11/2-4/5/26. AMERICAN SUBLIME
Exhibits. American Sublime is the most comprehensive exhibition of works to date by artist Amy Sherald, helping to cement the one-time Baltimorean’s status as one of the most iconic American painters of this century. Originally slated to conclude its three-city tour at the Smithsonian’s National Portrait Gallery in Washington, D.C., this massive traveling exhibition changed course due to concerns about possible censorship. But now, in a fitting twist, the show will wrap just up I-95 at the Baltimore Museum of Art—a homecoming of sorts.

“Baltimore has always been part of my DNA as an artist,” said Sherald in a statement. “Every brushstroke carries a little of its history, its energy, its people, and my time there. To bring this exhibition here is to return that love.” In this career-spanning show, explore early works through the grand masterpieces that have made Sherald a household name today. Baltimore Museum of Art, 10 Art Museum Dr. Wed.-Sun. 10 a.m.-5 p.m., Thurs. 10 a.m.-9 p.m. Free-$18. 

11/1. ICONS BALL [EDITORS’ PICK] 
Fundraisers & Galas. In this must-attend party, celebrate 10 years of BmoreArt and their 20th issue with the theme of local icons. Lord Baltimore Hotel, 20 W. Baltimore St. 7 p.m. $175.  

11/1. ROCKS YOUR SOCKS 5K
Fundraisers & Galas. Sporting this year’s theme of 1980s attire, run to benefit to Health Care for the Homeless and enjoy a post-race festival full of food, yoga, and family fun. Patterson Park, 2601 E. Baltimore St. 7:45 a.m. $35-50.

11/1. CAROLE BOSTON WEATHERFORD
Classes & Lectures. This New York Times bestselling author discusses her new children’s book, “Whirligigs,” about folk artist Vollis Simpson. Enoch Pratt Free Library, 400 Cathedral St. 10:30 a.m. Free.

11/1. DEAD COMPOSERS SOCIETY [EDITORS’ PICK]
Music. BSO maestro Jonathon Heyward and former Sun columnist Dan Rodricks unite for a rare blend of musical mystery. Joseph Meyerhoff Symphony Hall, 1212 Cathedral St. 3 p.m. $10. 

11/1. BILLY STRINGS
Music. This genre-defying jam-grass rocker hits the stage with his usual high energy and talent. CFG Bank Arena, 201 W. Baltimore St. 7:30 p.m. $58-96.

TO 11/2. ALONE
Theater. An aptly gothic stage brings Poe’s classic stories to life, including “Alone,” “The Raven,” “A Dream Within a Dream,” and “Annabel Lee.” Fri. 7:30 p.m., Sat. 2 &  7:30 p.m., Sun. 3 p.m. $25.

TO 11/2. VESPER
Theater. This surrealist Acme Corporation play explores humanity’s relationship to the nighttime as a metaphor for navigating personal and societal darkness. The Voxel, 9 W. 25th St. Times & prices vary.

TO 11/2. THE PASTOR’S ANNIVERSARY
Music. This brand-new play combines the beauty of gospel music with a comedic twist. Arena Players, Inc., 801 McCulloh St. Times & prices vary. 

TO 11/2. ALONE, TALES FROM EDGAR ALLAN POE
Theater. Daniel Hall Kuhn’s immersive solo performance transports audiences into the macabre depths of Edgar Allan Poe’s greatest works. Theatre Project, 45 W. Preston St. Fri. 7:30 p.m., Sat. 2 & 7:30 p.m., Sun. 3 p.m. $25. 

11/2. PUMPKIN SMASH
Family. Close out the spooky season by launching your own jack-o-lanterns from four stories up to the ground below. Maryland Science Center, 601 Light St. 10 a.m.-12 p.m. Free.

11/3. BRANDY & MONICA
Music. This iconic 1990s R&B duo co-headline their The Boy is Mine tour with special guests like Kelly Rowland. CFG Bank Arena, 201 W. Baltimore St. 7 p.m. $136-482.  

11/3. BASKETBALL HALL OF FAME
Sports. Local teams tee up in this hoops doubleheader, featuring Maryland versus Coppin State and Towson versus Loyola. CFG Bank Arena, 201 W. Baltimore St. 12 p.m. $57-241. 

11/5-9. MARYLAND FILM FEST 2025 [EDITORS’ PICK]
Film. Cinephiles unite for five days of local film’s latest and greatest, new technology, music, art, and more. Parkway Theatre, 5 W. North Ave. Times vary. $20-350. 

11/5-26. PIECING AND PASTING AND OTHER MATERIALS RELATED TO JANE AUSTEN [EDITORS’ PICK] 
Exhibitions. For the 250th anniversary of Jane Austen’s birth, local artist Lauren Frances Adams and historian Dr. Victoria Rose Pass share this collaborative exhibit inspired by the author’s icoonic literary works. Goucher College, 1021 Dulaney Valley Rd. Times vary. Free.

11/6. IF HOMEWOOD’S WALLS COULD TALK
Exhibitions. Celebrate the opening of this new exhibition that coincides with with the 250th anniversary of the United States and the 150th anniversary of Johns Hopkins University with this house-wide exploration of Homewood’s centuries-old history. Homewood Museum, 3400 N. Charles St. 6-8 p.m. Free. 

11/6. POETRY & CONVERSATION [EDITORS’ PICK]
Classes & Lectures. Local creative leaders Abdu Ali and Taylor Johnson discuss their latest poetic projects. Enoch Pratt Free Library, 400 Cathedral St. 6:30 p.m. Free. 

11/6 & 20. MASTER CLASS: MANUEL BARRUECO
Classes & Lectures. Learn the art of the guitar from this world-renowned guitarist. Centre Street Performance Studio, 5 E. Centre St. 6:15-8:15 p.m. Free. 

TO 11/7. PIANO
Exhibits. Baltimore-based artist Kristin Putchinski reimagines the grand piano as more than just a musical instrument in this collection of interdisciplinary artworks. Gallery CA, 440 E. Oliver St. Mon.-Fri. 12-4 p.m.  

11/7-9. 51ST ANNUAL MARYLAND IRISH FESTIVAL
Festivals. This green-laden celebration is rich with Irish music, dancers, traditional cuisine, cultural exhibits, and more. The Maryland State Fairgrounds, 2200 York Rd., Lutherville-Timonium. Fri. 6-11 p.m., Sat. 12-11 p.m., Sun. 12-6 p.m. $10-20.  

11/7-15. PHANTOM OF THE OPERA
Theater. Andrew Lloyd Webber’s masterpiece tells the tale of a disfigured musical genius known only as ‘The Phantom’ who haunts the Paris Opera House. Hippodrome Theatre, 12 N. Eutaw St. Showtimes vary. $299-386. 

 11/7-30. TROUBLE IN MIND 
Theater. A talented Black actress welcomes the opportunity to star in an anti-lynching Broadway play, only to find out that it’s not all she thought it would be. Fells Point Corner Theatre, 251 S. Ann St. Fri.-Sat. 8 p.m., Sun. 2 p.m. $24. 

11/8. OYFEST [EDITORS’ PICK] 
Festivals. This beloved annual oyster festival kicks off with all-you-can-eat oysters, competitions, and local beer to benefit the Oyster Recovery Partnership. Union Craft Brewing, 1700 W. 41st St., #42. 12-5 p.m. $10-12. 

