Join Arts Every Day, Baltimore City Public Schools, and The Baltimore Bar Association for the reception of the 9th Annual Courting Art Baltimore Contest. Courting Art Baltimore is a unique opportunity for Baltimore City high school students to showcase their creative ingenuity, earn college scholarships, and connect the legal community with local Baltimore communities reducing stress and anxiety for litigants and visitors by beautifying local courthouses.
The work from 101 students from 18 Baltimore City High Schools will be on display at the reception located at Baltimore Unity Hall from 5:30-7pm. This reception offers students, families, educators, and art enthusiasts the opportunity to celebrate creativity and engage with young artists.
Responding to this year’s theme Baltimore Bright, students have created and submitted work that will be considered as finalists for long term display at the Eastside District Courthouse on North Avenue. From the finalists, a number of students will be selected by a panel of jurors made up of local arts and culture partners, as well as, representatives from local law offices, to receive CollegeBound Scholarships. Scholarship opportunities will be awarded to select participants based on creativity, originality, and artistic merit demonstrated in their submitted works. Additionally, the two top works by non-senior students will receive placements at Maryland Institute College of Art’s Young People’s Studio, for a summer or fall art program to hone their skills. The Courthouse Awards Reception will be held on Monday, May 20, 2024 at the Eastside District Courthouse from 6 to 7:30pm.
Participating Schools:
Augusta Fells Savage Institute of Visual Arts Baltimore City College
Baltimore Design School
Baltimore Polytechnic Institute
Baltimore School for the Arts
Bard High School Early College
Benjamin Franklin High School
Carver Vocational-Technical High School ConneXions Academy
Digital Harbor High School
Edmonson Westside High School
Paul Laurence Dunbar High School
Frederick Douglas High School
Patterson High School
Mergenthaler Vocational-Technical High School Reginald F. Lewis High School
Vivien T. Thomas Medical Arts Acadmy Western High School
Jury Panel:
Natalie Estelle, College and Career Readiness Advisor for Baltimore City Public Schools
Jessica Fauntleroy, Licensed Social Worker and Owner, Restoring Destiny Mental Health Services Iya jackson, Community Laison for Maryland Volunteer Lawyers for the Arts
Brian Katzenberg, Attorney, Cohen, Snyder, Eisenberg & Katzenberg P.A
Twi McCallum, Community Engagement Manager for Baltimore Office of Promotion & the Arts Natovian McLeod, Director of Youth & Community Education at Maryland Institute College of Art Amanda Paige, Counsel at Gordon Feinblatt, LLC
Tamara Payne, Baltimore City Community College
Hon. Halee Weinstein, Maryland District Court Judge
Related Events
– All Entries Reception at Baltimore Unity Hall, 1505 Eutaw Place, Baltimore, MD 21217, 5:30-7pm, Thursday April 18, 2024.
– Finalists and Awards Reception at Eastside District Courthouse, Monday May 20, 2024 6:00 -7:30 pm at the District Court for Baltimore City, 1400 E. North Avenue, Baltimore, MD 21213
About Courting Art Baltimore
Courting Art is a program that promotes youth artwork, connects the legal community with local communities of Baltimore City, and aims to reduce stress and anxiety for litigants and visitors by beautifying local courthouses. Originally hosted by the District Court of Maryland and in partnership with the Baltimore Bar Foundation, Incorporated and the Bar Association of Baltimore City, the contest is open to all Baltimore City public high school students. Courting Art Baltimore also collaborates with Baltimore City Public Schools, Arts Every Day, and the College Bound Foundation to achieve success each year since its first contest in 2016. Courting Art Baltimore also connects Baltimore City students with a local community college and provides scholarships to the winning artists to pursue higher education after high school.
About Arts Every Day
Arts Every Day serves as a strategic partner to the school district in advancing equitable access to the arts and implementing the 2018 Fine Arts Strategic Plan. The organization provides teacher professional development, arts integration technical assistance, and funding for student arts experiences, school-based public art projects, arts equipment, and supplies. The success of the work relies on the vibrant partnerships with district leaders, schools, educators, parents, students, artists, community and cultural organizations.
