In 2020, CBMM was designated a Regional Folklife Center under the Maryland Traditions program of the Maryland State Arts Council. The Folklife Center supports the continued collection of cultural objects, art, photographs, knowledge and more that represent the richness and complexity of community life and work in the Chesapeake, including oral histories (foodways, workplace practices, community celebrations, music traditions), handcrafted utilitarian objects (eel pots, fishing nets), and examples of folk “art” (decoys, sculpture, hand-carved boat models). By collecting objects and traditions used in and inspired by everyday life, CBMM can trace how traditions are learned, practiced, passed down and changed within communities across generations.
