Frederick Arts Council Selling Downtown Center

FREDERICK, Md. (AP) -- The Frederick Arts Council says it's selling its downtown theater building and bowing out as an incubator for the performing arts.

Acting Executive Director Susie Miller said Wednesday that funding cuts by the city and Frederick County have strained the group's ability to maintain the Cultural Arts Center building it bought in 1998. She says parts of the building are more than 100 years old.

Instead of leasing performance space to fledgling theater groups, the arts council will help them find other venues. Miller says the council will continue to promote events such as the annual Frederick Festival of the Arts.

County Commissioner Paul Smith says selling the building will make the arts council more effective.

The Cultural Arts Center is home to the Maryland Shakespeare Festival.

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