Shore Art Campaign Officially Launched

BERLIN – Nine Eastern Shore communities have teamed up to encourage Marylanders in the Baltimore and Washington areas to "eat, drink, and buy art" on Maryland’s Eastern Shore.

A program unique in its development in that it has allied nine different Eastern Shore towns, organizations and businesses within each town, "Eat. Drink. Buy Art." seeks to get Marylanders to explore the galleries, restaurants and one-of-a-kind shops.

The program, organized by a coalition of Main Street organizations, arts organizations, tourism officials and economic development officials, known collectively as Tourism, Arts and Downtown Development (TADD), has united nine communities – Berlin, Cambridge, Chestertown, Easton, Elkton, Denton, Princess Anne, Salisbury and Snow Hill – in promoting the shore as a haven for those seeking unique artistic finds from some of Maryland’s most recognized and celebrated artists.

"Berlin is very excited to be one of the participating communities in this innovative program," said Berlin Mayor Gee Williams. "The Eastern Shore is home to some of Maryland’s finest artists and galleries which are a natural complement to so many great places to enjoy tasteful food and drink. By working together, all of the participating communities will benefit through our collective promotion of the Eastern Shore as an artistic destination."

A special 16-page brochure is available in every town at participating businesses and organizations and as a special insert in the September-October issue of Maryland Life magazine. The brochure highlights the unique nature of every town, providing an idea of each town’s unique character.

A special website has been designed to complement the brochure: EatDrinkBuyArt.com. The site provides a complete searchable database, allowing visitors to research artists, restaurants, galleries, shops and events happening in each of the participating towns.

A special "Passport Contest" encourages people to visit as many towns as they can and the galleries, restaurants and shops within that town. The last page of the brochure acts as the passport. Complete rules and the passport page can be found at the website.

Special weekly online contests aim to encourage people to answer some of the questions in the brochure or simply post photos and/or comments of their trip to the Eastern Shore.

"We’re looking forward to people sharing their comments, and their pictures as they travel each town on the Shore," says Michael Day, Economic Development Director for the Town of Berlin and TADD organizer. "Whenever I walk through downtown Berlin, and I meet with visitors from outside the shore, they’re always talking about how memorable and fun their trip was. We’d love to see individuals post their opinions and photos about their trip: shops they loved, their favorite dish at a restaurant, an artist whose work they fell in love with."