BmoreArt

This Week: CLLCTIVLY presents We Give Black, VisArts May Opening Celebration, The Lost Weekend at Greedy Reads, The IN Series: ETHIOPIA at Baltimore Theatre Project, Vagabond Players’ PICASSO AT THE LAPIN AGILE, Earl Arnett book launch and jazz performance at An Die Musik, Asia North Closing Event, Emergence opening reception at Galerie Myrtis, and Show & Tell with Kibibi Ajanku at Creatively Black Baltimore — PLUS The Stoop needs stories to tell 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 >

 

We Give Black
Thursday, May 29 | Ongoing through May 31
@ Frederick Douglass-Isaac Myers Maritime Park

We Give Black

We Give Black is a transformative three-day communal gathering that celebrates culture as the foundation of community-driven wealth. Rooted in the themes of [Re]membering, Restorying, Reimagining, We Give Black will guide attendees through a journey of personal healing, professional development, community celebration, and transformative storytelling. This immersive event will feature intimate workshops, keynote speakers, thought-provoking conversations, and artistic performances, creating a vibrant space for learning, connection, and cultural affirmation.

PROGRAMMING FORMATS

Imagine Stages – A curated session of keynote speakers and artists taking part in moderated conversations, inspiring talks and live artistic performances.

Discovery Rooms – A series of intimate breakout sessions crowdsourced from a national call for proposals and featuring workshops, short talks, and conversations led by thought leaders in various topics aligned with the core themes of We Give Black.

Storytelling Sessions – Citywide immersive experiences through the lens of the people, places, and spaces that make Baltimore thrive. Each experience will be crafted by some of the city’s leading organizations, changemakers, creatives, and entrepreneurs. Each attendee will select (1) session to attend.

Social Gatherings – The opening and closing events will be designed to provide space for connection, inspiration through storytelling, and celebration of Black joy.

Community Celebration – A community gathering designed to bring folks together to celebrate Black joy while showcasing the finest local food, artists, vendors, and performers.

 

 

VisArts May Opening Celebration
Friday, May 30 :: 7-9pm
@ VisArts Rockville

Ready for a night of art, exploration, conversation, and a little wow?

Join us on May 30 from 7–9 PM for the launch of our newest exhibitions. Trust us—you won’t want to miss this.

Step into an imagined wildfire shelter and engage with the “Survival Architect” as Katie Kehoe reimagines resilience through art in Time is of the Essence (Gibbs Street Gallery, May 16-July 13).

See what happens when master ceramic artist—and VisArts Associate Artist and instructor—Xiaosheng Bi gets into questions of control and tension in Confrontation. Compromise. (Concourse Gallery, May 16-June 13).

Wander through Unforeseen, the bold, dystopian installation by Chris Combs and Ceci Cole McInturff (Common Ground Gallery, May 23-July 20). It’s more than an exhibition; it’s a conversation starter.

And don’t skip NextGen 12.0 (Kaplan Gallery, May 30-July 20)—our juried exhibition featuring the next wave of local creative talent, ages 17–27.

This isn’t just an opening night; it’s a chance to mingle with art lovers and the simply curious, enjoy some snacks and sips, and experience an evening full of art, connection, and fun.

See you there!

The opening celebration is free and open to the public, but please RSVP by adding a free ticket to your cart and checking out.

 

 

The Lost Weekend
Friday, May 30 | Ongoing through June 1
@ Greedy Reads Remington

The Lost Weekend returns for a third installment! Baltimore’s historic literary contributions are well known, and it remains still today a city overflowing with creativity and talent, from social and cultural commentary, to poetry, to award-winning fiction. The city’s literary talent is matched by a community of readers who are insatiably curious, hungry for stories, and unapologetically politically and culturally engaged. The Lost Weekend is three days of culture, books, spoken word, poetry, good food and good people – hosted by Greedy Reads.

Learn more about The Lost Weekend at www.greedyreads.com/thelostweekend2025 and follow on Instagram
@greedyreads.

