Since 2001, Maryland has designated 29 Arts & Entertainment Districts throughout the state. These districts help develop and promote community involvement, tourism, and revitalization through tax-related incentives.

According to the Department of Commerce, the most recent economic impact study shows that in FY2020, events and new businesses in Maryland's A&E Districts supported more than $148.6 million in state GDP, over $10 million in state and local tax revenues, and 1,454 jobs that paid more almost $47 million in wages. And the impact to quality of life is priceless.

Baltimore City boasts four Arts & Entertainment Districts — each one with its own vibe and selection of dining, shopping, and events. They are:

Each Arts & Entertainment District has to undergo a redesignation process every 10 years, which involves, among other things, holding public hearings for community discussion and input. This year, the Bromo Seltzer A&E District and the Station North A&E District are undergoing that process.

On Tuesday, March 29, at 5:30 p.m., join the Station North and Bromo Seltzer Arts & Entertainment Districts for a virtual public hearing hosted by the Department of Planning to hear more about how to get redesignated as an arts district. You will learn more about what redesignation means, the benefits of the arts districts, and the impact they have on the growing arts community in each area. The hearing will end with a Q&A.

Even if you don't live in or near one of these creative communities, Baltimore's A&E Districts benefit everyone. They produce a plethora of activities for people of all ages, walks of life, and artistic ability to enjoy. They activate different areas of the city and promote local businesses. And they provide a supportive space for many of Baltimore's brilliant artists to live and work.

That's why we encourage you to tune in to the virtual hearing on Tuesday, March 29, to learn how you can support these districts in return.

BOPA provides programming and technical support to the City's A&E Districts. Your tax-deductible donation helps us to support the artists and arts organizations who make Baltimore beautiful!

Happenstance Theater's "POCKET MOXIE: A Happenstance Vaudeville" is an homage to the style and spirit of the Great Age of Vaudeville with slapstick comedy, tight harmonies and celestial charades. The production opens at Theater Project on Thursday, March 24, and runs through Sunday, April 3. For tickets, showtimes, and safety protocols, click below.

Happenstance Theater was a participating organization of Free Fall Baltimore last October. BOPA is thrilled to provide support through programs like Free Fall to help arts organizations like Happenstance Theater continue their work in the community.

Photo courtesy of Baltimore Magazine, March 2022.

On Sunday, March 27, at the BMA, the highly-anticipated exhibition curated by guards from the BMA's security department opens to the public. It will be on view through Sunday, July 10, 2022.

The 17 officers who elected to participate are Traci Archable-Frederick, Jess Bither, Ben Bjork, Ricardo Castro, Melissa Clasing, Bret Click, Alex Dicken, Kellen Johnson, Michael Jones, Rob Kempton, Chris Koo, Alex Lei, Dominic Mallari, Dereck Mangus, Sara Ruark, Joan Smith, and Elise Tensley. The group reflects a broad range of backgrounds and interests with officers who are also artists, chefs, musicians, scholars, and writers.

For more information, and to reserve your free passes, click below.

CityLit Project presents the 19th annual CityLit Festival, a celebration of literature for readers and writers alike. "How We Break Free: Confronting Hard Truths" is the underlying theme of the month-long event this year.

On Tuesday, March 29, from 7:30–9:00 p.m. at Motor House, CityLit is hosting an event titled "How We Get Free: The Birth of Promise with Christine Platt, Chloe Dulce Louvouezo & Kristoffer Carter." This festival "finale" will start with a half hour coaching session for writers taking on new or large projects, followed by a meaningful conversation with three game-changing authors. The event is free to attend. Click the button below for more information.

BOPA is a sponsor of the CityLit Festival and is proud to partner with the Enoch Pratt Free Library to support readers and writers of all ages.

The Baltimore Farmers' Market returns for its 45th season on April 3, 2022. This treasured Sunday tradition is Maryland's largest producer-only market, offering a weekly selection of fresh cut flowers, seasonal fruits and vegetables, freshly baked bread and pastries, dairy products, meats and seafood, and more. Many of your favorite farmers and vendors are back this year, along with some new faces. Here is the breakdown for this season:

The Black Arts & Entertainment District presents Womxn of the World Poetry Slam 2022. Phenomenal poets from around the world are coming to Baltimore to compete for over $10,000 in cash prizes and the title of Woman of the World Poetry Slam Champion. The preliminaries on Thursday & Friday, March 31 & April 1, are free to attend. Come out to see who will make it to final stage on April 2! Send a direct message (DM) to @officialblackartsdistrict for the ticket link. You can learn more about the competition by clicking below.

The National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) will honor the 2022 NEA Jazz Masters — Stanley Clarke, Donald Harrison, Jr., Billy Hart, and Cassandra Wilson — and kick off a year-long celebration of the 40th anniversary of the program with a concert on Thursday, March 31, at 7:30 p.m. PT/10:30 p.m. ET. In addition to the evening's performances, NEA Chair Dr. Maria Rosario Jackson and Founder and Executive Artistic Director of SFJAZZ Randall Kline will provide remarks. For details, and to reserve your free tickets, click below.

On Saturday, April 2, at 3:00 p.m., Eric Lu makes his Baltimore debut in a program featuring Schubert's Sonata in A major, written just a couple of months before the composer's death and considered one of his most extraordinary achievements. There is a suggested donation of $10, and registrants will have the option to attend the concert virtually or in person at UMBC. For information and tickets, click the button below.

Inspired by Citizen University’s Civic Saturdays, The Baltimore Butterfly Sessions bring together music, poetry, literary excerpts, and thought-provoking keynote addresses to catalyze conversation and build awareness around today’s most pressing issues.

On Monday, April 4, at 7:00 p.m., the discussion will center on residential boarding schools, where thousands of Native children were placed after being forcibly removed from their families. The first and most well-known of the schools was the Carlisle Indian Industrial School, just under two hours away from Baltimore in Carlisle, PA.

In collaboration with Native American Lifelines, this Baltimore Butterfly Session will discuss the generational impact of Carlisle and other schools like it. Featuring music from THE CARLISLE PROJECT by Laguna Pueblo & Cherokee composer Ronee Penoi, special words by longtime Indigenous community activist Michael Nephew, and a keynote from Jess McPherson of Native American Lifelines and the Circle Legacy Project.

For information and to reserve your free ticket, click blow.

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Make sure to keep virtually in touch with BOPA! Follow us @promoandarts for your dose of art, to receive local arts resources, and to learn about how Baltimore's creative community is keeping the arts thriving.

BOPA is proud to serve as your arts council, event center, and film office. As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, we are committed to ensuring Baltimore remains a vibrant, thriving arts community. We cannot do it without the support of our community — philanthropic funders, program partners, artists, volunteers, and you!