Here's the latest info from Baltimore's nonprofit arts council, events center and film office.
Free Fall Baltimore
Six days left to get out & about
Less than one week remains for the 13th annual Free Fall Baltimore presented by BGE, An Exelon Company. Baltimore City organizations and attractions offer a wide-ranging selection of free arts and cultural events through Wednesday, October 31, 2018. All events are free, but many require advance registration.

The citywide celebration spotlights the arts in Baltimore with artist talks, choral concerts, dance classes and performances, exhibitions, festivals, films, free admission, improv shows, plays, storytelling and writing workshops, theater and walking tours. Free Fall Baltimore is held in conjunction with National Arts & Humanities Month, every
October 1-31.
Open Studio Tour A Success
More than 100 artists open their doors
Open Studio Tour participating artists Chinen Aimi Bouillon (left) and Kei Ito in their studios.
School 33 Art Center's 30th annual Open Studio Tour celebrated the talents of more than 100 Baltimore-based artists in early October. Residents and tourists alike traversed Baltimore City’s distinctive neighborhoods, visiting artists' workspaces, meeting established and emerging artists, viewing their distinct creative processes and purchasing original works of art. Studios throughout the city participate each year in this extensive celebration of the arts in Baltimore.

Held in conjunction with National Arts & Humanities Month, School 33 Art Center's Open Studio Tour provides visitors an opportunity to immerse themselves in Baltimore's diverse, thriving cultural scene.
23rd Annual Baltimore Book Festival
Amazing authors, huge crowds & beautiful
weather make it one for the record books!
The 23rd annual Baltimore Book Festival is in the books. The Baltimore Office of Promotion & The Arts (BOPA) thanks participating authors, programming partners, exhibitors and booksellers, tablers, staff, sponsors, volunteers and festival-goers for making the 2018 festival a success.

The literary arts festival brought three days of celebration to Baltimore's Inner Harbor this past September. The promenade was abuzz with hundreds of thousands of festival-goers as well as festivities. Warm weather and a picturesque backdrop welcomed literary stars and emerging authors from across the nation and from an array of genres.

Writers captivated audiences through talks, panel discussions, readings, book signings, workshops, demos, performances and displays. Celebrated authors included April Ryan, A.J. Jacobs, Tim Junkin, Tayari Jones and Nic Stone.

New this year, One Book Baltimore launched at the Baltimore Book Festival with its 2018 selection Dear Martin by Nic Stone. The new literary initiative, a collaboration of several local organizations, provides opportunities for Baltimore City seventh and eighth graders, their families and community members to connect through literature by reading the same book.
Thank You Sponsors & Donors
A Few Minutes with Sarah Doccolo, Arts Education Coordinator For BOPA
Q. What do you do as an Arts Education Coordinator for BOPA? 

A. As the Arts Education Coordinator, I get to facilitate the Bright StARTS program, which places teaching artist in out-of-school time sites for workshops in various artistic disciplines; the Youth Arts Council, a team of BCPS high schoolers, dedicated to the arts; and the Fred Artscape Prize, a $1,000 scholarship for high school-aged Baltimore City residents, which also offers a showing at Artscape. I also get to be involved in various programming with BOPA festivals and events, and act as the BOPA representative for various educational initiatives in Baltimore.

Save the Dates:
Upcoming Events & Exhibitions
For Your Safety
Through Sunday, January 6, 2018
Opening reception: Friday, October 26, 5-7pm
Top of the World Observation Level
401 E. Pratt Street

For Your Safety features the mixed-media collages and paintings of Erin Stellmon. The Baltimore-based artist explores the physical and metaphorical presence of walls and fences. She combines images and quilt pieces to further question her ancestors’ right to lay claim to land and build barriers. Last admission for the free opening reception is 6:30pm.

Erin Stellmon, Alien Landscape Under Construction .
Lateral Distance
Saturdays, October 27, 2018-
February 23, 2019, 11am-4pm
Opening reception: Saturday, November 3, 5-7pm
Bromo Seltzer Arts Tower 
21 S. Eutaw Street

Amy Wetsch employs research and art in Lateral Distance . The artist created works in reaction to her recent experience interning with a team of planetary scientists at Johns Hopkins University. She aims to capture her imagined essence of Titan, as well as the wonder and grandeur of the solar system.

Watercolors
Saturdays, November 3, 2018-
February 23, 2019, 11am-4pm
Opening reception: Saturday, November 3, 5-7pm 
Bromo Seltzer Arts Tower 
21 S. Eutaw Street

Artist Martha Dougherty showcases her vibrant paintings and collages. Dougherty has added new dimensions to her work, creating collage and paper cut out, and reimagining unwanted first tries into 3D constructions. She has been a resident artist at the Bromo Seltzer Arts Tower since 2007 and has commissioned paintings in prominent attractions and institutions.

Martha Dougherty, Abstract Collage with String Instrument .
Holiday Bazaar & Tea
at The Cloisters
Friday, November 23 &
Saturday, November 24, 2018
The Cloisters 
10440 Falls Road

Shop local this holiday season with Holiday Bazaar & Tea at The Cloisters. This festive event features Maryland artisans selling handmade items perfect for the holidays, a free art workshop for children and families, and tea and light fare in the “Tea Room.”

Will Watson Art - Portraits by You!
Thursday, November 29 &
Wednesday, December 19, 2018, 6pm
Bromo Seltzer Arts Tower 
21 S. Eutaw Street

Will Watson offers a unique event where participants can paint a personalized picture of their pet, themselves or a loved one. A photo is converted into a simple five shade paint-by-number image on a 16" x 20" canvas. Workshops are three hours and no artistic ability is required. Registration includes an exciting painting session and award-winning wines.

Opportunities for Artists & Vendors
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Parade
Deadline to apply: Monday, December 31, 2018
Groups and organizations exemplifying Dr. King’s legacy are encouraged to apply for an opportunity to participate in the 19th annual Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Parade on Monday, January 21, 2019 at 12pm on Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard.

Baltimore Farmers' Market
& Bazaar
Deadline to apply: Monday, December 31, 2018
Applications are open to Maryland-based farmers, concessionaires and bazaar vendors for the 42nd annual Baltimore Farmers' Market & Bazaar on Sunday, April 7, 2019-Sunday, December
22, 2019.

Baltimore Screenwriters Competition
Deadline to apply: Wednesday, January 30, 2019
The 14th annual Baltimore Screenwriters Competition is open to all screenwriters. Applicants can submit screenplays in the feature or shorts categories. The top entries in each category win cash prizes, and feature winners also receive all access passes to the 2019 Maryland Film Festival and passes to local movie theaters. 

We're Hiring!
Be a part of the BOPA Team! The Baltimore Office of Promotion & The Arts (BOPA) provides funding and support to artists, arts programs and organizations across the city, and produces large-scale events. Our goal is to make Baltimore a more vibrant and creative city. Visit our website to learn about current job opportunities. 

Restore A Baltimore Historical Landmark
Vote for Your Main Street!
Your votes will decide whether Baltimore’s Arch Social Club will be awarded a portion of the $2 million in American Express funding for preservation projects. You can vote five times per day for the Arch Social Club, through Friday, October 26, 2018. Voting takes 30 seconds!

Founded in 1905, the Arch Social Club is one of the oldest, continuously operating African-American men's social clubs in the U.S. This project will restore the historic marquee and install exterior lighting to help launch a new arts and entertainment district.
The Baltimore Office of Promotion & The Arts (BOPA) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that is the city's arts council, events center and film office. BOPA's programs and services are made possible thanks to the generous charitable support from a variety of public and private donors.