FREDERICK, Md. (WDVM) — Multiples cities across our region are being recognized for their devotion to community art and culture.

The 2020 Arts Vibrancy Index Report by Southern Methodist University’s DataArts ranked the Washington D.C.-Arlington-Alexandria area as the fourth most art-vibrant community in the country. 

“Although there are many small and mid-sized arts and cultural organizations in every arts and culture sector, DC is especially rich in large organizations: the National Gallery of Art, Corcoran Gallery of Art, The Phillips Collection, the many Smithsonian Institution Museums, the Shakespeare Theatre Company, Ford’s Theatre, The National Theatre, the Warner Theatre, and Arena Stage,” the report stated.

Following behind, the Frederick-Gaithersburg-Rockville area in Maryland ranked in ninth place. 

“These designated districts spur arts vibrancy through tax credits for new construction or renovation of buildings that create live-work space for artists and/or space for arts and entertainment enterprises, tax benefits for income derived from artistic work sold by qualifying residing artists, and a tax exemption for arts and entertainment enterprises and resident artists,” the report stated.

The ranking reviews measures like the number of arts and cultural organizations per capita and public support for projects.

“We know that Frederick is very vibrant in the arts,” explained Louise Kennelly with the Frederick Arts Council. “If you walk down the street you can feel it, you can see it. But it’s nice to get this arts-based recognition that quantifies the ways in which that’s true.”

The annual report, now in its 6th year, examines over 900 communities nationwide.