BmoreArt

This week’s news includes: Amy Sherald nominates René Treviño for 2025 Frieze London Fair, Murjoni Merriweather and Rodney Jermaine Elliott (Qrcky) selected as 2025 Joshua Johnson Council AIRs, Dapper Dan Midas takes the stage, the Mayor celebrates Artscape’s success, Vincent Lancisi to retire from Everyman Theatre, the Cordish Collection’s casino home, Latin American Art on Free Admissions Podcast, MICA launches two new BFA programs, a local bookstore roundup, State Fair exhibition comes to the Renwick, The National Gallery of Art acquires gift from Lenore and Bernard Greenberg, and Juneteenth events at Enoch Pratt  — with reporting from Baltimore Magazine, Baltimore Fishbowl, The Baltimore Banner, and other local and independent news sources.

Header Image: Suzi Cordish stands in front of Jennifer Steinkamp’s video installation “Botanic 3.” (Jerry Jackson/The Baltimore Banner)

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René Treviño nominated by Amy Sherald for solo presentation at Frieze London 2025
Press Release :: June 6

Erin Cluley Gallery is pleased to announce Baltimore-based artist René Treviño’s inclusion in the 2025 Frieze London Fair. For the third edition of its Artist-to-Artist section, Treviño was nominated to participate by Amy Sherald, celebrated for her portrait of former First Lady Michelle Obama and currently the subject of her first major museum exhibition, American Sublime, which is traveling from the Whitney Museum to the National Portrait Gallery in Washington, DC. In previous years, world-renowned artists including Rashid Johnson, Glenn Ligon, and Simone Leigh have selected emerging artistic voices for solo presentations at the fair’s London edition. Treviño will present Moscas en la Pared (Flies on the Wall), an exhibition of paintings and fabric sculpture at Frieze London from October 15 – 19, 2025.

René Treviño’s practice remixes histories of Western Europe and Indigenous Mesoamerica. In one painting, the globe Hercules holds in Atlas’ place is replaced by the Aztec Calendar Stone. In another series, multinational insignias, flags, and logos are equalized in a large grid. In Moscas en la Pared (Flies on the Wall), Treviño attunes himself to the sociopolitical moment. Against rising factions of cultural extremism, his art occupies the dual position of redeemer and sly intruder: a fly on the wall.

At the center of his Frieze presentation is Regalia, Moscas Brillantes (Rojo) (2025), a half-scale royal garment that blends elements of European coronation robes and Aztec ceremonial headdresses. Decorated in rich applique, lace, and rhinestones, this work envisions visual decadence unlatched from geopolitical authority, while, at the same time, imagining an intersectional future. Moscas Brillantes translates to “Shining Flies,” referring both to the rhinestone flies on the garment (inspired by the insect’s presence in historical Dutch painting as a memento mori) and the brilliance of queer resistance in art.

René Treviño (b. 1972; Kingsville, TX) is a multimedia artist and painter based in Baltimore, Maryland. He received his BFA in Fine Arts from the School of Visual Arts (SVA) in 2003 and his MFA from the Maryland Institute College of Art (MICA) in 2005.

Treviño’s work has been exhibited at the Wadsworth Athenaeum (Hartford, CT), Baltimore Museum of Art (Baltimore, MD), Phillips Museum of Art (Lancaster, PA), Kentucky College of Art + Design (Louisville, KY), Walters Art Museum (Baltimore, MD), Goliath Visual Space (Brooklyn, NY), White Box (New York City, NY), Delaware Center for Contemporary Art (Wilmington, DE), Arlington Arts Center (Arlington, VA), the Reginald F. Lewis Museum of Maryland African American History and Culture (Baltimore, MD). In 2024, The Wellin Museum of Art at Hamilton College (Clinton, NY) presented the first museum survey of Trevino’s work.

In collaboration with the Old Jail Art Center in Albany, TX he was awarded an Art Works Grant from the National Endowment for the Arts in 2018. His work was included in the 2007 WPA/Corcoran OPTIONS Biennial in Washington DC. He is the recipient of a 2021 Baker Artist Award, a 2009 Baltimore Creative Fund Individual Artist Grant and won the 2009 Trawick Prize. In 2025, the artist was selected by American portraitist, Amy Sherald, for inclusion in the Frieze London Artist-to-Artist section. The artist’s solo presentation, Moscas en la Pared (Flies on the Wall), will debut at Frieze London in October 2025.

Treviño has been an artist-in-residence at the Fine Arts Work Center (Provincetown, MA), the Creative Alliance (Baltimore, MD), AIR Serenbe (Serenbe, GA), the Studios of Key West (Key West, FL), and the Virginia Center for Contemporary Art (Amherst, VA).

His work has been featured in The New York Times, Hyperallergic, Art Papers, New American Painters, Baltimore Sun, Baltimore City Paper, Philadelphia Enquirer, Washington Blade, Washington Post, Dallas Observer, and D Magazine as well as several online publications. Treviño currently lives and works in Baltimore, Maryland.

