is celebrating its 40th season this year. 410-730-8311, tobysdinnertheatre.com

 

Musical groups

 

Columbia Bands is a nonprofit for nonprofessional musicians that performs in three groups— a concert band, a jazz band and a “flute cocktail”— at free community concerts and other events. columbiabands.org

 

The Columbia Jazz Band performs under the auspices of the Columbia Orchestra, playing big band, Latin jazz, blues and standards. thejazzband.com

 

The Columbia Orchestra was founded in 1977. The ensemble, led by music director Jason Love, offers orchestral, jazz and chamber concerts with instrumental works ranging from classic to contemporary composers. 410-465-8777, columbiaorchestra.org

 

Columbia Pro Cantare is a volunteer choir that presents programs ranging from operatic works to spirituals. 410-799-9321, procantare.org

 

Howard County Concert Orchestra is a professional chamber orchestra that performs classical to contemporary arrangements with anywhere from six to 45 professional musicians. 888-921-7230, hococo.org

 

Peabody Children’s Chorus trains girls and boys ages 6 to 18 with unchanged voices in music from a variety of genres and time periods in five ensembles on two campuses, one of which is in Howard County. 667-208-6640, peabody.jhu.edu/pcc

 

Voices 21 chamber chorus, led by founding director Dr. Jesse Parker, specializes in a cappella music and performs in churches, retirement communities and other venues. The organization is based in southern Howard County with rehearsals in College Park. 240-643-6563, voicesxxi.org

 

Art centers & museums

 

African Art Museum of Maryland, founded in 1980, is located in Fulton’s Maple Lawn and offers a rare collection of African artifacts and folk art. Staffed entirely by volunteers, including the museum’s founder and director, Doris Ligon, the museum offers programs during Women’s History Month and regularly organizes trips to Africa. 301-490-6070, africanartmuseum.org

 

Columbia Art Center in the village of Long Reach has provided resources for ceramic artists, photographers, calligraphers, woodworkers and others since 1987. It also hosts a literary series with local poets and authors, and a monthly salon featuring local artists, actors, musicians and others, a rotating gallery of exhibitions and a summer art camp for children. 410-730-0075, columbiaartcenter.org

 

Howard County Center for the Arts, located in a former elementary school in Ellicott City, houses two galleries in addition to a black-box theater in Ellicott City. It is also the seat of the Howard County Arts Council. 410-313-2787, hocoarts.org

 

Howard County Center of African American Culture houses African-American memorabilia, artifacts and an art gallery at its Columbia location, and a research library with approximately 10,000 publications and records at Howard Community College. 410-715-1921, hccaac.org 

 

Local artists also exhibit at the Artists’ Gallery on Ellicott City’s Main Street, The Rouse Company Foundation Gallery at Howard Community College, The Bernice Kish Gallery at Slayton House in Wilde Lake, The Meeting House Gallery in Oakland Mills and informal exhibition spaces at the Bain 50 Plus Center, at shops in historic Ellicott City and elsewhere. Visual artists and crafts people share a handsome and historic complex at Savage Mill.

 

Literary arts

 

Columbia Association’s International Book Club meets monthly to discuss a book with multicultural and worldwide themes. 410-715-3162, www.ColumbiaAssociation.org/multicultural

 

Howard County Poetry and Literature Society — often abbreviated “HoCoPoLitSo” — has been bringing imaginative literary events, workshops and distinguished writers to student and adult audiences since 1974. Saul Bellow, Lucille Clifton, Tyehimba Jess and Mary Oliver have given public readings under the auspices of the community-based not-for-profit. 443-518-4568, hocopolitso.org

 

Cinema

 

CJC Jewish Film Series offers four movies with Jewish themes in English, Hebrew and foreign languages with subtitles. Viewings include refreshments as well as an optional discussion. 410-730-6044, columbiajewish.org

 

Columbia Film Society brings the latest in distinguished foreign films to the Horowitz Center at Howard Community College in an annual subscription series. Tickets are sold out for the current season, but sales for the 2019- 2020 season begin in July or August. columbiafilmsociety.org

 

Howard County has two 14-screen movie theaters offering the latest Hollywood releases:

 

AMC Columbia Mall 14 410-423-0510

 

Columbia United Artists Theatres Snowden Square 14 410-872-0676

 

Dance

 

Local dance troupes present regular showcases, and a variety of commercial dance studios provide training for a new generation:

 

Arabesque Dance Company 410-381-0017, livetodance.com

 

Arthur Murray Dance Studio 410-772-7880, dancecolumbia.com

 

Backstage Dance Studio 410-312-0900, thebackstagedancestudio.com

 

Ballet Conservatoire XIV 410-696-1346, conservatoirexiv.com

 

Ballet with Cindee Velle 410-465-7674, cindeevelleballet.com

 

b.Funk Dance Company 410-313-8199, bfunk.com

 

Central Maryland Youth Ballet 443-472-7772, centralmarylandyouthballet.com

 

The Dance Dimension 301-490-0252, thedancedimension.com

 

Genesis Arts 443-750-1332, genesisarts.net

 

Kinetics Dance Theatre 410-480-1686, kineticsdance.org

 

Misako Ballet Studio 410-884-9690, misakodance.com

 

Patuxent Youth Ballet 410-992-4084, marylandballet.com

 

Studio Dans 301-498-3267, studiodans.com

 

That’s Dancing Ballroom & Dancesport Center 301-776-0085, thatsdancingballroom.com