BmoreArt

This week’s news includes: Julia Alexander passes away from heart attack, The Banner wins a Pulitzer, The Phillips Collection appoints Tiffany McGettigan and Clarisse Fava-Piz, 2025 Screenwriters Competition announced, BMA’s upcoming exhibition The Way of Nature, new photography exhibition at The National Museum of the American Indian, upcoming Bromo Art Walk, BSO’s May lineup, remembering Dorothy Redding, Poe House & Museum expansion, May theater roundup, John Waters celebrates his 79th, the 2025 Boundary Block Party, and Cafe Campli closing — with reporting from Baltimore Magazine, Baltimore Fishbowl, The Baltimore Banner, and other local and independent news sources.

Header Image: Julia Alexander, former Andrea B. & John H. Laporte Executive Director and CEO of the Walters Art Museum, has died. Photo courtesy Walters Art Museum.

Julia M. Alexander, Walters Art Museum’s first female director, dies at 57
by Wesley Case
Published May 5 in The Baltimore Banner

Former Walters Art Museum CEO and Executive Director Julia M. Alexander died Sunday night at the Greater Baltimore Medical Center, the Baltimore museum confirmed. The cause of death was a heart attack. She was 57.

The Claremont, California, native was named the Walters’ director in 2013 — the fifth in the museum’s history and the first woman to hold the position. In 2024, she left the Walters to become president of New York’s Samuel H. Kress Foundation, which supports the studies of European art, architecture and archaeology.

She is survived by two children, Jack and Beatrice; her mother, Catharine Alexander; her former husband, Dr. John Marciari; and her sister, Kitty Alexander, according to a statement from Alexander’s family provided to the Walters.

Kate Burgin, who took over as the Walters’ CEO and executive director in January, said in a statement that Alexander was “both a mentor and a friend.”

“We are deeply saddened by the passing of Julia Alexander, whose influence on this organization, and on all of us, is both lasting and significant,” Burgin said. “One of her most important contributions to the Walters was shifting the museum’s focus toward creating greater and more meaningful engagement with our local community — a visionary decision to center our work on Baltimore and Maryland.”

Peter Bain, president of the Walters’ board of trustees, said in a statement that Alexander’s leadership “not only strengthened the museum’s foundation but also deepened its relevance and connection to the many audiences it serves.”

“For many of us, Julia was more than a colleague — she was a friend,” Bain said. “She shared her deep love of art generously, along with a steadfast belief in its transformative power to bring people together. She will be dearly missed.”

Asma Naeem, director of the Baltimore Museum of Art, said in a statement to The Banner that Alexander welcomed her “with open arms” when she was appointed the institution’s new leader in 2024.

“Instead of leaving me to my own devices after that, she became a new friend, a director bestie, always cheering for me, offering insights, and generously sharing resources, not to mention making me laugh,” Naeem said.

Alexander studied art history and French at Wellesley College in Massachusetts and earned master’s degrees at New York University and Yale University, where she also completed a doctoral degree in art history in 1999. Before the Walters, she worked at the Yale Center for British Art at Yale University and the San Diego Museum of Art.

In a 2024 interview with The Banner, Alexander praised Baltimore’s “vibrant art and culture scene.”

“There’s really an integrated community of living artists and art from the past. And it’s in a city that’s not too big for itself, so all of us come together regularly and deeply,” she said.

Alexander also served on the Greater Baltimore Cultural Alliance’s board of directors for 10 years, holding positions including chair and treasurer. Jeannie Howe, the nonprofit organization’s executive director, described Alexander as “radiantly energetic.”

“She was visionary, but also incredibly practical and clear-eyed in helping to lead GBCA through some of the most difficult times in its 23-year history,” Howe said in a statement.

When asked her advice for the next director of the Walters, Alexander said to “lean into every single thing Baltimore has to offer.”

“Baltimore is so unique and exciting. It has so much potential to be the leading arts city in the world,” Alexander said.

After Alexander headed north to lead the Kress Foundation, she continued to champion Baltimore, Naeem said.

“She was committed to our beloved Baltimore, even when she left for New York, and we were all rooting for her from afar,” she said. “I daresay I will never have a colleague as genuinely supportive.”

This story was republished with permission from The Baltimore Banner. Visit www.thebaltimorebanner.com for more.

