The Greater Baltimore Cultural Alliance and the William G. Baker, Jr. Memorial Fund are pleased to announce the finalists for the 2026 Baker Artist Awards. “The work of this year’s finalist pool exemplifies the remarkable breadth of creativity in the Baltimore region,” said Connie Imboden, President of the William G. Baker, Jr. Memorial Fund.
“With more than 1,000 Baker Artist Portfolios reviewed through the first round of the 2026 adjudication process, a testament to the vitality of the region’s artistic community, arriving at this group of finalists speaks to their extraordinary depth of talent.”
These 36 artists were selected by the jurors, for excellence demonstrated in three key areas: mastery of craft, depth of artistic exploration, and unique vision. Finalists are evenly distributed across the six disciplines featured on the Baker Artist Portfolios site:
Visual Arts – 2D: Schroeder Cherry, Joan Cox, Erin Fostel, Lusmerlin, Tony Shore, James Williams II
Visual Arts – 3D: Thea Canlas, David Friedheim, Stephanie Garmey, David Hess, McCormack and Figg, Mary Deacon Opasik
Interdisciplinary Art: Collis Donadio, Phylicia Ghee, Kei Ito, Soledad Salame, Wickerham & Lomax, Lite Zhang
Film & Photography: Albert Birney, Alaina Lurry, Amy Oden, Be Steadwell, Lendl Tellington, Lynn Tomlinson
Literary Arts: Michael Downs, Ashley Elizabeth, Edgar Kunz, Don Lee, Bry Reed, Justin Sirois
Performing Arts: Alex and Olmsted, Carly J. Bales, Alex Lacquement, MESHELLE “The Indie Mom of Comedy”, Jamal Moore, Mark Navarro
One finalist from each of the disciplines will receive a $10,000 Mary Sawyers Baker Prize, and one of those six will also be selected for the $30,000 Mary Sawyers Imboden Prize—bringing their total award to $40,000, the largest art prize in the region. Executive Director Jeannie Howe notes, “the Baltimore region is blessed with a deeply talented and active artist community. GBCA is proud to join the William G. Baker, Jr. Memorial Fund in congratulating the Baker Artist Awards finalists. It is an honor to be part of the artistic journey of all these talented individuals.”
The 2026 Baker Artist Awardees will be announced in June, but before that, Baltimore-area audiences can experience the work of many of these artists through the Baker Awards Finalist Showcases. Kicking off at CityLit Festival on April 11, these free, public events, include screenings, readings, and an exhibition and are scheduled throughout April and May.
Participation in the showcases is optional for finalists and does not influence award selection. Information about the 2026 Finalist Showcases, the artists, and all of their portfolios can be viewed at bakerartist.org/2026finalists.
FINALIST SHOWCASES
The following events are planned in April and May to showcase the 2026 Baker Artist Awards Finalists:
Literary Arts Finalists at the 23rd Annual CityLit Festival
Saturday, April 11 from 1-2 p.m. at the Maryland Center for History and Culture
2026 Baker Artist Awards Finalist Exhibition at Current Space
Opening Reception: Saturday, April 17 from 7-10 p.m.
Closing Reception and Artist Talks: Sunday, May 17 from 4-6 p.m.
2026 Baker Film Finalist Showcase at MdFF Day
Tuesday, May 2 from 11 a.m-12:30 p.m. at the SNF Parkway Theatre
Reception following the screening
About the Baker Artist Portfolios
The Baker Artist Portfolios were created to support artists and promote Greater Baltimore as a strong creative community. The online portfolios are open to artists working in all disciplines who live and work in Baltimore City and its five surrounding counties. The portfolios expose area artists’ work to regional, national, and international audiences. The site has been viewed by hundreds of thousands of art lovers, critics, gallery owners, academics, and leaders in creative business in nearly every country around the globe. The portfolios and associated awards were established by the William G. Baker, Jr. Memorial Fund and are a program of the Greater Baltimore Cultural Alliance.
About the Greater Baltimore Cultural Alliance
The Greater Baltimore Cultural Alliance (GBCA) creates equity and opportunity In, Through, and For arts and culture in Greater Baltimore. A leading nonprofit provider of services to artists and cultural organizations in the region, GBCA believes in unifying and strengthening all members of the creative community. We do this through marketing, education, financial support, and developing innovative programs that increase equity in the cultural sector and beyond.
About the William G. Baker, Jr. Memorial Fund
The William G. Baker Jr. Memorial Fund commits its resources to enhance the region’s economy and quality of life by making investments in arts and culture. Its grants support artistic and cultural organizations and their partners through initiatives that enhance an individual’s sense of self and pleasure and make Baltimore a more attractive place to live and work.
