BmoreArt

This Week: Lady Brion hosts Charm City Poetry Slam Finals, Constructed Memory MFAST closing reception at MICA, Nas performs live with the BSO, Vessels MICA Studio Art MFA group show at Sleepwalker Collective, T4T4T Festival at The Voxel, opening reception for Terrence Hannum at SPCE Gallery, Living Room community celebration at CCCC, closing reception for Rieko Chacey at Atrium Artspace, and Current hosts a fundraiser for Baltimore Beat — PLUS submit work for a juried exhibition at Julio Fine Arts 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.

To submit your calendar event, email us at events@bmoreart.com!

 

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< Events >

 

Charm City Slam Poetry Slam Competition Finals
Tuesday, July 22 :: 7pm
@ Chesapeake Shakespeare Company

What: Charm City Slam Finals (Baltimore’s biggest poetry slam)

Who: After a year of 108 poets competing we have selected the top 12 poets from around the country including several amazing poets from Baltimore will compete for the Grand Slam Title and $3,000 in prizes.

Featuring Rasheed Copeland and Ashlee Haze
This event is sponsored by Chesapeake Shakespeare Company.

When: July 22nd at 7pm

Where: Chesapeake Shakespeare Company, 7 South Calvert St. Baltimore, MD 21201

Why: Baltimore is considered the greatest city in the country for spoken word. This event is one of the most acclaimed slams of 2025. Poets and audiences are coming from around the country to experience this event.

Detailed Information: Charm City Slam Season 3 Finals is the most exciting, intense poetry competition of the year. The winners of each month must now go head to head in a 3 round elimination bracket style competition to be this year’s Champion. This year’s finals includes multiple multi-time national poetry slam champions from all across the country including Baltimore.

Competing finalists include: Ephraim Nehemiah, Khalil Houston, Ayanna Florence, Ed Mabrey, Black Chakra, Jordan Bailey, Yex, Cyn, Steven Willis, Tru Kwene, Sheri Hall, Malpractice

Each of these poets are regional, national or international poetry slam champions.

Hosted by: Lady Brion-Poet Laureate of Maryland and executive director of Black Arts District.

“People from around the world are recognizing Baltimore as one of the greatest cities to enjoy poetry and it feels amazing.” Kenneth Something- Director of Programs of Black Arts District.

About Charm City Slam: Charm City Slam is a national poetry competition located in Baltimore City. Each month Poets from around the country travel to compete against the best in the world.  8-10 poets are selected monthly for head to head style two round slam with each month’s winner moving on to the finals for a chance to be the the Season’s Champion Charm City Slam’s mission is to support artists. Our staff is composed of local artists of different forms, mediums and respected fields. Charm City directly gives financial support to 20 artists and creatives each month.

 

 

Constructed Memory | Closing Reception
Wednesday, July 23 :: 5-7pm
@ MICA Riggs & Leidy Galleries

NAS: ILLMATIC LIVE with the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra
Wednesday, July 23 :: 7:30pm
@ Joseph Meyerhoff Symphony Hall

GRAMMY award-winning Nas teams up with GRAMMY award-winning Baltimore Symphony Orchestra to deliver his revolutionary album, Illmatic.

Timeless poet and rhyme-master Nas, delivered his first full-length album Illmatic in 1994. Nas went on to release 14 subsequent albums, 8 of which are multi-platinum and platinum including: Nastradamus, Stillmatic, God’s Son, and Street’s Disciple.

Join us for a party on the patio! Enjoy a drink outside while getting delicious eats from Emmanella’s Cuisine, Glizzy’s Wagyu Dogs, and Soul Smoked BBQ. Grab a sweet treat from Applecore’s Bake Shoppe and CM. Pops before hitting the Snap Happy 360 Photobooth.

 

 

Vessels: A slow quiet moving memory | A Pop-Up Group Exhibition and Publication Launch
July 24 :: 7:30pm
@ Sleepwalker Collective

Vessels: A slow quiet moving memory
A Pop-Up Group Exhibition and Publication Launch
Sleepwalker Collective,
https://linktr.ee/sleepwalker_collective
324 E 23rd St
Baltimore MD

Public viewing: July 19 and 20, 1-5pm
By appointment: July 21-25
Reception: July 24 7:30pm

Sleepwalker Collective invites you to experience “Vessels: A slow quiet moving memory,” a special exhibition showcasing the work of the MICA Studio Art MFA Class of 2025. Featuring talented emerging artists who have creatively reimagined their thesis projects specifically for the intimate Sleepwalker Collective space, this collaboration is an exciting opportunity to celebrate to engage with their work in a unique setting.

