The Avalon and ESLC Take Their Art to Annapolis: Chat with Carol Bean and Jessica Ballis

Описание: For years, the Avalon Foundation, through its famed Plein Air festival, has partnered with the Eastern Shore Land Conservancy to build a body of artwork rooted in the landscapes of the Shore — and with a bigger goal in mind. Avalon’s C.O.O. Jessica Ballis said they hoped the work could serve as a higher-level advocacy tool in Annapolis. What they learned is that policy change takes process, persistence, and the right messenger.

That’s where ESLC’s Carol Bean stepped in, organizing an exhibit in the Senate building to support continued funding for Maryland’s Program Open Space. Instead of relying only on fact sheets and data, the team brought paintings — and even postcards of the art — directly to lawmakers. The exhibit’s location, just outside the committee room that hears environmental legislation, helped spark conversations.

It seems to be working. In our Spy interview with Carol and Jess, Bean said the response has been overwhelmingly positive. Art opened doors. Legislators shared stories about parks and landscapes in their own districts. The work made conservation feel personal.

In our chat, Ballis emphasized that Avalon is nonpartisan and not a lobbying group. But preserving open space is essential to events like Plein Air Easton and to the Shore’s broader economy. Conservation, they noted, supports tourism, culture, and jobs.