Charles County Public Art and Cultural Plan
Maryland's first county-led public art and cultural master plan - built from the ground up.
In 2025, Golob Art led a multidisciplinary team commissioned by the Charles County Department of Recreation, Parks, and Tourism to develop the county's first-ever comprehensive framework for public art and culture. The result is a 113-page plan built from primary research, deep community engagement, and a cross-state analysis of arts funding across all 24 Maryland counties - a roadmap for a county ready to invest in its creative future.
Industry & Client
Charles County Department of Recreation, Parks & Tourism
Location
Charles County, Maryland
Partners
Envirocollab Three Ring Studio Site Design / RDA
Services
Cultural Planning and Policy Community Engagement Cross-State Research
Read the plan
Take a deeper dive into the process, insights, recommendations.
THE OPPORTUNITY
A county ready for something new
Charles County is one of Maryland's fastest-growing and most diverse counties -172,000 residents, a newly majority-Black or African American community, and a population that has expanded over 40% since 2000. Framed by the Potomac River, rolling farmland, and 183 miles of coastline, it sits at the intersection of rapid suburban growth, federal employment, and deep agricultural heritage. And yet, until 2025, it had never had a county-government framework for the arts.
The data told a clear story. Charles County ranked second-lowest in Maryland for per-capita arts funding -$1.27, against a statewide median of $4.12. Only 8% of residents said there were enough arts and culture spaces in the county. And in a finding unusual for any county, 61% of residents who attend arts events a few times a year reported going outside Charles County to do so.
The community clearly valued the arts, but people were leaving the county to find the arts.
8%
of residents said there were enough arts spaces
$1.27
per capita arts funding vs $4.12 statewide median
61%
leave the county for arts events they attend regularly
"Several times a year…we go into DC…we spend often $300–$500… I would love to spend that in Charles County"
- Charles County community member
THE PROCESS
Consulting Through Action
Our approach to this plan was grounded in what we call "consulting through action" -a philosophy that treats community engagement not just as data collection, but as ecosystem-building. At every stage, we worked to connect residents, artists, educators, and civic leaders with one another, so that the planning process itself began strengthening the networks the plan would need to succeed.
The process unfolded across multiple phases and formats, reaching participants across the county.
01
Research
Planning documents, arts data, zoning codes, economic development strategies, and county history.
02
Sector Conversations
Three virtual sessions with 36 participants drawn from government, arts, education, and business -structured to surface shared priorities and build cross-sector relationships.
03
One-on-One Interviews
In-depth conversations with artists, community leaders, and county staff to develop a nuanced picture of the county's needs and opportunities.
04
Public Meetings
Three in-person meetings in Indian Head, Waldorf, and La Plata -each designed with interactive stations that encouraged shared brainstorming alongside feedback gathering.
05
Countywide Survey
101 responses from residents, artists, educators, and business owners across the county, open for three weeks.
06
Site Visits
Six days of field observation across Waldorf, La Plata, Indian Head, Hughesville, Benedict, and the Indian Head Rail Trail -grounding the research in the actual character of each place.
07
Cross-State Funding Study
A systematic comparative review of all 24 Maryland county arts councils and Baltimore City, examining funding levels, governance structures, revenue sources, and county relationships.
"Timing could not be better. The county is beginning to process its comprehensive plan. This type of report will be integral to the development of that plan."
- Commissioner President Reuben B. Collins II
THE PROCESS
The Plan
A roadmap built on four pillars
The Master Plan lays out a phased, ten-year roadmap organized around four strategic areas. This plan offers a flexible toolkit of recommendations designed to give county staff, policymakers, and community partners guidance that is specific enough to act on and open enough to adapt to the county's evolving needs.
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Public art program and micro-grant program
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Central arts venue feasibility study
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Zoning incentives and density bonuses for arts-inclusive development
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Percent for Art ordinance dedicating 1% of county capital budgets to public art
BUILT ENVIRONMENT
Integrating arts into the physical fabric of the county
CULTURAL INFRASTRUCTURE
Connecting art, nature, and heritage through place-based projects
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Multi-use trail network linking towns, historic sites, and parks through arts and signage
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Agritourism and rural arts hubs combining farming, heritage, and creative programming
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Waterfront activation bringing arts programming and access points to 183 miles of county coastline
COMMUNITY & WORKFORCE
Building creative capacity and career pathways
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Creative workforce training grants supporting arts workers in business and technical skills
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Southern Maryland Arts Leadership Fellowship for cross-county professional development
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Youth mentorship and micro-grants including paid internships, visiting artists, and youth-led projects
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Monthly arts convenings to build creative networks
GOVERNMENT & FINANCING
Establishing structures for long-term art ecosystem growth
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Transition Arts Alliance to county-designated Arts Council
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Dedicated arts staff for County gov't.
