BmoreArt

This Week: Joyce J. Scott + Josh Franco in conversation at SAAM, Wye Oak Lecture Series at MCHC, Edgar Reyes and valentina at Connect+Collect, Maryland Opera at St. Paul’s, Charm City Craft Mafia’s Holiday Heap, Current Space Art Market, Baker Artist Portfolios Literary Spotlight at The Peale, Body and Soul Holiday Art Sale + Gently Used Coat Drive at Motor House, Station North Holiday Market, and the Project Artscape Finale — PLUS Postdoctoral Curatorial Fellowship at the Driskell Center 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]!

 

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< Events >

 

Archive Live with Joyce J. Scott and Josh Franco [In-person + Virtual]
Wednesday, December 11 :: 6:30pm
presented by Smithsonian American Art Museum

Smithsonian American Art Museum
McEvoy Auditorium and SAAM’s YouTube channel
Free | Registration required

Join the Smithsonian American Art Museum and the Archives of American Art online or in person for an evening with artist Joyce J. Scott and Head of Collecting at the Archives of American Art, Josh Franco. Franco and Scott will discuss selected items from her papers, held at the Archives of American Art, as Scott shares memories about them. Scott is a MacArthur Fellow renowned for her figurative sculptures, innovative fiber art, and jewelry using bead weaving techniques, blown glass, and found objects. As an African American feminist artist, Scott fearlessly tackles challenging themes, including race, misogyny, economic disparity, history, and discrimination. Her work is currently on view in SAAM’s Renwick Gallery exhibition, Subversive, Skilled, Sublime: Fiber Art by Women.

The lecture will be held in person and online on SAAM’s YouTube Channel.

 

 

Wye Oak Lecture Series—Finding Black Identity in Early American Art
Thursday, December 12 :: 5:30-7:30pm
@ Maryland Center for History and Culture

How can curators uncover the full stories and identities of Black representation in early American images? Join Emelie Gevalt, PhD, Curatorial Chair for Collections and Curator of Folk Art at the American Folk Art Museum, and co-curator of the recent acclaimed exhibition, Unnamed Figures: Black Presence and Absence in the Early American North, in exploration of this topic. Sift through examples from the exhibition and MCHC collections to learn about the research processes and archival discoveries that contextualize and even help name some of these figures. Investigate the uncomfortable convention of including enslaved companions in portraits to better understand who they were and what their inclusion meant.

Doors open at 5:30 pm. Lecture begins at 6 pm. Light reception to follow.

 

 

BmoreArt C+C: A Night of Music Memories and Storytelling with Edgar Reyes and valentina (DJ)
Friday, December 13 :: 6-9pm
@ Connect + Collect

Join us on Friday, December 13, from 6:00–9:00 PM at BmoreArt Connect+Collect for a special event exploring the deep connections between music, memory, and storytelling.

Artist Edgar Reyes and DJ, curator, and organizer valentina will share stories about the role of music in their lives and creative practices. Through a dynamic dialogue, they will reflect on how music serves as a vessel for memories, a means of preserving history, and a source of healing and resilience. Valentina will bring these themes to life through an immersive musical experience, curating a playlist entirely from vinyl records, inspired by Edgar’s art practice and the artworks exhibited in the gallery. Guests are invited to listen, reflect, and share their own memories and stories sparked by the rhythms and lyrics resonating throughout the space.

This event celebrates storytelling through music as a powerful channel for uplifting stories of migration, resilience, and cultural identity. By blending personal narratives with different beats and melodies, valentina and Edgar Reyes will illuminate the profound role of music in amplifying voices and sharing experiences often left unheard. Together, we’ll explore how music connects us, fosters reflection, and preserves shared histories.

This event has limited space available, so please RSVP as soon as possible before the form closes.

 

 

Maryland Opera presents “Sounds of the Season”
Friday, December 13 :: 7pm
@ St. Mark’s Lutheran Church

Maryland Opera celebrates the holidays with “Sounds of the Season” featuring seasonal music and opera arias and duets, including our holiday tradition:  a staged presentation of the most famous Christmas Eve scene in opera, the Finale of Act 1 of Puccini’s La Bohème.  The performances are Friday, December 13, 2023 at 7:00 p.m. in the barn at Boordy Vineyards and Sunday, December 15, 2023 at 3:00 p.m. at St. Mark’s Lutheran Church on St. Paul Street.  Tickets are $34 for adults and $18 for students with valid student ID.