 

 

The IN Series Presents: ETHIOPIA
Friday, May 30 | Ongoing through June 1
@ Baltimore Theatre Project

The long-awaited world premiere of the first “living newspaper,” ETHIOPIA concludes IN Series’ 2024-25 season. The work was banned by the Roosevelt administration and never performed, until now. Written in 1937, this production fuses theater and music to tell the hot-off-the-press story of Italy’s colonialist attack on Haile Selassie’s Ethiopia while the world stayed silent.

This reconstruction, with vivid new texts, is the brainchild of DC writer Sybil R. Williams (STORMY WEATHER, ALCESTE) who has teamed up with DC composer and pianist Janelle Gill (DESDEMONA, CHUCK & EVA) to imagine a new musical realization inspired by the music of Emahoy Tsege, an Ethiopian luminary artist known as “the honky tonk nun.” Williams and Gill expand the vision of the original work to explore how America’s Black and Brown communities responded to Europe’s aggression, and particularly the story of Mayme Richardson, a leading black soprano that became an activist for the Ethiopian causes. Jazz, classical, and African music blend and soar in this history-making musical moment.

Showtimes:
May 30 @ 7:30pm
May 31 @ 7:30pm
June 1 @ 2:30pm

Tickets:
General Admission: $30
Students: $20

 

 

Picasso at the Lapin Agile
Friday, May 30 | Ongoing through June 22
@ Vagabond Players

Vagabond Players is thrilled to close out the 109th season with a comedy of cosmic proportions – PICASSO AT THE LAPIN AGILE by legendary comedian, actor, and writer Steve Martin.

It’s 1904, and who should walk into a popular Parisian bistro but young Pablo Picasso – bursting with self-confidence, an overactive libido and ready to set the art world afire with cubism. But wait, it just so happens that the brilliant young Albert Einstein (working feverishly on a Theory of Relativity that will transform physics) happens to be at the Lapin Agile as well! With whip-smart dialogue, philosophical musings, and rapid-fire comedy, Steve Martin’s play hilariously explores what happens when art, science, and ego collide.

Martin’s own comic genius plays fast and loose with fact, fame, and fortune as these two geniuses and a handful of bystanders debate with infectious dizziness the new century’s coming achievements. Outrageous, fantastical, and packing a surprise punch you’ll never see coming, PICASSO AT THE LAPIN AGILE is a joyous celebration of the nature of genius.

“Artful comedy …. Steve Martin tosses in goofy anachronisms and word play and convention flouting twists with the distractible glee of a kid discovering new toys.” – The San Diego Union-Tribune

“PICASSO AT THE LAPINE AGILE is both intellectually stimulating and laugh out loud funny.” – Variety

PICASSO AT THE LAPINE AGILE opens Friday, May 30 and runs through Sunday, June 22, with weekly performances Fridays/Saturdays at 8 p.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m. And check out a special “Thursdays on Broadway” performance June 19 at 8 p.m. when all tickets are just $10.

For tickets, cast and show info visit www.vagabondplayers.org. Special discounts and group rates are available online.

Located at 806 S. Broadway, Vagabond Players is easily accessible to patrons.

 

 

Earl Arnett: A Jazz Romance
Saturday, May 31 :: 2-5:30pm
@ An Die Musik

Join Earl Arnett for the launch of his autobiography, A Jazz Romance: Ethel Ennis, Baltimore, and Me, on May 31, from 2-4:30 p.m. The program will begin with remarks by the author followed by an audience Q&A. Continue with a concert of Ethel Ennis’s signature love songs performed by Charenee Wade. The event will conclude with a reception and book-signing.

Over the course of his life, Earl Arnett has been a newspaperman, an arts critic, a cabaret owner, a cultural ambassador, and a professor. But the role he has loved most is that of husband to the late Ehtel Ennis, Baltimore’s First Lady of Jazz. From the time of their marriage in 1967—just months after the Supreme Court ruled laws banning interracial marriage unconstitutional—until her death in 2019, Arnett and Ennis were personally and professionally inseparable, devoting their lives to each other and to showcasing Ennis’s exceptional talent in forums from West Baltimore to China, Los Angeles to Washington, D.C. Along the way, they encountered—and in many cases befriended—fascinating characters from the realms of politics, show business, business, and the streets of their beloved Baltimore. Now, in A Jazz Romance, Arnett recounts episodes from that life with wit, incisive clarity, and the wounded wisdom of a widower still besotted with his beloved Ethel and the quietly epic life they lived.