11/8. PATTERSON PARK BREWFEST [EDITORS’ PICK]
Food & Drink. Sip on more than 40 local beers, enjoy food truck bites, and hear live music in annual fetival. Patterson Park, 2601 E. Baltimore St. 12-4:30 p.m. $23.18.  

11/8. TERMITE: A BALTIMORE STORY [EDITORS’ PICK] 
Film. From local cinematographer Kirby Griffin, this short documentary tells the story of local resident and community leader “Termite” Kin Lane Brown. The Peale, 225 Holliday St. 6 p.m. Free.

11/8-1/10. SUSAN GOLDMAN: THE ORIGIN OF SELF [EDITORS’ PICK]
Exhibitions. This collection celebrates the 25-year artistic evolution and work of this esteemed printmaker, artist, curator, and filmmaker. Galerie Myrtis, 2224 N. Charles St. Thurs.-Sat. 2-6 p.m. Free. 

TO 11/9. EXTREME HEAT 
Exhibitions. See the work of fellows who are collaborating with Johns Hopkins University and local public health officials about the growing threat of increasing temperatures. Crow’s Nest, 116 W. Mulberry St. Sun. 1-5 p.m. Free. 

TO 11/9. DISSENT
Exhibitions. This group show features an urgent chorus of artistic voices speaking out against today’s political climate and current issues facing marginalized communities. Atrium Artspace, 2029 Maryland Ave. Wed.-Thurs. 1-4 p.m. Free.

TO 11/9. THE PECULIAR PATRIOT
Theater. Funny and fearless, Liza Jessie Peterson’s timely one-woman show analyzes the impact of mass incarceration in the United States. Baltimore Center Stage, 700 N. Calvert St. Times vary. $10-60. 

11/9. PUPPETS FIGHT BACK!
Theater. Mutual Obsession Circle presents a spirited performance of music, puppetry, and drag. Le Mondo, 406 N. Howard St. 8 p.m. $20. 

11/10. SCRIPT TEASE
Theater. Everyman actor Katie Kleiger presents her playwright debut, following Ava and Eleanor as they confront past demons and reevaluate happiness. Everyman Theatre, 315 W. Fayette St. 7 p.m. $5. 

11/10. BRIAN BAKER [EDITORS’ PICK]
Classes & Lectures. With Tony Pence of Celebrated Summer Records, this legendary punk guitarist discusses the photograph collection from his many years of touring with bands like Minor Threat and Bad Religion. Enoch Pratt Free Library, 400 Cathedral St. 7-8 p.m. Free. 

11/10-14. ANIMAL ARCHITECTS
Festivals. Become a zoo engineer by using your creativity to solve real-world problems that animals face in the wild. Maryland Zoo, 1 Safari Pl. 10 a.m.-12 p.m. $28-33. 

11/11. DR. NEIL DEGRASSE TYSON
Classes & Lectures. This world-renowned astrophysicist speaks on his latest work in cosmic research. The Lyric, 140 W. Mt. Royal Ave. 7:30 p.m. $61.50-190.70.

11/11-15. DIFFUSION FESTIVAL [EDITORS’ PICK]
Exhibitions. Ignite your senses by wading through artist Jeff Carey’s immersive electronic music installations. The Voxel, 9 W. 25th St. Times vary. Free. 

11/13. WITHOUT ARROWS 
Film. In honor of Native American Heritage Month, enjoy a screening of this film that follows the Lakȟóta family and their traditions. The Walters Art Museum, 600 N. Charles St. 6 p.m. Free. 

11/13-15. JIM GAFFIGAN
Comedy. This comedian, actor, and writer performs his latest tour, “Everything is Wonderful!” The Lyric, 140 W. Mt. Royal Ave. Thurs.-Fri. 7 p.m., Sat. 8 p.m. $50.90-180.05. 

11/13-12/23. WINTERFEST & HOLIDAY SALE
Market. Find the perfect gift in this collection of hand-crafted ceramics created by Baltimore Clayworks artists. Baltimore Clayworks, 5707 Smith Ave. Times vary. Free.

11/13-16. AN EVENING WITH ALEX AND OLMSTED [EDITORS’ PICK]
Theater. This puppet theater duo performs their award-winning variety acts and short puppet films. Theatre Project, 45 W. Preston St. Thurs.-Fri. 7:30 p.m., Sat. 3 & 7:30 p.m., Sun. 3 p.m. Free-$15 

11/14. THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION AND CIVIC ENGAGEMENT NIGHT
Film. Maryland Public Television presents a preview screening of the new Ken Burns film, followed by a letter-writing activity and panel discussion. Maryland Center for History & Culture, 610 Park Ave. 5-8 p.m. Free.

11/14-15. THE FOURTH ANNUAL BALTIMORE IRISH TENOR BANJO SUMMIT
Music. Enjoy a weekend of traditional Irish music performances and the opportunity to learn the accompanying dance moves. Creative Alliance, 3134 Eastern Ave. Fri. 7:30 p.m., Sat. 10 a.m. $25-130. 

11/14-12/5. NOW YOU SEE IT, NOW YOU…
Exhibitions. This solo art exhibition by Baltimore visual artist Nora Howell makes the invisible visible. Gallery CA, 440 E. Oliver St. Mon.-Fri. 12-4 p.m. Free. 

11/15. DAM JAM FESTIVAL
Festivals. Enjoy live bands, vendors, food trucks, crafts, and more beside the water. Lake Roland, 1000 Lakeside Dr. 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Free. 

11/15. HOLIDAY MAKERS’ MARKET
Markets. Pick up holiday gifts like locally made jewelry, artwork, and more at Evergreen. Evergreen Museum & Library, 4545 N. Charles St. 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Free. 

11/15. QUEERING THE COLLECTION
Exhibitions. Explore the “From Gérôme to Monet” collection with Jonathan Katz, a queer art historian, curator, and professor from the University of Pennsylvania. The Walters Art Museum, 600 N. Charles St. 3-4 p.m. Free.

 11/15. MORTIFIED AT MANOR MILL
Theater. Everyday adults unveil their most embarrassing teenage diary entries, poems, and more in front of total strangers. The Loft at Manor Mill, 2029 Monkton Rd., Monkton. 7-9 p.m. $27.50.

11/15. POW-WOW & NATIVE AMERICAN FESTIVAL [EDITORS’ PICK]
Festivals. In this annual celebration of Native American heritage from the Mid-Atlantic region, explore traditional foods, customs, and dances, including a festive pow-wow. Maryland State Fairgrounds, 2200 York Rd., Lutherville-Timonium. 11 a.m.-7 p.m. $7.18.

TO 11/15. RICHARD AYODEJI IKHIDE
Exhibitions. A collection of new works by this Nigerian-born, London-based artist are on view in Bolton Hill. CPM Gallery, 1512 Bolton St. Tues.-Sat. 10 a.m.-6 p.m. by appt. Free. 

TO 11/16. ART
Theater. In this Tony Award-winning comedy set in modern-day Paris, a long-time friendship changes after the purchase of a questionable artwork. Everyman Theatre, 315 W. Fayette St. $5-97. 

11/16. KNITTERS & CROCHETERS NEEDED FOR NIFTY NECKWEAR
Classes & Lectures. Drop off or make homemade scarves to keep AVAM’s iconic 15-foot pink poodle Fifi warm through the winter months. American Visionary Art Museum, 800 Key Hwy. 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Free. 

