Now is the Time! The Kent Cultural Alliance (formerly the Kent County Arts Council) has, for 46 years, used artistic and creative experiences to engage residents and visitors alike in important social and civic conversations. At no time in recent memory have the arts been more important as we work to bring people closer together through common goals.

Examples of our recent programming include:

• Commission and producing the June 2022 premiere of an original work of musical theater based on the life of Isaac Mason, a formerly enslaved Kent County man*;
• Presenting a fully staged, professional touring production of A RAISIN IN THE SUN at Kent County High School with theater workshops at the Kent County Detention Center;
• Producing an exhibition of works on hand-made paper by Wounded Warriors at Walter Reed Medical Center which allowed service members to express their own experiences of war;
• Underwriting the creation of murals celebrating Eastern Shore life in Rock Hall, Worton, and Galena;
• Engaging our third visiting resident artist to connect students and youth to their thoughts, emotions and experiences through art;
• Providing crucial financial support for dozens of local non-profit cultural organizations.

For nearly three years, we have worked to stabilize and rebuild the historic Mansfield-Eliasson House at 101 Spring Avenue. This dramatic transformation is not only saving an important part of the African American history of Kent County (*it was the home where Isaac Mason was enslaved, and from which he escaped), it is also renewing an entire corner of downtown Chestertown and will provide a place for Kent County residents to engage creative work through education, exhibitions, and a newly established visiting artist residency program.

Now is the Time to push this project over the finish line. The delays of the Covid pandemic are real. Costs have risen, supplies are unavailable, and contractors are juggling heavy workloads. Even the numbers and dates printed in the enclosed brochure have changed! We are thrilled to announce a Challenge Grant of $250,000 from the SFW Foundation! By matching this grant, with an additional $250,000, we will have reached our goal.

KCA has made it a priority to pursue funding through all resources available to rural arts organizations before reaching out to our local community. To date, the State of Maryland has supported this project with a total investment of $1,045,000. Several other generous gifts and grants have enabled us to raise a total $2 million as of the writing of this letter. With your help, we can meet our $2,250,000 goal expediently and open our doors to the community.

Now is the Time! Please consider making a gift to help us reach our goal. Creativity is a form of communication between people, helping us focus on common issues and inspire hope. These are challenging times, and we value your support.