Harmer's Town Art Center Unveils Plans For Downtown HdG

HAVRE de GRACE, MD — Harmer’s Town Art Center, Inc. has announced plans for a first-of-its-kind regional art facility, bringing together the arts, history, and community of Havre de Grace in a central location within the city’s arts district.

Construction of the center is just getting underway, but once open to the public, Harmer’s Town Art Center will offer visitors an opportunity to peruse galleries, engage with artists, take classes, and use makerspace workshops to prepare their own creations, according to a news release. While at the Center, visitors may also tour a museum of Havre de Grace history, purchase artwork and souvenirs in a gift shop, and spend time in the Graw Alley mural park.

The property — which will be known as the Harmer’s Town Art Center, an homage to the name given in the 1600s to the land that would one day become the City of Havre de Grace — includes a forgotten alley and underused portions of an old commercial property.

Contributions by the property owner, local grants, private donations, and the effort of its nonprofit Board of Directors and volunteers have helped the Harmer’s Town Art Center begin to take shape, the organization said.

Graw Alley, the interactive art park component of Harmer’s Town Art Center, is already under development with murals painted on the walls of the facility. Upon completion, Graw Alley will be a completely landscaped setting with paved pathways, artistic sculptures, outdoor seating and performance areas, and signs leading visitors on a tour of Havre de Grace history as told through a series of murals.

At the Harmer’s Town Art Center complex, artists will be able to work in studio space visible and accessible to the public, which allows them to engage with guests, hold lessons, and sell their work directly to visitors. Multipurpose areas will be used for teaching larger classes or holding special events. Makerspace workshops will offer artists and hobbyists alike access to specialized equipment for woodworking, ceramics, and other fabrication crafts.

The news release said Harmer’s Town Art Center will also house several galleries to showcase art exhibits, a museum of historic Havre de Grace artifacts, and a shop in which visitors can purchase artwork and souvenirs and where artists can stock up on supplies.

Organizers of the center are seeking funding to support the construction, maintenance, and operation of the center and mural park, as well as forthcoming art classes, history lessons, and other special events. Harmer’s Town Art Center, Inc. is a federally-recognized 501(c)3 nonprofit organization and your contribution is a fully tax-deductible donation.

For more information about this project or to contribute to the effort, send an email to info@harmerstown.org or visit Harmer’s Town Art Center online.