'EAT. DRINK. BUY ART.' CAMPAIGN UNITES EASTERN SHORE RESTAURANTS, RETAIL AND GALLERIES
September 2009 - Nine Eastern Shore communities team 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 area. “Eat. Drink. Buy Art.” is aimed at encouraging Marylanders to explore the galleries, restaurants and one-of-a-kind shops from Elkton and Chestertown all the way to Berlin and Snow Hill. Easily accessible, nearby, and, at the same time, seemingly almost an entire world away, “Eat. Drink. Buy Art.” will encourage Marylanders to discover historic towns and artists that are only a short drive away.
The program, organized by a coalition of businesses, 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 Eastern Shore as it is: a haven for those seeking unique artistic finds from some of Maryland’s most recognized and celebrated artists.
“We’re very excited about this program,” says Ann Coates, owner of Bishop’s Stock, a gallery in Snow Hill, and one of TADD’s organizers. “Towns up and down Maryland’s Eastern Shore have some of Maryland’s finest artists and, indeed, some of the finest galleries for selecting this art. By teaming up, we all realize that all of us benefit by promoting the Eastern Shore as an artistic destination.”
The “Eat. Drink. Buy Art.” program features several components
- A special 16-page brochure, 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 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. If people are not able to find a copy of the brochure, they can download the complete brochure on this site.
- A special “Passport Contest” that 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 EatDrinkBuyArt.com. The contest runs through the end of December.
- Special weekly contests on EatDrinkBuyArt.com, which encourages 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 Natalie Chabot, Economic Development Director for the City of Cambridge and TADD organizer. “Whenever I walk through downtown Cambridge, 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.” For more information on “Eat. Drink. Buy Art.”, visit www.EatDrinkBuyArt.com. People can also pick up the September-October 2009 issue of Maryland Life magazine, which will feature the brochure within its pages. Major supporters of the project include Maryland Heritage Areas and the Maryland State Arts Council.
Contact: Ann Coates, 410.632.3555/ascoates@comcast.net
Natalie Chabot, 410.221.6074/natalie@choosecambridge.com