Things To Do in Baltimore

For immediate Release: March 9, 2010

MARK YOUR CALENDARS

BALTIMORE FARMERS’ MARKET & BAZAAR OPENS FOR THE 2010 SEASON

ON SUNDAYS FROM MAY 2 TO DECEMBER 19

The Baltimore Farmers’ Market & Bazaar returns for its 33^rd season with great local farmers, crafters and artists, and new concessionaires.  On Sunday, May 2, patrons can shop for ripe apples and other produce, beef, pork, fish, fresh flowers and plants, spices, crafts and more.  New this year, the Baltimore Farmers’ Market & Bazaar is open from 7am until sell out, approximately noon. Maryland’s largest producers-only market, located on Saratoga Street between Holliday and Gay streets under the Jones Falls Expressway, is open every Sunday from May 2 through December 19. The Baltimore Farmers’ Market & Bazaar is presented by Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake and produced by the Baltimore Office of Promotion & The Arts.  Media sponsorship is provided by Heart & Soul Magazine.

The market offers recently harvested fruits and vegetables, meats, moist baked breads and pastries, dairy and nut products, flavorful herbs, and appetizing cultural cuisine from food vendors. At the bazaar, talented artisans and merchants have an eclectic mix of one-of-a-kind crafts and collectibles including fashion accessories, home décor items and original artwork for purchase.

For more information the Baltimore Farmers’ Market & Bazaar, call 1-877-BALTIMORE or visit www.promotionandarts.com.

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: March 1, 2010

ARTSCAPE FESTIVAL HAS $25.97 MILLION ECONOMIC IMPACT ON BALTIMORE CITY

The Baltimore Office of Promotion & The Arts announces that Artscape, America’s largest free, arts celebration which takes place annually the third weekend in July, had an economic impact of $25.97 million on Baltimore City in 2009.  A study was conducted by Forward Analytics, a Pennsylvania based market research firm whose clients include festivals and events throughout the United States. The study concluded that the revenue gained by the Baltimore Metropolitan “more than offsets the public investment” in the annual event.

Artscape attracted an estimated 350,000 residents and visitors and had a total economic impact of $25.97 million with $7.02 million in direct impact and $18.95 million in indirect impact.  Direct spending by out-of-the area festival-goers generated $350,950 in sales tax revenues for the State of Maryland.

Of the 350,000 Artscape attendees, 35,350 traveled from outside the State of Maryland and 163,800 visited from outside of the Baltimore Metropolitan area.  The attendees spent $257,699 at local hotels generating $20,677 in tax revenues to Baltimore City. Plus travel to and from the festival increased gas expenditures in Baltimore City by $768,549 generating $78,868 in gasoline tax revenue for Maryland.

Festival-goers spent $9 million with Artscape vendors of which $3.5 million was spent on art from the exhibitors and $4.3 million on food and beverages.

With a significant portion of Artscape’s budget comprised of support from corporate sponsors, the survey research demonstrates that attendees recognize and appreciate sponsor contributions.  The study noted that an overwhelming 72% of respondents could identify two or more of the festival’s sponsors.

With regard to demographics, 49% of the respondents were single, 33% were married and 8.5% were partnered.  In addition, 22.8% had an undergraduate degree or higher and 35.2% completed some college.  A majority 51% had a household income of $60,000 and above.

In 2010, the 29^th annual Artscape festival takes place July 16, 17 & 18 in the Mount Royal Avenue and North Charles Street area of Baltimore City.  The festival is presented by Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake and is produced by the Baltimore Office of Promotion & The Arts.

To download the economic impact study, go to www.artscape.org.  For more information on Artscape, call 410-752-8632 or visit www.artscape.org.