Public viewing hours: Friday, July 19th through Sunday, July 20th, from 1pm to 5pm.

The gallery will also be open by appointment during the week for private or small-group showings July 18th–24th. The show will remain on view through Friday, July 25th. The artists will be present to guide visitors through the exhibit during public viewing hours.

Reception/Event Information: Join us for the public Reception and Publication Launch on Wednesday, July 24th, 7:30pm. This event serves as a show reception and catalogue launch.

Exhibiting Artists:
– Annika Marthinuss
– Ariel Oakley
– Benji Stiles
– Blair Simmons
– Katie Murphy
– Melissa Sutherland Moss
– Tamara Payne

 

 

#Trans4Trans4Theater (#T4T4T Festival)
Friday, July 24 | Ongoing through July 27
@ The Voxel

Event Name: #T4T4T Festival
Dates: July 25-27, 2025
Location: The Voxel, 9 West 25th Street, Baltimore MD 21218

Event Page/Ticket Link: https://voxel.org/events/t4t4t 

Description:

#T4T4T, or #Trans4Trans4Theater is Baltimore’s first-ever theater festival by and for trans artists. The weekend will include a wide range of programming and resources aimed to uplift trans and gender non-confirming creatives, including: three public new play readings by local trans playwrights, a drag show featuring a cast of all trans drag performers, a trans theater community roundtable, interactive creative workshops on writing, performing, and self-defense, and an art & care fair  – plus plenty of community-building and networking opportunities.

Get your festival pass here: https://voxel.org/events/t4t4t 

All ticket levels are suggested donations. We’re excited to be able to remain accessible to all members of our community – especially queer and trans artists – so please feel free to pay as much as is comfortable for you. All ticket donations will be split between three local organizations that are directly serving our communities: Trans Rights Advocacy Coalition, Baltimore Safe Haven, and CASA Maryland.#T4T4T is produced by a small collective of trans artists in Baltimore, led by O’Malley Steuerman, Bex Vega, Sabine Decatur, and Chania Hudson.

 

 

Simulations – A Solo Exhibition by Terrence Hannum | Opening Reception
Friday, July 25 :: 5-8pm
@ SPCE Gallery

Opening Reception:
Thursday, July 25th, 5–8 PM
SPCE Baltimore Project Space at City Arts 2
1700 Greenmount Ave, Baltimore, MD

SPCE Gallery is proud to present Simulations, a solo exhibition by Baltimore-based artist Terrence Hannum, opening Thursday, July 25th from 5–8 PM at our Baltimore project space in City Arts 2. Featuring new paintings and 3D-printed sculptures, Simulations explores synthetic evolution, speculative biology, and the uncanny terrain where artificial form meets organic mutation.

At the heart of the show are sculptural growths—grotesque, biomorphic, and otherworldly—produced using 3D printing technology. These malformed specimens, suggestive of failed clones or corrupted cellular life, are presented within a series of colored plexiglass plinths and encasements, transforming the gallery into a clinical dreamscape or an alien laboratory. The vivid hues of the display structures contrast and amplify the eerie physicality of the works, casting strange shadows and distorting perception.

Alongside these objects are a series of abstract paintings, created in tandem with the sculptural process. These works function as residual landscapes—psychic fields between growth and erasure, formation and failure. Serving as both backdrops and blueprints, they reflect Hannum’s deep interest in the material and symbolic language of mutation.

With Simulations, Hannum blurs the line between natural and unnatural, inviting viewers to confront a future where biology is no longer bound to biology. Instead, we are faced with simulations—fragments of a post-organic world rendered in pigment, plastic, and digital code.

Join us for the opening reception on Thursday, July 25th, from 5–8 PM at SPCE’s Baltimore Project Space at City Arts 2, 1700 Greenmount Ave. Free and open to the public.

For press inquiries or private viewings, contact Andrew Laumann at spcegallery@gmail.com or visit www.spce.gallery.
Follow us on Instagram: @spce.gallery

 

 

Living Room: A Collection of Cherished Memories | Community Reception
Saturday, July 26 :: 3-6pm
@ Charm City Cultural Cultivation

Community Exhibition “Living Room: A Collection of Cherished Memories” in family photographs

On view for July 12-Aug 28
Community Reception: Sat. July 26th 3-6pm

BBDD would like to invite Baltimore’s Black community members to submit one framed photo for loan to be included in our upcoming summer exhibition titled, Living Room: A Collection of Cherished Memories, depicting special moments from their family histories. The works will be installed salon style throughout our exhibition space, accompanied by a label to indicate who is in the photo, the occasion, and where it was taken, to help inform viewers on the historical nature of each of the exhibition images.

