The City of Rockville believes the image of the City is more than just the layout or the physical characteristics
of its streets and buildings. The arts reflect the vitality and diversity of the Rockville community. Art makes a statement about who and what a city is, how it views itself and how others view it. Works of art have the power to enhance the economic vitality of a community, commemorate local values, history and progress, develop community pride and identity, improve the general welfare and quality of life in a city, as well as make the community a premiere destination. Publicly accessible art enriches the urban landscape by engaging the eye, mind and spirit. It creates a sense of place and helps identify public spaces. Publicly accessible art is more than good citizenship— it is good business. By enhancing the overall quality of a project and giving it unique character not
achievable in other ways, on-site art helps people and businesses define a space. Public art helps to
ameliorate the harshness of increased urbanization and to foster the economic vitality of the community
to the benefit of all. Having sustained its own public arts programs for decades, the City fully appreciates what it takes to
implement a publicly accessible art project and the benefits that come from the presence of art. Planning
for a publicly accessible arts project at the very beginning of your development project affords the
greatest range of possibilities and places you in the strongest position to coordinate and maximize the
available fiscal, material and service resources. The City of Rockville welcomes the opportunity to share with you its experience in conducting successful
processes for installations and presentations of publicly accessible art. With great pride, the City
administers and/or directly supports the following arts- and humanities-based projects: - City of Rockville Cultural Arts Commission - An advisory board to the Mayor and Council serving as a public arts advocate to increase awareness of and support to all the arts in Rockville.
- City of Rockville Art in Public Places Program - Since 1978. Requires one percent of construction costs of all City construction projects to be spent on public art, supplemented by a $1 per capita fund. To date, 36 permanent works of art have been installed along with annual temporary projects through this program.
- City of Rockville Arts Programs - Rockville Concert Band, Rockville Civic Ballet, Rockville Chorus and Rockville Regional Youth Orchestra programs, as well as other concert and entertainment series, are offered throughout the year.
- City of Rockville Special Events - Produces numerous concerts, festivals, etc. (funded at nearly $1 million annually) that are held throughout the City.
- Operation of the F. Scott Fitzgerald Theatre - A 500-seat facility with more than 150 performances annually.
- Operation of the Glenview Mansion Art Gallery - Operation includes monthly exhibits. Annual attendance exceeds 6,000.
- Financial and in-kind support to a variety of arts and humanities organizations in Rockville - Support to organizations including Rockville Arts Place, National Philharmonic, Rockville Little Theatre, Rockville Musical Theatre, Victorian Lyric Opera Company, Peerless Rockville Historic Preservation, Ltd., F. Scott Fitzgerald Literary Conference, Inc., Rockville Art League, Montgomery County Historical Society and others.
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