BmoreArt’s Picks: July 16-22

This Week: 2024 Sondheim Finalist Exhibition opens at The Walters, Art Around Hampden, Young Blood opening reception and E. Brady Robinson’s closing reception at MAP, Voyages: Chapter 5 featuring Schaun Champion at the Aquarium, Baltimore Jewelry Center Summer Fundraiser, and Megan Lewis’ artist talk at Galerie Myrtis — PLUS apply for American Craft Made Baltimore and more featured opportunities!

BmoreArt’s Picks presents the best weekly art openings, events, and performances happening in Baltimore and surrounding areas. For a more comprehensive perspective, check the BmoreArt Calendar page, which includes ongoing exhibits and performances, and is updated on a daily basis.

To submit your calendar event, email us at [email protected]!

< Events >

Wednesday, July 17 | Ongoing through September 8

@ The Walters Art Museum

The 2024 Janet & Walter Sondheim Art Prize, which awards a $30,000 fellowship to assist in furthering the career of a visual artist or visual artist collaborators living and working in the greater Baltimore region, opens Wednesday, July 17 with a finalists’ exhibition at the Walters Art Museum.

The work of the three finalists—weaver Hellen Ascoli, mixed-media artist Amy Boone-McCreesh, and ceramicist Sam Mack—will be on view through Sunday, September 8. The winner of the 2024 Janet & Walter Sondheim Art Prize, chosen by this year’s jurors, will be announced during a special reception and award ceremony at the museum on Thursday, August 22. Each finalist will also receive a $2,500 M&T Bank Finalist Award, which is designed, in part, to assist them in preparing for the exhibition. One finalist will receive a studio residency at the Bromo Seltzer Arts Tower.

Jurors for the 2024 competition are artist, scholar, and poet Noel W. Anderson; curator, educator, and historian Connie H. Choi; and curator, historian, and lecturer Aaron Levi Garvey.

The Sondheim Art Prize is named in honor of Janet & Walter Sondheim, both of whom were instrumental in furthering arts and culture in Baltimore City. Janet Sondheim danced with the pioneering Denishawn Dancers, a legendary dance troupe founded by Ruth St. Denis and Ted Shawn. Walter Sondheim, Jr. was one of Baltimore’s most important civic leaders for over 50 years. He was deeply involved in the development of Charles Center and the Inner Harbor and continued to be civically active until his death in 2007, serving as the senior advisor to the Greater Baltimore Committee.

This year marks the 19th edition of the Sondheim Art Prize, one of the region’s most prestigious honors. The $30,000 prize is awarded annually to a visual artist or visual artist collaborators living and working in the Baltimore region. Learn more about the 2024 Janet & Walter Sondheim Art Prize by visiting promotionandarts.org and following BOPA on social media (@promoandarts).

Thursday, July 18 :: 5-8pm

Art Around Hampden! Every Third Thursday of every month! Free and open to the public!

Hampden’s newest art event starts on July 18. Discover our neighborhood’s excellent galleries, artists, and pop-up art spaces, every third Thursday of each month. Most venues will be open with extended hours from 5-8PM, but check the map for each location’s hours and featured artists.

Thursday, July 18 :: 5-9pm

@ Maryland Art Place

Maryland Art Place is proud to announce the return of Young Blood marking MAP’s 15th Young Blood program which has, to date, provided an important post-graduate artistic platform for transitioning Masters of Fine Arts students. Since 2008 Young Blood has continually brought recent graduates together to make new connections and present special selections from their thesis project(s). The exhibition will highlight exceptional works ranging in media.

Young Blood Exhibiting Artists:

Elly Kalantari | UMBC

Evelyn Lee | MICA

Dan Ortiz Leizman | UMD

Andrew Liang | UMBC

Pavlos Liaretidis | MICA

Grusha Sabharwal | MICA

Lika (Yuyun) Su | MICA

Ann Zellhofer | UMBC

Thursday, July 18 :: 6-9pm

@ Maryland Art Place

Baltimore is a city full of creative movement, home to experimental dance collectives, historic LGBTQI+ ballroom competitions, skate parks, and street skaters. ‘Bodies in motion’ have long been a central subject for photographer E. Brady Robinson where dance, skating, swagger, and athleticism have functioned as a celebration of physical power and joy. In her latest exhibition Power Aesthetics at Maryland Art Place (MAP), 3rd floor gallery June 29 – July 18, the artist will exhibit a series of portraits of Baltimore-based Creatives, including SK8 GRLS and ICONS, all-powerful individuals depicted, empowered through action.