:: See Also ::

Julia Alexander, former executive director of the Walters Art Museum, dies
by Marcus Dieterle
Published May 5 in Baltimore Fishbowl

Baltimore Banner wins Pulitzer Prize for coverage of overdose crisis
by Cody Boteler
Published May 5 in The Baltimore Banner

Excerpt: The Baltimore Banner was awarded the Pulitzer Prize on Monday for groundbreaking local journalism that exposed Baltimore as the deadliest large city in the nation for drug overdoses, calling attention to a crisis that has unfolded as government officials paid little attention to the problem and treatment centers were poorly regulated.

The three Banner journalists spearheading the project – reporter Alissa Zhu, photojournalist Jessica Gallagher, and data specialist Nick Thieme — worked for nearly two years. They pieced together chilling patterns from reams of previously shielded records, and hit the streets to tell the stories of those addicted to opioids and those who’ve lost family and friends. The project was done in collaboration with The New York Times Local Investigations Fellowship.

“Less than three years after The Banner’s launch, our team is extraordinarily honored to accept the organization’s first Pulitzer Prize,” Zhu said. “We are even more honored to see the information we brought to light is now helping shape new conversations, policies and programs to tackle overdoses in our city and state. There’s so much work ahead to be done.”

… this story continues. Read the rest at The Baltimore Banner: Baltimore Banner wins Pulitzer Prize for coverage of overdose crisis

The Phillips Collection Announces Two New Key Appointments: Tiffany McGettigan as Chief of Education and Responsive Learning and Clarisse Fava-Piz as Curator of Modern Art
Press Release :: May 1

The Phillips Collection is pleased to announce the appointments of Tiffany McGettigan as Chief of Education and Responsive Learning and Clarisse Fava-Piz as Curator of Modern Art. These two new hires underscore the museum’s continued commitment to inclusive learning, scholarship, and community engagement. McGettigan will begin her role on May 5, 2025, and Fava-Piz will join the Phillips on July 28, 2025.

“We’re thrilled to welcome Tiffany and Clarisse to The Phillips Collection,” said Vradenburg Director & CEO Jonathan P. Binstock. “Tiffany’s innovative approach to education and Clarisse’s curatorial vision will bring fresh energy to the museum. Their leadership will deepen our connections with diverse audiences and advance our mission to foster relationships between art, people, and ideas through learning and discovery.”

Tiffany McGettigan, Chief of Education and Responsive Learning

As Chief of Education and Responsive Learning, Tiffany McGettigan will lead the museum’s educational vision, programs, and community initiatives. She will oversee inclusive learning experiences that serve audiences of all ages and will play a key leadership role on the Senior Leadership Team. McGettigan will guide a wide-ranging portfolio that includes school partnerships, public programs, and Phillips@THEARC, as well as initiatives connecting art and wellness. She will also provide strategic direction for the museum’s library and archives, fostering deeper interactions with the collection through innovative interpretation and resource development.

McGettigan brings over 20 years of experience in museum and classroom education. She joins the Phillips from the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden, where she served as Head of Education and launched the acclaimed Hirshhorn Art School, a hands-on, all-ages art-making space. There, she helped develop the Smithsonian Institution’s first Professional Learning Standards and Competencies and was recently honored with the 2025 Smithsonian Education Achievement Award.

A former DC Public Schools teacher, McGettigan earned her master’s degree in museum education from The George Washington University and has dedicated her career to advancing educational excellence across the DC metro area through innovation and public service.

“It’s an honor to join The Phillips Collection, a museum that truly values community, creativity, and curiosity,” said McGettigan. “I’ve always believed in the power of art to help people—especially young people—see themselves, connect with others, and explore big ideas. I’m excited to work alongside such a thoughtful team to build meaningful, inclusive learning experiences that welcome people of all ages and backgrounds into the museum.”

Clarisse Fava-Piz, Curator of Modern Art

As Curator of Modern Art, Clarisse Fava-Piz will help steward the Phillips’s internationally recognized modern art collection and collaborate across departments to create dynamic exhibitions and fresh scholarship that foster more inclusive narratives about modern art within a global context. Clarisse’s work will focus on expanding the modernist canon through transnational and interdisciplinary approaches that resonate with contemporary audiences.

Fava-Piz comes to the Phillips from the Denver Art Museum, where she served as Associate Curator of European and American Art Before 1900 and co-curated The Honest Eye: Camille Pissarro’s Impressionism (2025) in collaboration with the Museum Barberini, Potsdam. She has also held roles at the Musée du Louvre, the National Gallery of Art, and the Getty Research Institute. From 2021 to 2023, she was a Mellon Curatorial Fellow at the Meadows Museum, where she curated In the Shadow of Dictatorship: Creating the Museum of Spanish Abstract Art and edited its accompanying catalogue. Among her recent publications, she contributed to the Camille Claudel exhibition catalogue (Getty Publications, 2023), which earned the Alfred H. Barr Jr. Award from the College Art Association.

