Feature: BALTIMORE AND THE ARTS at Baltimore Center Stage Addresses What Makes Baltimore the Place to be for Art

B-more creative. That's the message the attendees of the Baltimore Arts Summit held this week at Center Stage had for the citizens of Baltimore. BALTIMORE & THE ARTS: A CREATIVE SUMMIT was conducted this past Thursday in conjunction with PNC Bank and Center Stage, as a way to discuss the many merits of the art scene in Charm City. Attendees included Stephanie Carter of ABS Capital, Chris Ford, the Director of Baltimore School of the Arts, Kwame Kwei-Armah, artistic director of Center Stage, and was facilitated by Cara Ober, managing founder of BmoreArt.

Ms. Ober began the conversation by asking the panelists why artists come to Baltimore in the first place. In essence, what makes Baltimore a destination to create art? For the most part, it all boiled down to the eclectic atmosphere of the city. Baltimore has a great mixture of people from many diverse backgrounds. There isn't just one single Baltimore. The citizens of Charm city are more tolerant and inclusive than other areas of the country because of this diversity. Another attribute that contributes to Baltimore's eclectic art scene is its inherent quirkiness. This quirkiness fosters a thriving art scene, where artists are free to dabble in all sorts of mediums.

The conversation then moved on to the brand of the city and what defines it as a whole. Mr. Kwei-Armah believed that art defines Baltimore, just as country music defines Nashville. Baltimore is home to a world class art school, multiple galleries, numerous theater companies and dozens of festivals dedicated to the arts. Baltimore's unique edge is seen throughout these institutions. They not only celebrate artists known the world over, but also showcase and celebrate local artisans. Because of this, local artists are gaining nation-wide and sometimes, world-wide attention and acclaim.

And yet, there aren't mechanisms in place to promote this growing scene. The institutions are largely private and therefore don't receive any state funding, which means, the state tourism board isn't responsible for marketing these galleries and theaters. That promotion falls solely on the institutions. The panelists believe that if these mechanisms were in place, Baltimore would become a "destination" for the arts, in much the same way New York City is a destination for theater. As of right now, Baltimore tends to celebrate their proximity to DC or New York, instead of focusing on what Baltimore itself has to offer.

The problem in changing this attitude is a lack of art leadership. In short, no one is staying long enough to make the art scene what everyone knows it can be. Baltimore has become more of a jumping off point, than a home for leading artists. The panelists believe that if they were able to gain one leader, who only wanted to make Baltimore Arts the best they could be - with no higher agendas, then the city's art scene could flourish.

To wrap up, Ms. Ober asked what did the panelists see for the future of arts in Charm City. What did they want to see happen and what did they want to accomplish as a member of this community? Mr. Ford, as an educator, wanted a way to help students transition from art school to the art community. It's difficult for most students, after art school, to find their place, and Mr. Ford had hoped that there would be better programs in place to assist these talented young artists in their missions. Ms. Carter had a similar message for young people, stating that she wished that we as a nation would start treating arts as "foundational and important". Math and Science are important, but so is art. Creative thinking and storytelling can never be "automated" so teaching our young people those lessons now will set them up to do great things in the future.

The young people that Mr. Ford and Ms. Carter are addressing, are the ones that will be shaping the Baltimore of tomorrow. These are the artists that will be changing our city for the good. We need to give them our support now to help them reach their full potential. At one point during the conversation, Mr. Kwei-Armah stated "we're more than just The Wire". I believe this statement fully addresses these young artists and the art community of Baltimore. The Wire portrayed a sad truth about the drug population of Baltimore, just as the FrEddie Gray incident has shown that Baltimore still has many problems it needs to address. However, in the wake of that horrible chapter, the philanthropic response was overwhelming. Artists - young and old alike - came together to help heal the city and the communities, with food drives, and readings, and art showcases. This outpouring of creativity and kindness will never solve all of the world's problems, however art and creativity never hurt. If the city of Baltimore could find a way to give these artists the tools they need to continue doing their work, then the arts in Baltimore would be unstoppable.

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