Power Aesthetics celebrates independent artists within Baltimore’s skate culture. Inspired by the intersection of portraiture, studio art, athleticism and street culture, Robinson’s initiative captures the raw energy and individuality of the city, focusing on the resurgence of roller-skating since the Covid pandemic.

Bringing the street to the artist’s studio in Baltimore’s historic Hooper Mill, the project’s new iteration showcases a collection of vibrant metal prints featuring local entrepreneurs, musicians, and artists on skates. Meticulously crafted in the photographer’s studio, the photographs utilize strobe lights and color gels to capture movement, energy, and form.

The exhibition features a large-scale slideshow projection of SK8R GRLS onto the gallery walls. With the backdrop of vibrant Baltimore club music, a curated playlist by Mighty Mark, this installation celebrates the pluricultural community and artistic aspects of skate culture, reflecting the urban experience of Baltimore. Robinson creates an immersive opportunity for the audience to appreciate the artistry of skating while emphasizing empowerment, athleticism, and femme identity within the skater community.

For her MAP debut, Robinson shifts the kaleidoscope of her vision away from portraiture to embrace figuration, color and motion. These images celebrate the universality of movement, of self-expression and definition, motion capture and high key lighting to photograph an indefinable essence of style and joy. Helping to define this indefinable essence, Robinson has included her series ICONS – photographs of famous voguer Marquis Clanton and King Kory Kruze, both prominent figures in the int’l ballroom scene and based in Baltimore.

SK8R GRLS and ICONS series are conduits for spotlighting the nuanced facets of skate culture, ballroom scene and its legacy, and the creative community of Baltimore and its inherent inclusivity. The project serves as a potent platform for local artists, magnifying their creative voices, while simultaneously serving as a vibrant celebration of Baltimore’s unparalleled creative spirit. Through innovative photography techniques and the immersive environment of the slideshow projection, the project encapsulates the essence of Baltimore’s unique artistic identity.

Brady Robinson is a photographer based in Baltimore, MD. Her work has been featured in group and solo exhibitions in the US and internationally. Her fine art photography is represented by Addison/Ripley Fine Art in Washington, D.C. She is Contributor for BmoreArt Magazine and faculty at Georgetown University. For more follow IG: @ebradyrobinson

Maryland Art Place (MAP) inspires, supports, and encourages artistic expression through innovative programming, exhibitions, and educational opportunities while recognizing the powerful impact art can have on our community. MAP creates a dynamic environment for artists of our time to engage the public by nurturing and promoting new ideas. MAP has served as a critical resource for contemporary art in the Mid-Atlantic since 1981. mdartplace.org

Thursday, July 18 :: 6-11pm

@ The National Aquarium

Join us for Voyages: Chapter 5 and explore Aquarium exhibits as you consider interconnectedness and humanity’s relationship to the web of life through an interactive, multi-media installation from the mind of local artist Schaun Champion, with performance support from WombWork Productions.

Inspired by months of research within the Aquarium and expertise provided by Angelo Villagomez, Schaun looked to the water to create art influenced by natural landscapes, mythology, indigenous practices and more. As you experience the Aquarium in a totally new way, Schaun’s art will inspire you to consider your connection to the web of life. After exploring the exhibits, close out the night with your fellow voyagers at an after-party featuring jazz music from Brandon Woody and UPENDO.

Voyages: Chapter 5 promises to be a night of exploration that you won’t soon forget, featuring local food vendors Empanada Lady, Taharka Brothers, Crust by Mack and Neopol Smokery will be available for purchase. Two bars will serve alcoholic and zero-proof beverages curated by Charm City Meadworks.

This is where art and science meet. This is a one-of-a-kind celebration of all things Baltimore and the connection we share with the natural world. This is the Aquarium like you’ve never experienced it before. This is Voyages. Are you ready to embark on a journey into the deep?

Support for this event provided by the Marjorie Lynn Bank Endowment.

Friday, July 19 :: 6-8pm

@ Baltimore Jewelry Center

Mark your calendars for some summer fun at the studio! Our beloved BJC is about to celebrate its 10th anniversary! Join us Friday, July 19th from 6-8pm for a combined celebration of our 10th Birthday and our Spring Session Community Potluck. Our community potlucks are a great opportunity to see what work was made in the last session and a fun time to connect with classmates and the broader BJC community. For the Spring Session Potluck please bring yourself plus something savory to share. We’ll provide the cake!

