Working in conjunction with the Maryland State Department of Education and the Maryland State Arts Council (MSAC), First Lady Yumi Hogan presented a selection of artworks by Maryland students during the inaugural show in the new First Lady’s Art Gallery. First Lady Hogan, who is an accomplished artist and a professor at Maryland Institute College of Art, is an active supporter of the arts and a powerful advocate for arts programs in schools across Maryland. In keeping with Mrs. Hogan’s dedication to supporting art education, the First Lady’s Art Gallery, which is located in the House of Delegates Office Building in Annapolis, will continue the student art program with shows to be held every fall and spring.

The inaugural show features the works of student artists from more than 20 Maryland school systems. During the October 23 opening reception, first place awards were presented to artists in the elementary, middle and high school categories. Jasmine Diaz, a second grader at Vansville Elementary School in Prince George’s County; Mackenzie Clark, a sixth grade student from Kent County Middle School; and Taylor Williams, a senior at Huntington High School in Calvert County were the inaugural winners. The exhibition will run through November 13.

Pictured: First Lady Yumi Hogan center in blue with student artists and attendees.

The Maryland Heritage Areas Authority (MHAA) held its quarterly meeting in the Garrett County Mountain Maryland Gateway to the West Heritage Area. Representatives from Maryland’s 13 heritage areas joined Bill Pencek, acting managing director, Maryland Division of Tourism, Film and the Arts and others to develop strategies to preserve and protect Maryland’s heritage areas while enhancing the visitor experience and maximizing economic and life quality benefits for partners and stakeholders. After the meeting, attendees joined local officials on a tour of some of Garrett County’s heritage assets including the Spruce Forest Artisan Village, the Oakland B&O Museum and Transport Museum.

“We were so pleased to host MHAA,” says Jen Durben, heritage area and groups manager, Garrett County Chamber of Commerce. “The opportunity to share our local assets and showcase our area was an honor. So many of our projects have been supported by MHAA over the years.” The event also included a tour of the updated McHenry Visitor Center trail head where attendees saw the benefits of recent additions made possible by the MHAA including maps, bike racks and other amenities aimed at enhancing the visitor experience.

The Maryland Office of Tourism Development partnered with Visit Montgomery to bring the Fall Maryland Blogger Bash to VisArts at Rockville. The event brought together influential bloggers from the travel, culinary and parenting fields with representatives from county destination marketing organizations and artisan partners from across Maryland. In addition to connecting with DMOs, the Blogger Bash showcased Maryland food and libations through a partnership with the Maryland Wineries Association, the Brewers Association of Maryland and the Maryland Distillers Guild.

This was the second blogger bash hosted by OTD and focused on seasonal travel opportunities and unique products and crafts from across Maryland. Bloggers in attendance were also eligible for travel packages designed to encourage exploration and travel presented by the tourism bureaus of Frederick, Calvert, Howard and Montgomery counties. Since the inaugural Blogger Bash in June, there has been a continuing growth of Maryland’s footprint in the important travel blogger community. “We’ve seen significant engagement with our social media channels, and the writers left excited about Maryland travel opportunities,” says Leslie Troy, communications specialist, Maryland Office of Tourism Development. “With support from Maryland’s DMOs and continued interest from our thriving new media community, we expect our blogger bashes to continue.”

Each week, the Maryland Minute provides highlights and insights on this weekend’s events around the state. Maryland Minute is featured on CBS radio stations in Baltimore and Washington, D.C. and on Baltimore’s WBAL-AM 1090.