Happy Sine Die!

but wait…what’s that mean?

Sine die is a Latin phrase legally used to mean “indefinitely” and mark the end of the legislative session with a hard stop to signing bills. So what does that mean for us?

Well we’ve got big news! 

Dear Maryland Arts Advocates,

Maryland Citizens for the Arts (MCA) would like to offer the thousands of Maryland arts advocates a huge Congratulations!

This year’s legislative session was critical for us to secure record funding for the Maryland State Arts Council (MSAC) and advocate lawmakers for additional COVID relief and recovery funds for arts organizations and artists in dire need of support.

Thanks to all of you—our tremendous and engaged arts advocates—we have achieved incredible results.

$50M Arts & Tourism Relief Fund

Within the final FY2023 budget, we secured a record $28.8 million for MSAC —a near $2 million increase from FY22. Additionally, lawmakers heard our collective voices and agreed to a $50 million Arts and Tourism Relief fund. $40 million will be appropriated to MSAC to distribute additional grants for arts organizations and independent artists from this fund. The other $10 million will be invested in local tourism agencies providing much-needed marketing tools for the creative sector. All told, the Arts and Entertainment sector in Maryland has now received $100 million from the Maryland legislature in COVID-based support since April 2020—a testament to lawmakers’ commitment to supporting all of us during these challenging times.

As we reflect on our collective success, we must thank our elected leaders for their unwavering support and historic investment in the Maryland arts sector. To that end, please take a moment to thank your representatives.

On behalf of the staff and board of trustees at MCA, I extend my deepest gratitude towards everything you do as passionate artists, administrators, and advocates. Thank you all for helping make this legislative session such a remarkable success. I look forward to our sector recovering and moving forward from this devastating Pandemic and continuing our important work and creative investment in communities across the state.

Onward!

Nicholas Cohen