BMA Announces Murjoni Merriweather and Rodney Jermaine Elliott (Qrcky) Selected as 2025 JJC Summer Artists-in-Residence at MICA
Press Release :: June 4

The Baltimore Museum of Art, (BMA), Joshua Johnson Council (JJC), and the Maryland Institute College of Art (MICA) today announced Murjoni Merriweather and Rodney Jermaine Elliott (Qrcky)

have been selected for the 2025 Summer Artist-in-Residence program at MICA jointly sponsored by the three organizations. Launched in 2022, the residency program provides selected artists the opportunity to work in MICA’s Fred Lazarus IV Studio Center Studio over the course of eight weeks in June and July, allowing the artists to expand their work and scale, as well as embedding themselves within the college community. Murjoni and Qrcky are both Baltimore-based artists who were selected by a five-panel jury comprised of Tracey Beale, Benjamin Kelley, and Gwendolyn Statham, representing each organization, as well as last year’s JJC Artists-in-Residence Ainsley Burrows and Vetiver (Vonne Napper).

“Now in its fourth year, the JJC summer residency is an established program for supporting the careers of Baltimore-area artists and connecting them to the MICA community,” said Rose McNeill, JJC President. “We have been excited each year to witness the growth that occurs through these relationships. The artists tell us how rare it is to have a studio space, welcoming community, and financial resources to develop their practice.”

Murjoni Merriweather

Merriweather (b. 1996, Temple Hills, MD) creates sculpted beings that are based around real people and real experiences. Her clay portraits and videos uplift the community by addressing and eliminating stereotypes and normalizing what is natural about black bodies. Merriweather is a graduate of the Maryland Institute College of Art (MICA) with a B.F.A. in ceramics and concentration in film/video and has continued her education with residencies at the Creative Alliance in Baltimore, Fountainhead Residency in Miami, the Alma | Lewis Residency in Pittsburgh, and Mass MoCA Studio in North Adams, Massachusetts. Her work has been featured in exhibitions at the Baltimore Museum of Art, Creative Alliance, Eubie Blake Cultural Center, and The Walters Art Museum in Baltimore, as well as at the Saint Louis Art Museum in Missouri and Rubell Museum in Miami, among others.

Rodney Jermaine Elliott (Qrcky)

Qrcky (b. Virginia) grew up in southern Virginia where the art world seemed distant and disconnected from his family’s experience. He became captivated by the creative genius of Chuck Jones, Norman Rockwell, and Bob Ross and spent endless hours emulating their techniques and immersing himself in cartoons. Two decades later, after facing the challenges of a difficult marriage and turbulent relationships, Qrcky reconnected with art as a powerful outlet for self-expression. This return to his creative roots brought forth a newfound clarity and passion, allowing him to carve out a style unmistakably his own. To fully embrace his artistic vision, Qrcky chose solitude, temporarily distancing himself from friends and family. This deliberate seclusion became a sanctuary, providing the focus and freedom to produce some of his most impactful works. Through this deep, introspective process, Qrcky discovered a unique artistic voice and a profound sense of peace and fulfillment.

Jurors

Tracey Beale, Director of Public Programs, Baltimore Museum of Art; Benjamin Kelley, Director of Fabrication Studios and Adjunct Faculty at the Maryland Institute College of Art; Gwendolyn Statham, Joshua Johnson Council member; Ainsley Burrows, 2024JJC Artist-in-Residence; Vetiver (Vonne Napper), 2024 JJC Artist-in-Residence.

Hip-hop trailblazer Dapper Dan Midas sets the stage for queer Baltimore talent
by Al Shipley
Published June 6 in The Baltimore Banner

Excerpt: When Emmanuel “Dapper Dan Midas” Williams received a call this year asking him to curate a day of music and entertainment at the Harborplace Amphitheater, it was uncharted territory for him.

“You’re essentially booking a mini one-day festival, which is something that I’ve never done,” he said, kicking back on a park bench on a recent sunny afternoon in Riverside Park near his home in Federal Hill. “I looked at the festivals that I’ve gone to. I’ve looked at what works. You have to first create a vibe.”

He decided he was ready to take on the challenge of curating — and playing — the first weekend of this year’s “Baltimore by Baltimore” festival series. The event Saturday, put on by the Waterfront Partnership of Baltimore, will also kick off the city’s Pride Month festivities.

… this story continues. Read the rest at The Baltimore Banner: Hip-hop trailblazer Dapper Dan Midas sets the stage for queer Baltimore talent

Mayor Scott Highlights Success of Artscape 2025
Press Release :: June 5

Mayor Brandon M. Scott and the Mayor’s Office of Art, Culture and Entertainment (MOACE), in co-production with the Baltimore Office of Promotion & The Arts (BOPA), celebrate the phenomenal success of Artscape 2025, the nation’s largest free public outdoor arts festival. With record breaking attendance post the COVID-19 pandemic — well over 100,000 attendees were drawn into Baltimore’s reimagined downtown core this past weekend and Artscape cemented its legacy as a transformative cultural, economic, and artistic powerhouse.