Fava-Piz holds a PhD in the history of art and architecture from the University of Pittsburgh and an MA in art history from the Université Paris Ouest Nanterre-La Défense.

“I’m excited to welcome Clarisse to our dedicated curatorial team at the Phillips. Her community-centered practice and rich transatlantic perspective will contribute significantly to the museum’s engaging exhibition and collection program, expanding how we think about modernism at the Phillips,” said Chief Curator Elsa Smithgall.

“I’m honored to join The Phillips Collection, a museum that has long shaped how we understand and experience modern art in the US,” said Fava-Piz. “I’m particularly excited by the Phillips’s commitment to expanding the stories we tell about modernism, across geographies, disciplines, and identities. I look forward to working with this incredible team to create exhibitions and experiences that invite people to think critically and connect deeply with art.”

BOPA Announces Winners of the 20th Annual Baltimore Screenwriters Competition
Press Release :: May 3

The Baltimore Office of Promotion & The Arts (BOPA) proudly announced the winners of the 20th annual Baltimore Screenwriters Competition on Saturday, May 3, 2025, at the SNF Parkway Theatre during the Maryland Film Festival’s “Maryland Film Day” weekend. This annual contest is a project of the Baltimore Film Office in partnership with Johns Hopkins University (JHU) and Morgan State University (MSU) and sponsored by the Maryland Film Festival. Prizes were awarded in both the feature and shorts categories to the top three scripts set, or able to be filmed, in Baltimore.

“The Baltimore Screenwriters Competition celebrates 20 years of nurturing screenwriters and encouraging Baltimore stories. The Baltimore Film Office is proud of our long relationship with Johns Hopkins and Morgan State Universities who, along with the Maryland Film Festival, give the writers the opportunity to have their stories read by industry professionals and receive valuable feedback,” says Debbie Donaldson Dorsey, Director of the Baltimore Film Office.

The announcement of this year’s winners kicked off at noon with a panel discussion about the competition and screenwriting moderated by Dorsey. The panel included Keith Mehlinger, head of the film program at MSU; David Warfield, screenwriter and professor at MSU; Annette Porter, Director of the Saul Zaentz Innovation Fund; Stephen Schuyler, winner of the 2020 Baltimore Screenwriter’s Competition and Saul Zaentz fellow for “Stealing Cars;” and film and television writer Ken LaZebnik.

The 2025 Baltimore Screenwriters Competition received 32 scripts. In the first round of judging, scripts were read by students from the Johns Hopkins and Morgan State University writing and film programs. Scripts moved through a second round of readers and in the final round of judging, the winners were selected by industry professionals Nina K. Noble, an Emmy award winning executive producer and producing partner of David Simon’s Blown Deadline Productions; Ken LaZebnik, a film and television writer who is also Director of Long Island University’s MFA in Writing and Producing for Television; Annette Porter, who is a producer at Nylon Films, Co-Director of the JHU MICA Film Centre, as well as the Director of the Saul Zaentz Innovation Fund at Johns Hopkins University; and Baltimore native Darryl Wharton-Rigby, a film & television writer, director and Assistant Professor of Production at Temple University Japan.

The winners of the 2025 Baltimore Screenwriters Competition are:

FEATURE CATEGORY

First Place — Chaseedaw Giles, “Baltimore Barber”
In a West Baltimore neighborhood shadowed by relentless gun violence, the spirits of the deceased linger, haunting those left behind. Anthony, the community barber, navigates the veil between life and death, battling PTSD and a simmering rage as he gives haircuts to the living—and the dead.

Second Place — Evan Balkan, “I’m Possible”
“I’m Possible” charts Richard White’s journey from growing up homeless in West Baltimore to becoming the first African American to earn a doctorate in tuba instruction and enter the rarefied air of the symphony orchestra.

Third Place — Jeff Gray, “End Zones and Equations”
At Baltimore’s prestigious Polytechnic Institute, a benched high school freshman and a star quarterback forge an unlikely bond, facing against their toughest opponents-and their own fears- as they prepare for the game of their lives.

