The Town of Berlin received grants for enhancement and development from the Maryland Department of Housing and Community and the Maryland State Arts Council.
An aerial view of the Town of Berlin is pictured.
File photo
By Tara Fischer, Staff Writer
Berlin, a designated Maryland Main Street and an arts and entertainment district, received grants for town enhancement and development from the Maryland Department of Housing and Community and the Maryland State Arts Council.
The Maryland Department of Housing and Community provided the Town of Berlin with $25,000 through its Main Street Improvement Program. The grant is organized through Main Street Maryland, an initiative that was launched in 1998 to strengthen the economic possibilities of the state’s traditional neighborhoods. Berlin was eligible for the funds as a designated Main Street Maryland community.
The Maryland Department of Housing and Community outlines the potential activities for recipients to use the financial support. According to their website, the money may be applied to staffing and consultant services, operating expenses, market and business recruitment strategies, street furniture, and other improvement projects.
“The projects for which funds are being requested should support the goals and outcomes of the applicant’s annual work plan and contribute to the transformation strategy of the community,” the housing and community department’s online page reads. It is specified that activities being financed by the grant are to be completed in one year.
Economic and Community Development Director Ivy Wells said the aid will be used in Berlin for downtown beautification efforts, events, and marketing.
The town also received $17,454 from the Maryland State Arts Council. Berlin was eligible for the funds per their status as an Arts and Entertainment District.
Maryland’s Arts and Entertainment Districts are towns throughout the state committed to cultivating arts organizations, fostering an area’s creative spirit, enabling artists of all disciplines to live and work, and promoting tourism.
“The goal of the Arts and Entertainment Districts program is to develop and support diverse artistic and cultural centers in communities across Maryland that preserve a sense of place, provide unique local experiences, attract tourism, and spur economic revitalization and neighborhood pride,” the Maryland State Arts Council website says.
The department provides financial aid to these towns to support activities, initiatives, and projects that enhance and develop an artistic culture.
Wells said the funds from the entertainment program will be used for stages for downtown events, arts endeavors, and marketing.
The economic and community development director added that these grants, which the town was notified they had received earlier this month, are applied to every year in May. Berlin must maintain their status as a Maryland Main Street community and as an arts and entertainment district to remain eligible for the money.
“The grants add to the charm of our town, making it a great place to live, work, and play,” Wells said. “…they provide the necessary resources needed to keep Berlin growing.”