A Defining Cultural Moment

Backed by visionary leadership and an outpouring of community pride, Artscape 2025 expanded on last year’s momentum with bold new programming, record-setting attendance, and unforgettable performances from icons across music, visual art, and film.

“Artscape this year was phenomenal, thanks to hundreds of hardworking public servants, volunteers, and event coordinators working around the clock. For the first time, we brought the festival to the heart of our Downtown Baltimore, where we enjoyed local art, national and local musical talent, great food vendors, and so much more together,” said Mayor Brandon M. Scott. “I’m so proud of Artscape and the positive response we’ve heard from artists and attendees alike. We will make improvements, so stay tuned for next year!”

“As a visionary, you plan with hope — but to see this embraced and celebrated at this scale is extraordinary,” said Tonya Miller Hall, Senior Advisor for MOACE. “Artscape 2025 was a defining moment for Baltimore’s cultural renaissance.”

“Artscape 2025 stands as a testament to what’s possible through intentional curation and true partnership. I am incredibly proud of what the BOPA team accomplished this year in collaboration with the City of Baltimore. Together, we created a festival that not only celebrated our city’s vibrant arts community but also reflected a shared commitment to excellence. Our artists and the citizens of Baltimore deserve the very best, and I believe this year, they received it. The success of Artscape 2025 sets a strong foundation for what’s to come,” said Interim BOPA CEO, Robyn Murphy. 

HIGHLIGHTS OF ARTSCAPE 2025

90,000+ in a Single Evening

Baltimore’s downtown corridor came alive with music, murals, and motion. Attendees described the atmosphere as “electric,” with Saturday evening alone welcoming over 90,000 festival goers.

Scout Art Fair

Scout, the inaugural Affordable Art Fair, was curated by contemporary artist Derrick Adams and Teri Henderson, who served as curatorial assistant. The fair showcased over 40 solo artists and 6 galleries, with many vendors reporting complete sell-outs. “Bringing the vision of Scout Art Fair into reality was a dream come true,” said Derrick Adams. “The support of the mayor’s office made it that much more meaningful. The artists and galleries who participated are truly grateful for this endeavor and hope that it will become an annual event.”

In Conversation & Beyond the Reel Series at Baltimore Center Stage; Standing Room Only 

“Baltimore’s art scene is truly something special. Every time I visit, I’m welcomed with open arms and inspired by the city’s vibrant artist community. The conversations were rich and nourishing. Artscape was an incredible experience, and I’m already looking forward to coming back and exploring even more of what this beautiful city has to offer,” said Kofi Siriboe, Artscape moderator, actor, entrepreneur, cultural innovator, and founder of TOLA in New Orleans.

These two new features brought artists, filmmakers, and activists together for vital discussions on art, culture and equity. “I love this city and to see the artists, including a storied filmmaking community, have a moment to shine was energizing,” said DC Wade, producer of the Sundance award winning film Ricky.

“Artscape was an incredibly inspiring weekend for everyone who was able to witness it! It was a great privilege to be called home as Honorary Chair and engage with so many dynamic artists and festivalgoers alike,” said actress and entrepreneur Lex Scott Davis of Suits LA. 

“Baltimore is beautiful,” said filmmaker and director of ESPN’s 30 for 30 entitled Baltimore Boys, Sheldon Candis. “I’ve been to Sundance, I’ve been to Art Basel, I’ve been to Austin City Limits and what I just experienced in Charm City this weekend is special beyond measure.”

Artscape After Dark 

This year Artscape’s after hours programming took over Hotel Ulysses in Mount Vernon and Ikonic Live nightclub right on the main Artscape footprint. Frenchie Davis, who also headlined The Echoes of the City stage performed for two nights in the hotel’s Bloom’s Bar. Both nights were filled to capacity and RSVPs were forced to close in a matter of minutes. Across the hall in the Ash Bar poet, Dr. Rebecca Dupas curated Femme Frequency. 

“I have such tremendous love for Baltimore City and its art scene. It was an absolute honor to be invited to curate Femme Frequency for Artscape 2025 and to bring amazing women artists with me, not only to give a nod to the Harlem Renaissance era but to share our talent and passion with a city that has embraced us and held us up as poets and vocalists,” said Dr. Rebecca Dupas. “There was so much laughter, nostalgia, power, culture, femininity, and inspiration in that room. Many in attendance have been asking when we’ll do this again.”