SHORTS CATEGORY

First Place — Catherine Maslen, “Double T”
Before the age of cellphones two estranged lovers decide to meet at a Double T diner in Baltimore. Unbeknownst to them, there are two Double Ts at opposite ends of the same road. Complicated emotions ensue as the ill-fated couple try to figure out what is happening. 

Second Place — Wordsmith, “The Purple Tape”
A group of students go on the hunt for a rare copy of Raekwon’s “The Purple Tape.”

Third Place — George Tittle, “Relations”
A lonely, troubled female ventriloquist wants a relationship-but her dummy objects.

MEET THE SCREENWRITERS 

Evan Balkan is the author of three novels, including the PEN/Faulkner nominated “Independence,” and eight books of nonfiction, most recently “The Castaway’s Tale: Robert Drury, Daniel Defoe, and the Story That Has Linked Them for Three Hundred Years.” He teaches screenwriting at the Community College of Baltimore County, where he holds an Endowed Teaching Chair and where he founded Compass Press, the only university-style press housed at a community college in the United States.

Chaseedaw Giles is a dynamic storyteller whose talents span screenwriting, journalism, music, and acting. Her journalistic work showcases her dedication to highlighting underrepresented voices and addressing critical social issues. In Los Angeles, you can catch Chaseedaw on stage with her husband in their hip-hop/ jazz band Black From Home. Their music explores themes in Black culture, love, and resilience through a powerful fusion of genres. While living in D.C. and Maryland, Chaseedaw could be found on stage performing in various local theatre productions. Her work across these mediums gives her a unique perspective as a screenwriter. Her ability to blend real-world issues with narrative depth, authenticity, and emotional resonance positions her as a powerful voice in film. With a proven track record in multiple creative disciplines, Chaseedaw is poised to push the boundaries of independent film and deliver projects that resonate both socially and artistically.

Jeff Gray is a Baltimore-based screenwriter and filmmaker whose work blends the surreal with the deeply personal. His writing explores themes of psychological transformation, isolation, and the mystical undercurrents of everyday life — often through haunting imagery and unconventional characters. He graduated from Towson University in 2017 with a Bachelor’s in Electronic Media and Film from Towson University and in 2018 from Morgan State University with a Bachelor’s in Architecture and Environmental Design.

Catherine Maslen is a writer who grew up in Baltimore. She worked for years as a bartender, co-owner of a classic movie and art house (The Orpheum Theater) and then spent 25 years as a primary care doctor working in community healthcare in Baltimore. She retired two years ago from medicine and is now certified to teach English as a Second or Other Language. Her hobbies are long distance road tripping, reading, writing, and playing piano. She has just written her first film script and would like to be more involved with independent filmmaking once she returns from a 6-month road trip to Alaska.

George Andre Tittle thinks of himself not as a writer—but as a director who writes. Consequently, he asks himself one key question about every scene. What do I need to make this work directorially? And that’s what he writes. He doesn’t describe shots. Instead, he creates the business and physical actions his characters perform. Actions that clearly convey his characters’ intentions and emotional state. Thus, the most consistent

feedback he receives from readers is, “I could see it.” Having studied film and drama at Syracuse University’s College of Visual Performing Arts, and later in Los Angeles with legendary acting and directing teacher Judith Weston, Andre now teaches very well received workshops in directing, screenwriting, and visual storytelling. He is a longtime member of the board of the Baltimore Playwrights Festival. He directs both the camera and the stage. And he is a former finalist for both the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences’ Nicholl Fellowship in Screenwriting, and The Kairos Prize for Spiritually Uplifting Screenplays.

Wordsmith is a songwriter, poet, recording artist, actor, playwright and philanthropist from Baltimore, MD. He earned a full athletic scholarship to play football at Morgan State University and graduated from Salisbury University with a Bachelor of Performing Arts Degree in 2002. He is a Grammy Voting Member, winner of the 2025 Bernard/Ebb Songwriting Awards, finalist for the 2024 Baker Artist Awards, voted one of 25 Black Marylanders to Watch in 2024 by the Baltimore Sun, and a five-time ASCAPLUS Award winner.  He is an International Exchange Alumni with the US Department of State and has performed major concerts, humanitarian missions and held music/performance/poetry workshops around the world.  In 2018, Wordsmith was hired to write new narration for Carnival of the Animals with the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, officially becoming an artistic partner with the BSO in September 2020. Wordsmith officially opened his nonprofit Rise with a Purpose, Inc. in 2020, while delivering his first Ted Talk via John Hopkins University. Always looking to expand his horizons, Wordsmith joined the faculty of Baltimore School for the Arts as a playwright and director, while recently being voted on the board for the B&O Railroad Museum.