11/16. BALTIMORE VINTAGE EXPO [EDITORS’ PICK]
Markets. During this beloved annual event, shop from vintage and antique vendors selling quality clothing, antiques, collectibles, jewelry, decor, and furniture. Union Collective, 1700 W. 41st St. 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Free. 

11/16. ALSOP CONDUCTS BRAHMS 3
Music. Music Director Laureate Marin Alsop conducts this iconic symphony and French-Serbian violinist Nemanja Radulović performs the Khachaturian Violin Concerto. Joseph Meyerhoff Symphony Hall, 1212 Cathedral St. 3 p.m. $41-114. 

11/16. ASTRONAUT SYMPHONY [EDITORS’ PICK]
Music. Pianist, composer, and lyricist Scott Patterson leads this intergalactic ensemble exploding with fantastic futuristic funkiness. Keystone Korner Baltimore, 1350 Lancaster St. 5 & 7:30 p.m. $35-45.

11/16-2/1. JOHN AKOMFRAH
Exhibitions. View an immersive video installation from this London-based featuring perspectives of young Civil Rights activists of the 1960s. The Baltimore Museum of Art, 10 Art Museum Dr. Wed.-Sun. 10 a.m.-5 p.m., Thurs. 10 a.m.-9 p.m. Free.

11/18. “AETHER” 
Music. Enjoy the ambient vocals of Marie Herrington with happy hour cocktails and coffee. Bird in Hand, 11 E. 33rd St. 6 p.m. Free.  

11/19-23. TU DANCE COMPANY FALL CONCERT
Dance. The Towson University dance troupe performs a combination of ballet, modern, and contemporary works. Towson University, Stephen’s Hall Theatre, 8000 York Rd., Towson 7 p.m. Prices vary. Free.

11/20. ‘MARINE LIFE & MANHATTANS’
Classes & Lectures. Marine scientist and educator Symone Barkley discusses the field of marine biology and encourages budding biologists to chase their dreams, with cocktails to boot. Irvine Nature Center, 11201 Garrison Forest Rd., Owings Mills. 6:30 p.m. $55-65. 

11/20. BALTIMORE HONKY TONK
Music. Local musicians perform classic country tunes during this beloved monthly dance party, with a free lesson included. Mobtown Ballroom, 30 W. North Ave. 6:30-10 p.m. $12.51.  

11/21. I WANNA DANCE WITH SOMEBODY…BEFORE 9 PM 
Music. DJ Mikie Love brings the ’80s and ’90s hits for this early-bird dance party. Ottobar, 2549 N. Howard St. 6-9 p.m. $21.17. 

11/21. BASKET BINGO AT THE ZOO
Kids. Bring friends for this old-school game night, the chance to win prizes, and cocktails, too. The Maryland Zoo, 1 Safari Pl. 6-9:30 p.m. $40. 

TO 11/22. PANDARAYUHAN: HOME IS A MEMORY
Exhibitions. Anna Divinagracia’s solo show reflects on home, identity, and longing through the lens of the Filipino immigrant experience. Creative Alliance, 3134 Eastern Ave. Tues.-Sat. 12-5 p.m. Free.

11/22. AVAM BIRTHDAY BASH [EDITORS’ PICK]
Fundraisers & Galas. Celebrate 30 years of the American Visionary Art Museum with tours, activities, a birthday cake, and more! American Visionary Art Museum, 800 Hey Hwy. 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Free-$15.99. 

11/22. BEYOND THE FRAME: BALTIMORE FILMMAKERS DAY
Film. See this screening and discussion of short films from the ’70s and ’80s by local filmmakers from the Pratt’s film collection. Enoch Pratt Free Library, 400 Cathedral St. 1-3 p.m. Free.

11/22. FRIENDSGIVING FEAST
Food & Drink. In Station North, celebrate friends and food with fall-inspired cocktails, elevated seasonal bites, live music, and more. Motor House, 120 W. North Ave. 6-8 p.m. $50-80. 

11/22. BMA BALL & AFTER PARTY 
Exhibitions. Enjoy dinner, drinks, and the after-party dancing, with this year’s event honoring artists Amy Sherald and Wangechi Mutu. The Baltimore Museum of Art, 10 Art Museum Dr. 6 p.m.-12 a.m. $125+. 

11/22. WAR ON WOMEN [EDITORS’ PICK]
Music. This long-beloved Baltimore feminist punk band performs their hardcore sound. Ottobar, 2549 N. Howard St. 7 p.m. $26.32. 

TO 11/23. HAIR
Theater. This musical unlike any other is set during the Vietnam War with a touch of psychedelic rock-and-rock and a defiant war-cry for peace. Vagabond Players, 806 S. Broadway. Times vary. $12-30. 

11/23. TALIB KWELI
Music. This Brooklyn-born rapper performs his hits downtown. Baltimore Soundstage, 124 Market Pl. 8 p.m. $25-39. 

11/25. NATIVE AMERICAN ART IN PRINTS OPEN HOUSE
Exhibitions. View original prints from C. Szwedzicki, a small publisher in France who produced six portfolios of North American Indian art. Enoch Pratt Free Library, 400 Cathedral St. 11 a.m.-3:30 p.m. Free.

11/26. CRIS JACOBS FAMILY REUNION [EDITORS’ PICK]
Music. This Baltimore folk legend performs his latest album with special guests The Bridge, Smooth Kentucky, and more. The Recher, 512 York Rd., Towson. 6 p.m. $42.92.  

11/26. TODD MARCUS QUARTET
Music. This esteemed Baltimore-based bass clarinetist performs his fresh, inventive jazz creations to kick off the holiday season. Keystone Korner Baltimore, 1350 Lancaster St. 7 p.m. $30-35. 

11/26-30. DR. SEUSS’ HOW THE GRINCH STOLE CHRISTMAS
Theater. This classic holiday thief comes to life on the downtown stage in this musical Christmas classic. Hippodrome Theatre, 12 N. Eutaw St. Times vary. $45-183.  

11/27-12/24. CHRISTMAS VILLAGE
Markets. This annual holiday market of holiday goodies featuring a carousel, Ferris wheel, heated tents, craft vendors, and a beer garden. 501 Light St. 12-5 p.m. Free. 

11/28. BLACK FRIDAY
Festivals. In this annual beer festival, drink the season’s darkest stouts and porters in Fells Point. Max’s Taphouse, 737 S. Broadway, 11:30 a.m.-11:45 p.m. Free.

11/28-30. BAH HUMBUG
Theater. Mid-Atlantic Improv creates an unpredictable, comedic take on “A Christmas Carol” with the help of audience members. Theatre Project, 45 W. Preston St. Fri.-Sat. 8 p.m., Sun. 2 p.m. $20-25.

11/28-30. FESTIVAL OF TREES [EDITORS’ PICK]
Festivals. A winter wonderland of designer-decorated trees, wreaths, and gingerbread houses with carnival games, food trucks, and more to benefit Kennedy Krieger Institute. Maryland State Fairgrounds, 2200 York Rd., Lutherville-Timonium. Fri.-Sat. 10 a.m.-7 p.m., Sun. 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Prices vary. 

11/26-1/4. SANTA CLAUS IS COMIN’
Music. This Motown Christmas revue features holiday tunes reimagined by the talented Nygel D. Robinson. Baltimore Center Stage, 700 N. Calvert St. Times vary. $10-60. 