As part of Black Baltimore Digital Database this endeavor is to promote the importance of looking at everyday life as a relevant source of archival investigation and documentation. Images of weddings, birthday parties, holiday gatherings, club flicks, proms, graduations, and family portraits are all welcomed. The exhibition will include an introduction by journalist/writer Lawrence Burney.

The Black Baltimore Digital Database (BBDD) is a collaborative and counter-institutional initiative dedicated to preserving and protecting the diverse data of local archival projects, spanning traditional and experimental approaches. Focused on showcasing the rich, often under-recognized contributions of Black communities in and around Baltimore, Maryland, BBDD serves as a vital resource for amplifying these stories. By providing access, fostering engagement, and empowering citizens, neighbors, and visitors, the database creates a dynamic space where history, culture, and agency intersect, ensuring that these invaluable narratives are celebrated and safeguarded for future generations.

 

 

Nocturnal Reflection by Rieko Chacey | Closing Reception
Saturday, July 26 :: 6-8pm
@ Atrium Artspace

Atrium Artspace proudly presents “Nocturnal Reflection”, a solo exhibition by Baltimore-based mixed media artist Rieko Chacey on view from June 28 through July 26 that expresses the artist’s life experience as an educator, artist, and immigrant. “Nocturnal Reflection” transports the viewer into the quiet solitude and creative freedom found late at night.

Born in Tochigi, Japan, the artist moved to the United States at age 18 to study fine art at Towson University.  Chacey has a professional background in graphic design, motion design, video editing, interactive design and illustration. While working full-time as a professional designer, she studied in the Master of Fine Arts program at University of Baltimore. Her works have been exhibited at Brentwood Arts Exchange, SNF Parkway Theater, Baltimore Visitor Center, NYC Big Screen Plaza, the Asian Arts and Culture Center, and Kawasaki City’s Centennial Anniversary Concert in Japan. Now teaching animation, interactive media, and design at Towson University, Rieko Chacey spends her nighttime hours creating deeply personal multimedia artworks from a huge variety of materials and processes. The result is brought to light in Nocturnal Reflection.

 

 

Baltimore Beat Summer Jam Fundraiser, Third Edition
Saturday, July 26 :: 7pm
@ Current Space

We’re back! Don’t miss this year’s Baltimore Beat Summer Jam Fundraiser happening July 26th from 8 p.m to 12 a.m. at Current Space, featuring:

DJ sets by Sounds By Seven, Amsies, DJ Dolla, Tromac, and a live performance by Plant Dad.

Grab your tickets in our bio. (Limited) Early Bird: $25, Regular Sale: $40 Super Supporter: $75 (includes a free @peab “The Beat Goes On” beer & branded glass!)

All proceeds from this event go towards Baltimore Beat’s operating costs. Baltimore Beat fundraisers are how we keep news free and accessible for everyone in the city.

With your support, we’re able to capture the beauty of Baltimore’s neighborhoods, hold city and state officials accountable, shine a light on the city’s vibrant arts scene, and make the overwhelming national news cycle more personal and approachable.

The more money we raise, the more resources we can invest in covering our community

Sponsorship opportunity: By purchasing a block of 30 tickets for $750, you’ll be listed as a Platinum Sponsor. By purchasing a block of 20 tickets for $500 we’ll list you as a Gold sponsor and contributing $250 will get your 10 tix to the Summer Jam Fundraiser and you will be listed as Silver Sponsor.

This Event is 21+

Flyer courtesy of Wide Angle Youth Media.

 

 

< Calls for Entry >

 

54th Annual Labor Day Art Show  | Call for Entries
deadline August 4
posted by Glen Echo Park Partnership for Arts and Culture

The Glen Echo Park Partnership for Arts and Culture invites artists from the DC metro area to submit entries for its 54th Annual Labor Day Art Show—a longstanding tradition that showcases a wide range of local artistic talent and attracts thousands of art enthusiasts to the Park each year.

Entry is open to all artists with original works created within the last two years. All works must be for sale and submissions must reflect the work that you will be exhibiting in the Labor Day Art Show. All artwork must be your own and must not have been entered in a prior Labor Day Art Show. An application must be completed and submitted to be considered. A limited section of children’s work will also be accepted.