:: See Also ::

2025 Baltimore Screenwriters Competition winners announced
by Marcus Dieterle
Published May 5 in Baltimore Fishbowl

BMA to Open The Way of Nature: Art from Japan, China, and Korea
Press Release :: May 1

This September, the Baltimore Museum of Art (BMA) will open The Way of Nature: Art from Japan, China, and Korea, which draws on the museum’s extensive holdings to consider the importance of nature in East Asian cultures. The exhibition features more than 40 objects, from magnificent ink drawings to beautifully crafted stoneware and poignant contemporary photographs and prints. Collectively, the works reflect on nature as a vital source of creative inspiration and spiritual connection and consider human existence within the complexity of the vast natural world across centuries and into the present day. The Way of Nature: Art from Japan, China, and Korea will be on view September 21, 2025, through March 8, 2026, and is part of the BMA’s Turn Again to the Earth initiative, which explores the relationships between art and the environment.

“The Way of Nature offers an insightful look at the intertwining roots of artistic expression and the experience of the natural world through vibrant works from the BMA’s Asian art collection. It’s an exciting opportunity to see objects on view for the first time, or in a long time, through a lens that is both accessible and meaningful, as many of us seek connection through and to nature,” said Asma Naeem, the BMA’s Dorothy Wagner Wallis Director.

The Way of Nature is organized around four overarching themes that engage with elemental aspects of the natural world and human intervention within it. The exhibition opens with a section that examines depictions, interpretations, and connections to the qualities of air, water, and stone. Another section explores the significance of the changing seasons as visual indicators of nature’s transformative power. It continues with works that capture human intrusion into the natural realm, as artists reveal humanity’s environmental impact through both imagery of calamitous events and in more subtle and ambiguous scenes, and concludes with consideration of the spiritual transcendence that can be found in nature. […]

Photography Exhibition From the National Museum of the American Indian’s Archives Center Reveals Community Stories
Press Release :: April 24

The Smithsonian’s National Museum of the American Indian on the National Mall will open “InSight: Photos and Stories from the Archives” Friday, May 23. Drawing from the more than a half-million photographs in the museum’s Archives Center, the exhibition gives an intimate view of Indigenous lives across the Western Hemisphere and across time. The photographs show everyday moments of joy and quiet reflection. In them, people attend social gatherings, pose for family photos and learn from relatives.

In addition to providing a glimpse of daily life and significant moments, the exhibition highlights a core mission of the Archives Center: to continually work with community members to add information to the photo collections. Over time, through relationship-building and collaboration, the center has gathered a trove of stories behind the images. This exhibition is the culmination of the ongoing and collaborative process of revealing the vibrant lives behind still shots.

The exhibition was curated by Emily Moazami, head archivist; Rachel Menyuk, processing archivist; and Nathan Sowry, reference archivist.

About the Museum
In partnership with Native peoples and their allies, the National Museum of the American Indian fosters a richer shared human experience through a more informed understanding of Native peoples. The museum in Washington, D.C., is located on the National Mall at Fourth Street and Independence Avenue S.W. For additional information, including hours and directions, visit AmericanIndian.si.edu. Follow the museum via social media @SmithsonianNMAI.

Bromo Art Walk Offers Night of Local Art and Culture Across 11 Downtown Blocks With More Than 30 Partners
Press Release :: April 21

The Bromo Arts District announces the return of its popular Bromo Art Walk, scheduled for Thursday, May 15, from 5 to 9 p.m. This immersive, multi-block event celebrates Baltimore’s vibrant arts community through open galleries, live performances, innovative installations, and engaging experiences throughout the district.

This self-guided neighborhood art stroll allows visitors to choose their own adventure as more than 30 arts organizations offer engaging activities across 22 locations within an 11-block stretch in the heart of Downtown Baltimore.

“Twice a year, our thriving arts community in the heart of our city comes together to host a self-guided art walk that spotlights the dynamic, curious, and inspired work born in the Bromo Arts District,” said Emily Breiter, Executive Director of the Bromo Arts District. “Each Bromo Art Walk is a unique experience—we encourage everyone to grab a friend and immerse themselves in the talent of the artists who call Bromo home, supporting our local artists and businesses along the way.”

