Howard County Arts Council
Howard County Arts Council (HoCo Arts) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit designated as the official county arts agency for Howard County, Maryland. It distributes over $900,000 annually in grants to local artists and arts organizations, operates the Capitoline Center gallery and studios, and runs classes, camps, and community festivals.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1981
- HeadquartersEllicott City, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingServices
What Howard County Arts Council does
Howard County Arts Council (HoCo Arts) is a private 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation founded in 1981 and designated as the official county arts council for Howard County, Maryland under Howard County Code Section 12.804(a). It operates as the primary re-grant agency for arts funding in the county, distributing more than $900,000 annually across seven grant programs (Artists-in-Education, Baltimore City Arts & Cultural, Community Arts Development, Jim Rouse Theatre Subsidy, Mark Ryder Original Choreography, Outreach Howard, and Organizational Development) to local artists, schools, and approximately 20 arts organizations. The organization also serves as a programming and venue operator, running gallery exhibitions, art classes, summer camps, the annual Celebration of the Arts gala featuring the Rising Star Performing Arts Competition and Howie Awards, and signature community events including ARTreach Festival, Paint It! Ellicott City, and ARTsites.
The organization's core operating asset is the Howard County Center for the Arts, which relocated in December 2025 to the Capitoline Center in Historic Ellicott City. The new facility houses administrative offices, galleries, a black box theatre, three art classrooms, a dance studio, meeting space, and artist studios, and serves approximately 30,000 visitors per year. Supporting programs include Head StART in ART (an NEA-recognized early childhood arts education residency), the Poet Laureate and Youth Poet Laureate programs, and the new Arts for All public art initiative backed by $1.5 million in county funding for permanent installations. The organization is led by Executive Director Coleen West (in role since 1997) and an 11-person staff, governs through an independent board of directors, and sustains a network of recurring partnerships with Howard County Government, Maryland State Arts Council, the National Endowment for the Arts, Howard County Public Schools, Howard Community College, the Howard Hughes Corporation, and the Community Foundation of Howard County.
Revenue is generated through a hybrid nonprofit model: government re-grants (the largest line), individual and corporate memberships ($25-$1,000), donations, facility rentals and studio leases ($144-$596 per unit), arts classes and summer camps, and event-driven fundraising (gala tickets at $50-$100, art auction, corporate sponsorships). The customer base is concentrated geographically in Howard County, with secondary reach into Baltimore City through the Baltimore City Arts & Cultural grant program. The organization does not sell commercial products and has no proprietary technology platform; distribution is delivered directly through its facility, through Howard County Public Schools, and through partner organizations.
Howard County Arts Council firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Howard County Arts Council
- Legal name
- Howard County Arts Council
- Website
- https://hocoarts.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1981
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Howard County Arts Council (HoCo Arts) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit designated as the official county arts agency for Howard County, Maryland. It distributes over $900,000 annually in grants to local artists and arts organizations, operates the Capitoline Center gallery and studios, and runs classes, camps, and community festivals.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Howard County Arts Council industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Arts and Cultural Services
- NAICS
- Museums, Historical Sites, and Similar Institutions (712), Fine Arts Schools (611610), Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation (71)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Cultural Centers & Community Cultural Organizations (BPAGAHAD)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Arts Education & Community Arts Programs (BPAGAHAC), Art Galleries & Exhibition Spaces (Commercial & Nonprofit) (THAJADAH), Arts & Culture Community Festivals (Multidisciplinary Arts Weeks) (MPAGAEAG)
Keywords
Where Howard County Arts Council is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Ellicott City
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Howard County Arts Council business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Donations: Tax-deductible charitable contributions from individuals and businesses critical to programs and services. As a designated 501(c)(3), donations are tax-deductible to the fullest extent of the law.
- Membership: Individual membership levels range from $25-$500; Corporate memberships range from $50-$1,000. Members receive benefits including gallery reception invitations, class discounts, newsletter subscription, and gala tickets at higher tiers.
- Annual Gala: Celebration of the Arts in Howard County is the primary fundraising event featuring fine art auction, culinary tastings, performances, raffle, and Rising Star Competition. Ticket sales range $50-$100.
- Government Grants: Distributes over $900k annually to local and regional arts organizations, schools, and individual artists. Partners with Howard County Government, Maryland State Arts Council, and National Endowment for the Arts.