The event is free but PRE-REGISTRATION IS REQUIRED.
Register ASAP, as seating is limited.

 

 

Asia North 2025 | Closing Event
Saturday, May 31 :: 5-9pm
@ 16 W. North Avenue and Motor House

Celebrate the conclusion of Asia North 2025. Congratulate the artists featured in EXCEEDS EXPECTATIONS. Enjoy performances by Chinese guqin player Ilsa Yin, uplifting music from The Fictionals, party with Indie-Pop-Funk band Silversity, and close out the evening dancing to DJ Hon Jao.

 

 

Emergence: Stories in the Making | Opening Reception
Saturday, May 31 :: 6-8pm
@ Galerie Myrtis

Galerie Myrtis is proud to announce Emergence: Stories in the Making, a group exhibition spotlighting a dynamic cohort of emerging artists who use storytelling as a powerful tool for expression and change. This thoughtfully curated show brings together a roster of contemporary griots from across the United States, West Africa, and Caribbean— whose works delve into themes of solidarity, cultural heritage, and social transformation.

Co-curated by Gallery Directors Noel Bedolla and Ky Vassor, Emergence underscores the vital role storytelling plays in shaping public discourse and advancing societal awareness. The exhibition features a compelling lineup of artists: Aliana Grace Bailey, Schaun Champion, Unyime Edet, Alanis Forde, Damilare Jamiu, Charles Philippe Jean-Pierre, Kachelle Knowles, Maxwell Pearce, Linnea Poole, Ransome, Kim Rice, and Bria Sterling Wilson.

Each artist presents a unique perspective, employing textiles, painting, photography, and conceptual mediums to explore emotional, environmental, and social issues that deeply resonate in today’s world. Their work serves as a mirror to contemporary society, offering viewers a chance to reflect on the narratives that inform and influence our collective experience.

Throughout history, storytellers have acted as the moral compass of society—capturing the spirit of political movements and preserving the human story. The works featured in Emergence continue this tradition, inviting audiences to connect with the urgent voices shaping our time.

The exhibit runs from May 31 – July 12, 2025. Gallery hours: Tuesday – Saturday by appointment, 2:00 – 6:00 pm. Hours extended during special events. For additional information on the exhibition, please contact the gallery at (410) 235‐3711 or Ky Vassor, Assistant Director, at ky@galeriemyrtis.com. For sales inquiries, please contact our Sales Director, Noel Bedolla, at noel@galerimyrtis.com.

 

 

Show & Tell with Kibibi Ajanku
Sunday, June 1 :: 2-3pm
@ Creatively Black Baltimore

Join us for a captivating presentation showcasing significant works from the artist’s portfolio. Discover the intriguing backstory behind their creative process as they share insights and inspirations.

 

 

< Calls for Entry >

 

Baltimore Sculpture Studio | Call for Members

Baltimore Sculpture Studio is currently seeking three new sculptors to join our sculpture group.

We sculpt in an air-conditioned studio space near Union Station in Baltimore’s Penn North neighborhood.

Our studio was formed to create an opportunity for live model sculpture sessions in Baltimore. Membership offers the opportunity to join our live model sculpture sessions, currently on Sundays from 1 to 4 pm, as well as 24/7 access to our shared studio space.

We are working to expand offerings to include:
• Classes
• Workshops with local and visiting artists
• Artist talks
• Opportunities to exhibit member work

Membership is on a yearly basis. The fee for 2025–2026 will be $1300–$1600, depending on the number of members, with an additional quarterly model fee. New members may join sooner at a prorated fee for the remainder of the current annual session.

If you’re interested in joining or have questions, call or text Alison at 443-990-1612.

 

 

Stoop Storytelling 20th Season Suggestions!

