Artists Equity Association’s Maryland Chapter (AEA)

During my 2-year presidency (1984-’86) of AEA, my goal was to form a consortium of Maryland’s arts organizations. Positive changes for artists, within the Baltimore community, could only happen if we banded together.

 Artscape 1985 | Baltimore City’s 3-day weekend 

I began by leading a small team of AEA members to meet with the director of the Mayor’s Advisory Committee on Arts and Culture.  We lobbied for an Arts Resource Tent, at the next Artscape, so art organizations (visual, performing, and literary) could distribute their literature to the public.  We were told, “We think it a good idea, BUT  do not have the staff or funding to add another large tent.”  Our AEA members made it happen!
I prepared a schedule showing how 30+ organizations would rotate the 3-day weekend.  The positive feedback was gratifying and the Arts Resource tent was incorporated into Artscape’s budget for 1986 and many years to come. 
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 Maryland Artists Equity Foundation (MAEF)

MAEF, an outgrowth of AEA, is a nonprofit foundation, incorporated in 1984 to award tuition-scholarships to gifted high-school art students seeking college and careers in the visual arts. Ina Helrich, a past AEA president, founded MAEF’s concept and also designed the annual scholarship competition (5 jurors picked 25 finalists from over 100 applicants each year. A second set of 5 jurors ranked the finalists’ artwork for our exhibition and decided who should receive the top scholarships and monetary awards at the annual awards ceremony.  

I helped write MAEF’s charter and by-laws and eventually, became president of MAEF for 16 years until, after 24 years, MAEF merged with MICA to keep the scholarship program a viable part of the community. 

During my 16 years as MAEF’s President, and then President Emeritus, I initiated new ideas and chaired many programs; Tribute Scholarship Funds, art supplies for Baltimore inner-city schools, summer pre-college scholarships, MAEF’s website and the Winner’s Circle.

Winners’ Circle Exhibitions

The Winner’s Circle program gave our past finalists an opportunity to show their artwork in a prestigious setting, the Walters Art Museum, Baltimore Museum of Art, and Maryland Institute College of Art (MICA). It was gratifying to continue our connection with our high-school finalists and learn that many were engaged in successful art-oriented careers. 

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Other Volunteering

• Baltimore Sculptors: originally Sculptors Inc, 1993 | charter board member | helped draft the by-laws | current Treasurer, 2018-present
• Maryland Lawyers for the Arts: helped draft the 1984 by-laws | 1984, testified in front of the MD State legislature, in Annapolis, on an art-related bill to benefit artists.
• Creative Arts Centre Advisory Committee, at Essex Community College, MD | board member for three years
• Art classes for seniors with various degrees of cognitive impairment: Catonsville Commons in Baltimore MD (Alzheimer’s Art Program) | Hebrew Home of Greater Washington in Rockville, MD
• Fundraising organizations for Cancer research; 1962-1980 | Dorothy Friedman Caplan Guild, long-time member, vice-president for two years | Mildred Mindell Foundation | long-time member

Married since 1962, Nannette has three daughters and sons-in-laws; plus six grandchildren who keep her young at heart.