Earlier this year, I got the chance to visit the people at the Baltimore Office of Promotion and Arts and talk for a bit. I told them that I think my job is to let my readers know about all of the resources available to them as residents in this city — and that includes knowing about the various grants and programs that BOPA offers. I also told them that I think a lot about local artists, many of whom took serious financial hits when the lockdown stage of the COVID-19 pandemic happened. I know that many still haven’t recovered.
I hope as Baltimore Beat continues to grow we can offer more resources to local artists, just as we offer things like tax help, housing support help, and more on our community resources page.
While I was there, BOPA’s staff also showed me their collection of images and paraphernalia from decades of Artscapes past. I saw pictures of a younger former Mayor Kurt Schmoke, invitations to then-Mayor Martin O’Malley’s Artscape kickoff party, Aretha Franklin surrounded by adoring fans, and more. I also saw the two young boys on our cover. That photo is from 1985. I knew I wanted to figure out how to get them into the paper to share with all of Baltimore. I thought it was perfect timing, since the city will soon be holding its 40th Artscape celebration. Find the photos and images in our photostory pages in this issue.
I wasn’t able to speak with BOPA’s new leader, Rachel D. Graham, on that visit, but I did get that chance to do a few months later, at the end of May. Graham took the helm of the arts and culture-centered organization at a time when they had experienced a succession of very public missteps that culminated in a war of words with Mayor Brandon Scott. Graham told me she hopes to build new bridges between BOPA and city leaders. But she also wants to make sure that it becomes known as a place that benefits everyone. She says she doesn’t yet have the answers, but she’s ready to listen to all of you.
Also in this issue, journalist Grace Hebron writes about this year’s Janet and Walter Sondheim Prize Finalists.
“The exhibit marks the 19th iteration of BOPA’s annual Janet and Walter Sondheim Art Prize, named in honor of the celebrated late Baltimore couple (a trailblazing dancer and civil rights leader, respectively) and their lasting impact on the city’s arts landscape,” she wrote.
The Janet & Walter Sondheim Art Prize Semi-Finalist Exhibition will be on display during Artscape at the Maryland Institute College of Art.
Bry Reed reviews Tiffany D. Jackson’s “Storm: Dawn of a Goddess.” She says Jackson is adept at taking us into the mind of a teenager tasked with navigating a very scary world. Dominic Griffin reviews the horror film “Longlegs” and says it stops just short of being an instant classic. The poem for this issue is titled “CL See,” and was written by Jaden Lemessy.
We are taking a break after this issue. During that break, we’ll be resting, but we’ll also be thinking about the work we are doing and how to serve you better. I think of Baltimore Beat as a work in progress and also an outlet for the future. That means that reflection is as important as reporting.
Thank you so much for your support and for reading. See you on September 11!
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