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Arts capital grants program
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Entertainment, Recreation, and Arts (ERA) District designations in La Plata and Waldorf
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Dedicated arts funding raised from $1.27 per capita toward the state median and top-third range
What Makes This Plan So Special?
INNOVATIVE SOLUTIONS
Arts-Supportive Zoning
Using public policy to leverage private investment
Most public art plans address what gets made. This plan also addresses what gets built - and how land use policy can choose to either support a thriving arts ecosystem.
The centerpiece of the zoning framework is a three-tier arts density bonus system.
The typical approach to arts space in development is either to require it (which developers resist) or to hope for it (which produces little). The density bonus model offers a third path: make including arts space attractive to developers by giving them something valuable in return.
Our team began this process with research. Through community engagement, we identified the specific types of arts spaces Charles County most needed - black box theaters, dance studios, recording studios, makerspaces, artist studio clusters, rehearsal space, and gallery space. We then worked with local developers and general contractors to understand the actual construction costs of each space type in the Charles County market.
From our research, we designed density bonus levels to make arts inclusion more financially attractive than building without it.
Tier 1 - Art Activation
5% density bonus
Public art and outdoor performance infrastructure integrated into the property or landscape.
Tier 2 - Art Space
25% density bonus
Small to medium arts spaces: rehearsal rooms, recording studios, gallery space, makerspaces, youth arts facilities, artist studio clusters.
Tier 3 - Art Anchor
40% density bonus
Medium to large cultural anchors: black box theaters, specialty makerspaces, artist residency suites, large creative incubators.
Supporting the arts with thoughtful zoning policy
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Pairing density bonuses with deed restrictions and coverage of property tax payments to support arts in the long-term
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Percent for Art ordinance
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Arts and Entertainment Districts
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By-right artist studios across residential zone
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Parking sharing and coordination to support the walkable environments where arts spaces thrive.
INNOVATIVE SOLUTIONS
Place-Based Typologies
Communities grow - we created a flexible plan to match
Rather than applying a single set of recommendations for specific communities across the county, the plan developed a typology of six distinct site types - each with tailored guidance for public art and programming investment. That way, it allows for flexible implementation based on neighborhood growth patterns.
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Suburban Commercial Centers — Large-scale landmark interventions that begin to build a sense of place in car-oriented corridors.
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Town Centers — Walkable density supporting regular programming, gallery space, and a central arts venue.
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Rural Villages — Heritage interpretation and small-scale installations that deepen local identity.
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Natural Areas — Interpretive land art and programming connecting residents to the county's ecological heritage.
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Main Streets — Storefront activations and programming that builds on existing community gatherings.
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Active Waterfronts — Artful access points and light-touch amenitization across 183 miles of coastline.
INNOVATIVE SOLUTIONS
Cross-State Funding Research
When critical data to understanding funding was unavailable, we sought it out
Without any centralized information available for assessing county-to-county arts funding and structures, our team conducted a systematic review of arts funding across all 24 Maryland county arts councils and Baltimore City — examining per-capita investment, funding sources, governance structures, and county relationships. It is, to our knowledge, the most comprehensive published comparison of Maryland county arts funding to date.
Charles County ranked second-lowest in the state at $1.27 per capita, against a statewide median of $4.12 and a top-third threshold of $7.00 or above.
The study also revealed that higher funding levels are closely associated with governance structure - specifically, county-appointed board models that create public accountability alongside nonprofit flexibility. The full data is viewable in the plan.
TIMELINE FOR IMPLEMENTATION
YEAR 1-2
LAY THE FOUNDATION
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Hire arts staff
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Establish County Arts Council Launch micro-grant and temporary public art pilots
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Begin Central Arts Venue feasibility study
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Adopt Percent for Art
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Update zoning
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Secure State A&E designation for La Plata
YEAR 3-5
BUILD MOMENTUM
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Roll out countywide public art program and capital grants
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Finance and construct Central Arts Venue
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Expand trail, waterfront, and agri-arts projects
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Launch Arts Leadership Fellowship and youth micro-grant
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Develop ERA Districts in Waldorf
YEAR 6-10
SUSTAIN AND GROW
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Conduct five-year plan review
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Deepen private sector partnerships
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Position Charles County as a regional cultural leader
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Expand ERA District program
EXPLORE MORE WORK