Visitors will explore open studios, enjoy live dance, theater, and music performances, and engage directly with local artists and makers. Participating venues include the historic Bromo Seltzer Arts Tower, Eubie Blake Cultural Center, Everyman Theatre, Current Space, and many more.

Highlighted performances include Ballet After Dark’s open rehearsal, the Charles Funn Big Band’s jazz showcase, and the Baltimore Playwrights Festival’s staged reading of “All Five of Us.” Attendees can also explore interactive experiences such as blacklight painting at Making Art Matter Rage Paint, papier mache sculpting at Fluid Movement, and recording playful radio ads at Lineup Room Recording Studio.

In addition to art experiences, district eateries and shops will offer special promotions to event registrants. Highlights include 15% off books at Charm City Books, discounted treats at Lexington Market and Mount Vernon Marketplace vendors, and exclusive menu selections at SpringHill Suites’ 100 North Bar.

The evening wraps with a Bromo Art Walk After Party from 9-11 p.m. at Current Space’s Garden Bar, featuring a live performance from Glorian, Joseph Mulhollen’s experimental pop project. From operatic dance tracks to experimental acoustic sets, Glorian blends neo-folk and electronic dance pop to set the mood for the night. DJ ILYSM closes out the night with a high-energy set.

Registration for the Art Walk is free but highly encouraged for event updates and access to special promotions. Detailed event maps will be available on-site and digitally in advance.

The Bromo Arts District spans 117 acres on the west side of Downtown Baltimore, featuring galleries, studios, theaters, and performance art spaces. With the legendary Howard Street at its core, Bromo showcases a rich cultural history and a dynamic, boundary-pushing art scene particular to Baltimore. Each participating organization contributes uniquely to the event—hosting tours, open houses, live performances, workshops, and more.

The Bromo Art Walk is supported by the Maryland State Arts Council, the City of Baltimore, and Downtown Partnership of Baltimore.

For more information, visit https://www.eventbrite.com/e/bromo-art-walk-may-15-2025-registration-1237715884529?aff=PR.

ABOUT BROMO ARTS DISTRICT: The Bromo Arts District was established in 2012 to create a thriving cultural district in Downtown Baltimore by supporting local artists and arts organizations. The district currently has more than 30 galleries, music venues, theaters, and arts collectives that call Bromo home. The district is a 117-acre area on the west side of Downtown Baltimore, from Park Avenue to Greene Street and Read Street to Lombard Street.

Baltimore Symphony Orchestra’s May Concert Lineup Features World Premieres, Cult Film Favorites, and Star Conductor Debuts
Press Release :: May 1

The Baltimore Symphony Orchestra (BSO) announces its May 2025 performance lineup, offering a dynamic mix of classical milestones, interactive family programming, cinematic scores, and community celebrations. From the world premiere of a new cello concerto by James Lee III to a collaboration with superstar DJ D-Nice at the Preakness 150 Festival, May brings something extraordinary for every audience.

Brahms Symphony No. 1 with Jonathon Heyward

Jonathon Heyward, conductor
Joshua Roman, cello

Music Director Jonathon Heyward leads a powerful program that culminates in Brahms’ towering Symphony No. 1. The concert also features the world premiere of a new BSO-commissioned cello concerto, Renewed Mind, by Composer in Residence James Lee III, performed by the electrifying Joshua Roman, and Elgar’s dramatic overture Froissart.

Thursday, May 1, 8 PM – Strathmore
Sunday, May 4, 3 PM – Meyerhoff

Casual Conversations: A special early-evening format with no intermission and with an abbreviated, featuring an onstage discussion with Heyward, Roman, Lee III, and WYPR’s Tom Hall.

Saturday, May 3, 7 PM – Meyerhoff

Music Box: Great Big Animals

Maria Broom, host

Families will meet the gentle giants of the animal kingdom in this engaging concert for young children. Featuring a jazz combo and interactive storytelling, Great Big Animals explores elephants, hippos, bears, and more.

Saturday, May 3, 10 & 11:30 AM – Meyerhoff
Saturday, May 10, 10 & 11:30 AM – Black Rock Center

Heroes and Heroines: Iconic Film Scores

Sarah Hicks, conductor
Dariusz Skoraczewski, cello

From Star Wars and The Lord of the Rings to The Incredibles and Wonder Woman, this cinematic program is an epic journey through the music of our most beloved film heroes and heroines.

