Neighborhood Creative Arts Center Seeks Community Support For Permanent Home In La Plata

LA PLATA, Md. — What began in 2013 as a small, home-based music program has grown into a community arts organization serving families across Southern Maryland. The Neighborhood Creative Arts Center is asking the community it has served for more than a decade to help take the next step in its journey: securing a permanent home.

Families across Southern Maryland know the center as a place where creativity, learning, and connection come together through art, music, enrichment classes, homeschool programming, and free community events. Behind those programs, however, is a story shaped by growth, change, and the ongoing search for stability.

Starting Small, With Big Support

The program began as Ms. Georgia’s Musical Beginnings in 2013, a home-based effort led by arts educator Georgia Bonney. Piano lessons and early childhood music classes were held inside her home, creating an intimate learning environment that quickly gained the support of local families. Later in 2016, as additional creative and enrichment offerings were added, the program transitioned into Ms. Georgia’s Creative Arts Academy, reflecting its expanded focus beyond music alone.

As word spread, enrollment increased. Families asked for more class options and more creative opportunities for their children.

Later in 2016, the program expanded to include art, music and movement, voice, guitar, and enrichment classes. As the offerings grew, so did the activity in and around the home.

By 2019, that growth brought new challenges. Neighbors raised concerns about traffic and daily activity, and county officials later informed the program that zoning regulations required it to stop operating out of the residence.

Faced with the possibility of closing, the program instead chose to evolve.

A New Name, A New Chapter

When the program moved out of the home in 2019, it also took on a new identity — the Neighborhood Creative Arts Center — reflecting its transition from a private residence to a broader, community-based organization.

In November 2019, the center reopened in a residential-style building in La Plata, offering expanded space for classes and activities. An open house and ribbon-cutting ceremony marked a hopeful new chapter for families who believed the organization had finally found a lasting home.

Another Unexpected Setback

That stability was rechallenged in March 2022, when the center received notice it would need to vacate the building within 60 days.

The property, leased from the Town of La Plata, was slated for future development as part of long-range plans for a new public library and the extension of Talbot Road. Although the project remained in the early planning stages, the request meant the Neighborhood Creative Arts Center would once again face displacement on short notice — with no clear alternate location in place.

At the time, Georgia Bonney, founder of the Neighborhood Creative Arts Center, turned to the community for support. “We are grateful for the opportunity to serve you,” she wrote. “But we need your support now more than ever. Please urge the town to continue to support NCAC with an alternate venue where we can relocate during the summer, allowing us to continue offering programs to your family.”

Still Creating, Still Serving: Arts Center Carries On Without a Permanent Home

Despite the disruption, the Neighborhood Creative Arts Center has continued its work through partnerships with local venues. Programs are currently held at the Spring Dell Center building in La Plata, as well as other temporary locations including CSM and local churches. These shared spaces have allowed classes and community activities to continue — even as leaders work toward a permanent, long-term home.

The experience, Bonney says, has highlighted how difficult it is for a growing nonprofit to operate without a permanent home.

“It’s been a challenge,” said Bonney. “We’re hosting events at places like Spring Dell Center, CSM, churches, and public schools — and I’m loading and unloading a van every time. Everything is stored at my house right now. If we had a dedicated space, we could run a more comprehensive program that truly serves families — with activities all day, in the evenings, and on weekends. That includes homeschoolers, young professionals, and families.”

Now, the organization is working toward a goal it has never had before.

The center is fundraising to purchase a rural property just minutes off Crain Highway in La Plata. Plans for the site include a dedicated indoor space for art, music, ceramics, and enrichment programs, along with outdoor areas for learning and play.

A permanent home would allow the center to grow responsibly, invest in long-term programming, and provide consistency for the families who have supported it through years of change.

The nonprofit has already set aside $100,000 and is seeking to raise the remaining $400,000 by Wednesday, Dec. 31, 2025. Donations made before the deadline are eligible for a 2025 tax deduction.

Bonney said the new space would also allow her to shift energy from logistics to developing more robust programming. “There’s so much to be done in the area of nontraditional education — creative learning, outdoor learning, inclusive learning,” she said. “My vision centers around holistic education that nurtures the creative spirit in each child, helping them build confidence, resilience, and critical thinking.”

Over the years, the Neighborhood Creative Arts Center has hosted a wide range of free and community-focused programs, including NatureFest, the annual Giving Fair, Many Faces of Maryland, Nurture Natives, the Community Mural Project, and more. The center has also supported youth music through programs such as Children’s Voices of Southern Maryland, helping make creative and educational opportunities accessible to families across the region.

Bonney, whose doctoral research focused on nontraditional education spaces such as children’s museums and after-school programs, said students need more than traditional academics to thrive. “Today’s world is evolving so quickly. Students need space to try new ideas, connect the dots in unusual ways, and build creative confidence,” she said. “That’s what we’re working to create — not just for kids, but for adults, too. That kind of space is missing in Southern Maryland, and we’re hoping to fill that gap.”

As the organization works to secure a permanent home, community members are invited to donate, share the campaign, or learn more about the center’s programs and future plans. If you would like to support this effort, donations made before Dec. 31, 2025, are eligible for a 2025 tax deduction, as the nonprofit is actively fundraising toward its goal.

Learn more or donate at: neighborhoodcreativeartscenter.org.

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