LIVE from Michael Bell's Cannon Street Art Studio in historic Chestertown, Maryland, for the 2026 MAEA State Conference!

Join nationally recognized artist and educator Michael Bell for inspiring conversations with art educators and arts leaders from across Maryland's Region 4, celebrating the creativity, connections, and powerful stories behind the art of great teaching!

In partnership with Chestertown RiverArts and MAEA, educators came together for a day of artistic exploration, including junk journaling with teaching artist Marianne Sade and visual journaling workshops facilitated by Bell. Through two powerful prompts, "What do you give?" and "What feeds you?", participants reflected on the personal and professional experiences that sustain their creativity.

"Art educators spend so much of their lives inspiring creativity in others," Bell shared. "This was an opportunity to turn that spotlight back on them."

The experience brought together 14 QACPS art teachers, marking record district participation in the regional conference, and continued with the Sixth Annual QACPS Faculty Art Show in Centreville.

The celebration culminated October 17 at Towson University's Center for the Arts, where three QACPS art educators received distinguished honors: Laquel Nenno, Educator as Practicing Artist; Shannon Francis, Elementary Art Educator; and Andrea Schulte, Secondary Art Educator.

In an inspiring full-circle moment, Bell received MAEA's prestigious Linda Popp Leadership Award, following a nomination initiated by Schulte, one of the very educators he had nominated for recognition.

From conversations around the podcast microphones in Chestertown to the statewide celebration in Towson, this special episode captures the relationships, creativity, and shared belief in the transformative power of arts education.

Their art. Their stories. LIVE from Chestertown!

View article on Michael Bell winning the prestigious Linda Popp state leadership award in art here: https://www.myeasternshoremd.com/qa/community/qacps-arts-supervisor-honored-with-prestigious-linda-popp-leadership-award/article_727bd287-9172-42e1-91a4-34ae19d11a76.html