The Links, Incorporated support of the arts can be traced to our cultured co-founder Margaret Roselle Hawkins. Her innate artistic talent, discovered at a young age, earned her a four-year scholarship to the Women’s School of Design, later known as the Moore Institute of Art. Her passion for creative expression later led to her appointment as an art teacher, and helped give root to the establishment of The Arts facet in 1964 at the 14th National Assembly.

The goal of The Arts Facet is to produce and support programs to enrich the quality of life of our youth and communities through educational and engaging art experiences. The Mount Rose Chapter supports two signature arts programs: Classics through the Ages and the National Poster Arts Contest.

Adopted as the signature program for The Arts at the 2008 National Assembly, Classics Through the Ages focuses on increasing the interest, knowledge and participation of African-American youth in the classical arts. This exciting initiative seeks to afford exemplary student artists opportunities to hone their talents and skills while earning recognition and support for their educational and career pursuits.

Classics Through the Ages is an innovative dual mentoring program whereby chapters, in conjunction with artistic partners, mentor promising student artists, who in turn mentor their peers. A key to program success is the development of artistic and community partnerships, which optimizes impact, leverages available chapter resources and enhances the visibility of The Links, Incorporated brand. Through these partnerships, the Chapter sponsors one or more promising student(s) in a selected arts discipline (e.g. visual arts, performing arts or humanities). Artistic partners provide students with formal training, performance or exhibition opportunities, and an annual master class led by a professional artist. In return, student artists lead an interactive learning session for selected peers less familiar with the chosen arts discipline. Chapter sponsorship of student artists carries over from year to until a student graduates from high school.

The National Poster Art Contest runs biennially from October through June, commencing in uneven years. Chapters conduct local competitions between October and March. In April and May, chapters submit their first place winners from each grade category for the selection of area winners. A National Poster Art Contest judging event takes place in May or June and national winners are selected from the winning area entries. All area entries become part of the National Poster Art Exhibition.

The Mount Rose Chapter (MD) of The Links, Incorporated is creating and supporting programs to promote the arts that will align with the organizational National program objectives and Model, Mentor and Motivate! in the communities that we serve. Our Chapter supports two signature arts programs: Classics through the Ages and the National Poster Arts Contest.

In 2017, the Chapter partnered with Friendly High School in Fort Washington, MD to host an arts competition as part on National Poster Art Contest sponsored by The Links, Incorporated. The theme for this activity was “My Vision, My Future - Health and Happy Communities.” The Chapter’s winning arts scholar was selected by The Links, Incorporated as one of thirteen finalists in the overall competition and qualified for a monetary award.