Soprano Rachel Blaustein, tenor Angel Raii Gomez, and Denyce Graves Foundation Artistic Ambassador baritone Marvin Wayne join us to sing opera, operetta and seasonal favorites sure to put you in the holiday mood.

Stage and musical direction and piano accompaniment for all selections is by Maryland Opera’s Artistic Director, James Harp, long known for excellence in operatic performances and musical outreach in the Mid-Atlantic area.

The Friday night performance in the gorgeous Boordy Vineyards barn will feature one silent auction item and a new tradition, our Ugly Sweater Contest.  Wear your best ugly holiday sweater for a chance to win a free bottle of wine.

“In a world that seems to be full of turmoil and upheaval, we desperately need the beatify and solace of great music,” said Harp.  “Holiday music can provide so much of that needed respite as we turn to family and friends in this gladsome season of love and peace.  Our internationally renowned soloists will be joined by an emerging young Artistic Ambassador from the Denyce Graves Foundation in a program sure to stir memories of past holidays and create new ones!  The highlight of the concert will be a fully staged presentation of the most famous Christmas Eve in opera—the inale of Act 1 of La Bohème.  As Mimì and Rodolfo sing “Amor, Amor” as they go in to the starry December night, may our hearts and minds join with them in our hopes for a world of peace, unity and love.”

Tickets are $34 for adults and $18 for students and are available on Maryland Opera’s website, www.marylandopera.org, or by calling 484-678-6041, and at the door on the day of the performance.  Seating is limited, though, so advance orders are recommended.  Free parking is available at the Boordy Vineyards property on December 13 and in the St. Mark’s Church parking lot across 20th Street from the church on December 15.

 

 

Charm City Craft Mafia Holiday Heap
Saturday, December 14 :: 10am-4pm
@ 2640 Space

Come Join 40+ amazing artists/makers for the 18th annual HOLIDAY HEAP Craft Fair presented by the Charm City Craft Mafia! Shop handmade and local for all your holiday needs on Saturday, December 14th from 10am-5pm at 2640 Space, 2640 St. Paul Street, Baltimore, MD 21218. FREE and family friendly!

 

 

Current Space 11th Annual Art Market
Saturday, December 14 :: 12-4pm
@ Current Space

Join us for our 11th Annual Art Market in support of local artists and friends on Saturday, Dec 14th!

– 11am-12pm: Members-Only Entry*
– 12-4pm: General Entry

Come buy art directly from the artists, meet the people behind the work, and support them by buying something for yourself or someone special.

We’re opening the Art Market up to our sustaining members an hour early (11am-12pm). Interested in supporting us? Memberships start at just $5/month and help make these events possible!
Become a Member to support us AND shop early!

Vendors list:
– Andrew Shenker
– Calliandra Hermanson (printmaking)
– Chima Ezenwachi (apparel + original artwork)
– Ed Schrader
– Lindsay Bottos (photography + mixed media)
– Micah E. Wood (photographic book)
– Nick Karvounis
– Paige Esposito (jewlery)
– Personal Best Ceramics
– Weaving Roots (textiles)
– & many more! Full list coming soon!

 

 

Baker Artist Portfolios Spotlight Literary Event
Saturday, December 14 :: 12-4pm
@ The Peale

Please join us as we showcase the Baker artists!

Over 150 Baltimore-Area artists bring some of the region’s newest art off the web and onto the walls of America’s oldest museum. Each year, up to 1,000 artists create a Baker Artist Portfolio, at www.bakerartist.org, making it one of the largest digital collections of work by Baltimore-area artists. This exhibition invites any artist with a Baker Artist Portfolio to show one piece of art at The Peale.

The Baker Artist Portfolios were created in 2009 to support artists and promote Greater Baltimore as a strong creative community. The portfolios  are open to artists over the age of 21, working in all disciplines, who live and work in Baltimore City and its five surrounding counties.  The Baker Artist Portfolios were created by the William G. Baker, Jr. Memorial Fund, and are a program of the Greater Baltimore Cultural Alliance.

