In the heart of Annapolis, nestled across the street from Third Eye Comics and around the corner of Alfredo’s Driving School, there’s a place where art comes alive and dreams find expression. ArtFarm Annapolis is a sanctuary for creativity and a haven for artists of all ages.
At the heart of ArtFarm’s story is one of the original co-founders, a passionate soul who believes in the power of art to transform lives. Alison Harbaugh recalls her early days, spending hours lost in the world of National Geographics and eventually picking up a camera and capturing her world through the lens. “I went to college for graphic design because I had no clue you could have a photography career,” Harbaugh says. “I would spend hours in the darkroom or wandering around Philly just trying to figure it all out.”
Her love for photography led her to create a coffee table book for her thesis project. “It was a book of my own photographs, designed by me. I followed two boxers around in North Philly for the project.”
A chance meeting with a sports photographer and a videographer in town for the U.S. Naval Academy game against Temple changed everything. “I was bartending at the time, and my boss knew how much I loved photography. And he had these friends in town, and they invited me to go with them to shoot this game.
The next thing she knew, she was moving to Annapolis to become an assistant sports photographer for the academy. After a few years there, she joined the staff of the Capital Gazette and began hosting workshops in town. Along the way, her desire to share her passion with young people bloomed.
ArtFarm was born when she decided she wanted to teach photography to teenage girls specifically. “I didn’t have anyone to show me all these cool things,” she says. After setting up shop on Spa Road and then moving to West Street downtown, ArtFarm has settled into its current vibrant space, which is growing again, becoming a hub where imagination flourishes and community bonds are forged.
Her Fearless Girls photo camp took off along the way, and she joined forces with artist Darin Gilliam. “We have the same goals and the same vision,” says Harbaugh. “Our big thing is to raise up the arts and get everyone involved.”
Harbaugh and Gilliam knew that they wanted to have an impact on children right out of the gate, so they started hosting classes for kids. Eventually, they added adult workshops. Now, they run multiple programs and employ over 40 professional teaching artists in camps, workshops, and special events. The space on Chinquapin Road is expanding to add another classroom and a community gathering space available to rent.
ArtFarm’s philosophy revolves around fostering creativity without constraints and giving artists of all ages a safe space to explore, experiment, and evolve. The classes are created with diversity in mind.
“We see all different kinds of artists. Some are very analytical, like some of the teens we see in our summer drawing camps. They want to sit for hours and hours and just pop in their earbuds and draw. And then there the kids that want to make slime and mix colors—there really is something for everyone.”
Children can learn how to create music with beat-making software led by Malcolm McFadden or explore a variety of styles and mediums in one of the Kids Art School classes. There’s a creative writing class that includes creating zines, poetry workshops, mixed media classes and a STEAM class called Tinker Tech that guides students through the design process while integrating creativity with innovation.
Harbaugh and Gilliam believe that art has a place in everyone’s life. “It teaches us how to think outside the box and problem solve in a different way,” says Harbaugh. “And it’s a great stress reliever. It’s a time to play, maybe get a little dirty. We want children especially to find their thing…. You can’t be ‘bad’ at art. You just show up and make something.”
With every class, event, and gathering, ArtFarm enriches not only the artistic landscape of Annapolis but also the lives of those who step through its doors. ArtFarm is a reminder that the arts thrive in collaboration in a world often dominated by competition. From creative writing workshops to improvisation sessions, every endeavor celebrates individuality and collective growth.
The fall semester begins next week—and they are available for birthday parties, girls nights and date nights, too. Sign up now: https://www.artfarmannapolis.com/class-registration.
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