11/27. Y TURKEY TROT CHARITY 5K
Fundraisers & Galas. Start Thanksgiving Day with a race to help support families with food and financial assistance. Multiple YMCA locations. 8:30 a.m. $6.30-43.40. 

11/28-12/23. THE POLAR EXPRESS TRAIN RIDE
Family. Bring the kids to take this two-hour train ride with performances and a visit from Santa. B&O Railroad Museum, 901 W. Pratt St. Times vary. $55-120. 

11/29. LESLIE ODOM, JR. 
Music. This Tony- and Grammy-winning artist returns this holiday season for a night of festive music. Joseph Meyerhoff Symphony Hall, 1212 Cathedral St. 7:30 p.m. 

11/29-29. BAZAART [EDITORS’ PICK]
Markets. Holiday shoppers flock to this holiday craft market featuring original creations from 50 local artisans. American Visionary Art Museum, 800 Key Hwy. Fri. 12-5 p.m., Sat. 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Free. 

11/29-12/23. A CHRISTMAS CAROL
Theater. The Dickens holiday classic is adapted to take place in 19th-century Baltimore. Chesapeake Shakespeare Company, 7 S. Calvert St. Showtimes vary. $35-82.  

TO 11/30. DO YOU GO OUT? [EDITORS’ PICK]
Exhibitions. Explore Baltimore queer history through the work of local artist Amos Badertscher which documents gay nightlife and street culture. The Club Car, 12 W. North Ave. 5-9 p.m. Free.

11/30-1/1. MIRACLE ON 34TH STREET [EDITORS’ PICK]
Festivals. The most festive block in Hampden is decked out in over-the-top holiday cheer. 700 block of W. 34th St. Sun.-Thurs. 6-10 p.m., Sat.-Sun. 6 p.m.-12 a.m. Free.

11/30-12/4. DECEIVED
Theater. An adaptation of the thriller “Gaslight,” this play follows Bella, who is questioning her sanity as a mystery of manipulation unfolds. Everyman Theatre, 315 W. Fayette St. 7 p.m. $5-66. 

TO 6/7/26. FROM GEROME TO MONET
Exhibitions. View works by artists trained at government-sponsored art schools alongside paintings completed in the same years by the Impressionists. Hackerman House, 1 W. Mt. Vernon Pl. Wed.-Sun. 10 a.m.-5 p.m., Thurs. 1-8 p.m.  

TO 12/10. FREDERICK CORNELIUS ALSTON
Exhibitions. In commemoration of the life and work of this African-American artist and educator, view paintings by Alston and others from the early 20th century. James E. Lewis Museum of Art, 2201 Argonne Dr. Tues.-Fri. 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Free.

TO 12/22. BALTIMORE FARMERS MARKET
Festivals. Maryland’s largest farmers market brings the community together with local farms, food vendors, and live performances. Saratoga & Holliday St. Sun. 7 a.m.-12 p.m. Free.

TO 12/31. COLLECTIVE ACTION 
Exhibitions. Explore the effort to improve organized labor throughout the 21st century through the stories and experiences of working Baltimoreans. Baltimore Museum of Industry, 1415 Key Hwy. Wed.- Sun., 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Free

TO 1/4/26. DECONSTRUCTING NATURE
Exhibitions. This collection of over 50 19th-century works on paper explores artist roles in transforming the environment into an industrial resource. Baltimore Museum of Art, 10 Art Museum Dr. Wed.-Sun. 10 a.m.-5 p.m., Thurs. 10 a.m.-9 p.m. Free. 

TO 1/11/26. SOULFUL CREATURES
Exhibitions. View nearly 100 ancient animals from the Egyptian collection of the Brooklyn Museum and 10 works from our very own Walters Art Museum. Walters Art Museum, 600 N. Charles St. Wed.-Sun. 10 a.m.-5 p.m., Thurs. 1-8 p.m. Free.

TO 2/15/26. MODERNISMS
Exhibitions. Explore modernist works of 14 Jewish artists, many from Baltimore, including Florence H. Austrian, Gladys Goldstein, and more. Jewish Museum of Maryland, 15 Lloyd St. Sun. 10 a.m.-4 p.m., Mon.-Wed. 12-4 p.m. Free. 

TO 2/15/26. PAWS ON PARCHMENT
Exhibitions. See how cats were depicted in medieval manuscripts as beloved pets, hunters, and important symbols in the period’s culture. The Walters Art Museum, 600 N. Charles St. Wed.-Sun. 10 a.m.-5 p.m., Thurs. 1-8 p.m. Free. 

TO 2/26. DAILY HUSTLE: THE PHOTOGRAPHS OF I. HENRY PHILLIPS , SR.
Exhibitions. This collection of images by iconic photographer I. Henry Phillips Sr. depicts Black Baltimoreans at work, curated by his grandson, Webster Phillips. Baltimore Museum of Industry, 1415 Key Hwy. Tues.-Sun. 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Free-$15. 

TO 3/8/26. ENGAGING THE ELEMENTS: POETRY IN NATURE
Exhibitions. View photographs, prints, drawings, and textiles illustrating air, water, earth, and fire against broader themes of ecological awareness and preservation. Baltimore Museum of Art, 10 Art Museum Dr. Wed-Sun. 10 a.m.-5 p.m., Thurs. 10 a.m.-9 p.m. Free.

TO 3/8/26. THE WAY OF NATURE
Exhibitions. A collection of more than 40 Japanese, Chinese, and Korean artworks explore the many intersections of nature. Baltimore Museum of Art, 10 Art Museum Dr. Wed.-Sun. 10 a.m.-5 p.m., Thurs. 10 a.m.-9 p.m. Free.

TO 4/27/26. TITAN
Exhibitions. Through rare photos and artifacts, take an in-depth look into the life of Maryland native Reginald F. Lewis, the first African American to lead a billion-dollar company. Reginald F. Lewis Museum, 830 E. Pratt St. Mon., Thurs.-Sat. 10 a.m.-5 p.m., Sun. 12-5 p.m. Free.

TO 8/31/26. FANTASTIC REALITIES
Exhibits. In this otherworldly exhibition, these surreal artworks challenge what’s real and navigate time and space. American Visionary Art Museum, 800 Key Hwy. Wed.-Sun. 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Free. 

ONGOING. LATIN AMERICAN ART/ARTE LATINOAMERICANO
Exhibitions. For the first time, see over 200 artworks from the museum’s collection from South, Central, and North America and the Caribbean in one space. The Walters Art Museum, 600 N. Charles St. Wed.-Sun. 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Thurs. 1-8 p.m. Free. 

When Jeffrey Kent moved into a luxury apartment overlooking Druid Hill Park in the ’80s, it was one of the nicest places he’d ever lived. It reminded him of a scene straight out of a Woody Allen film, with treetop views of Baltimore’s “Central Park.” Except for one thing. There was no art on the walls.

And he had ample time to stare at them. He’d just gotten fired from his day job at a Georgetown haberdashery, where he sold menswear, after being arrested for possession and conspiracy to distribute cocaine. He decided to make his own art and started creating bright, abstract acrylic paintings, often with words embedded in them, to hang in his apartment. Meanwhile, he continued hustling, because, as he put it recently, he still had rent to pay—and now lawyer fees.

