This Week: Baltimore Clayworks presents a virtual artist talk with Shayla Marsh, BSO Classical Christmas, City Arts Spotlight with Patti Tronolone, IN Series The Delta King’s Blues at 2640 Space, Dirty Christmas 2025 at Metro Gallery, Helicon’s 40th Annual Winter Solstice Concert at Goucher’s Kraushaar Auditorium, Artist Reception for Hamilton Art Gallery’s Holiday Exhibtion, and La Sonora presents TUKI TUKI at Stem & Vine — PLUS deadline extended for MAP’s Black Sox Sculpture Project 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.
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Insider Information, Special Events, and Baltimore’s Best Art
Events
Virtual Artist Talk with Shalya Marsh
Tuesday, December 16 :: 12:30-1:30pm
presented by Baltimore Clayworks (Virtual)
Ceramic artists are at the heart of Baltimore Clayworks. Artists are at the center of the mission of Baltimore Clayworks, and provide the organization with talent and innovation to inspire our community and to enliven the artistic impact of ceramics in our region. Their professional and personal networks provide a kaleidoscope of interactions with peers, galleries, and academic institutions, which keep the organization at the forefront of contemporary ceramic art.
Artist Bio
Shalya Marsh is an artist and educator based in Morgantown, West Virginia. Originally from upstate New York, she holds a BFA in Ceramics from the State University of New York at New Paltz and an MFA from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, earned in 2016. Her work has been featured in numerous solo and group exhibitions across the United States. With over two decades of experience exhibiting in galleries nationwide, Marsh now focuses on teaching workshops and creating a line of functional and decorative ceramics inspired by the textures and patterns of everyday life.
BSO Presents Classical Christmas
Wednesday, December 17 :: 7:30pm
@ Joseph Meyerhoff Symphony Hall
Conductor Patrick Quigley leads a program featuring Charpentier’s Prelude from Te Deum (ed. Quigley), Mozart’s Exsultate, jubilate, Bach’s Orchestral Suite No. 4, and excerpts from Handel’s Messiah. Features Maya Kherani (soprano), James Reese (tenor), and the Handel Choir of Baltimore.
City Arts Spotlight: Patti Tronolone
Thursday, December 18 :: 7pm
@ Gallery CA
Please join us for City Arts Spotlight, our series featuring the work of our resident artists. This month we will feature visual artist Patti Tronolone. Patti is a sculptor and furniture maker, and more recently has turned to charcoal. Her artwork, and more info, can be found here at her website.
The Delta King’s Blues
Friday, December 19 :: 7:30pm
@ 2640 Space
The first full opera commissioned by IN Series, this World Premiere of THE DELTA KING’S BLUES marks the culmination of a multi-year project to celebrate the legacy of legendary guitarist Robert Johnson with a “blues opera” that tells the Faustian story of the bargain he struck with the devil – selling his immortal soul to learn the language of the blues, America’s original music. An orchestra mix of blues and classical musicians joins a cast of leading artists from around the country and an immersive juke-joint experience that sings, dances, hollers, laughs, and mourns in a brilliant new score by Damien Geter and texts by Jarrod Lee. Designers: Josh Sticklin (Scenic), Rakell Foye (Costume) Paul Callahan (Lighting).
FEATURING:
Anthony Ballard, Albert Lee, Christian Simmons, Marvin Wayne, and Melissa Wimbish
Running Time: 60 minutes without Intermission
DIRTY XMAS 2025 – “Baltimore For The Holidays”
w/ Mighty Mark, Eze Jackson, CZ Babyy, Black Assets and Tim Green
Friday, December 19 :: 8pm
@ Metro Baltimore
DIRTY XMAS 2025
Baltimore For The Holidays
featuring Mighty Mark, Eze Jackson, CZ Babyy, Black Assets and Tim Green
Friday December 19, 2026
Doors at 8:00 PM
21+
Helicon’s 40th Annual Winter Solstice Concert
Saturday, December 20 :: 3:30pm + 7:30pm
@ Kraushaar Auditorium, Goucher College
A four decades long Baltimore tradition featuring the Baltimore-based trio, Helicon (with Chris Norman, Ken Kolodner, Robin Bullock) with special guests Charm City Junction and The Ken & Brad Kolodner Quartet, Jonathon Srour and Elke Baker. Internationally renowned traditional folk musicians – Ken Kolodner (hammered dulcimer, fiddle, hammered mbira); Chris Norman (wooden flutes, tin whistle, small pipes, piano); and Robin Bullock (guitar, cittern, mandolin, piano)—play a unique blend of original, seasonal, and traditional music from Ireland, Scotland, Appalachia, Canada, Europe, Africa and the Far East. Each member of Helicon are known internationally as among the very best at their primary instruments. This show is a great way for families to kick off the holiday season with an extremely energetic and varied performance. Kolodner’s son, Brad Kolodner, will join the fun as a guest on clawhammer banjo, fiddle, and vocals (a frequent winner/finalist of national banjo contests, former Strathmore Hall Artist in Residence, WAMU and Folk Alley DJ, 2016 International Bluegrass Music Association [IBMA] Momentum Award Winner; Nominated twice for IBMA DJ of The Year; Charm City Junction, The Ken & Brad Kolodner Quartet). Joining Ken and Brad is one of the best-known acoustic roots musicians in the U.S. Rachel Eddy (fiddle, vocals, guitar), and the mid-Atlantic’s go-to bassist, Alex Lacquement (Charm City Junction). Charm City Junction follows in the footsteps of Helicon by fusing Celtic, Old-Time and Bluegrass styles. The Kolodner’s and Charm City Junction are at the heart of Baltimore’s vibrant acoustic music scene.