Friday, May 9, 8 PM – Strathmore
Saturday, May 10, 8 PM – Meyerhoff
Sunday, May 11, 3 PM – Meyerhoff

OrchKids Spring Celebration

Celebrate the talent and dedication of Baltimore’s youth as students from all nine OrchKids sites perform in a variety of ensembles, including wind and string groups, choir, and Latin and Brass Bands.

Wednesday, May 14, 5:30 PM – Meyerhoff

Preakness 150 Festival: Club Quarantine 5 Live

Igmar Thomas, conductor
DJ D-Nice, guest artist

As part of the Preakness 150 festivities, the BSO musicians are excited to join forces with DJ D-Nice and Club Quarantine for an unforgettable evening at Pier Six Pavilion, blending orchestral power with dance floor energy. This signature event is part of the inaugural Preakness Festival 150, a weeklong celebration of Maryland’s equestrian history, rich cultural heritage, and strong communities, leading up to the historic 150th running of the Preakness Stakes on May 17, 2025.

Wednesday, May 14, 8 PM – Pier Six Pavilion

NARUTO: The Symphonic Experience

This immersive, two-hour multimedia concert brings over 220 episodes of the hit anime to life with a live orchestra performing composer Toshio Masuda’s original score.

Thursday, May 15, 8 PM – Meyerhoff

(Please note: The Baltimore Symphony Orchestra does not appear on this program.)

Mozart & Schubert with Dame Jane Glover

Dame Jane Glover, conductor
Harrison Miller, bassoon

Renowned British conductor Dame Jane Glover makes her BSO debut with a vibrant program of Classical-era gems. The concert features Nino Rota’s playful Bassoon Concerto, performed by BSO Principal Bassoon Harrison Miller.

Saturday, May 17, 8 PM – Strathmore
Sunday, May 18, 3 PM – Meyerhoff

BSYO Spring Concerts

The talented young musicians of the Baltimore Symphony Youth Orchestras close out their season with an inspiring evening of music.

Sunday, May 18, 6:30 PM & 8 PM – Meyerhoff

Zhang Conducts Tchaikovsky

Xian Zhang, conductor
Jonathan Carney, violin

Maestra Xian Zhang returns with an evocative program that blends Tchaikovsky’s romantic ballet music and symphonic drama with Glazunov’s Violin Concerto and Chen Yi’s Landscape Impression.

Thursday, May 29, 8 PM – Strathmore
Saturday, May 31, 8 PM – Meyerhoff
Sunday, June 1, 3 PM – Meyerhoff

Tickets are available at BSOmusic.org.

Dorothy Redding taught Baltimore artists how to make their own masterpieces
by Cayla Harris
Published May 2 in The Baltimore Banner

Excerpt: As Dorothy Redding‘s memory faded, she would often repeat sentences, forgetting she had said them a few minutes prior. But that rarely happened when she talked about art.

Art was its own language, and she spoke it fluently. When she repeated herself, it was mostly for emphasis. She stressed the importance of the “masters” — the pre-19th century Italian, Dutch, Flemish and English painters who set artistic standards for generations and influenced her own work.

“She was more fluid, more comfortable — everything flowed when she talked about that,” said Jeannie Finnegan, a geriatric care manager and dementia practitioner who met with Redding for about a year and a half and documented her life story. “You could definitely pick up on the passion of it.”

… this story continues. Read the rest at The Baltimore Banner: Dorothy Redding taught Baltimore artists how to make their own masterpieces

Poe House & Museum plans expansion and preservation with boost from Wells Fargo Foundation
by Aliza Worthington
Published May 2 in Baltimore Fishbowl

Excerpt: Poe Baltimore announced that a $150,000 donation from the Wells Fargo Foundation makes them the inaugural donor for the planned expansion and preservation of the historic Edgar Allan Poe House & Museum.

In April, the museum, which is stewarded by Poe Baltimore, submitted plans for the major expansion to the Baltimore City Urban Design and Architectural Planning Board (UDAAP). The expansion is expected to take place over multiple phases and several years.

The proposal involves up to 17,000 additional square feet for ongoing and special exhibits in multiple galleries, an auditorium, reading room, special collections and exhibits, a literary garden, and expanded space for museum operations and gift shop.

:: See Also ::

Doomsday 2025: 24-hour Poe readathon returns with a gloomy goth guest to set the mood
by Aliza Worthington
Published April 30 in Baltimore Fishbowl

Coming to Baltimore theatre stages in May: John Wilkes Booth, Victorian vampire, Einstein & Picasso, and more
by Marcus Dieterle
Published May 2 in Baltimore Fishbowl

Excerpt: Plays about Maryland actor and assassin John Wilkes Booth, monstrous creatures, and mental health will all come to Baltimore theatre stages during the month of May.

