Last June, the BOPA team joined the procession of the Baltimore Pride Parade in celebration of our LGBTQ+ community. Baltimore’s parade is one of the oldest in the nation, taking place for more than 40 years, and it was inspiring to see everyone gathered in colorful celebration.

We know that parades are canceled this year, but if this time of social distancing has taught us anything it’s how to be creative and innovative in the ways we interact while apart. There are still so many ways to celebrate Pride virtually and at home: Look to Baltimore’s community of LGBTQ+ artists, authors, musicians and creatives. Amplify their voices and art across social media. Donate to organizations that support the community. Hang a flag outside your door. Call out injustices and be an ally. Keep this momentum going even after Pride is over.

This momentum is important: just last week, at the midpoint of Pride, we saw a historic decision from the Supreme Court. The court’s ruling protects LGBTQ+ workers against discrimination and is long overdue. This a reason for celebration, but there is always more work to do. The Stonewall Riots of 1969 and the protests across our country today are reminders that our Pride celebrations must include the Black Lives Matter movement.

We are proud of Baltimore’s diverse, creative and vibrant LGBTQ+ community. We hope that by this time next year we can gather once again, all of us celebrating together on the parade route. In the interim, we should all commit to keeping the spirit that celebrates our diversity alive and well.

Donna Drew Sawyer
CEO, Baltimore Office of Promotion & The Arts

Are you an aspiring photojournalist or a avid shutterbug? Entries are now open for the Heritage Area’s favorite photo contest – IT’S A SNAP! 2020

Winning photographers receive prizes, and the best images will be showcased on Baltimore National Heritage Area‘s social media channels and a special Baltimore National Heritage Area promotional product in 2021.

Photographs must be taken within the Baltimore National Heritage Area. All hi-res entries must be submitted electronically by October 31, 2020.

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#Above4 COVID-19 Fund

In an effort to sustain black women’s contributions in the art industry during the COVID -19, TILA Studios is launching a recurring monthly fund beginning at $1,000 to support black women artists nationwide.

The fund supports black women artists nationwide who:

• Experienced a stalled gig or paid creative job opportunity 
• Lost of Income from day job being temporarily closed 
• Stipend for On-Going Art Project with a Specific Purpose and Direction

The funding will occur monthly from April 2020 until August 2020. If we continue to witness and experience the economic impact of the COVID-19 we will continue awarding an unrestricted financial award until January 2021.

Funding Cycle:

• Application must be received by the 1st of every month 
• Funds will be distributed by the 15th every month via wire transfer 
• If you are a recipient of the fund, you must wait 8 weeks until applying again
• Request amount up to $500 per application

APPLY NOW

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Out of Order Online

Out of Order Call: Friday, June 19 – Monday, July 6

Out of Order Virtual Auction: Thursday, July 16 -Thursday, July 23rd 

As a result of the pandemic sweeping our nation, Maryland Art Place (MAP), like so many, has been forced to rethink, retool and re-imagine its programming. This year marks the 23^rd year of Maryland Art Place’s (MAP’s) signature exhibition event “Out of Order” (OOO). MAP is very excited to announce that it will still be holding Out of Order, only this year it’s virtual! MAP will launch the auction and make it available to anyone on an electronic device for free! 

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The Baltimore Museum of Art (BMA) announced a new series of online programs designed to give visitors an opportunity to relax and connect with artists, makers, and the community. The bi-weekly BMA Violet Hour program will feature artist talks, meditations, and other interactive experiences. The first event on Wednesday, June 24, pairs artist and cultural influencer Zackary Drucker with her personal muse and mentor Rosalyne Blumenstein, LCSW, a legendary trans rights activist, for a conversation moderated by renowned photographer, curator, and educator Allen Frame.

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The Baltimore Museum of Art (BMA) has announced that its outdoor sculpture gardens will reopen to visitors at 10 a.m. on Wednesday, June 24, weather permitting. The two landscaped gardens feature 33 masterworks of modern and contemporary sculpture—from Auguste Rodin’s striding bronze Balzac (1892) to Ellsworth Kelly’s stainless steel arc Untitled (1986). Admission to the gardens is free.

The BMA’s sculpture gardens have been closed since March 16. Capacity for the sculpture garden will be limited to 77 people to help mitigate the spread of COVID-19. Visitors are encouraged to wear masks and maintain a six-foot social distance from others in the gardens and groups are limited to five people or less.

The sculpture gardens are open Tuesdays through Sundays, 10 AM to 5PM, weather permitting, and are located at 10 Art Museum Drive, near North Charles and 31st streets. More information is available here.

The museum building and Gertrude’s Chesapeake Kitchen restaurant are not open at this time.

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It’s Virtual Pride Week in Baltimore, now through Sunday, June, 28. This is a week-long virtual collage of Black LGBTQ art, experiences and leadership.

View the full schedule at bit.ly/bmorevirtualpride.