Hamilton Gallery Holiday Art Exhibition | Artist Reception
Hamilton Gallery Holiday Art Exhibition: artworks priced at $350 or less for the gift giving season.
Exhibition runs December 5 – 28, 2025. Works may be taken home at time of purchase.
Holiday Art Exhibition guest and HAC artist members:
Jude Asher, Schroeder Cherry, Zachary Diaz, Diane Dennis, Jessica Devilbiss, Jim Doran, Grace Doyle, Nancy Keene Fishel, Tim Jankowiak, Amy Klainer, Dara Lorenzo, Greg McLemore, Mark Mellett, David Mintzer, Debra Parks, L. Nef’fahtiti Partlow-Myrick, Aaron Oldenburg, Linda Popp, Lynn Poshepny, Theresa Reuter, Michael Seipp, Bridget Z. Sullivan, Richard Sullivan, Maxine Taylor, Malaun Wright, & Monica Youn.
Sunday, December 21 :: 4-8pm
@ Stem & Vine
Tuki tuki, tuki tuki, tuki tuki, tuki ta… apúrate mi burrito que ya vamos a llegar
Es diciembre y ya tu sabes.
Join us for our popup pachanga and mercado artesano featuring handcrafted gifts by local makers and live salsa by the legendary Edwin Ortiz y La Mafia del Guaguanco.
Warm your spirit with tamales and chocolate caliente lovingly prepared by the one and only Cocina Luchadoras, and don’t miss our Coquito Contest, where you can bring your best holiday creations to battle for the crown.
Come shop, dance, sip, and celebrate the season con una noche buenísima.
¡Nos vemos en la parranda!
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Sign Up!Featured Opportunities
America250 Public Art Grant
deadline December 19
posted by Maryland State Arts Council
The America250 Public Art Grant provides financial support to fully developed and ready-to-implement, public art initiatives that celebrate America’s semiquincentennial in Maryland.
The America250 Public Art Grant is a one-time grant to support local public art initiatives in Maryland aligned with America250 celebrations. America250 is the national initiative to celebrate and commemorate the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, marking America’s Semiquincentennial; more information can be found on the America250 website.
This one-time grant is made possible through funds provided by the National Endowment for the Arts for the purpose of promoting America250.
2026 Beam Camp Project Open Call
deadline December 29
posted by Beam Center
Beam Center seeks design proposals for an ambitious public artwork that will be brought to life through collaborations between youth, Beam Camp staff and the selected proposer. Projects will be realized by a community of more than 100 young people at Beam Camp in July 2026.
Beam Camp is a specialized summer camp for building and collaboration located in Strafford, NH. Our award-winning program offers youth (ages 10-17) the opportunity to cultivate hands-on skills while exploring innovative thinking, design, problem solving and the creative process.
Every year, Beam Camp solicits proposals for unique and spectacular large-scale projects that serve as the centerpiece for the 29-day session of camp, during which they will be built and brought to life by 100 campers and 20+ staff. Our Project Team works with the winning designers to translate their project designs into the camp context. We pride ourselves on the high level of craftsmanship and skill that our Projects and the work of our staff and campers reflect. Projects are always ambitious and technically challenging, and in many cases are brought to life through the exploration of vibrant themes that can become the world we live in during our time at camp. Please take some time to familiarize yourself with our past projects.