- Studio and Space Rentals: Affordable studio, rehearsal, classroom, meeting, and performance spaces rented to artists and arts organizations. Studio rentals range approximately $144-$596 depending on size.
- Art Classes and Camps: Art classes, summer camps, and workshops for all ages generate revenue while fulfilling educational mission. Summer Art Camps offer one-week sessions for students entering grades K-7.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Annual | Individual & Senior Membership |
| Subscription | Annual | Family Membership |
| Subscription | Annual | Sustaining Membership |
| Subscription | Annual | Patron Membership |
| Subscription | Annual | Benefactor Membership |
| Subscription | Annual | Partner Membership |
| Subscription | Annual | Non-Profit Corporate Membership |
| Subscription | Annual | Small Business Membership |
| Subscription | Annual | Business Membership |
| Subscription | Annual | Corporate Membership |
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | Celebration of the Arts Gala Tickets |
| Unit Pricing | Annual | Studio Rentals |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels6 records
Marketing channels9 records
Howard County Arts Council product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Howard County Arts Council is a nonprofit arts council that operates an arts center delivering gallery exhibitions, art classes and summer camps, grants and scholarships to artists and arts organizations, and affordable studio and performance space rentals. The Council also produces signature community events including the annual Celebration of the Arts gala, ARTreach festival, ARTsites public art exhibit, and arts education programs such as Head StART in ART.
Product overview
Howard County Arts Council operates as a nonprofit arts organization offering a portfolio of interconnected programs and services. The core offerings include: gallery exhibits featuring juried and open-call artwork; art classes and summer camps for children and adults; grants and scholarships supporting local artists and arts organizations; affordable studio and performance space rentals at the Capitoline Center; the annual Celebration of the Arts gala with Rising Star Competition and Howie Awards; public art initiatives including Arts for All and ARTsites; community festivals like ARTreach; early childhood arts education through Head StART in ART; and the Howard County Poet Laureate programs. The organization distributes over $900k annually in grants and serves as the designated county arts agency for Howard County.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Art Classes & Camps
Quantifiable outcome
- Nearly 30,000 annual visitors to the Howard County Center for the Arts
- +5 more outcomes
Companies that use Howard County Arts Council
Customer profileNamed customers5 records
Segments7 records
Ideal customer profiles5 records
Howard County Arts Council technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Howard County Arts Council partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
15 partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.
- Howard County Recreation & ParkscorePartners on No Boundaries Visual Art Exhibit and Musical Theatre Program for therapeutic recreation and inclusion services. Collaboration on community arts programming and facilities.
- MIGmajorAward-winning firm specializing in public art consulting, placemaking, community engagement, and urban planning. Partnered for Arts for All public art initiative to commission permanent installations at county facilities.
- Designing LocalmajorAward-winning, nationally recognized firm that has helped more than 50 US communities create vibrant, engaging, and authentic places. Engaged to guide Howard County Arts & Culture Plan development with 31-member steering committee.
- National Endowment for the ArtsmajorFederal arts agency providing funding for Howard County Arts & Culture Plan development and various arts programs over the years.
- HoCoPoLitSominorPartnership for Howard County Poet Laureate and Youth Poet Laureate programs, recognizing and supporting local literary artists.
- Howard Hughes CorporationmajorPartners on Merriweather District Artist-in-Residence program. Howard Hughes Corporation provides support for artists to create work in the Merriweather area. Arts Council served on Downtown Columbia Cultural Plan Advisory Committee.
- Community Action CouncilcoreHead StART in ART program partnership through Ellicott City Head Start Center. Program expanded to Tubman Center in 2013 and continues as extended residencies in preschool classrooms.
- Visit Howard CountyminorPartners on Paint It! Ellicott City plein air event and tourism promotion of arts events throughout Howard County.
- Howard County Public School SystemcorePartners for Artists-in-Education grants, Youth Art Month exhibits, and Head StART in ART preschool program at Ellicott City Head Start Center.
- Community Foundation of Howard CountycoreAdministers The Future of the Arts in Howard County Endowment Fund. Partnership for endowment management ensuring longevity of arts support.
- Howard County Historical SocietyminorBoard member Ellen Flynn Giles represents Howard County Historical Society and former HoCo Arts Board. Partnership on community arts and cultural initiatives.
- Howard Community CollegecoreHosts Celebration of the Arts gala at Horowitz Visual and Performing Arts Center. Partnership for venue access and arts programming at college facilities.