Stay tuned for additional information about our 10 year celebration. We’re excited to share this milestone with you and can’t wait to commemorate a decade of accomplishments together!

Students that would like their work to be photographed by the studio should drop it off by Monday, July 15. If you’d like your work displayed as part of the potluck please drop it off by Friday, July 19th at 3pm.

Saturday, July 20 :: 2-4pm

@ Galerie Myrtis

Galerie Myrtis proudly presents “Moon in Scorpio,” the inaugural solo exhibition by acclaimed artist Megan Lewis. The opening reception will be held at Galerie Myrtis, 2224 North Charles Street, Baltimore, Maryland on Saturday, May 11th from 2:00 ‐ 6:00 pm. The opening is free, and all are welcome. No appointment is necessary to attend.

“Through a collection of emotive paintings, Lewis masterfully unveils a rich tapestry of Black male identity, drawn from the vibrant tapestry of the Baltimore community. Each brushstroke brings forth subjects who defy one-dimensional portrayals, inviting viewers to engage with the complexities and nuances of their experiences.

‘Moon in Scorpio’ serves as a platform for Lewis to challenge and reframe negative tropes associated with Black masculinity. With a keen eye for detail and a deep empathy for her subjects, she confronts stereotypes head-on, presenting multifaceted portrayals that transcend superficial labels. The exhibition compels viewers to move beyond preconceived notions and engage in a dialogue that celebrates the diversity and resilience of Black men.

Lewis’s work is a testament to the power of art to inspire introspection and empathy. Through her evocative paintings, she invites us to reconsider our perceptions of Black masculinity and to recognize the humanity and complexity of each individual.” – Dr. Myrtis Bedolla, Curator

Programming includes the Artist Talk on Saturday, July 20th from 2:00 – 4:00 pm featuring Megan Lewis in dialogue with Dr. Myrtis Bedolla. Through her art, Lewis challenges viewers to examine their biases and assumptions, fostering a deeper conversation about the complexities of the human experience. Don’t miss the opportunity to witness the transformative impact of Megan Lewis’s work and contribute to the dialogue on Black masculinity in today’s society. The artist’s talk is free and open to the public. Seating is limited. RSVP is required to attend (registration details to be announced).

The exhibit runs from May 11 – July 20, 2024. Gallery hours: Wednesday – Saturday from 2:00 – 6:00 pm by appointment. Hours are extended during special events. For additional information on this exhibition, please contact the gallery at (410) 235‐3711 or Ky Vassor, Gallery Manager, at [email protected]. For sales inquiries, please contact our Sales Manager, Noel Bedolla, at [email protected].

< Calls for Entry >

Volunteer at Artscape!

posted by BOPA

The Baltimore Office of Promotion & The Arts (BOPA) is seeking enthusiastic and hardworking volunteers to support Artscape 2024 Thursday, August 1st through Sunday, August 4th, 2024. Volunteers can expect to support different front-facing and behind-the-scenes areas during Artscape alongside diverse groups of staff and volunteer teams. Please note that all volunteer opportunities require various levels of skill, commitment, flexibility, and are subject to availability.

We invite returning volunteers (you must have volunteered and/or submitted a volunteer application for Artscape 2023) please apply here: Returning Volunteer

If you are a new volunteer (never volunteered before or at Artscape 2023), please apply here: New Volunteer

*new* deadline July 18

posted by BOPA

The Baltimore Office of Promotion & the Arts (BOPA) is proud to present the 2024 Free Fall Baltimore grant opportunity – a citywide celebration that offers hundreds of free arts & cultural events at participating venues throughout Baltimore City. Held in conjunction with National Arts and Humanities Month, local venues, artists, and organizations showcase the importance of the arts with free concerts, dance and theater performances, festivals, lectures, workshops, art exhibitions, and special events. This program is made possible by the generous funding support of The Maryland State Arts Council.

Prospective Applicants:

Each year, BOPA provides grants to Baltimore City-based organizations and local venues/event spaces, with operating budgets under $300,000 to produce free cultural events in Baltimore City during October.

Individual artists/creatives can apply for this grant if their event is also free and open to the public and located in a public space or Baltimore City-based venue.

We also provide an opportunity for organizations with operating budgets over $300,000 to participate in Free Fall Baltimore by promoting their events and incorporating them into the Free Fall calendar.

Calling all Puppeteers!

deadline July 19

posted by Black Cherry Puppet Theater

Do you have a short puppet sketch to share? Black Cherry Puppet Theater’s next Puppet Slamwich will be on September 21st, 2024 and we are on the lookout for acts!