Learn about some of the upcoming shows in this theatrical roundup.

Approaching 80: Filmmaker John Waters talks about how he avoids becoming an old fart, stage diving and his ‘youth spies’
by Ed Gunts
Published May 1 in Baltimore Fishbowl

Excerpt: Writer and filmmaker John Waters isn’t shy about giving advice. He wrote a book that was full of it: “Mr. Know-It-All – The Tarnished Wisdom of a Filth Elder.”

As he approached his 79th birthday on April 22, it seemed that much of the wisdom Waters imparted in interviews and during his spoken-word shows was about aging with grace and staying current.

In some cases, that was because he was responding candidly to audience or interviewers’ questions about his future. (Questions can be “about anything in the world,” he says before Q&A sessions.) At other times, he brought up the subject on his own. Either way, it’s clear that even though he just turned 79, he’s already given serious thought to the next milestone, 80, and how to avoid becoming an “old fart.”

No Boundaries Coalition Unites Community With 18th Annual Boundary Block Party
Press Release :: May 5

No Boundaries Coalition, a Central West Baltimore-based non-profit, is partnering with Black Arts District for its signature annual event – the Boundary Block Party. A decade after the tragic death of Sandtown-Winchester resident Freddie Gray, the neighborhoods most directly impacted during the 2015 civil unrest are coming together to continue their journey of community transformation and collective healing. This family friendly event brings together residents from Central West Baltimore’s seven neighborhoods for a day of fun, food, and advocacy for the organization’s three program pillars: health and food justice, civic engagement, and youth development.

No Boundaries Coalition’s 18th Annual Boundary Block Party will take place in the Black Arts
District on Saturday, May 31st from 12pm – 4pm at Cumberland and Carey Park, 1641 N.
Carey St. In partnership with the Black Arts District, this year’s theme is “Art as Activism” and will feature a celebration of local arts organizations and businesses that have demonstrated a commitment to arts advocacy and cultural preservation. Attendees can look forward to live entertainment from local musical artists, interactive family activities, a community resource fair and fresh produce market, and a variety of food trucks.

“The Boundary Block Party is our signature event,” says Executive Director Ashiah Parker,
“In fact, it’s the event that brought the communities of Central West Baltimore together before the Coalition was formally launched.” The work of the organization began in 2008 with the first Boundary Block Party, organized by residents from either side of Eutaw Place, a historic neighborhood and racial dividing line.

The success of this event and subsequent Block Parties led to neighborhood leaders from across
Central West Baltimore meeting to discuss their vision of organizing and advocacy. During the
apex of the Baltimore Uprising in 2015, No Boundaries Coalition demonstrated the power of
community organizing by mobilizing volunteers to go beyond police barricades into what felt like a militarized zone to check on the physical, mental, and emotional wellbeing of their neighbors an early example of the grassroots advocacy that continues to define the organization’s civic engagement work today.

No Boundaries Coalition formed as a resident-led advocacy organization with a mission to
deconstruct physical and imagined barriers in Central West Baltimore through training,
education, and base building, thereby empowering residents to lead and live sustained community transformation. Led by Executive Director Parker, No Boundaries Coalition has organized peace rallies, advocated for equitable school construction and funding, provided leadership development, and most importantly, contributed to improving relationships and building trust between residents and police.

This event is free and open to the public. You can learn more about the 18th Annual Boundary
Block Party and how to get involved by visiting www.noboundariescoalition.com.

These restaurant owners are living the American dream. They’re moving to Italy.
by Christina Tkacik
Published May 4 in The Baltimore Banner

Excerpt: Sam and Paul Mincarelli were on vacation in Penne, Italy, when they learned that their favorite local restaurant had closed down after a century in business. “We jokingly talked about us reopening it,” Sam said. “We never thought that would happen.“

Now it’s happening. At the end of June, they’ll close Cafe Campli, their love letter to Italian food on Harford Road, to open their own restaurant in Penne, where they’ll serve up similar fare with a Maryland twist.

As Americans, the idea of cooking Italian food in Italy “feels a bit like culinary mansplaining,” Paul joked. But he’s confident they’ll win over Penne’s diners with some help from Sam’s recipe for crab cakes.

… this story continues. Read the rest at The Baltimore Banner: These restaurant owners are living the American dream. They’re moving to Italy.