“When the Mayor said he would pull up to my party and DJ, I was certain he was joking at first. Not only did he pull up, he rocked out and brought Phonte from Little Brother with him to witness the Baltimore artists and DJs I had playing. Overall, this year I felt as local artists we were not only included but listened to,” said Eze Jackson, musician and host of the Artscape Afterparty at Ikonic Live. “The new location felt like new life has been breathed into Artscape and I’m already looking forward to next year.”

Unforgettable Performances 

Crowds were treated to dynamic live sets from Fantasia, Robin Thicke, Freeway, LeToya Luckett-Coles, Tanner Adell, Frenchie Davis, Gabby Samone, Bad Hombres, and more.

“What an amazing event Artscape is, honored to be a part of it. Baltimore was rocking. This is where my first single, Lost Without U, really blew up,” said Robin Thicke. “So, it’s always like a second home to me. We always love coming to Baltimore; it’s such a great crowd, great energy, great culture, and great food. We love it here.”

“Artscape was such an experience. It was my first time. It was an honor and privilege to be on that stage performing for the most amazing people of Baltimore. The energy was crazy. I hope I can see you again,” said LeToya Luckett-Coles. “I have been a fan of Baltimore for as long as I can remember. Baltimore is one of my favorite getaways and has always had a special place in my heart. I love the city, and I love what it’s growing into. Y’all better invite me back!”

“Baltimore, I love you. The energy was live, said Fantasia, who gave powerful advice to rising artist Baltimore native and American Idol Top 7 finalist, Gabby Samone: “Don’t try to be number one — just put out your music.”

“Baltimore is not a hard city to play in. I feel very loved,” added country newcomer Tanner Adell.

“It’s a blessing to be here,” said Freeway, who received a life-saving kidney transplant at Johns Hopkins. “Baltimore is like a second home. I’m looking forward to bringing workforce development here.”

“There was this warm sense of community and love,” said Frenchie Davis. “Baltimore knows how to have a good time.”

“Artscape was a soundtrack of new energy,” said Bryan Robinson of the Black Genius Art Show. “It was like walking through a neighborhood of good vibes.”

COMMUNITY IMPACT

Vendors reported record-breaking sales, with Saturday eclipsing totals from prior years. Flavor lab food vendors sold out completely by nightfall. The Peale museum which housed this year’s Janet & Walter Sondheim Art Prize Semifinalist Exhibition welcomed 12,000 people on Saturday alone. “This has been the best day of The Peale’s life since we reopened!” said Nancy Proctor of The Peale. “We are on track to more than double our annual attendance just in these two days. I could cry, I’m so happy! Everybody is loving Artscape — congratulations and thank you for a magnificent job!”

An ‘anonymous angel’ helped Everyman Theatre through early struggles
by Dan Rodricks
Published June 11 in Baltimore Fishbowl

Excerpt: Theater historians believe Anonymous wrote several plays, from ancient Greece into the Middle Ages, including a 15th Century work called The Summoning of Everyman, or just Everyman.

Anonymous has also made the staging of plays possible, donating cumulatively millions of dollars to theaters around the world and across the country, including Everyman in Baltimore.

Hundreds of Marylanders have contributed to the professional theater Vincent Lancisi established in 1990. Their names appear in the programs given to the audience with each production.

:: See Also ::

Unity and music across a Baltimore dividing line
by Dan Rodricks
Published June 4 in Baltimore Fishbowl

One of Maryland’s most impressive art collections is at a suburban casino
by Wesley Case
Published June 4 in The Baltimore Banner

Art is everywhere, American sculptor Louise Nevelson once said. Even in a shopping center in suburban Anne Arundel County.

Steps away from a Burlington clothing store and a Medieval Times dinner theater is an unexpected oasis for art lovers: the Cordish Collection, housed in Hanover’s Live! Casino & Hotel.

Amid a sea of flashing slot machines and busy card tables are paintings, sculptures and mixed-media works by renowned artists such as Andy Warhol, Damien Hirst, Jennifer Steinkamp, Nick Cave and others. They fill the walls of the roughly 330,000-square-foot entertainment destination, which opened 13 years ago this month. While visitors must be 21 to enter the casino floor, nearly all of the art is displayed in areas open to the public, regardless of age.

The collection is the passion project of Suzi Cordish, whose husband, real estate mogul David Cordish, is CEO of the Cordish Companies, which founded and operates the casino. The company also owns the building where The Banner’s newsroom is located.

Determined to elevate the typical casino experience, Cordish kicked the collection off with a head-turner: “$(9): one plate,” a screen monoprint Warhol made in 1982, which now hangs in an administrative office near the check-in desk. The nine dollar signs look like they’re vibrating against the red background in Warhol’s trademark pop-art style.

Cordish called Warhol the “most significant” 20th-century artist, in part because his work was direct and could connect with any viewer. The dollar signs made the print the “perfect piece” for the casino, she said.

“He truly understood the importance of art for all, for the world,” said Cordish, who previously served as chairperson of Maryland Art Place in Baltimore and on the Smithsonian Institution’s national board. “You don’t have to be a historian to understand his messaging.”

