In 1986, the dream of creating a dedicated visual arts center in Frederick was realized with the founding of The Delaplaine Arts Center by a group of local artists and arts enthusiasts.
That dream found a home when the historic Mountain City Mills building in downtown was donated by the Delaplaine and Randall families to the City of Frederick for use as a visual arts center. From that beginning, the Delaplaine has grown with the community, each year increasing its service to residents and visitors.
The Delaplaine Arts Center provides the Frederick region with educational opportunities and experiences in the visual arts through classes, exhibits, and programs. Housed in the 100-year-old Mountain City Mill on the banks of Carroll Creek in historic downtown Frederick, this vibrant nonprofit organization typically welcomes more than 80,000 visitors each year.
This spring, the Delaplaine celebrates 35 years of bringing the visual arts to the Frederick region.
Meet: The Delaplaine Arts Center
What types of arts experiences and content can visitors expect to find at the Delaplaine?
The Delaplaine features:
- 7 on-site galleries, showcasing works by regional and national artists in more than 50 exhibitions annually
- 8 spacious studios, housing more than 250 classes and workshops for all ages each year
- The Etchison Davis Library, one of the largest, free art references libraries open to the public in Maryland
- The Community Art Gallery and the Community Outreach Gallery, featuring artworks created by local students and community groups
- The Art History Timeline and Our Industrial Past panel exhibits
- Virtual Delaplaine, a collection of free online exhibitions, workshops, art projects, and more
- Beautiful Gardiner Hall, the most popular and reasonable priced event venue in downtown Frederick, and Event Deck overlooking Carroll Creek Park
- The Gift Gallery at the Delaplaine, a retail shop supporting local artists in our community
- The historic Mountain City Mill building itself, an adaptive reuse success story
Photo Courtesy Delaplaine Arts Center
What makes the Delaplaine a unique arts center?
The Delaplaine Arts Center is truly a community art center. We believe everyone deserves art! Our exhibitions include artworks by up-and-coming artists and professional artists; young art students and senior artists; local and nationally-known artists.
Admission is free!
We offer classes year-round for everyone from beginners who have no art experience, to experienced artists who are sharpening their skills. A range of daytime and evening classes, multi-week classes and one-day workshops, and a variety of media is available.
We also offer a wide variety of media: painting, drawing, photography, printmaking, sculpture, woodworking, and jewelry making and metalsmithing, among others. In addition, we offer free public programming monthly throughout the year, both on-site and online.
From Art Matters Artist Talks to Art at Noon programs for adults, to Creative Outlet and Delaplaine at Home step-by-step art projects for kids, there’s something for everyone!
If visitors want to buy art, they also have a range of styles and prices to choose from in our Gift Gallery. All art is on consignment, so sales benefit local artists as well as educational programs at the Delaplaine.
Photo Courtesy Delaplaine Arts Center
The Delaplaine is a nonprofit organization, how can the community best support your mission?
Our ability to bring visual arts education and experiences to the region is dependent on the generosity and thoughtfulness of individuals who appreciate the arts in our community and understand its impact on quality of life—people like you! There are lots of ways to support the Delaplaine, including donating to the Annual Fund, becoming a member, participating in our annual gala (the pARTy of the year!), volunteering, and otherwise becoming an active part of our circle of friends!
Frederick Chamber Insights is a news outlet of the Frederick County Chamber of Commerce. For more information about membership, programs and initiatives, please visit our website.