visit.
Havre de Grace has long been recognized as the cultural arts center of the Upper Chesapeake Bay region of Maryland.
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The city is home to a half-dozen renowned museums, a restored theater and opera house, an historic lighthouse, and the jewel of Harford County - the Promenade boardwalk.
City streets are lined with lights, accented by music, and host frequent parades and festivities. Its buildings show colorful and historic facades and many serve as canvas for a tapestry of murals. The city boasts more parks than it does chain stores and almost holds as many festivals and events as there are weekends in a year.
Within the beating heart of Havre de Grace, there has always been art.
Harmer's Town Art Center will be a place for artists and art lovers to learn, to teach, to work,
to play, to sell, to buy, and to explore.
graw alley
artist park.
Graw Alley, the interactive art park component of Harmer’s Town Art Center, officially opened to the public in October 2023, almost a year to the day after a groundbreaking ceremony kicked off its construction.
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The one-acre space - a private alley donated to Harmer’s Town Art Center, Inc. and named in recognition of the former horse racing track that operated in the city for over 40 years until the early 1950’s - was transformed from an underused alley into a park with landscaped pathways, artistic sculptures, outdoor seating, and a series of vivid murals leading visitors on a tour through Havre de Grace history.
In addition to the three dozen building-sized murals, Graw Alley is home to several public art sculptures, including the life-size sculpture of the racehorse ‘Havre de Grace,’ created by award-winning artist Aaron Paskins of Delaware. The statue is on display within a section of Graw Alley called ‘The Winner’s Circle,’ and is joined by several other life-sized racehorses that each have a connection to the city’s former racetrack.
Graw Alley is host to monthly art parties and various events throughout the year. It is open from dawn until dusk and easily accessible from Market Street, Bourbon Street, and Congress Avenue at the entrance to Hutchins Park.
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The one-acre space is also available to rent for events, programs, workshops, weddings, corporate retreats, and private parties. Please contact us for more details.
studios.
The Plan: Conversion of the existing garages and basement into incubator space for use as art studios and to foster a vibrant and dynamic scene for artists giving them the ability to exchange ideas and learn new skills.
• Various size incubator spaces for use as studios at minimal cost to the artists.
• Lounge area for promoting dialogue, discussions, exchange of ideas (to include bookcases of art books for resource information). Intent of lounge to be used by the artists and visitors alike.
• Classrooms for teaching various art mediums.
• Glass windows in the studio spaces are being planned that will allow visitors to visit the studios to see the visual artists (painters, sculptors, etc.) at work or their work on display and/or watch rehearsal of performing artists (musicians, theater troupes, etc.)
makerspace.
Fully equipped makerspace workshops will offer visitors and members the opportunity to rent/use spaces for a variety of industrial arts, including woodworking, ceramics/kilns, and other fabrication arts.
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