Tickets Still Available for Howard County Arts Council's 20th Annual Celebration of the Arts Gala

A limited number of $50 and $100 tickets are still available for Howard County's signature event, the Celebration of the Arts in Howard County.

The Celebration will be held on Saturday, March 25, 2017 at Peter and Elizabeth Horowitz Visual and Performing Arts Center, Howard Community College, Columbia, MD. Tickets may be purchased by phone at 410-313-ARTS (2787) or in the office at Howard County Arts Council, 8510 High Ridge Road, Ellicott City, MD 21043. Any remaining tickets will be available at the box office, which will open at noon on the day of the event.

This year's gala will feature a reception from 6-8 p.m. with a silent auction of artwork by local artists, culinary delicacies from area restaurants, and live musical performances. At 8 p.m. the Celebration continues with a 90-minute presentation featuring a special 'All-Star' edition of the Rising Star Competition and the 2016 Howie Awards! $100 tickets include the reception, silent auction and reserved seats in the Smith Theatre; $50 tickets include the reception, silent auction, and general seating in the Studio Theatre for a simulcast of the event.

To commemorate twenty years of the Celebration of the Arts, this year's Rising Star Competition will feature seven previous winners vying for the title of Rising 'All-Star' and a professional development award of $5,000! The audience will vote for their favorite performance, with the winner announced live on stage. The seven Rising Stars who will perform at the Celebration are Samantha McEwen Deininger, Musical Theatre (2012 Rising Star winner); Mark Dubac, Clarinet (2005); Mark Edwards, Classical Guitar (2016); Sola Fadiran, Musical Theatre (2015); Alexander Francis, Piano (2008); Maggie Kudirka, Contemporary Ballet (2013); and Tao-Chang Yu, Violin (2007).

The Howie Awards honor individuals or businesses that have made a significant impact on the arts in Howard County. The 2016 recipients are: Yifei Gan for Outstanding Artist, Laurie Basham for Outstanding Arts Educator, and M&T Bank for Outstanding Business Supporter of the Arts. A special Legacy in the Arts award will also be presented to Howard Community College.

In honor of Columbia's 50th birthday, Padraic M. Kennedy, the first and longest serving president of the Columbia Association (1972-1998), will act as Honorary Chair for the Celebration. Richard W. Story, Senior Vice President, Community Relations and Government Affairs, and Business Development Liaison for Howard Bank, will serve as Event Emcee.

For more information or to purchase tickets, visit hocoarts.org or call 410-313-ARTS (2787).

The Howard County Arts Council is a non-profit organization whose mission is to serve the citizens of Howard County by fostering the arts, artists and arts organizations. The Howard County Arts Council receives major grants from the Howard County Government and the Maryland State Arts Council and sustaining annual support from corporate, foundation and individual sponsors. Howard County Arts Council offices are located at the HowardCounty Center for the Arts, 8510 High Ridge Road , Ellicott City , MD 21043 . The Howard County Center for the Arts is an accessible facility encouraging the full participation of individuals with disabilities. For information, call 410.313.ARTS (2787), fax 410.313.2790, or email info@hocoarts.org. TDD: 711.