Here’s the latest info from Baltimore’s nonprofit arts council, events center and film office.
Thank You, 2018!
The year has been full of exciting moments for the Baltimore Office of Promotion & The Arts (BOPA), from the announcement of our new CEO Donna Drew Sawyer, to awarding more than $2.2 million in funding to artists and organizations, to the union of the Baltimore Book Festival and Light City. As the new year draws near, we are grateful to the supporters of our events, grants, public art projects and art programs and services. Through your contributions, volunteerism and attendance, we continue to provide opportunities to Baltimore-based and national artists, residents, communities, entrepreneurs and businesses. 

Image credit: Darley Park Gateway Mural Part II , a 2018 BOPA Community Art Grant project, created in collaboration with artist Whitney Frazier, BUILD and the Neighborhood Design Center.
Erick Antonio Benitez.
Erin Fostel; Photo by Ana Tantaros of Side A Photography.
Municipal Art Society of Baltimore City Artist Travel Prize Recipients
Baltimore-based artists Erick Antonio Benitez and Erin Fostel are the winners of the third annual Municipal Art Society of Baltimore City Artist Travel Prize. For 2018, the Municipal Art Society of Baltimore City board of directors selected two artists to receive a $6,000 prize. The award will support research trips to the Amazon city of Iquitos for Benitez and Japan for Fostel. The Municipal Art Society of Baltimore City Artist Travel Prize is managed by Baltimore Office of Promotion & The Arts (BOPA).
Image credit: Image courtesy of Erick Antonio Benitez; Photo by Ashley Dehoyos.
Image credit: Erin Fostel, Temper and soothe , charcoal and graphite on paper, 2017.
A Few Minutes with Kyree Jones, Festivals Coordinator for BOPA
Q. What might people not know about large-scale festival production?

A. Large-scale festival production is all about making a lot of smaller pieces work together to function as one larger event. People always ask how we can “pull off” these large festivals and are amazed at how they come together but honestly, it just takes planning, a dedicated team, and problem solving. All of our events are a lot of smaller pieces that all cohesively work together to make one large beautiful and fun festival! We have an amazing staff of people who are dedicated to their work, their craft, and what they do!

Upcoming Events & Exhibitions
School 33 Art Center
Winter Exhibitions
Through Saturday, February 2, 2019
Wednesday-Saturday, 11am-4pm
School 33 Art Center,1427 Light Street

View the works of artists based in Baltimore and from across the country during School 33 Art Center’s latest multimedia exhibitions. In Your silence will not protect you ., Nature As A Metaphor For Economic, Emotional And Existential Horror and Labor of Suggestion , artists explore nature, culture and identity. Image credit: Alex Callender, Beyond the Borders of New Space and Lost Time.

Baltimore’s New Year’s Eve Spectacular
Monday, December 31, 2018,
9pm-12:30am
Baltimore’s Inner Harbor

Ring in the new year with live music and a spectacular fireworks show at Baltimore’s Inner Harbor. Thunderball performs a variety of music starting at 9pm at the Inner Harbor Amphitheater at Pratt and Light streets. Stunning pyrotechnics ignite the harbor skyline at midnight during a 15-minute show choreographed to music. 

19th Annual Dr. Martin Luther
King, Jr. Parade
Monday, January 21, 2019, 12pm
Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard

Celebrate the life of civil rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Civic organizations, marching bands, cheer and dance squads, and military units participate in this parade rich in tradition. The procession commemorates the remarkable leader’s advocacy for racial equality, economic justice and international peace.

For Your Safety
Through Sunday, January 6, 2019
Top of the World Observation Level,
27th floor, World Trade Center,
401 E. Pratt Street

Erin Stellmon considers the physical and metaphorical presence of walls and fences in her mixed-media collages and paintings. The artist questions her ancestors’ right to lay claim to land and build barriers, as well as exposes the fragility of these boundaries. Image credit: Erin Stellmon, Alien Landscape Under Construction .  

The Cloisters Open Houses
Saturday, January 12, 2019, 11am-3pm
Saturday, January 26, 2019, 11am-3pm
Saturday, February 9, 2019, 11am-3pm
Saturday, March 9, 2019, 11am-3pm
The Cloisters, 10440 Falls Road

Step into an enchanting medieval-inspired attraction and rental facility during Open House Plus, held throughout the year. Local caterers, photographers, florists, DJs and bridal shops are on hand to discuss options for those interested in having their special event at The Cloisters. 

Lateral Distance

Through February 23, 2019
Saturdays, 11am-4pm
Bromo Seltzer Arts Tower,
21 S. Eutaw Street

Visual art and science inform Amy Wetsch’s works in response to her recent experience working with Dr. Sarah Hörst, a planetary scientist at Johns Hopkins University. The artist’s large-scale installation, sculptural objects and drawings aim to capture her imagined essence of Titan and the wonder and grandeur of the solar system. 

Watercolors
Through February 23, 2019
Saturdays, 11am-4pm
Bromo Seltzer Arts Tower,
21 S. Eutaw Street

Martha Dougherty’s discarded first attempts form new 3D constructions in her paintings and collages. Her multicolored works are in response to various subject matters, from the hidden beauty in a gritty cityscape to freshly picked tomatoes from a friend’s garden. Image credit: Martha Dougherty, Abstract Collage with String Instrument Watercolors.

Artist & Vendor Opportunities
Applications Now Open
The Baltimore Office of Promotion & The Arts (BOPA) provides opportunities for artists, nonprofits organizations, and commercial businesses and vendors. Apply today!

Deadline: Monday, December 31, 2018

Deadline: Monday, December 31, 2018 

Deadline: Tuesday, January 15, 2019

Deadline: Wednesday, January 30, 2019
Information Sessions
Upcoming information sessions provide the public with details on the application and proposal processes for Artscape, the Baltimore Book Festival and Light City 2019, in addition to an opportunity to meet potential collaborators and learn about locations in the festivals’ footprint that may offer artistic inspiration. All applications are available Wednesday, January 9, 2019 through our websites.

Thursday, January 24, 2019, 6pm
Motor House, 120 W. North Avenue

Monday, February 11, 2019, 10am
Facebook Live www.facebook.com/promoandarts 

Saturday, March 2, 2019, 1pm
Jubilee Arts Baltimore, 1947 Pennsylvania Avenue
Giving Season
During the season of giving, make your end of year donation to the Baltimore Office of Promotion & The Arts, who serves as your arts council. Your gift supports arts education, emerging artists, events programming, community initiatives and more, to ensure Baltimore continues as a vibrant and creative city.
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