In 2023, the Division of Strategic Partnerships & Applied Research and the Office of Partnerships & Outreach at Towson University presented an opportunity to community organizations within Greater Baltimore, opening applications for one-time project support. The support grant would be given with the goal of expanding the capacity and community impact of the chosen organization. At the time, in search of a way to increase their visibility and community engagement, the Baltimore County Arts Guild applied.
As the first arts district in Baltimore County, Catonsville has a rich history and flourishing arts ecosystem. The Catonsville Arts District is managed by the Baltimore County Arts Guild and led by a board of business owners and resident artists. The goal of the Arts Guild is to make Catonsville a destination for the arts; increase economic development, embrace diversity, increase promotion, and preserve its identity.
Once awarded the support grant, the Baltimore County Arts Guild began a partnership with TU’s Center for GIS (CGIS), which specializes in empowering clients with making the most of their data by developing interactive maps and data-driven displays that are robust, accessible, and intuitive. It was decided that the support grant would be used for the development of a public use interactive database and maps for the Arts Guild.
The Baltimore County Arts Guild and CGIS worked in collaboration to determine what data was needed and how to categorize it. Ultimately choosing to categorize the arts by Public Art, Performance Venues, Exhibitions, Historical Sites, and Creative Businesses. The public database offers viewers an educational tool, providing images and text descriptions for locations, along with their addresses. Showcasing the stories within the community and providing viewers with the context to explore the area themselves, bringing the district to life.
“This partnership with TU’s Center for GIS has been a game-changer for the Baltimore County Arts Guild. Not only has the support grant allowed us to create an invaluable public arts database, but it also saved us critical resources that we can now direct toward growing our arts community,” said Monica Herber, executive director of the Baltimore County Arts Guild. “The Towson University team was a pleasure to work with—collaborative, innovative, and truly invested in our success.”
The support grant fulfilled its mission of increasing the visibility of the Catonsville Arts District through the public map and promoting tourism of the arts. Since the creation of database and conclusion of the support grant, CGIS has passed control to the Baltimore County Arts Guild, ensuring the organization has a sustainable way to maintain the database and independently make updates and changes as needed.
For the Arts Guild, they claim this is just the beginning, as their database will continue to grow and evolve as art is added to the area and they continue to hear the stories of their community.
