March is Women's History Month, and it is a historical fact that women artists have left an indelible mark on our city's arts & culture scene. Presently, women artists continue to make waves in Baltimore's creative community, gaining national and international recognition in the process.

Like renowned sculptor, printmaker, and designer Valerie Maynard. Born in 1937 in Harlem, Valerie's career has taken her up and down the Eastern seaboard and abroad to Sweden, Nigeria, Mozambique, and the Virgin Islands. Currently based in Baltimore, several of Valerie's pieces — two sculptures and works on paper — were acquired by the Baltimore Museum of Art (BMA) in 2020. They are the first of her works to enter the museum’s collection.

Last fall, the BMA opened an exhibition entitled "All Due Respect" featuring the work of four female artists. One of these artists is the 2020 Sondheim Art Prize recipient LaToya Hobbs, best known for her large-scale portraits depicting Black women. LaToya balances her work with being a mother of two and a professor at Maryland Institute College of Art (MICA). She is also a founding member of Black Women of Print, a collective that gives prominence to the narratives and works of Black women printmakers, past, present, and future.

Speaking of the future, one emerging artist to watch is figure painter Monica Ikegwu. Monica was featured in BOPA's 2020 Business of Art series and she has received numerous accolades in her budding career. She is a recipient of first place in the XL Catlin Art Prize (2018), a YoungArts Finalist (2017), a gold medal winner in the NAACP ACT-SO National competition (2016), and a Scholastic silver medal recipient (2016). Her paintings have been featured in the XL Catlin Art Prize traveling exhibition and the Reginald F. Lewis Museum (2018), and can be seen this summer at the Venice Biennale in Italy.

These three talents represent the incredible impact that women artists of all ages and stages of their career have had on Baltimore. Their influence continues to shape our cultural landscape and pave the way for new voices. May we support their work and celebrate their accomplishments all year round.

BOPA is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, which means our programming is largely funded by donations from our constituents. Your tax-deductible donation helps us produce more events like these exhibitions.

Last Wednesday, we had 115 register to hear artist Ernest Shaw Jr. and BOPA's Public Art and Curation Manager Kirk Shannon-Butts join in conversation with BmoreArt's Jeffrey Kent & Cara Ober. If you missed this incredible dialogue, just click below to watch the full recording at your leisure.

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 Saturday, March 12, CityLit is producing a full day of programming, culminating with the featured event at 2:00 p.m.: "The 1619 Project" creator and Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Nikole Hannah-Jones in conversation with Martha S. Jones. The event takes place virtually and in person. It is free to attend, but registration is required. Click below to register.

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.

This Sunday, March 13, from 3:00–4:00 p.m., recipients of the Maryland Regional Scholastic Art & Writing Awards (presented by Arcadia) will be honored during a virtual award ceremony. This is the nation’s longest-running and most prestigious recognition program for creative teens in grades 7–12. Click below to go to BOPA's YouTube page where the ceremony will stream.

Promoting and facilitating youth arts programs like the Scholastic competition is made possible by the support of sponsors like Arcadia. As this year's presenting sponsor, Arcadia is donating an additional $100 to BOPA for every new signup as a way to further support the arts. 

Founded in 1977, the Baltimore Office of Promotion & The Arts is a well-established organization. Not all of BOPA's programs date back that far, but many of them have been a key part of Baltimore's cultural landscape for years.

BOPA strives to inspire & engage audiences and cultivate the city's creative economy by producing a variety of events for artists and audiences like the flagship programs above. Donate at the button below to help us continue to support the artists and art lovers who make Baltimore beautiful.

The world premiere of Baltimore playwright R. Eric Thomas's play "The Folks at Home" opens on Thursday, March 17, and runs through Sunday, April 10, at Baltimore Center Stage. Directed by Obie Award-winning director Stevie Walker-Webb, this show is a contemporary riff on the beloved family sitcoms of the 1970s. For showtimes & tickets, click below.

From March 7–April 28, at Chesapeake Arts Center's Hal Gomer Gallery, you can see selected works from women artists. Visitors are required to reserve a time to view the exhibit and will be checked in upon arrival. Masks are required to enter the gallery and CAC building. For hours, details, and biographies of the featured artists, click the button below.

The Annapolis Film Festival showcases more than 70 films annually with the goal of bringing the community together through a shared film experience. Now in its 10th year, the festival takes place from Thursday, March 31 through Sunday, April 3. For featured films, showtimes, and passes, click below.

1/ST Racing and the Maryland Jockey Club have partnered with the Maryland

Institute College of Art (MICA) to launch "The Art of Racing," a unique art competition to honor the second jewel of the Triple Crown Series and its impact on Baltimore. From now until March 20, members of the public can cast their vote for their favorite piece of art. The winning artist of the inaugural competition will receive a $4,000 stipend and two tickets to Preakness 147 on May 21, 2022. To see the art and cast your vote, click below.

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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!