Can you believe it? The Stoop is planning our 20th season — and we want you to help us make it our best one yet.

We’re looking for ideas that reflect the heart, humor, and humanity of our community — that means theme ideas, band recommendations, venue suggestions, and anything else you’re dreaming up.

Have a brilliant theme that would bring the house down?
Know a band that always gets the crowd moving?
Been to a venue that feels so Stoop-y?
Got a wild idea we haven’t thought of yet?

We’re all ears.

 

 

State of the ART(ist) – Cultural Diplomacy and the Freedom of Art | Open Call
deadline May 31
posted by Arts Electronica

State of the ART(ist) is aimed at artists working under existential threat – be it through political repression, war, surveillance or social inequality. The initiative highlights the urgency of the drastic situation for artists in many countries in order to raise the global question of where political influence and aggression prevent artists from fulfilling their important role for and in society.

In a time of escalating crises, State of the ART(ist) 2025 explores the intersections of art, activism and resistance. The initiative creates a space in which artistic expression acts as both documentation and intervention. The focus is on artists who are exposed to systemic threats, question dominant narratives and open up new avenues for social debate.

The aim is to make visible and support those whose artistic work is endangered by political repression, social inequality, war, environmental disasters or the effects of digital surveillance. In addition to financial support, the initiative offers visibility, international networking and digital and physical presentation opportunities – including as part of the Ars Electronica Festival in Linz.

A particular focus is on the contribution of art to international understanding and cultural diplomacy: State of the ART(ist) sees itself as a long-term offer for artists in danger and as a call for global solidarity through the language of art.

 

 

Oak Spring Garden Foundation Interdisciplinary Residencies
deadline May 31

The goal of this program is to provide individuals with the time and space to pursue their own creative projects alongside other Residents who may be examining plants, landscapes, gardens, and the natural world from different perspectives. Artists, conservation practitioners, researchers, scholars, scientists, and/or writers are encouraged to apply to our Interdisciplinary Residency Program. This is our flagship Residency program that was started in 2021. Now, in 2025, we have hosted over 90 Interdisciplinary Residents, and we plan to award 40 Interdisciplinary Residencies annually. We hope our Residents will develop meaningful relationships around shared creative interests, and find abundant inspiration while at OSGF.

Interdisciplinarity is a key value of OSGF, and this Residency provides ample opportunities for Residents to explore our various resources. Beyond the time devoted to their projects, an Interdisciplinary Resident’s typical day at Oak Spring might include a walk to enjoy the landscape or birds; an appointment to visit the Oak Spring Library; and/or a morning spent volunteering at the BCCF or in the formal garden. These optional activities provide Residents time to learn from, and interact with our staff. None of these kinds of activities are required, and we understand that many Residents might want to spend most of their time in their writing or studio space. This program supports varying Residents, needs, and strikes a balance of socialization, and independent work time.

Residents are not required to make work that addresses our site specifically, but they should work on projects related to OSGF’s mission. We often find that Residents who use their time for research and inspiration are most satisfied with this Residency experience.

 

 

TILT Institute for Contemporary Image AIR Program
deadline June 1

TILT Institute for the Contemporary Image invites artists to submit applications to our annual artist-in-residence program. The AIR Program provides support to talented, self-directed, committed artists of all levels who are advancing contemporary photography by incorporating innovative approaches to making in their practice and whose work is aligned with our core values of diversity, equity, accessibility, inclusion, and justice.

Participants receive a stipend, access to high-end digital facilities/equipment, a platform to share their work with the public through an open studio, and time/space to reflect upon how they want to expand their practice. We hope to create a transformative experience for each artist that participates in the program during and beyond their residency.

 

 

“Mark Rothko 2025” International Painting Symposium
deadline June 1

The Rothko Museum invites artists to apply to the “Mark Rothko 2025” International Painting Symposium – a vibrant creative forum organised in the museum’s residency framework.

Held annually in September for over twenty years, the symposium commemorates Mark Rothko’s birthday in his native town and puts Daugavpils in the spotlight as an inspiring hub for contemporary artistic practices where creativity can truly thrive.