“But then people started trying to buy the paintings,” Kent recalls. “People I was selling drugs to—lawyers and doctors and accountants—and the people I was buying drugs from, who had money from selling drugs…they started buying the paintings off my walls. So I had to keep making more.”

It worked out nicely. He fell in love with making art, and he’d also inadvertently given himself a business front. He could tell his family he was selling paintings. Kent never imagined then that art would one day become his life and that he’d influence so many people through his creative work and vision.

In the decades since, Kent has become a mentor for emerging artists, a lodestar for people looking to navigate the art world, and a liaison between working artists and collectors, ultimately being instrumental in putting Baltimore on the map of the art world.

He gave Amy Sherald her first studio space and worked alongside the artist who would become world-renowned for painting her Michelle Obama portrait, which is in the National Portrait Gallery’s permanent collection. Kent and Sherald remain close friends.

Kent also gave Jerrell Gibbs his first studio space, mentored him, and encouraged him to apply to MICA’s M.F.A. program in painting, despite the fact that Gibbs had not earned an undergraduate degree (after all, Kent had done it). Gibbs was later commissioned to paint the Elijah Cummings portrait for the U.S. Capitol and is now represented by the prestigious Chicago-based Mariane Ibrahim Gallery, which exhibited his work in a solo show in Paris this summer. Kent joined Gibbs there for the opening reception.

Kent set out to be a successful artist long ago—and he achieved that, with work in collections at the National Academy of Sciences and the Reginald F. Lewis Museum, among several other institutions. But how he finds time to work on his craft—and still sleep—is something of a mystery, even to his assistant.

Because ultimately the work he’s become best known for is the sculpting of the Baltimore art world itself—as co-founder and co-director of Connect + Collect, chief curator at the recently reopened Peale museum, an adjunct professor at MICA, and founder of Accomplished Art Apprentices, among other roles. His quiet influence over the work and careers of so many artists—as well as collectors, curators, and gallerists—has grown and innovated our regional art scene.

“We all started under Jeffrey Kent at 120 Studio,” says Baltimore artist, author, and entrepreneur Chris Wilson. “He has this gift for giving advice, and he’s influenced a lot of artists’ careers heavily. He’s the king- and queen-maker.”

On a warm September day, Kent’s tall stature exudes a calm presence over his living room in Station North, where he takes a seat next to his assistant, Cleo Rose, at a glass table against a backdrop of art—a miniature who’s who gallery of the Baltimore art scene and beyond. Directly behind him is a work of his own, a floor-to-ceiling collage made of pages of O, The Oprah Magazine, with a large “O” painted over it in blue and a glossy, layered finish. The piece is part of a series, he explains, that will be included in his autobiography through art, which he’s been working on for years. The “Zero” series pays homage to a particular Winfrey show that told the stories of women who had quit their day jobs to live their dream—an episode that played in the back of Kent’s mind for years before he would essentially do the same thing.

Long before that, as a kid growing up in Baltimore, Kent found inspiration in the TV show Bewitched—in particular, the character Darrin Stephens, who worked at an advertising firm. Kent’s young-but-entrepreneurial-minded brain was intrigued.

“Of course, I had pipe dreams of doing something creative, because no one in my family thought it was a good idea,” Kent says. “I got no support growing up.”

 

“HE’S INFLUENCED A LOT OF ARTISTS’ CAREERS HEAVILY. HE’S THE KING- AND QUEEN-MAKER.”

 

After the wake-up call of his arrest, and the subsequent newfound passion for painting, Kent inquired about a vacant building on the corner of Baltimore and Charles streets that got heavy foot traffic. He had the idea—innovative at the time—to install his art in its storefront windows, as he felt ready for the public (not just drug dealers and his clientele) to see his work after two years of painting. The owners were not only excited by his proposition but asked if he’d be interested in operating a full-scale gallery inside.

“I’m like, I’m an artist. I’m not a gallerist. Like, what is this? They told me, ‘You don’t have to pay any rent, no electric, just get a phone and a sign.’ I’m like, I guess I can’t say no to that. So, that’s how I got my first art gallery, Hand Originals. It was really crazy.”

The new space became the impetus for Kent connecting with the Baltimore art scene and expanding his client base—and also for getting clean, after a brief relapse. He also learned he had a penchant for transforming spaces. After running Hand Originals, he moved into a studio in the Copycat Building and renovated the space so well that when the owner saw it, and realized what he could then get for it, he wanted to double Kent’s monthly rent, Kent recalls with a laugh.

Instead, Kent left and found another place to work, this time an 8,000-square-foot warehouse space in the Abell building on the corner of Baltimore and Eutaw streets. It had sat vacant for more than 25 years, he says, and he worked to transform it into a dream studio. The space was so inspiring that Kent, with that Oprah episode in mind, quit his day job selling cars to focus on art
full-time.

“I told myself I’d rather be dead than do anything else but make art for the rest of my life,” he says.

Fast-forward another 10 years of making art to 2008, and Kent was accepted into MICA’s graduate program in painting. He credits Leslie King-Hammond, then dean of the program, for giving him a deeper understanding of art and helping him to develop his skill for critique.

“She taught me so much about myself and my art,” Kent says. “MICA changed my life.”

At the same time, before, during, and after his schooling, Kent was running SubBasement Artist Studios, a huge live/work space on Howard Street that closed in 2014 after a decade in operation.

Cara Ober, founding editor and publisher at BmoreArt, discovered SubBasement as a grad student at MICA and was immediately impressed with what Kent was doing.

“It was really the only artist-run space that was effectively selling art. He was the first person selling Amy Sherald, who had a studio there. I remember at the time thinking, ‘Good God, these prices.’ Amy Sherald’s paintings were selling for $5,000. I was like, ‘These are gorgeous, but I don’t have $5,000,’” Ober says.

“So many artists were undervaluing and underpricing their work, and Jeffrey was like, ‘Nope. This is the price.’ And, as a result, the people who could buy, did…Jeffrey was the one person who was actively cultivating relationships with real estate developers and different kinds of collectors or, as he described it, ‘people in a position to support artists.’ People who could buy art for the price that it deserves to get. Is my husband mad at me that we didn’t buy any Amy Sherald back then? Yes. He’s like, ‘Why don’t you just buy everything Jeffrey buys?’ He’s right. Jeffrey just seems to have a sense of whose work is gonna blow up.”

In 2019, Kent and Ober would go on to found Connect + Collect, a program under BmoreArt that connects collectors to emerging artists in Baltimore through studio visits and talks, usually with Kent serving as host.

“Most collectors buy in New York or Basel or Miami,” Ober points out, “but a lot of these people are also buying a significant amount in Baltimore, and I think that is in large part because of Jeffrey.”

By the 2010s, Kent had gained a solid reputation for himself as an artist and curator and organically became the go-to mentor for young artists, especially Black men in Baltimore.

Devin Allen, for instance, after receiving national attention for his black-and-white photo of the Freddie Gray riots that appeared on the cover of Time magazine (he would land another Time cover in 2020), found himself wanting to evolve his art and break free from the limits of photography. He wanted to branch out into painting and sculpture and try different mediums. Like so many others, Allen reached out to Kent, whom he’d met a few years prior, and Kent gave him studio space, where he worked for three years.

“I didn’t go to MICA or any of that,” Allen says. “I hung with local rappers, I used to hang at the Crown, but I didn’t really know any artists. When I started experimenting with sculpture, I reached out to Jeffrey because he was one of the few artists I knew who worked in different mediums. I started playing with charcoal, I would sit and watch him paint, just to learn. But from there, he taught me how to make editions, how to sell art, how to price my work, and that led to him curating my first mixed-media show.