This slam will take place at Current Space, 421 Tyson St, Baltimore, MD 21201. There will be two shows, at 5:00 pm & 8:00 pm. If you have a new piece, an old piece to revamp, or a brilliant idea for a new puppet skit WE WANT TO SEE IT!

TO APPLY SEND THE FOLLOWING INFO BY FRIDAY, July 19th.

to [email protected]

Title

Your name and location (where are you based?)

Length of piece

Type of puppetry (rod, hand, shadow, mask, string, etc)

Short description of piece. Please mention tone

(is it funny? sad? thoughtful? melancholy? a few feelings?)

Include images of your work! Video is also helpful

If your piece has specific technical needs, mention it here!

PLEASE NOTE: If your proposed piece contains any content that may be considered triggering for an audience such as violence of any kind, the presence of guns, or sexual content you must offer a full description or video of how these topics are addressed in your show. Thank you!

Not ready for this upcoming Slam, but want to be in the know when we are looking for acts in the future? Email [email protected] and asked to be added to our performer call

deadline July 21

posted by BOPA

Artwork Submissions

We are looking for your game-inspired or themed artwork! Gamescape will have a space for physical artwork to be displayed as well as a screen rotating through digital art submissions. You can submit to one or both mediums.

Physical art can be dropped off in-person at The Fitzgerald at 1201 W Mt Royal Ave, Baltimore, MD 21217 during the event. We will have note cards available for you to create a label with your name, the name of the piece, and any other description you would like to have included. You can also bring a pre-filled info card with you if you would prefer. You will be responsible for picking up your piece at the end of the event, or you can note that you would like to donate it as a prize giveaway.

Music Submissions

We are looking for game-inspired, themed, or styled music to showcase during Gamescape! This includes everything from vocal performances to chiptunes.

Your pieces must be in a downloadable format and include your name as the artist as well as the title of the music.

Application Information

Application Opens: Monday, July 8, 2024

Application Deadline: Sunday, July 21, 2024

Artists Notified By: Monday, July 29 (consent/media release forms will be distributed electronically)

Physical artwork must be delivered to Artscape by: Friday, August 2, 2024 at 10:00am

deadline July 31

posted by The Hopkins Review

In partnership with the Chen Lab of JHU’s Department of Psychological & Brain Sciences, we present the first ever fiction Made to Read & Investigate (fMRI) Writing Prize. In this unique flash fiction contest, winning stories will not only be published by The Hopkins Review, but also serve as the basis for a new scientific study of people’s brain activity while reading stories. This award aims to create new literature and new science, while generating awareness of and interest in both fields in the city of Baltimore.

High school and adult writers in Baltimore City can enter for a chance to see how your words affect readers’ brains!

deadline August 1

posted by Towson Arts Collective

Still lives, landscapes, fantasies,; show work that includes something growing or grown.

Drop off: Sunday, July 28 – noon to 3 pm.

Pick up: Sunday, August 25 – noon to 3 pm.

Any issues please contact Pilar at 337.540.7977.

Installation: Tuesday, July 30, starting at 10 am.

OPENING RECEPTION:

THURSDAY, August 1 – 5 TO 7 PM.

deadline August 2

posted by American Craft Council

American Craft Made Baltimore returns February 21–23, 2025, at the Baltimore Convention Center and applications are now open for exhibitors. First-time applicants are encouraged to attend an information session before submitting their application. The deadline is August 2, 2024. For event details, how to apply, and registration for the info session on July 17, click the link.

deadline August 4

posted by SE Center for Photography

Alternative Processes, the SE Center is looking for all forms of Alternative and Antique processes, albumen to ziatype, photographers of all skill levels and locations are welcome. Digital source images are acceptable if converted to negatives and processed in a historical technique and digital reproduction of alternative technique works, either for further processing or presentation, is acceptable.

The SE Center is looking for all forms of imagery of Alternative Images, black-and-white and color, alternative or antique processes, photographers of all skill levels and locations are welcome.

Our juror, Diana Bloomfield, is a photographic artist and native North Carolinian, currently lives and works in Raleigh, North Carolina. Specializing in 19th century photographic printing techniques, with a concentration on gum bichromate, platinum, and cyanotype processes, her images are exhibited internationally and are widely published. Diana is also a book artist, incorporating her handmade prints into one-of-a-kind books. She is represented by The Cardinal Gallery, located in Toronto, Canada, and by photo-eye Gallery (Photographers Showcase), located in Santa Fe, New Mexico.