Winning proposals will be selected by a committee composed of Beam Center staff, youth, past project designers, and community members.
The Parlor Artist Residency
deadline December 31
We are looking forward to welcoming 1 Baltimore-based artist to join us at The Parlor as a Resident Artist for our upcoming residency term from Jan 2026 – March 2026. Selected artist will have the opportunity to display their work throughout our building on 108 W. North Ave, and will work closely with our Residency Coordinator to host an Opening Event, Workshop, and Artist Talk as a part of our three-month program.
This opportunity is open to Baltimore-based painters, photographers, collagists, mixed-media artists, printmakers, and other artists of wall-mountable mediums.
General Exhibit Application
deadline January 1
posted by Howard County Arts Center
The Howard County Arts Council (HoCo Arts) manages two galleries at the Howard County Center for the Arts with over 21,000 square feet of exhibit space. The HoCo Arts gallery program was established to enhance the public’s appreciation of the visual arts, provide a venue to exhibit the work of local, regional, and national artists in a professional space, and provide leadership in the arts by presenting a broad spectrum of arts in all media from both emerging and established artists.
HoCo Arts presents 11-12 exhibits per year of national, regional, and local artists, including two-person, small and large group, juried, curated, and community shows. HoCo Arts rarely exhibits solo shows.
Black Sox Sculpture Project
* deadline extended * January 3
posted by Maryland Art Place
On behalf of Parks & People and South Baltimore Gateway Partnership (SBGP), Maryland Art Place (MAP) is offering an exciting opportunity to Baltimore regional artists (MD, DC, PA, DE, VA) working in large-scale sculpture to create artworks of historical Baltimore Black Sox baseball players. The sculptures will be placed within a larger $30 million public park on the Middle Branch of the Patapsco River in the Westport neighborhood.
Figurative Work: The Baltimore Black Sox Sculpture Project (BSSP) emphasizes the need for lifelike, figurative sculptures that authentically represent Black individuals in public art—addressing a historic imbalance where such representation has been largely reserved for white figures in the U.S.
WHO IS QUALIFIED TO APPLY? Artist actively working in Maryland, Virginia, DC, Pennsylvania and Delaware with experience in producing large-scale, public art sculptures.
Janet & Walter Sondheim Art Prize
deadline January 5
posted by Create Baltimore
Create Baltimore is proud to announce the 21st edition of the Janet & Walter Sondheim Art Prize. The $30,000 prize will be awarded to a visual artist or visual artist collaborators living and working in the Baltimore region. Though a multi-tiered approach to reviewing applications, jurors will identify a creative whose work is in conversation with contemporary art nationally & internationally, is an original vision, and is on the cusp of making a leap in their work that this award would support. Approximately five finalists will be selected for the final review for the prize; their work will be exhibited in the Walters Art Museum June to September 2026. All Sondheim Prize Finalists will be awarded a Finalist Award of $3,000 each, and each semifinalist will receive an exhibition at The Peale Museum at Artscape 2026.
Call for Submissions | Recent Short Documentary Films
deadline January 6
posted by Bethesda Film Fest
The Bethesda Arts & Entertainment District invites filmmakers to submit recent short documentary films to the Bethesda Film Fest. Up to five films will be selected to be shown. A film by a young filmmaker, under the age of 18, may also be chosen. Selected filmmakers will receive an honorarium of $1,000. Young filmmakers will receive a $250 honorarium. Short (5-30 minutes), documentary films by filmmakers in Maryland, Virginia, and Washington, D.C. will be considered. Films must have been completed within the last two years. All topics are eligible. Filmmakers chosen for 2025 are not eligible and may submit again for 2027.
The Gottlieb Foundation Individual Support Grant
deadline January 15
posted by The Adolph & Esther Gottlieb Foundation
Applications for the 2025 Individual Support Grant are now closed. Applications for the 2026 grant cycle will be accepted beginning October 15, 2025, through January 15, 2026.
The Foundation wishes to encourage artists who have dedicated their lives to developing their art, regardless of their level of commercial success.
Please note that these grants are available only to individual painters, sculptors, and printmakers who have worked in a mature phase of art for 20 years or more.
The Gottlieb Foundation does not fund organizations, educational institutions, students, graphic artists, or those working in crafts. The disciplines of photography, film, video, or related forms are not eligible unless the work directly involves, or can be interpreted as, painting or sculpture. The Foundation does not fund exhibitions, installations, or projects of any kind.