“I’d be like, ‘Oh, it’s not perfect,’ and Jeffrey was that vehicle that assured me that it doesn’t need to be perfect. It just needed to be great. He’d be like, ‘This is important work. Do it.’”

The mixed-media show, Spaces of the UnEntitled, was installed at The Peale museum in 2019. It was Allen’s first time showing color photographs, as well as multi-media performance art, a component created by Kent and Allen together.

“That was the show that showed people, ‘Oh, he’s able to move into these other spaces.’ It transformed the way people looked at my art and what I was capable of doing,” Allen says.

The exhibit was equally as meaningful for The Peale, where Kent serves as chief curator.

“From the beginning, I wanted the programming at The Peale to be driven by the community, and here was Jeffrey coming to us as a community creator who had a story to tell with Devin, so we were very happy to put The Peale at his disposal,” says Nancy Proctor, chief strategy officer and founding director of The Peale. “The show was important, at that point in The Peale’s history, for getting the museum back on the cultural map. It had been shuttered for 20 years. Most people forgot it had even existed.”

 

“I TELL PEOPLE I’M A SELFISH GIVER,” KENT SAYS. “I GET SOMETHING OUT OF EVERYTHING I DO.”

 

Kent proposed a second show, work by Baltimore street artist Adam Stab, which he mounted later that year. By 2020, he was invited to be part of the leadership team. Proctor credits Kent’s vision as being instrumental in the rebranding and rethinking of The Peale’s mission. That year also saw the launch of Accomplished Art Apprentices, an initiative Kent founded at The Peale that allows young, marginalized men to learn the ins and outs of working in the art business—everything from handling, installing, and wrapping art to learning historical preservation techniques, mastering power tools, gaining financial literacy, and identifying best COVID policies and practices. Kent personally teaches some portions of the program but also hires other professionals to lead sessions when needed.

The first four apprentices who went through the 36-week pilot worked alongside a team of contractors who were renovating The Peale and were paid $20 an hour. Two of them have gone on to start their own business.

Kent has also recently become an adjunct professor at his alma mater, teaching MICA’s First Year Experience. He shares with freshmen what he’s learned over a handful of decades—not just painting techniques but how to be confident in your work and how to grow thicker skin, even if influential figures in the art world visit your studio and tell you your paintings are “too dusty” or your signature is “too large” (yes, Kent was told both of those things).

One might think Kent’s own art gets lost among his many other involvements, but he makes time to get into the studio every day.

Everything is thought out well ahead of putting paint to canvas, down to his signature—which, like most of the text in his pieces, is written backwards, not just a nod to his dyslexia but to give viewers the experience of having dyslexia by forcing them to slow down in order to read.

His conceptually oriented work explores social and political history, systemic racism, and groupthink, including the ways in which commodities are marketed and societal systems erected. The amount of thought behind each piece gives them multiple layers of meaning—and, often, mediums.

Following his passions and curiosity has broadened his career, reputation, and mind. In fact, there’s very little Kent hasn’t tried—in the art world and in his own art.

“I tell people I’m a selfish giver,” he says. “I get something out of everything I do. I only do something if I want to do it.”

On that note, he’s worked with nearly every material imaginable, from the more traditional (charcoal, acrylic) to the more experimental (shredded money, bricolage, and, currently, a technique he’s not yet revealed publicly). Even within a series, he’s likely to include several mediums.

He no longer has extra studio space for artists because all of his home studios are currently occupied by his own works in progress—a different medium in each room. Yet, he’s still exploring new ideas, whether it’s launching a nonprofit or venturing into a new medium.

Meanwhile, his spray-painted mural of a backwards, upside-down flag—a distress signal he painted when Donald Trump was elected, he says—runs along the length and width of his entire long and narrow house.

“I haven’t tried oil yet,” he says. “I’m gonna try that next.”

Visual Art

Maren Hassinger: The Spirit of Things
Maren Hassinger’s four-decade career in art is rooted in sculpture and dance. A selection of her sculptures, made with wire rope, plastic bags, and newspapers, are on exhibit in the Contemporary Wing of the Baltimore Museum of Art in the solo show The Spirit of Things. Some have been reconfigured for this exhibition, which also contains video installations of her performance art and dance. She’s also known for her role at the Maryland Institute College of Art as director of the Rinehart School of Sculpture, which she has served since 1997. July 18-Nov. 25, performance and conversation with the artist at 3 p.m. Sept. 8. BMA, 10 Art Museum Drive.

ISLA: Regarding Paradise
Ironically, the etymology of the word “paradise” goes back to its Greek and Old Iranian roots meaning “walled enclosure.” In this group exhibit at Towson University, curated by Baltimore artist Jackie Milad, contemporary artists working in an array of mediums examine the figurative and literal walls that enclose the pristine beach images of the Caribbean islands, a place that has worked toward political autonomy and environmental justice. Sept.7-Oct. 20. Reception on Sept. 6. Center for the Arts Gallery at Towson University, 8000 York Rd., Towson.

DOS-à-DOS
Baltimore artists L. Nef’fahtiti Partlow-Myrick and Jenny O’Grady met as students in the Creative Writing and Publishing Arts master’s program at the University of Baltimore and will now exhibit the fruits of their labor: a collection of art books, made from a variety of materials both traditional and unorthodox (paper—but also metal and beans, for example). The show’s title references a bookbinding technique that ties together two text blocks with a shared spine-that spine being the MFA program, in this context. Sept. 7-30. Hamilton Gallery, 5502 Harford Road.

Baker Artist Awards 2017 & 2018
Recent Baker Awards awardees—Abraham Burickson (interdisciplinary, 2018), Sara Dittrich (interdisciplinary, 2017), David Marion (visual art, 2017), and Amy Sherald (visual art, 2018)—will show work in an exhibit at the Baltimore Museum of Art. Included in the show will be Burickson’s “The Odyssey Works Box,” an archival box filled with books, photographs, and other ephemera, accompanied by a video tour of the history of the arts collective Odyssey Works; Dittrich’s wall sculptures, arranged with hundreds of clay ears; Marion’s multimedia sculptures “Extinction Event” and “Fracking,” which explore violence perpetrated on the natural environment; and two portraits by Sherald. Sept. 12-Oct. 14, with a free opening event with performances on Sept. 13. Baltimore Museum of Art, 10 Art Museum Drive.

Balancing Act
Joseph Paul Cassar has been working in Baltimore for 13 years as a visual artist and art historian, and is a professor at the University of Maryland University College. He’s shown his work around the world, and this month will exhibit in our city, when Y:ART Gallery in Highlandtown shows his recent work in Balancing Act—drawings in ink and pastel, paper cut-outs, collage, and acrylic on canvas. Sept. 12-Oct. 20, opening reception from 6-9 p.m. Sept. 15, artist talk from 4-6 p.m. Oct. 13. Y:Art Gallery, 3402 Gough St.

Mark Bradford: Tomorrow is Another Day
Renowned contemporary artist Mark Bradford represented the U.S. at the 2017 Venice Biennale and will bring that work to Baltimore for the exhibit Tomorrow is Another Day, accompanied by a new site-specific installation, at the Baltimore Museum of Art. Bradford explores themes from his personal life, black identity, Greek mythology, and the universe through mixed-media pieces, paintings, and video. Sept. 23, 2018-March 3, 2019; opening celebration, 1-5 p.m. Sept. 23. Baltimore Museum of Art, 10 Art Museum Drive.