35-40 Selected images will hang in the SE Center’s main gallery space for approximately one month with the opportunity to be invited for a solo show at a later date. In addition, selected images are featured in the SE Center social media accounts (FB, IG, Twitter) and an archived, online slideshow. A video walkthrough of each exhibition is also featured and archived. Openings are timed to coincide with Greenville, South Carolina’s First Fridays, a celebration of art, food and music.

deadline August 21

posted by Howard County Arts Council

The Howard County Arts Council (Arts Council), in collaboration with Howard County, MD (County), is seeking responses from qualified, experienced public Arts consultants (Consultant) to plan, manage, and implement the commission of up to four (4) permanent artworks at up to four (4) County-owned facilities, parks, and community spaces.

Qualified Consultants are firms or individuals that have successfully managed large-scale public Arts commissions for government or private agencies and have demonstrated experience in public Arts planning and community outreach. The total project budget is $1.5 million with approximately $1 million designated for the four (4) artworks, $400k to cover the costs for the public Arts consultant, extensive community engagement activities, artwork concept fees, marketing and promotion, and a project manager consultant to oversee the fabrication and installation of the artworks, and $100k for HCAC temporary staff and contingency.

Anticipated Consultant start date is September 2024.

Anticipated installation date of one (1) or more public art installations is Fall 2026.

The selected Consultant will enter into an agreement with the Arts Council to provide the scope of services outlined in this RFP.

Project Description

In May 2024, Howard County Executive Calvin Ball announced a partnership with the Arts Council to create a new public Arts program to commission permanent public Arts installations from visual artists nationwide. Our aspiration for the new Arts For All program is to create a sense of place through iconic public artworks that will captivate and inspire residents and visitors for years to come. An online survey has been created to begin gathering feedback on the themes, types, and locations for the Arts For All program. Learn more about the Arts For All launch and the survey at:

Website Link: https://www.howardcountymd.gov/county-executive/Arts-all

Survey Link: https://form.typeform.com/to/MTjwb50G

Pictures from Announcement (including boards): https://www.flickr.com/photos/hocogov/albums/72177720317031363/

Through the Arts For All program, up to four (4) artworks will be commissioned for County-owned sites, yet to be determined. Artworks could include: Murals, Iconic Sculptures, Interactive Installations, Environmental Arts, Functional Arts, and More. Sites could include: Community and Senior Centers, Libraries, Government Buildings, Facades, Bridges, Gateways, Parks, Trails, and Open Spaces.

We will be hosting live Q&A sessions via Zoom on:

deadline August 21

Hopkins Symphony Orchestra auditions occur every fall and are open to all orchestral musicians including JHU students (undergraduate and graduate), JHU faculty/staff, alumni, and community members with no direct JHU affiliation. Percussion and piano auditions are scheduled separately—those interested should contact [email protected] for information.

2024-25 Auditions & Schedule

Audition Dates & Times

*Subject to change

In-Person Auditions will take place:

Thurs, August 29, 2024; 5-10PM

Friday, August 30, 2024; 5-10PM

Saturday, August 31, 2024; 10AM-6PM

Winds 10am-noon

Strings 1pm-6pm

Auditions will take place on the JHU Homewood Campus, Shriver Hall.

deadline August 31

From Xan’s Mother, Carolyn Korman:

“The words we heard to describe Xan Korman most often were “selfless,” “generous” and “passionate.” Just one example of his selflessness is that he chose to register to be an organ donor when he first got his driver’s license at the age of 16. In August 2021, Xan was shot and killed in a drive by shooting at the age of 20. Xan donated as many organs as possible upon his death so that others could live, including both his kidneys and his liver.

But this is about honoring Xan’s life. Xan found his passion in photography and that was the language he used to tell a story. Xan’s main focus was sports photography, especially basketball, but he also explored the worlds of street photography and social justice. Behind the lens, regardless of what he was photographing, he focused on the emotion of the moment and captured the beauty that exists in human excellence.

We are offering this grant to a rising photographer, who, like Xan, can capture the human spirit. We hope you share his passions of helping others (such as through organ, eye and tissue donation), of equity and inclusion and of hard work and determination to get what you want.

We would like the applicant to submit a short essay about how this grant can help them advance their photography, how they share Xan’s passions and discuss importance of organ, eye and tissue donation. We would also like to see a sample of three recent photos taken by the applicant.

We expect the recipient to pay this gift forward by volunteering to photograph an Infinite Legacy event.