Maryland State Arts Council

The meeting initiated the panel review process for FY24 Grants for Organizations, Service. Key procedural points were established to ensure an equitable process, including the use of a script, formality in presentation, and recording of the meeting. Panelists were introduced along with their roles. The session reviewed guiding documents such as the Land Acknowledgment Statement and the Equity and Justice Statement, and outlined the strategic plan goals adopted in 2019. Panel operating procedures, including creative meeting actions, collaboration philosophy focusing on impact over grant writing polish, and the structured review process involving initial scores, artistic activity reports, in-depth conversation reports, staff expert contributions, and final scoring, were detailed. A practice round using a test application was conducted to familiarize panelists with the scoring system in SmartSimple.

The panel meeting, conducted with high formality to ensure an equitable process, focused on guiding panelists through the application review procedures for the FY 2025 Folklife Network panel. Key procedural discussions included emphasizing respectful interaction protocols, the importance of framing feedback as recommendations focusing on applicant impact over grant writing polish, and adherence to the scoring rubric. Panelists reviewed the organization's Land Acknowledgement Statement and Equity and Justice Statement, noting the commitment to diversity and inclusion. The session included a comprehensive practice round using a test application to ensure technical proficiency with the review platform, followed by the initial review commencement for the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum application.

The panel meeting focused on reviewing applications for the FY25 Public Art Across Maryland grant. The session began with procedural guidelines, including the use of a script, recording the meeting, and platform instructions (muting, chat usage). The panel then introduced MSAC team members and panelists. Guiding documents, including the Land Acknowledgement statement and Equity and Justice statement, were reviewed, followed by established creative meeting actions for discussion. The panel practiced the review structure, which involves an opening introduction, panel discussion, staff clarification, and final scoring submission. The first substantive application discussed was for the Arts Council of Annapolis and Anne Arundel County for a Utility Box Art Wrap Program planning grant, which received an initial average score of 88.33%. Panelists provided recommendations regarding the ambitious timeline and suggested clearer criteria for cost-sharing with neighborhoods.

The meeting served as a panel review for FY26 General Fund Operating (GFO) applications under the Multi-Discipline A (Group 1) category. The session began with procedural guidelines emphasizing formality, recording, and strict adherence to no use of generative AI assistance, alongside instructions for panelists to avoid the chat feature. Key components of the process included the recitation of the organization's Land Acknowledgement Statement and its Equity and Justice Statement, outlining the vision and mission. Panelists reviewed guidelines for scoring and providing recommendations, focusing on assessing the impact beyond polished grant writing. A practice round using a test application was conducted to ensure functionality of the scoring system. The first substantive review covered an application from the Avalon Foundation, where the panelist who attended the artistic activity visit provided details on attending the 'Suessical Kids' production, noting the venue's preservation of its vaudeville house aesthetic and the community involvement observed. Discussions centered on evaluating the organization's performance against the rubric.

The meeting was for the FY26 County Arts Development Panel, guided by a formal script and recorded to ensure an equitable process for distributing county arts development grant awards across Maryland's counties and Baltimore City. Panelists introduced themselves and reviewed guiding documents, including the Indigenous Land Acknowledgement and the Equity and Justice Statement, which outlines MSAC's vision and mission based on a five-pillar strategic plan (Access, Awareness, Connection, Equity, Leadership). The panel structure involved initial reviews, in-depth assignments, followed by a live discussion period to refine recommendations. A practice session was conducted using a test application to ensure all panelists could navigate the system for submitting final recommendations.