What Makes Us (Us)
Gina Pierleoni exhibits some 200 paintings and mixed-media portraits of people encountered over a 25-year period in Baltimore and beyond. She’ll lead a coinciding workshop which will include live music to help to dig deeper into questions of place and perception. Aug. 25-Sept. 29; workshop, 6-7:30 p.m. Sept. 15. Creative Alliance, 3134 Eastern Ave.

AfriCOBRA: The Evolution of a Movement
This group exhibit at Galerie Myrtis celebrates artists in AfriCOBRA, aka African Commune for Bad Relevant Artists, a coalition that was born from the black arts movement that began in the 1960s and is now celebrating its 50th anniversary. The aesthetic of these artists emerged from activism and aims to speak to black people specifically. The show will display paintings, photographs, prints, and 3-D pieces by the group’s earliest and most recent members, including Akili Ron Anderson, Kevin Cole, Adger Cowans, Michael D. Harris, Napoleon Jones-Henderson (founding member), James Phillips, Frank Smith, Nelson Stevens (founding member), and Renee Stout. Coinciding programming will include Tea with Myrtis (as in, founding director of Galerie Myrtis, Myrtis Bedolla) and an art salon with AfriCOBRA members who will talk about their artwork and its impact on the black arts movement. Sept. 15-Oct. 17, with an opening reception from 5-7 p.m. Sept. 15. Galerie Myrtis Fine Art, 2224 N. Charles St.

Music

Taste of Tuva
Celebrated artist Joyce Scott will host this special evening featuring the music, art, and food of Asia. Alash Ensemble, a trio of throat singers from the Central Asian state of Tuva, will bring both their music and culinary specialties, while collaborating with Baltimore musicians Shodekeh and J Pope. The event supports the Asian Arts & Culture Center at Towson University. 6-9 p.m. Sept. 15. TU South Campus Pavilion at Towson University, 8000 York Rd.

Abdu Ali’s Last Show of 2018
Baltimore music artist Abdu Ali will perform their last live show of the year this month at Metro Gallery, joined by Kotic Couture (hip-hop with pop, Baltimore club, and underground art influences), Pamela_ and her sons (the solo music project of Alessandra Hoshor), and W00dy (Philadelphia-based experimental pop artist). 8 p.m. Sept. 5. Metro Gallery, 1700 N. Charles St.

BeatClub at the Lewis
Over the years, Bmore BeatClub has met regularly inside clubs, bars, and initially a record shop to celebrate hip-hop and beats. Novice artists rap alongside experts at these gatherings, and this month’s event will be extra special, as Bmore BeatClub will bring hip-hop, spoken word, and poetry to the Reginald F. Lewis Museum. 7 p.m. Sept. 28. Reginald F. Lewis Museum, 830 E. Pratt St.

Theater

Fades and Fellowship Barbershop Stories
Barbershops are places of conversation and camaraderie—and from this idea came the production Barbershop Stories by Baltimore-based theater troupe Fades & Fellowship. A cast of real barbers will perform the stories overheard in the shop—and then give actual haircuts to selected audience members. Sept. 28. The Motor House, 120 W. North Ave.

Literary Arts

CityLit Swing: A Special Celebration Honoring Kwame Alexander
CityLit will honor poet, educator and New York Times bestselling children’s author Kwame Alexander with its Chic Dambach Award for Service to the Literary Arts during a celebratory evening at The Motor House. Sliding-Scale tickets are available for this CityLit fundraiser, which will include lite fare, libations, jazz, and a reading by Alexander. 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Sept. 13. The Motor House, 120 W. North Ave.

Small Press Expo
The annual Small Press Expo celebrates indie cartooning and comic arts, bringing more than 4,000 creatives to Bethesda for readings, workshops, and to meet with one another. 11 a.m.-7 p.m. Sept. 15 and noon-6 p.m. Sept. 16. Bethesda North Marriott Hotel & Conference Center, 5701 Marinelli Road, North Bethesda

Miscellanea

Mortified: Share the Shame
Everyday adults share their most mortifying moments via teenage diary entries, poems, love letters, lyrics, and locker notes in this popular show. 6 and 8 p.m. Sept. 22. Creative Alliance, 3134 Eastern Ave.

Mono Practice
Founding director Ruri Yi is opening a new contemporary art gallery, Mono Practice, in Station North this month, with a focus on abstract and reductive art. The inaugural exhibit, Pointing To The Sun | An Exercise In Abstraction, is curated by Rod Malin and will feature work by Baltimore-based artists David Brown, Zoë Charlton, Ariel Cavalcante Foster, Terence Hannum, Stephen Hendee, Bill Schmidt, and Yi. Sept. 6-Oct. 13, with an opening reception from 6-9 p.m. Sept. 6. Mono Practice, 212 McAllister St.

It might come as no surprise to learn that Amy Sherald has won yet another major arts award tonight—this time, the $40,000 Mary Sawyers Imboden Prize as part of the annual Baker Artist Awards, presented by The Greater Baltimore Cultural Alliance and the William G. Baker Jr. Memorial Fund.

A jury selects winners from a large database of some 900 artists in the region who have created an online Baker Artist Portfolio.

Winners—one per each artistic discipline—were announced during a pre-recorded awards ceremony that aired on MPT this evening in the program The 2018 Baker Artist Awards: An Artworks Special. Additional artists, winning $10,000 Mary Sawyers Baker awards, were Lisi Stoessel for Performance, Lafayette Gilchrist for Music, Margaret Rorison for Film/Video, Dora Malech for Literary Arts, Abraham Burickson for Interdisciplinary Arts.

Beloved in Baltimore, Sherald rose to national fame when her official portrait of former first lady Michelle Obama was unveiled at the National Portrait Gallery. Also in 2018, she was chosen for the prestigious Driskell Prize and named as a new trustee on the Baltimore Baltimore Museum of Art of Art board.

“Amy’s work has struck a profound cord with the American public this year, and I am thrilled to see her win the 2018 Mary Sawyers Imboden Prize for her remarkable artistry,” Connie Imboden, president of the William G. Baker Jr. Memorial Fund, stated in a release.

Visual and Interdisciplinary Arts winners will present work at the BMA September 12 through October 14 with 2017 awardees in the same categories. This year’s winners in the remaining categories will present their work during an opening reception Sept. 12 at the BMA.

“The Baker Artist Awards reflect the vitality of this region’s creative community. It sounds almost cliche but it’s a fact,” says Susanne Stahley, Senior Producer, Arts & Culture, for Maryland Public Television. “The celebration of these artists hopefully inspires viewers to get out and visit galleries, concerts, theaters—and the web. The Baker Artist Portfolios showcases hundreds of the area’s artists across genres.”

The Baker Artist Awards ceremony will air again at 8 p.m. May 19 on MPT2/Create and 6:30 a.m. May 20 on MPT-HD.