 

 

Bemis Center Autumn Residencies
deadline August 4

Time + Space

The Bemis residency is a process-based experience–residents have the ability to research, experiment, and explore free from expectations. Bemis residents enjoy generous sized, private live/work studios and have 24-hour access to extensive installation and production spaces; the Okada Sculpture & Ceramics Facility, a 9,000 square foot industrial workshop used for large-scale sculpture fabrication; and a Sound Studio for rehearsing and recording.

Community

Professional collaborations and personal friendships are often formed among the multidisciplinary mix of residents from around the world. Presentations and open studios among the residents are optional and spontaneous, providing opportunities to share work with fellow cohort members. Bemis also offers opportunities to meet local and regional artists, arts professionals, and others that may specifically help advance a resident’s practice.

 

 

“Plastic Visions” Call for Exhibition
deadline August 7
posted by LoosenArt

Statues, sculptures, monuments and more generally all kinds of plastic productions will be the subject of analysis, documentation and interpretation of the next exhibition curated by LoosenArt.

Photographic works, videos, 3D graphics, and other digital productions will present the “plastic object” as a determinant of form, through which new meanings, concepts, and visual perceptions emerge.

 

 

“Second Time Around” Call for Entry Deadline
deadline August 10
posted by Del Ray Artisans

Seeking art that focuses on sustainable creativity and enhancing the artistic environmental ethos. Artists are encouraged to use recycled materials, found objects, old canvases or panels and more to repurpose them into a new piece of art. This call for entry requires that your submitted art pieces utilize at least 50% recycled materials.

The exhibit is open to all area artists. Del Ray Artisans members pay a discounted entry fee.

 

 

Call for Art | Maryland Treasures
deadline August 15
posted by Maryland Lottery

The State’s natural beauty, culture, icons, landmarks and history are a source of pride for Marylanders from Oakland to Ocean City and everywhere in between. The Maryland Lottery wants to celebrate what we treasure most about Maryland by having artists capture it to share it with our entire State.

Maryland artists are invited to submit their artwork of any visual arts medium including “works on paper” and digital art for a chance to be featured on the Maryland Lottery’s 2026 Maryland Treasures Scratch-Off tickets. Three Entries will be selected as works made for hire to display on the tickets and to support and promote the game.

 

 

Juried Art Show “Art & Spirituality”
deadline August 15
posted by Julio Fine Arts Gallery

The Julio Fine Arts Gallery seeks entries for a juried exhibition themed around “Art & Spirituality” at the Julio Fine Arts Gallery, Loyola University Maryland. Works could engage with specific religious traditions and/or include elements of ritual, repetition, meditation/meditative practice, sacred space or community, concepts of sacredness, spirituality and intersectionality, etc. The topic is widely defined to allow for a variety of voices and themes to emerge. Works of all media are eligible for submission—we encourage experimentation and diversity of ideas! Artists may submit up to 5 images, which could be 5 entries, or a combination of entries and additional views/details of entries. Please be prepared to provide the following information about your work: Title, Medium, Year(s) created, & Dimensions.

Terms of Entry:
—Entrance is free and open to all artists over the age of 18 living in the United States, but preference will given to artists living and working in the region, with an aim towards increasing community participation and artist presence at events and receptions.
—Arrangements for delivery and pick up of artwork is the responsibility of exhibiting artists.
—The work you are submitting must be available for the entire duration of the exhibition, be delivered to the gallery by the designated date, and picked up within 5 days of the closing date.
—By entering the exhibition, artists whose works are selected understand that the Julio Fine Arts Gallery and Loyola University Maryland may use submitted images on printed materials, gallery and/or University website, and social media sites for promotional purposes. Images will include attribution wherever possible.

**Please reach out to Megan Rook-Koepsel, the Gallery Director (mrook-koepsel@loyola.edu) if you have any questions about these requirements, the application process, or the theme—we want to make this process as smooth and fulfilling as possible for everyone!

 

 

The Maryland Film Fest | Call for Submissions
deadline August 15 (extended deadline)

The Maryland Film Fest is now accepting submissions for our 26th Annual Festival Celebration, November 5-9, 2025. We are seeking excellent moving image work from Baltimore, from Maryland, and from all over the world, in short, feature-length, and interactive formats.

Repeatedly named one of the “25 Coolest Film Festivals In the World” by MovieMaker Magazine, we’re thrilled to be back in 2025! Get ready to screen your film live at the historic Stavros Niarchos Foundation Parkway Theatre and other select locations in Baltimore, Maryland.

Join hundreds of fellow filmmakers – including alums like Barry Jenkins, Greta Gerwig, Kathryn Bigelow, Stanley Nelson, Josephine Decker, Terence Nance and more – in a unique, accessible, competition-free atmosphere created solely for the love and enjoyment of film.