- Howard County GovernmentcoreDesignated county arts council per Howard County Code Section 12.804(a). Public-private partnership for arts funding and programming. Howard County Government provides annual funding for grants and supports Arts for All public art initiative with $1.5M dedicated in FY2025.
- Maryland State Arts CouncilcoreState arts agency that provides funding and coordination for local arts councils. Howard County Arts Council is one of 24 county arts councils in Maryland working with MSAC.
- Howard County Library SystemminorCollaboration on arts programming and resource sharing for Howard County community.
Scale indicators12 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights7 records
Howard County Arts Council competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Mid Atlantic Arts: Regional nonprofit arts service organization serving Maryland, DC, Delaware, and beyond with grantmaking and programming. A board member's prior leadership (Theresa Colvin) creates direct operational familiarity.
- Maryland State Arts Council: State-level arts agency that funds Howard County Arts Council and other Maryland county arts councils. Provides grants, advocacy, and statewide arts policy leadership — a higher-tier counterpart in the same ecosystem.
- Americans for the Arts: National nonprofit advancing the arts and arts education, awarding the National Award for County Arts Leadership that Howard County Arts Council received in 2007. A peer advocacy and recognition organization at the national scale.
Others
- National Assembly of State Arts Agencies: National membership organization of state arts agencies, with which board member Theresa Colvin has served. Represents the broader ecosystem in which Howard County Arts Council operates as a sub-state entity.
Direct peers
- Maryland Art Place: Baltimore contemporary art center where Executive Director Coleen West previously served as Director of Development. Operates galleries and supports regional artists with a city-level scope comparable to Howard County's county mission.
- Creative Alliance (Baltimore): Baltimore-based community arts nonprofit operating galleries, performance spaces, and arts education. Referenced directly in Howard County's staff background (Bronwyn Haymes), indicating operational model overlap.
- Prince George's County Arts Council: Maryland county-level arts council providing community arts funding, programming, and exhibitions. Direct structural peer within the same state arts council framework.
- Anne Arundel County Arts Council: Another Maryland county arts council providing grantmaking, exhibits, and arts programming. Operates under similar state-arts-council framework with comparable grant and program mix.
- Baltimore County Arts Council: Adjacent Maryland county arts council with overlapping regional mission, distributing grants and providing arts programming. Shares donor and funding-pool dynamics with Howard County Arts Council.
- Montgomery County Arts Council: Maryland county-level arts council under the same Maryland State Arts Council network, providing grants, exhibits, and arts programming with a similar statutory designation model. Direct comparable in mandate, scale, and funding structure.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Howard County Arts Council social profiles
Digital presenceHoward County Arts Council financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Howard County Arts Council leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles10 records
Howard County Arts Council funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Howard County Arts Council M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Howard County Arts Council
What does Howard County Arts Council do?
Howard County Arts Council is a nonprofit arts council that operates an arts center delivering gallery exhibitions, art classes and summer camps, grants and scholarships to artists and arts organizations, and affordable studio and performance space rentals. The Council also produces signature community events including the annual Celebration of the Arts gala, ARTreach festival, ARTsites public art exhibit, and arts education programs such as Head StART in ART.
Is Howard County Arts Council a public or private company?
Howard County Arts Council is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Howard County Arts Council founded?
Howard County Arts Council was founded in 1981. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Howard County Arts Council based?
Howard County Arts Council is headquartered in Ellicott City, United States, in the North America region.
How does Howard County Arts Council make money?
Six revenue lines are on record. Donations are the primary driver. The others are membership, annual Gala, government Grants, studio and Space Rentals and art Classes and Camps.
Who are Howard County Arts Council's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Mid Atlantic Arts, Maryland State Arts Council and Americans for the Arts. National Assembly of State Arts Agencies is listed as an others. Direct peers are Maryland Art Place, Creative Alliance (Baltimore), Prince George's County Arts Council, Anne Arundel County Arts Council, Baltimore County Arts Council and Montgomery County Arts Council.
Does Howard County Arts Council have an API?
No public API is recorded for Howard County Arts Council.
What industry is Howard County Arts Council in?
Howard County Arts Council's product category is Arts and Cultural Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAGAHAD, Cultural Centers & Community Cultural Organizations, with a secondary code of BPAGAHAC, Arts Education & Community Arts Programs. Its NAICS code is 712.