Visual Art

MICA ArtWalk
Maryland Institute College of Art undergrad class of 2018 will showcase their work in the three-hour ArtWalk extravaganza on May 11. Expect to see art in all genres and mediums: painting, sculpture, illustration, ceramics, graphic design, film, animation screenings, and more. New this year, the event is free to the public, complete with food trucks to give the event a festival feel. “The entire campus becomes one huge art gallery,” says Erin Baynham, social media manager at MICA. This is a great way to see what these talented kids are up to, with the added bonus of meeting them face to face and buying work to take home. 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. May 11 throughout the MICA campus. Work will remain on view through May 14. 

Music

The Björk Songbook
The Evolution Contemporary Series will conclude its season on May 8 with a concert of songs by Björk, taken from her newly released 34 Scores for Piano/Organ/Harpsichord & Celeste. Baltimore artists including Outcalls, Joy Postell, and The Witches will play renditions of songs by the legendary Icelandic pop star. Judah Adashi, founder of the series, is known for breathing new life into symphonic music, and this concert is sure to be no exception. 8 p.m May 8 at An die Musik, 409 N. Charles St.

Through the Eyes of a Child
The Through the Eyes of a Child performance is inspired by the work of Clara Han, associate professor of anthropology and co-director of the Program on Racism, Immigration, and Citizenship at Johns Hopkins University, who is exploring in a new book how violence is passed down through generations of families. The concert will be presented as part of Music of Reality, a series that brings musicians and scientists/researchers together and intersperses lectures with music. Music will include pieces by Leonard Bernstein as well as contemporary composers. 7 p.m. May 4 at 1025 S. Potomac St.

Theater

Life or Theatre?
With Baltimore Annex Theater’s production of Life or Theatre?, Charlotte Salomon may very well become a household name alongside Anne Frank. The play is written and directed by Carly J. Bales (founding producing artistic director of EMP Collective) and based on the life and art of Salomon, a German-Jewish woman in Nazi-era Berlin who completed nearly 1,300 autobiographical paintings (the largest singular body of work by a Jew during the Holocaust), gave them to a friend, and was murdered shortly thereafter in Auschwitz. The play combines her intimate prose and expressionist painting with music to bring to life her story, 100 years after her birth. This is Bales’ first full-length play. Thursdays through Sundays May 24 to June 17 at Annex Theater, 219 Park Ave.

Follow No Strangers To The Fun Places
The Acme Corporation will dissect the process of art making (specifically theater) in their new play Follow No Strangers To The Fun Places, by Lola B. Pierson (creator of Baltimore’s Ten Minute Play Festival). It’s loosely based on Italo Calvino’s novel If on a winter’s night a traveler, though we’ve been told not to get too excited about that point, as the play bears little resemblance to the book. May 3 to 19 at The Great Hall at St. Mark’s Lutheran Church, 1900 St. Paul St.

SOUL The Stax Musical
Go back to the birth of soul music at Baltimore Center Stage’s production of SOUL The Stax Musical, which revives the songs of Otis Redding, Isaac Hayes, The Staple Singers, and other classic R&B stars during its world premiere. The musical tells the story of the Memphis-based Stax Records and music’s power to unite us, then and now. May 3 through June 10 at Baltimore Center Stage, 700 N. Calvert St.

Dance

Moving Walls: A Performance of Body & Sculpture
Baltimore Independent Dance Artists examines human experience in relation to architecture in its new, experimental show at The Peale Center. Dance combines with a large sculptural installation and animation for the experience, though the set alone, created by Noa Heyne, is worth a visit to the museum. 8 p.m. May 3 and 5 at The Peale Center, 225 Holliday St.

Film

Maryland Film Fest
There is much to be excited about when it comes to this year’s Maryland Film Fest in Station North. There’s Matt Porterfield’s latest, Sollers Point, starring McCaul Lombardi; 10 blocks of shorts; a screening of the film I, Olga Hepnarova, selected and introduced by John Waters; an after party in the Ynot Lot and Windup Space; and much in between. Get ready to laugh, cry, and contemplate life every which way with more than 40 feature films across all genres and cultures. Learn more about it here and here and here. May 2-6 at the Parkway Theatre and MICA.

Miscellanea

Baltimore Portrait: Artists in Conversation
As part of the VOICES speaker series at The Church of the Redeemer, Baltimore artists Amy Sherald and Stephen Towns will be in conversation with Baltimore Museum of Art director Christopher Bedford this month. Both have become Baltimore celebrities recently after receiving national attention for their work—Sherald with the unveiling of her official portrait of former first lady Michelle Obama at the Smithsonian’s National Portrait Gallery, Towns with his first museum exhibition (currently on view at the BMA). 7 to 8:30 p.m. May 30 at The Church of the Redeemer, 5603 N. Charles St.

At a ceremony this morning, a portrait of Michelle Obama by Baltimore artist Amy Sherald was unveiled at the Smithsonian’s National Portrait Gallery in Washington, D.C. She was joined onstage with Michelle Obama and former President Barack Obama, as well as New York artist Kehinde Wiley, who was commissioned to paint the official portrait of Barack Obama.

After winning the Outwin Boochever Portrait Competition at the National Portrait Gallery in 2016, Sherald was selected by the gallery to paint its official portrait of Michelle Obama. The piece—which shows a seated Michelle in a long, flowing dress, in Sherald’s trademark style—will remain on display at the gallery through early November.Wiley’s portrait depicts Barack Obama seated amid a flurry of greenery, with vibrant flowers poking through.

In this New York Times article, Holland Cotter says that this unveiling is historically significant, as its the first in a long series of presidential portraiture that depicts two African Americans, and both artists are African American as well. “Ms. Sherald’s image of Mrs. Obama overemphasizes an element of couturial spectacle,” he writes, “but also projects a rock-solid cool.”

Tawanda T. Epps, a fan on Facebook, notes that the skirt in the portrait reflects the patterns of the Gee’s Bend Quilt-makers. On Twitter, Ava DuVernay says the portraits remind her to hope:

Sherald formerly held studio space at the Creative Alliance in Baltimore and now works out of Motor House, a hub for artists and arts groups in Station North. She was also recently selected by High Museum of Art as its 2018 David C. Driskell Prize winner, which recognizes contributions to African-American art.

She rose to national prominence after winning a portrait competition at the National Portrait Gallery. Now, for the second time, her art will grace the walls of the storied institution—and it will portray a high profile subject.

Baltimore painter Amy Sherald has been selected by the National Portrait Gallery to paint its official portrait of Michelle Obama. The Smithsonian museum chose another rising art world star—New York’s Kehinde Wiley—to paint President Barack Obama’s. The paintings will be added to the National Portrait Gallery’s collection of presidential and first lady portraits next year.

Sherald’s painting Miss Everything (Unsuppressed Deliverance) won the 2016 Outwin Boochever Portrait Competition, which brought with it a $25,000 prize. That painting is currently touring the country as part of an exhibition of the competition’s top entries. Sherald was the first woman to have ever won the prize.

Sherald also has works at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History and Culture, and The National Museum of Women in the Arts. She has had two shows at the Monique Meloche Gallery in Chicago. In Baltimore, she is on the faculty of the Maryland Institute College of Art, her alma mater.

In a 2016 story that appeared in Baltimore, Sherald discussed how her work had changed from self-reflective and romanticized into a style in which she emulated old masters and combined that with her experiences as a black woman.

“I’d go through all these art books and look at technique, but not necessarily see my story represented,” she said. Her dream, she said, was for people “to look at a black child and see themselves. I want my paintings to take you to a different space in reality, and allow you to recognize yourself,” she says. “That’s the magic that I want all of my paintings to have.”