilitating conversations and discourse on current topics, and inspiring the next generation through great literature and poetry.
Destination Prince George's: Telling Our Story Through Public Art and Creative Placemaking Experiences, September 24, 2022 – This event will discuss the importance of public art, learn about Art In Public Places (AIPP) and PGAHC’S mission and dedication to integrating public art and urban design in the County, and explore Prince George’s County newly commissioned public art and creative placemaking initiatives.
Prince George’s County Film Festival, September 29–October 2, 2022 – The Prince George’s County Film Festival is the premier program for new film works from up-and-coming and established independent filmmakers with diverse voices. The Prince George’s County Film Festival is dedicated to presenting the best of cinema in Prince George’s County and creating transformational experiences for filmmakers and enthusiasts.
Prince George’s Multicultural Festival: Global Gateway to the Arts, October 22, 2022 – This is a free one-day event celebrating the County’s cultural diversity through music, live performances, and interactive demonstrations.
DPARK 3311 Front Row, October 2022 – DPARK 3311 Front Row is a fashion show event to highlight DPARK 3311’s emerging fashion designers to showcase their upcoming line of clothing and/or accessories to the Prince George’s County community.
Prince George’s Got Talent, December 10, 2022 – This fundraising gala serves as a platform for local talent and an opportunity to support future opportunities for creatives in various artistic disciplines.
“As we celebrate this milestone, we are proud of the progress we’ve made, and we look forward to the next 40 years of artistic excellence,” said Dallas. “We’ve seen a lot of changes over the years, but one thing remains the same – the value and future of the Council is as solid as ever before.”
For more information about PGAHC’s 40th anniversary celebration, visit www.pgahc.org/40thanniversary
About PGAHC
As the legislated local arts agency for Prince George’s County, PGAHC fosters and expands art opportunities for all County citizens and visitors to create a world-class cultural environment where high-quality arts and humanities programs are diverse, equitable, and inclusive. PGAHC leverages its partnerships to support and provide various arts and cultural programming opportunities, art-centered economic development programs, grants as well as advocacy initiatives for legislative support of the arts on the County and State levels.