The Salisbury Area Chamber of Commerce was delighted to co-host the Salisbury Wicomico Arts Council (SWAC) on October 27 for a ribbon-cutting ceremony and official grand opening celebrating a historic milestone: the acquisition of SWAC’s first permanent home, located at 737 and 739 East Main Street in Salisbury.
More than 100 Chamber members, local and state dignitaries, SWAC members, and arts supporters gathered for the celebration, which marked a new chapter for the organization. The grand opening, held from 3:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m., featured performances by SWAC scholarship and grant recipients in the new theater, hands-on arts activities throughout the facility, food provided by Market Street Inn, door prizes, congratulatory remarks from state and local dignitaries, and the ceremonial ribbon cutting in front of the new location.
During the event, SWAC Executive Director Therese Hamilton shared the organization’s journey, mission, and vision for its new home. The facility will serve as a vibrant hub for the arts, offering a 100-seat theater, arts boutique, gallery exhibitions, concerts, club meetings, arts instruction, community programs, a youth arts center, and rental space for weddings, reunions, performances, and private events. Hamilton was joined on stage by SWAC Board President Dr. William M. Folger and Vice President Lyubov Paskova Anderson.
Reflecting on the significance of the occasion, Hamilton told attendees: “The arts change us, the arts invigorate us, the arts nourish us, and the arts heal us, especially in places we didn’t know we were hurt. SWAC had a hurt, but we didn’t know it until we were placed in a precarious position. As the first and oldest arts council in Maryland, and a role model for arts councils throughout the state, we had a choice: remain a tenant after nearly 60 years or put our arts footprint into Wicomico County soil. Our dream came true because here we are!”
Several state and local leaders attended the celebration and offered congratulations to SWAC while recognizing Hamilton’s year-round advocacy for the arts. Those in attendance included David Mitchell, County Arts Development Director for the Maryland State Arts Council; Maryland Senator Johnny Mautz; Maryland Senator Mary Beth Carozza; Delegate Barry Beauchamp; Delegate Sheree Sample-Hughes; Wicomico County Councilman Josh Hastings; and City of Salisbury Mayor Randy Taylor, whose support was instrumental in helping make the project a reality.
Founded in 1967, the Salisbury Wicomico Arts Council is the first and oldest arts council in Maryland. For decades, SWAC has been a dedicated champion of the arts, funding, promoting, and delivering programs that enrich the community. Through its support of schools, nonprofits, youth initiatives, civic organizations, and artists, SWAC has played a vital role in strengthening the region’s cultural landscape while advocating for arts funding at the local, state, and national levels.
For more information about the Salisbury Wicomico Arts Council, visit www.getswac.org.