Learn more about the Baker Artist Portfolios, browse art, or start your own portfolio at www.bakerartist.org

 

 

Body and Soul Holiday Art Sale and Gently Used Coat Drive
Saturday, December 14 :: 12-5pm
@ Motor House

Station North Holiday Market
Saturday, December 14 :: 12:30-5:30pm
@ North Avenue Market

Experience the joy of a vibrant, illuminated North Avenue in the heart of the Station North Arts District at the 4th Annual Station North Holiday Market, presented by PNC Bank. The festive outdoor/indoor market with dozens of Baltimore-based artists, makers, local food and drink, pop-ups, and live performances takes place for one day only: Sat., Dec. 14 from 12:30 – 5:30 PM at the Historic North Avenue Market 12 – 30 W. North Avenue (between Maryland and Charles Streets).

🎄Station North Holiday Market

🗓Saturday, 12/14
⏰12:30 – 5:30 PM
📍12 – 30 W. North Avenue (indoor & outdoor)
🔗 stationnorth.org

Outdoors and indoors at the Historic North Avenue Market featuring Baltimore Youth Arts, the Club Car, Currency Studio, Egatniv Vintage, and the Mobtown Ballroom and Café with special guests:

After Five Industries
Ann Gaylord Bags
Baltimore Jewelry Center
Baltimore Spirits Co.
Betsy Raw
Champagne Illustration
Downstairs Woodturning
Five O’ Clock Co.
Fruit Leather Fetish
Garden Party Botanics
GentleMoonBell
Globe Collection and Press at MICA
Guenevere Adimanthi’s Workshop
Guilford Hall Brewery
Hand Papermaking, Inc.
Holmes Hydration
jgpottery
Josef Kardell Art
Magan Ruthke: Art & Design
MFA Illustration Practice
MICA CeramicsMICA Ratcliffe Center for Creative Entrepreneurship (RCCE)
Millennial Shades
Mossible / Pamela Pinto
Night Owl Gallery
Nina’s Cookie Explosion
Niro Designs
PALUNISA
Paper Herald
Paulina Levaggi
Pinay Potter
Plied Yarns
Priyanka Kumar
Sacred Ashes
SewLab USA
Shiny Happy Things
Shop Cat Woodworks
Stinging Nettle Stitchery
The Heart of Hiroh Arts Label
The Style Lounge Boutique
TheGroovyVandal
Tightfisted Fashion
Yamah and Co

The Station North Arts District is a program of the Central Baltimore Partnership.

PNC Bank presents the Station North Holiday Market with additional support from the Abell Foundation, Charles Street Development, Healthy Neighborhoods Inc., Johns Hopkins University, Maryland Institute College of Art, Twenty-Two Lanes Inc., and WYPR.

Other weekend Station North events:

Night Owl Gallery Holiday Group Show | Opening Reception
Friday, December 13 :: 5-9pm
@ Night Owl Gallery

Station North Second Friday Art Walk
Friday, December 13 :: 5-9pm
@ Station North Arts + Entertainment District

 

 

Project Artscape Finale
Saturday, December 14 :: 1-4pm
@ The Walters Art Museum

Join us in celebrating Baltimore’s talented fashion community with a runway show and a conversation between emerging and established fashion designers. This program is the culmination of Project Artscape, an exciting collaboration between the Baltimore Office of Promotion and the Arts and the Walters Art Museum. Three winning designers from the Project Artscape Fashion Weekend, which took place in August 2024, will showcase their looks in a one-of-a-kind runway show in the Walters’ Sculpture Court. Additionally, attendees will have the opportunity to hear from fashion professionals and see images of original designs created in dialogue with artworks in the Walters collection.

 

 

< Calls for Entry >

 

Postdoctoral Curatorial Fellowship at The Driskell Center
deadline December 30

The David C. Driskell Center at the University of Maryland, College Park is currently accepting applications for a one-year, 2025-2026 postdoctoral fellowship sponsored by the Mellon Foundation. The fellowship provides curatorial training and supports scholarly research on the David C. Driskell Center collection. The fellow is fully integrated into The Driskell Center staff with duties, privileges, and status equivalent to those of an assistant curator. Time is divided between assigned projects and general curatorial work within the department, including research on the collection and new acquisitions, work on the presentation and interpretation of the collection, participation in aspects of special exhibition and publishing projects, and opportunities to give public lectures.