Inclusivity drives Cordish’s approach to collecting for the property, emphasizing bright colors and upbeat sentiment — a natural inclination for Cordish.

It’s seen in Sylvie Fleury’s neon lighting installation that reads “YES TO ALL” and the embossed monoprint by New York artist Mel Bochner that displays rainbow-colored text like “I can’t thank you enough!”

She regularly attends auctions in pursuit of her next find. “I just bought something yesterday,” she said with a smile.

A crowd favorite, Cordish said, sits near the front entrance, ripe for an Instagram backdrop: South Korean artist Byung-Jin Kim’s ”LOVE-Love,” a huge stainless steel heart, coated in deep cherry-red automotive paint, made up of hundreds of duplicates of the word “love.”

“It’s just such a wonderful message,” Cordish said. “And people don’t realize it until they get up close.”

While the 41 works of art help create a sense of welcoming, there’s no forgetting you’re still in a casino. A threat of overstimulation looms around the space, as roughly 4,000 slot machines flash with animation and bright colors to win attention — not to mention the cacophony of blaring chimes and digital beeps that fill the air.

There’s also the Sports & Social area, sort of a sports bar on steroids with its 100-foot wall of TV screens and kiosks where patrons can bet on live games. The quality of the collection, however, largely elevates the art above the noise.

For many visitors, the artwork is a pleasant surprise. Ed McDonald said he was shocked to see museum-level pieces inside the Live! casino.

“I wouldn’t think people would come here to see art,” the Rosedale resident said, “but having seen it, maybe it makes them pick this casino over another one for a future trip.”

His sister didn’t realize at first she was passing highly coveted works but appreciated their presence nonetheless.

“I think it’s great, but I honestly had no idea there was an art collection,” said Eileen McDonald of Baltimore.

One of the delights in taking in the Cordish Collection is the element of surprise awaiting around the corner. In a setting with such an unabashed emphasis on commerce, it’s refreshing that the art can be enjoyed without spending a dime.

Tucked away near a doorless entry to a men’s bathroom is “Nūr Jahān,” a glittery kaleidoscopic print of red and black butterfly wings by Hirst, once described by critic Jerry Saltz as “the Elvis of the English art world” and whose works fetch millions at auction.

Arguably most striking is Steinkamp’s “Botanic 3,” a horizontal video installation above the check-in desk. Its rotating bouquet of brilliant flowers slowly builds, filling up the dark background until the arrangement blows up and then reassembles to restart the cycle.

Cordish said it was also important to include artists with Baltimore ties in the collection, including Michael Owen, Chul-Hyun Ahn and Mary Ann Mears. She also keeps an eye on emerging local artists, which fueled a recent art competition.

To celebrate Black History Month, the casino hosted a pop-up exhibit of works by local Black artists and asked guests to vote for their favorite piece. After roughly 12,000 votes, the winner was Brandon J. Donahue-Shipp, who dissected abandoned basketballs and tied pieces of them together with shoestrings to create an explosion of petal-like shapes. His “Basketball Bloom (AD)” earned him a $25,000 prize from the casino and now hangs in the collection permanently.

Donahue-Shipp, who’s also an associate professor of art at the University of Maryland, College Park, said he was blown away when he first saw the casino’s art collection.

“I’ve never really spent much time in a casino, especially to look at art, so this was an eye-opening experience for me,” he said. “To have my works in the same conversation as those listed in the collection is an honor.”

The plan is to host more contests in the near future, Cordish said.

Art is ingrained in Cordish, who grew up in Guilford. She’d regularly walk to the Baltimore Museum of Art and fell in love with its vast trove.

“It was always exciting and revelatory, so it’s been my passion for a long, long time,” Cordish said while giving a tour of the casino.

Her lifelong enthusiasm for art shows no signs of slowing down, and the casino — along with the Cordish Companies’ five other U.S. casinos — still has space on its walls for more.

“I think that art elevates every experience that anyone can have, and I am such a proponent of putting art in unexpected places,” Cordish said. “It brings so much joy and so much curiosity.”

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

Season 2, Episode 3: What Defines Latin American Art? [Audio]
aired on The Walters’ Art Museum Free Admission Podcast

Excerpt: This episode explores the installation Latin American Art / Arte Latinoamericano with Ellen Hoobler, William B. Ziff, Jr., Curator of Art of the Americas, and Patricia Lagarde, Wieler-Mellon Postdoctoral Curatorial Fellow. Then, artist Jessy DeSantis discusses their artistic practice and the creation of Cintli, Corn, Maíz (2020), on view in the installation.

MICA Launches Two Bold New BFA Majors to Fuel Baltimore’s Creative Economy
Press Release :: June 5

The Maryland Institute College of Art (MICA), one of the nation’s oldest and most influential art and design colleges, is once again at the forefront of innovation with the launch of two groundbreaking BFA degrees: Design and Innovation and Creative Media Production.

