In 1986 a group of talented artists from the Southern Maryland area joined forces to discuss starting a cooperative gallery in Leonardtown, MD. Sally Carter, a potter, and Pat Lewis, a painter and sculptor originated the idea of a gallery featuring local artists. That meeting resulted in the founding of the North End Gallery. The first exhibit opened in September of 1986 with 25 artist members showing their works.

The name, North End Gallery, came because the original building which housed the gallery was the old "North End Print Shop". Sally Carter owned the building and used it to create pottery and maintain a studio and workshop there. The building was damaged by having a school bus come through the front room. When it was repaired, Sally looked at the lovely new rooms and was inspired to use it as a gallery. She and Pat Lewis got together and the North End Gallery was born.

Through a relocation born of necessity and several crises, the gallery grew and prospered. While some of the founding artists have moved on, six of the original members remain and have been joined by other artists. The artists currently active in the gallery have learned that there is a lot more involved in running an art gallery than just creating the artwork. All members are required to contribute time and effort in order to build and run a vital, growing art center in the community. Initially, the members had to do all of the staffing but at present the gallery maintains a paid staff for the weekdays and the members staff the gallery on the weekends.

Now the North End Gallery is a thriving gallery with 33 members, and a strong base of community supporters, including a network of "Friends of the North End Gallery". The gallery offers a place for professional artists to show their work and also has several community oriented shows which allow other non-member artists in the tri-county area a chance to exhibit their works. For the past several years the gallery has had invitational shows spotlighting various historical sites, and an annual Community Art Show in August which is open to all artists in the area.

The gallery's member artists are involved in many different types of artwork. There are painters, potters, fiber artists, glass artists, jewelry makers, a metal sculptor, a printmaker, and two photographers, one working traditionally and one employing digitally enhanced photography. This variety has inspired creative thinking and a fostered growth in each artist's work. Many of the gallery artists also show in other galleries both near and far.

The gallery space itself is large, open and light-filled. There are three large rooms and two smaller rooms in which to hang art. Each month the displays change. The shows may consist of one-man exhibitions or small group shows (with from two to as many as five artists). Some months the entire gallery is used to feature the work of the member artists. The gallery is located in the heart of "old downtown" Leonardtown, which is currently experiencing a regeneration and is moving forward with many plans to continue to grow and prosper.