Escape from the ordinary at Artscape, Maryland?s premier arts festival. Celebrating it?s 25th anniversary this year, Artscape offers dance, theater, music, fashion, film, art and one huge chance to bring people together from all over the region.
Bill Gilmore, Baltimore Office of Promotion & the Arts executive director, says that Artscape is an event so big that it?s impossible to count the number of visitors it attracts. “It?s a blowout celebration of the arts, and the arts are something that everyone can identify with in some form, whether it?s dance or visual arts or any of the other disciplines. It?s really important that everyone have access to the arts and be able to celebrate coming together.”
Artscape was founded 25 years ago by the Mayor?s Advisory Committee on Art and Culture and merged in 2002 with BOPA. The largest arts festival event in the mid-Atlantic to date, Artscape continues to offer new and unique experiences for everyone from small children to the elderly.
“I think the biggest, single reason for the overall picture is that it brings a lot of people together in one place where they interact, they can experience a broad range of creative ideas, processes and products,” BOPA Visual Arts Coordinator Gary Kachadourian says. “For a lot of people that come, it?s the one time they go into a gallery or the one time they see a dance performance.”
The event brings together more than 120 artists and craftspeople from across the country.
Four stages will be set up for live musical acts to perform all weekend, ranging from jazz to funk to pop. Dance companies, including Philadanco, a Philadelphia-based company whose innovative choreography has allowed them to perform all over the world, will spread movement and culture throughout the festival. Theater companies will produce comedy and drama with more than 10 performances. The 17th Annual Billie Holiday Vocal Competition, in which 10 semi-finalists compete for a first place $2,500 prize, is one of the biggest highlights and takes place Sunday. The Artist?s Market features original artwork and crafts from artists all over the region and beyond for purchase.
Some of the new aspects of Artscape this year are Art Demo Dayz, which offer 10 workshops from artists around the region, Baltimore?s Sister Cities Postcard Project, where children can create postcards to send to pen pals around the world and several free performances by the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra.
Kachadourian said that one of the best things about Artscape is that it draws a broad range of people. “I think it?s like the primary bridge between all the different cultural and economic groups. The attendance is very broad. We have low income groups, high income groups, county people, city people and everything in between.”
Artscape Highlights
Friday
» 25th Anniversary Fireworks Finale, 1200 block of Mount Royal Avenue in the Bolton Hill neighborhood; July 21; 10 p.m.
» The Hip-Hop Underground Movement, Langsdale Auditorium, 1420 Maryland Ave.; 6 to 10 p.m.
» Citizen Cope, United Way Stage, Mount Royal Avenue near Lafayette Street; July 21; 8:30 p.m.
» Black Cherry Puppet Theatre presents “The Sultan?s Review” and “Requiem for a Landfill” at Theatre Project, 45 W. Preston St.; July 21; 4 p.m.
» Excerpt ? “Expedition 6” with Bill Pullman, Theatre Project, 45 W. Preston St..; July 21; 8 p.m.
» Dishi Bem Traditional Contemporary Dance Group, Langsdale Auditorium, 1420 Maryland Ave.; July 21; 7:30 p.m.
» Jill Stevenson, University of Baltimore “UB” Stage, University of Baltimore parking lot at Oliver Street and Mount Royal Avenue; July 21; 1:30 p.m.
Saturday
» The Ira Aldridge Players ? “Curtain Call, Mr. Aldridge, Sir,” Theatre Project, 45 W. Preston St.; July 22; 4:30 p.m.
» Baltimore Improv Group ? A Night of Improv Comedy, Baltimore Theatre Project, 45 W. Preston St.; July 22; 8:30 p.m.
» Baltimore Opera Co. presents “The Medium” at the Brown Center, 1301 Mount Royal Ave.; July 22 and 23 at 2 p.m. and 4 p.m.
» G?Love and Special Sauce, United Way Stage, Mount Royal Avenue near Lafayette Street; July 22; 8:30 p.m.
» Baltimore Symphony Orchestra led by Andrew Constantine, Meyerhoff Symphony Hall, 1212 Cathedral Street; July 22; 5:30 p.m.
» The Modern Times Dance Party, Langsdale Auditorium, 1420 Maryland Ave.; July 22; 12 to 3 p.m.
» Common, The Sun!/Live Stage, 1400 Cathedral St. at Mount Royal Avenue; July 22; 8:30 p.m.
Sunday
» Out Da Box Ministries ? “More Than Conquerors,” Theatre Project, 45 W. Preston St.; July 23; 6:30 p.m.
» 17th annual Billie Holiday Vocal Competition, Meyerhoff Symphony Hall, 1212 Cathedral St.; July 23; noon to 4 p.m.
» PHILADANCO at the Lyric, Lyric Opera House, 140 W. Mount Royal Ave.; July 23; 3 p.m. and 5 p.m.
» Chris Brooks, DJ Culture Stage, Mount Royal Avenue and Charles Street; July 23; 4 p.m.
» The Baltimore/Ashkelon Photography Contest, Meyerhoff Symphony Hall Lobby, 1212 Cathedral St.; July 23 and 24.
» RaynFall Dance, Langsdale Auditorium, 1420 Maryland Ave.; July 23; 2 p.m.
» Black Notes (world music), University of Baltimore “UB” Stage, University of Baltimore parking lot at Oliver Street and Mount Royal Avenue; July 23; 3:30 p.m.
This is not a complete listing. For a complete listing, visit www.artscape.org.