Developed in response to the shifting needs of the creative workforce, these majors prepare students to lead in fast-growing industries ranging from UX and architecture to gaming and immersive media. With Baltimore’s burgeoning reputation as a hub for arts, culture, and technology, MICA’s new programs are poised to supply the region with a new wave of hybrid creative leaders.

“These degrees are not just about art and design—they’re about preparing students to innovate across industries,” said President Cecilia M. McCormick. “It’s about real jobs, real impact, and keeping creative talent here in Baltimore.”

The programs reflect MICA’s bold new Academic Vision Cornerstones, which center cross-disciplinarity, innovation, and creativity. Students begin with hands-on, exploratory coursework before specializing or crafting a transdisciplinary path. Co-majors in Graphic Design, Game Design, Architectural Design, Film & Video, and more ensure both depth and breadth.

MICA’s forward-thinking model strengthens Baltimore’s position as a magnet for creative talent, entrepreneurship, and cultural leadership.

“Nurturing a strong and resilient workforce for our cultural and creative economy is a key strategy of All In 2035, our 10-Year Economic Opportunity Plan for the Baltimore Region,” said Greater Baltimore Committee President and CEO Mark Anthony Thomas. “The launch of MICA’s New Creative Majors will play an essential role in expanding and attracting new talent into this vital sector, and growing the footprint of our economy overall.”

Applications open August 2025.

Watch the teaser video here.
Learn more: mica.edu/new-creatives

:: See Also ::

MICA faces ‘financial harm’ from rejected interior design program
by Ellie Wolfe
Published June 5 in The Baltimore Banner

Who needs Barnes & Noble? The City that Reads is stocked with local bookstores
by Bria Overs
Published June 10 in The Baltimore Banner

Excerpt: Emma Snyder’s friends broke the news to her early this month that Johns Hopkins University’s Barnes & Noble in Charles Village was closing.

“Meg Ryan won,” one text message to the local bookstore owner read, a reference to the 1998 romantic comedy, “You’ve Got Mail.”

“Barnes & Noble is gone and they had signage for days,” another said.

Snyder, whose Bird In Hand Café and Bookstore is less than 300 feet from Barnes & Noble, said she often complains that her small business doesn’t have enough signage indicating that the café also has books.

:: See Also ::

Art Space: The Ivy Bookshop’s Sculpture Garden is a Paradise of Poetry
by Lydia Woolever
Published June 11 in Baltimore Magazine

“State Fairs: Growing American Craft” at the Smithsonian American Art Museum’s Renwick Gallery Explores the Stories of Craft Artists at the Fairgrounds
Press Release :: June 9

State fairs have sparked the American imagination with their celebrations of agricultural bounty, mechanical innovations and skilled handcrafts since the first fair was held in 1841 in upstate New York. Craft has always been an essential element of state fairs and Native American tribal fairs, expressing the creative and practical values of handmade goods in American society. State fairs enable artists to display and sell their work and help sustain unique regional and cultural traditions.

“State Fairs: Growing American Craft” will occupy both floors of the Renwick Gallery, the Smithsonian American Art Museum’s branch location for contemporary craft, from Aug. 22 to Sept. 7, 2026. It is the first exhibition dedicated to artists’ contributions to the great U.S. tradition of state fairs. With more than 240 artworks on view, dating from the mid-19th century to the present, this exhibition registers the many ways the craft of state fairs has enriched the lives of artists and deepened the understanding of American art.

The exhibition is the culmination of five years of on-the-ground research involving visits to 15 state fairs across the U.S.; collaborative projects with artists in Kentucky, New Jersey, Alaska, West Virginia and Utah; and research in several state historical societies, history museums and archives. Artists and 4-H clubs from 43 states and tribal nations are represented, with all 50 states represented in a photo gallery.

“‘State Fairs’ showcases what the team at SAAM’s Renwick Gallery does best—it is the latest in a series of exhibitions that reassess and uplift craft’s relevance to our everyday lives and American culture,” said Jane Carpenter-Rock, Acting Margaret and Terry Stent Director of the Smithsonian American Art Museum. “To spotlight these extraordinary and often under-sung artists is an unparalleled opportunity for audiences to deepen and expand perceptions of craft in the United States.”

Visitors will enjoy show-stopping spectacles like the iconic size 96 boots of Big Tex (a 55-foot statue known as the world’s tallest cowboy) from the State Fair of Texas, a life-size butter cow created on-site by the Iowa State Fair’s official butter sculptor Sarah Pratt and a display featuring a pyramid of 700 glass jars of preserved fruits and vegetables by canning superstar Rod Zeitler. Additional highlights include sculptor Robert Arneson’s break from functional ceramics during a pottery demonstration at the 1961 California State Fair, Lillian Colton’s groundbreaking crop-art portrait of Richard Nixon, regalia from pageants hosted by Indigenous fairs, benches commissioned from craft students at Kentucky’s Berea College, a 1965 butter-carton dress created by the Minnesota State Fair’s Princess Kay of the Milky Way (the goodwill ambassador for Minnesota’s dairy farmers) and much more.