The ideal candidate will demonstrate scholarly excellence and a strong interest in a museum career. Applications are requested from scholars whose interests and areas of expertise align with The Driskell Center’s collections and programs. Specifically, the fellow will fully participate in preparing a unique exhibition project devoted to celebrating the first 25 years of The Driskell Center to open in Fall 2026. This will include developing the exhibition framework, creating the object checklist, determining layouts, preparing exhibition interpretation, writing for the exhibition catalog and/or contributing written content for web-based platforms, and, where possible, contributing to in-person public programming for audiences in College Park, as well as virtual programming for nationwide audiences. Cover letters and statements must specify how this project aligns with the applicant’s scholarly expertise and interests.

 

 

2025 Salisbury Prize
deadline December 31
posted by Maryland State Arts Council

Artists, architects, engineers, and all sorts of creative teams are welcome to participate in the 2025 Salisbury Prize public art competition. Thanks to funding provided by the Maryland State Arts Council, this annual competition will award $10,000 with an additional stipend for materials up to $5,000 (reimbursable).

The City of Salisbury’s Public Art Committee and the Arts, Business, and Culture Department are seeking proposals for a substantial freestanding artwork. The Committee is especially interested in proposals that address one or more of the following themes: kinetic work, inclusion, disability access and awareness, and/or community engagement.

 

 

IT’S A SNAP! 2024
deadline December 31
posted by Baltimore National Heritage Area

SEEKING ASPIRING PHOTOJOURNALIST AND SHUTTERBUG! No matter your level of expertise. Bring it on.

*** Minors (16 and up) are encouraged to participate with parental consent. ***

This year’s theme is “What makes Baltimore Beautiful?”.  Here’s your chance to share your special photographs that reveal the best of Baltimore. No professional models, please.

Winning photographers receive prizes, and the best images will be showcased on BNHA’s social media channels and a special Baltimore National Heritage Area promotional product in 2025. The Grand Prize Winner will receive a $500 gift card.

Photographs must be taken within the Baltimore National Heritage Area (map). All hi-res entries must be submitted electronically by December 31, 2024. Photos can be in color or black and white.

Why is the contest period so long? We want to give you a chance to capture city life in every season, from Spring to early Winter.

Please read the complete Rules and Requirements before submitting your photo. All entries must be submitted electronically by December 31, 2024.

For a photo in which a person is recognizable, you must secure a model release form the subject or, in the case of a minor, the subject’s parent or guardian and provide it to BNHA upon request. A model release is available on the heritage area’s website. (Click here for the form.)

This year’s theme is “What makes Baltimore Beautiful?”

 

 

Anna Rabinowitz Poetry & Art Prize
deadline December 31
posted by Poetry Society of America

The Anna Rabinowitz Prize is awarded to poets and their collaborators for venturesome, interdisciplinary work that was completed in the previous year and combines poetry with any other art or discipline.

Work that qualifies includes but is not limited to books that blend visual art and poetry, original performances of dance and poetry (or dance based on poetry) and of music and poetry (including libretti based on poetry), as well as more eclectic collaborations involving poetry and technology, the sciences or math.

Candidates are required to provide materials documenting their projects. These will be key to the judging process. Panels, discussions, and programs focused on dialogue between disciplines rather than the creation of a new work are not eligible.

The finished work should have been produced or published in 2024 but can involve or be based in part on work from any era. All are welcome to apply singly if the work involving more than one discipline has been accomplished alone.

Honorarium: $1,000 to be divided equally between or among the principals if not awarded to a single artist.

 

 

The Neon Heater call for Solo shows
deadline January 1

The Neon Heater is a contemporary artist-run space in Findlay, OH with monthly exhibitions of conceptual & installation-based works, supporting painting, photography, video and new media. We are currently seeking proposals for solo artist and small group shows exploring contemporary issues such as identity, the climate, geopolitics, speculative futures, magic & spirituality. There is a $15 submission fee that directly supports programming and selected artists’ honorariums.

 

 

Statewide Open Studio Tour
deadline January 1

The annual Artist Open Studios (AOS) offers a behind-the-scenes look at a day in the life of a visual artist through an easy-to-navigate, self-guided tour. Each April, visitors from all over are invited to explore hundreds of artist studios and creative spaces throughout Maryland — free of charge. Featured exhibitions, demos, and artist talks connect artists with the public and highlight each neighborhood’s unique flavor and contributions to Maryland’s artistic vibrancy.