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Chrisfield arts group secures $218,000 state grant to add performance space at Gallery 413
Summary
The Chrisfield Arts Syndicate told the mayor and council it received a $218,000 Maryland State Arts Council grant to convert part of Gallery 413 into a roughly 100-seat performing-arts venue with professional audio and lighting; the group said it will use local contractors and hopes construction finishes this fall.
The Chrisfield Arts Syndicate told the Crisfield Mayor and Council on March 25 that it won a $218,000 grant from the Maryland State Arts Council to expand Gallery 413 into a performing-arts venue.
Patricia Coxon, representing the Syndicate, said the group bought the building at 413 West Main Street and has renovated the visual-arts gallery. "We put in a grant application with the Maryland State Arts Council in August 2024," Coxon said, "and we found out in January that we actually not only got the grant, got it approved... $218,000." She described plans for a backstage, a stage, tuning area, professional audio and lighting and two additional bathrooms. Coxon said the new theater would seat about 100 people and that the Syndicate will prioritize local contractors for the work.
The mayor and council praised the project’s local economic and cultural benefits. Council members asked whether community groups could stage productions; Coxon said the space will accommodate different performance types, workshops for children and potentially screenings with a projector, though it will not operate as a first-run movie theater.
The Syndicate said total costs may exceed the State Arts Council award once additional items are added, and it will combine the grant with other funding. Coxon said the group expects to begin construction soon and hopes for completion in the fall, with a ribbon-cutting and public programming to follow.
The council offered its support and requested that the Syndicate notify members about events and construction timelines. Mayor Darling Taylor thanked the group and asked the Syndicate to keep council informed as details and schedules firm up.