Mark Rothko’s name and unmistakable iconic style remain intensely relevant today. Thus, the two-week symposium attracts worldwide attention, especially from the artists who resonate with Rothko’s visual language and appreciate the philosophical ideas he encapsulated in his work. This internationally popular symposium is an inclusive platform for discussion and an opportunity for seeing and discovering a place with links to Rothko’s childhood, a time for learning about Rothko’s background and for experiencing his originals in the museum’s Rothko Room. However, most importantly, it is a perfect setting for channelling these influences into new creations that will be featured in an exhibition and remain in the museum’s collection as an enduring testament to Rothko’s timeless impact on the artists of today.

 

 

2025 Wassaic Project Haunted Mill
deadline June 2

Please email Dani Klebes (danielle@wassaicproject.org) if you cannot afford to pay the application fee.

About Us The Wassaic Project, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, uses art and arts education to foster positive social change. We nurture connections between our artists and our neighbors facilitating a mutual broadening of perspectives and respect across economic and cultural boundaries.

The Haunted Mill Open Call

Get ready to bring your zaniest, spookiest ideas to life! We’re calling all artists to apply for a fully funded 1 – 5 week residency to participate in the 2025 Wassaic Project Haunted Mill! The Haunted Mill will be open to the public from 4:00 PM – 7:00 PM on Friday, October 24th, Saturday, October 25th, and Sunday, October 26th, 2025.

This year, we’re looking for some seriously eerie proposals: think of site-specific installations in Maxon Mills, outdoor creations, and performances that will make your skin crawl. We want haunted games, creepy trick-or-treat stations, and any other spine-chilling ideas you can conjure up!

For installations and performances, you’ll have total creative freedom—just keep it PG-13! If you’re an artist who loves to push boundaries, embrace the strange, and work independently, this is the residency and exhibition for you! For performances: if your work is time-based or has video documentation, you may also link to media from YouTube, Vimeo, or SoundCloud.

Haunted Mill artists will have access to housing in one of our residency houses for 1 – 5 weeks between October 1st to November 3rd, 2025, private studio space in Maxon Mills, and additional space in the Luther Barn. We’re offering $500 – $800 honorariums (depending on the scope of the project) to participating artists and artistic teams for your hard work and creativity.

Let’s make this Halloween the wildest one yet!

Application Requirements: Contact information Proposal 1–10 work samples (5 or more images of completed works and 1-5 sketches, mock-ups, or works in progress of what you’re thinking about for your installation) CV (PDF, 2 pages maximum) $25 application fee

Application Deadline: Monday, June 2, midnight EST

 

 

Headlands Center for the Arts Artist in Residence Program
deadline June 2

The Artist in Residence (AIR) program awards fully sponsored residencies to approximately 50 local, national, and international artists each year. Residencies of four to ten weeks include studio space, chef-prepared meals, housing, travel and living expenses. AIRs become part of a dynamic community of artists participating in Headlands’ other programs, allowing for exchange and collaborative relationships to develop within the artist community on campus. Artists selected for this program are at all career stages and work in all media, including drawing, painting, sculpture, photography, film, video, new media, installation, fiction and nonfiction writing, poetry, dance, music, interdisciplinary, social practice, and architecture.

 

 

Prairie Ronde Artist Residency
deadline June 15

We’re looking for individuals who are highly independent, engaged and curious. We do not limit our residency to any specific medium, but rather are looking for diverse artists who can creatively interact with The Mill.

We host three sessions annually and accept 2 – 4 residents per session. Accepted residents receive a stipend of $2,000 for 5 – 6 weeks, a $500 travel grant and private housing. We work with residents to share their work with the community (a gallery show, public workshop or other).

 

 

Contrasts Art Contest
deadline June 30

“Contrasts” is a fascinating exploration of tensions and harmonies present in contemporary art.
The contest aims to highlight the dualities that characterize our existence: light and shadow, warmth and coolness, movement and stillness.

It seeks to bring together works by emerging and established artists, both invited to explore contrast through their unique visual language.