Maitland Art Center earns National Historic Landmark status

Maitland’s so-called “hidden treasure” isn’t quite so hidden anymore. Two years of vetting and decades of dedicated work in preservation culminated on Sept. 30 with an announcement by the U.S. Department of the Interior: The Maitland Art Center officially earned the designation as the first National Historic Landmark in Orange County, and the 44th in the state of Florida.

“We’re often referred to as Maitland’s ‘hidden treasure,’ but with this designation we’re hoping we’ll be able to drop the ‘hidden,’” said Art & History Museums – Maitland Executive Director Andrea Bailey-Cox.

The designation admits the Maitland Art Center into an exclusive club of just over 2,500 sites in the nation deemed by the U.S. Secretary of the Interior to “possess exceptional value or quality in illustrating or interpreting the heritage of the United States.”

Maitland Mayor Howard Schieferdecker said he’s excited about all the potential that comes from the Art Center, which he calls the gem of the city, receiving such an honor.

“It’s huge,” he said. “It opens up so many doors for them.”

The Center, originally founded in 1937 by artist and architect Jules André Smith as an artist colony and research studio, now serves as a gallery, event and artist workshop space. The campus was accepted into the National Historic Landmark register for being, “an exceptional example of Art Deco fantasy and Mayan Revival art and architecture in the United States.”

Bailey-Cox said the designation should help not only with awareness of its existence and programs both locally and nationally, but also make the Center more competitive in attaining grant funding and able to focus even more fiercely on the building’s preservation.

“We’re excited to let people know that they have a building of national importance right here in our own backyard,” Bailey-Cox said.

The Maitland Art Center will host a plaque dedication and celebration commemorating it’s newly minted status on Jan. 8 at 11:30 a.m.