To complement the exhibition, the museum will debut a new site-specific installation by artist Justin Favela in the Renwick Gallery’s Rubenstein Grand Salon.

“The first state fair I attended as a child was the Minnesota State Fair, which we called the Great Minnesota Get-Together,” said Mary Savig, the Lloyd Herman Curator of Craft. “While organizing this exhibition over the past several years, I experienced firsthand the collective spirit of artists getting together at state fairs across the country, sharing their talents and memories with fellow fairgoers. ‘State Fairs: Growing American Craft’ provides a long-overdue spotlight on these exceptional artists. When looking at our history from the perspective of the fairgrounds, a richer picture of American art emerges.”

Each gallery in the exhibition considers personal stories of craft found in different areas of the fairgrounds, from the art exhibits and heritage villages to the parades, dairy barns and rodeos. Ribbon-winning artworks and engaging craft demonstrations illuminate the lives of the artists—their families, memories, honors and struggles. It offers a perspective on the social power of fairgrounds across the United States and dispels stereotypes about rural communities. Many of the artworks on view directly connect the artists’ personal experiences with the experience of the fair. The exhibition also calls attention to people and communities whose experiences with fairs are entangled with histories of exclusion and displacement.

The works in “State Fairs” are drawn from the museum’s holdings and loans from various artists and fairs, private and family collections and public museums and institutions.

The museum will present a series of public programs in support of the exhibition; details about these programs and additional events will be available on the museum’s website.

A catalog, published by Smithsonian Books, will accompany the exhibition and be available for purchase ($39.95) online and in the museum’s stores.

National Gallery of Art Receives Transformational Gift of Modern and Contemporary Drawings from Lenore and Bernard Greenberg
Press Release :: June 12

The National Gallery of Art has received a transformative gift of over 60 works of art by more than 40 artists from longstanding museum benefactors Lenore and Bernard Greenberg. The centerpiece of the gift is a selection of 53 exceptional drawings that meaningfully enhance the museum’s collection of modern and contemporary works on paper.

One of the most significant collections of modern drawings ever acquired by the National Gallery, the gift includes superb examples by Vija Celmins, Willem de Kooning, Alberto Giacometti, Jasper Johns, Ellsworth Kelly, Franz Kline, Brice Marden, Bruce Nauman, Susan Rothenberg, Ed Ruscha, Shahzia Sikander, and Cy Twombly, among others. The gift also includes photographs by John Baldessari, Roni Horn, Uta Barth, and Hiroshi Sugimoto, and a 1929 wire sculpture by Alexander Calder, The Acrobats—expanding the National Gallery’s major holdings of works by this seminal artist.

This remarkable array of works comes to the National Gallery of Art from the private collection of Los Angeles–based philanthropists and art collectors Lenore and Bernard Greenberg. The Greenbergs have been dedicated supporters of the National Gallery for over two decades, both having served on the Collectors Committee—a members group supporting the acquisition of modern and contemporary art at the National Gallery—for nearly 20 years. Lenore also served three four-year terms on the Trustees’ Council, a patron group comprising leaders in the worlds of art, philanthropy, and business that engages in discussions with fellow thought leaders and special guests from across disciplines.

“The works included in the Greenberg Collection are transformative for the museum’s collection, and will invite our visitors to experience a fuller history of art and creativity at the National Gallery,” said Kaywin Feldman, director of the National Gallery of Art. “We are grateful to Lenore and Bernard Greenberg for their enduring support of our mission to serve the nation. With keen discernment and immense care they built an extraordinary collection which will delight visitors for generations to come.”

Among the highlights of the collection are:

• Bruce Nauman’s Dream Reaper (1983) is the first drawing by the multidisciplinary artist to enter the National Gallery’s collection. The monumental work is evocative of the artist’s irreverent neon wordplay sculptures but is imbued with grittier immediacy imparted by the dynamic gestural evidence of the artist’s hand in the execution of this layered mixed-media drawing.
• Two charcoal drawings by Susan Rothenberg are the first by the celebrated painter to join the collection. Untitled (1984) derives from Rothenberg’s continual exploration of the human form, rendered in her signature energetic mark-making and brushwork. The figure portrayed in Untitled [portrait with arm [Elizabeth Murray)] (1984) references Elizabeth Murray, a similarly inventive painter, draftsperson, and printmaker whom Rothenberg cited as an inspiration.
• Shahzia Sikander’s Predatory Systems 1 (2005) exemplifies the multidisciplinary artist’s masterful command of ink and gouache on paper and reflects an early chapter of her practice closely tied to her training in Indo-Persian miniature painting traditions.
• Ed Ruscha’s Study for “OOF” (1962) is a preparatory sketch for one of the artist’s most iconic paintings, OOF (1962–1963), at the Museum of Modern Art in New York. The small but striking work will be the earliest drawing by the artist to enter the National Gallery’s collection, which holds more than 100 works by Ruscha.
• Two drawings by Philip Guston, Untitled (1953) and Dawn (1980), span nearly the length of the artist’s career and represent distinct phases of his practice. The first comes from an early group of abstract compositions created with reed pen and ink. Guston created the latter work, centered on the concept of mortality, shortly before his death, integrating familiar motifs he favored after he turned to figuration over a decade earlier.
• John Baldessari’s Civic Piece (1986), a multipanel work consisting of gelatin silver prints with oil tinting and gouache, is an important early example of the artist’s use of found photographs overlayed with painted dots to cover the faces of the people depicted. By obscuring their faces, Baldessari invites the viewer to consider the other elements of the image; this method became his signature style. Civic Piece holds personal meaning for the Greenbergs, as two figures who appear in one of the photographs are Lenore’s parents, taken when her father received an award for his civic service.

The Greenbergs’ commitment to the National Gallery reflects a family tradition: Lenore’s mother, Rita Schreiber, donated three important works to the museum in memory of her husband, Taft, when he died. These gifts—the Constantin Brânçusi sculpture Bird in Space (1927) and the paintings Woman Seated in an Armchair (1940) by Henri Matisse and Harlequin Musician (1924) by Pablo Picasso—have become cornerstones of the National Gallery’s permanent collection. Visited often by Lenore when she travels to Washington, DC, the works serve as a reminder of the vital role she plays in continuing the family’s commitment to philanthropy.

Celebrate Juneteenth with Enoch Pratt Free Library
Press Release :: June 10

Throughout June, the Enoch Pratt Free Library is hosting a series of programs for all ages to celebrate Juneteenth, a holiday commemorating the end of slavery in the United States.

The following events are free and open to the public. For more information and additional Juneteenth events, visit https://calendar.prattlibrary.org. Please note that all Enoch Pratt Free Library locations will be closed on Thursday, June 19, in recognition of Juneteenth.

JUNETEENTH BINGO (Adults)
Wednesday, June 11, 2:00 p.m. | Cherry Hill

Celebrate freedom, history, and culture with Juneteenth Bingo! This program has limited spaces. To register, please call 410-396-1168.

POETS CELEBRATE JUNETEENTH (Adults)
Saturday, June 14, 3:00 p.m. | Virtual

The Pratt Library’s African American Department joins with the African American Center of the San Francisco Public Library in a celebration of poetic freedom. Celebrate Juneteenth with four dynamic African American Poets — two from Maryland and two from California for a cross country poetry tour of Black freedom.

JUNETEENTH WREATH (Adults)
Saturday, June 14, 2:00 p.m. | Pennsylvania Ave.

Honor the spirit of Juneteenth by creating a beautiful wreath that reflects the themes of freedom, unity, and heritage. Space is limited. Call the branch at (410) 396‑0399 to register.

JUKEBOX BINGO (Teens)
Saturday, June 14, 2:00 p.m. | Southeast Anchor Library

Celebrate Juneteenth early with this Black History music bingo game.

JUNETEENTH: LIBERATION FLAG WORKSHOP (Teens)
Monday, June 16, 3:00 p.m. | Walbrook

Design and decorate an original flag that represents liberation and freedom. Using colors, symbols, and personal interpretations, create a visual representation of what Juneteenth means to you.

JUNETEENTH CRAFTS (Adults)
Tuesday, June 17, 3:30 p.m. | Hampden

Come learn about Juneteenth, and create your own Juneteenth flag!

AFRICAN AMERICAN JUNETEENTH TRIVIA NIGHT (Adults)
Tuesday, June 17, 6:00 p.m. | Central Library

Join the African American Department for a lively trivia night filled with music, refreshments, and prizes. Teams will be limited to 3 people — you can come with partners, team up with people you meet here, or work alone if you prefer.

BUTTONS OF FREEDOM (Children & Families)
Wednesday, June 18, 2:00 p.m. | Walbrook

Design and create your own Juneteenth-themed buttons while learning about the history and meaning of the celebration.

JUNETEENTH JEWELRY-MAKING (Teens)
Wednesday, June 18, 3:30 p.m. | Orleans St.

Celebrate the freedom achieved on Juneteenth by making personalized jewelry out of wooden beads and charms.

JUSTICE AND RECONCILIATION: FILM SCREENING (Adults)
Saturday, June 21, 2:00 p.m. | Central Library

Local filmmaker and scholar Xavier Frink and co-producer Michael Nelson will screen their documentary, Justice and Reconciliation: Henry Highland Garnet to Harvey Johnson. The film explores two Maryland leaders who pushed for justice under the law and a cultural reconciliation for African Americans.