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: February 22, 2010

BROMO SELTZER ARTS TOWER OPEN STUDIO DAY ON SATURDAY, MARCH 6

SEE TALENTED LITERARY AND VISUAL ARTISTS FROM 1-5PM

Visit talented local artists as they showcase their studios and original artwork at Bromo Seltzer Arts Tower Open Studio Day. On Saturday, March 6 from 1-5pm, visitors can see exceptional theatrical performances and visual art including mixed-media, paintings, photographs and sculptures.  At 2pm, Unexpected Theater performs short plays and monologues in the Studio 11 Theater, located on the 11th floor of the tower.  Visitors can also purchase one-of-a-kind artwork and tour the nationally recognized historic site.  Bromo Seltzer Arts Tower, a facility of the Baltimore Office of Promotion & The Arts, is located at 21 S. Eutaw Street.

This month’s participants are Maya Freelon Asante (mixed-media), Barbara Bryan (playwright), Tom E. Cole (oil, mixed-media sculpture), Martha Dougherty (watercolor), John David Ehlers, Jr. (oil, acrylic and charcoal), Brian Glazer Gerber (oil & acrylic), Keith Haller (oil, acrylic and watercolor), Kevin Haller (oil, acrylic and watercolor), Janet Little Jeffers (photography) and James Williams (oil).  Guest artists include Jeff Caporizzo (charcoal) and Michelle Sanzi Kermes (pastels, mixed media), as well as, theater company Unexpected Theater.

UPCOMING OPEN STUDIO DAYS

Saturday, March 6 from 1-5pm

Saturday, April 3 from 1-5pm

Saturday, May 1 from 1-5pm

Saturday, June 5 from 1-5pm

Garage and on-street parking is available.  In addition, Bromo Seltzer Arts Tower is within a block of the Light Rail University Center – Baltimore Street stop and the Howard Street stop (#205) on the Orange Route of the Charm City Circulator free bus service. The Lexington Market stop on the Metro Subway is a short six-minute walk from the tower on Eutaw Street.  For more information on schedules and fares, visit www.mta.maryland.gov and www.charmcitycirculator.com.

This historic structure, which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, was modeled after the Palazzo Vecchio in Florence, Italy.  The Bromo Seltzer Arts Tower was completed in 1911 and was the tallest building in Baltimore at the time.  It has been a Baltimore landmark ever since.  The tower was built by Captain Isaac Emerson, the inventor of the headache remedy Bromo Seltzer. The most interesting feature is the still-functioning tower clock, the face of which displays the word Bromo Seltzer instead of numbers. Each of the clocks’ faces measure 24 feet in diameter, one foot larger than the clock faces on London’s Big Ben. The famous clock atop the tower holds its own separate historic registration.

For information on the Bromo Seltzer Arts Tower, call 410-752-8632 or visit www.bromoseltzerartstower.com.

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For immediate release: January 22, 2010

MARK YOUR CALENDARS FOR THE

BALTIMORE OFFICE OF PROMOTION & THE ARTS PREVIEWS LIST OF EVENTS

The Baltimore Office of Promotion & The Arts presents an array of festivities throughout the year, from February’s Bromo Seltzer Arts Tower Open Studio Day to December’s Baltimore’s New Year’s Eve Spectacular.  Below is a preview of what’s to come in 2010.

Bromo Seltzer Arts Tower Open Studio Day - Visit artists in their studios and purchase their works in this historic building, 21 S. Eutaw Street.  This event takes place on a monthly basis.

Saturday, February 6 from 1-5pm   Saturday, May 1 from 1-5pm

Saturday, March 6 from 1-5pm       Saturday, June 5 from 1-5pm

Saturday, April 3 from 1-5pm

After Image - School 33 Art Center presents this group exhibition curated by Jamillah James, Friday, January 29 through Saturday, March 27.  An opening reception on Friday, January 29, 6-9pm. School 33 Art Center, 1427 Light Street, 410-396-4641.

School 33 Art Center Members’ Gallery - Artists apply to have their work featured in a solo exhibition. Finalists are chosen by an exhibitions selection committee comprised of distinguished artists and arts professionals from the Baltimore region.  School 33 Art Center, 1427 Light Street, 410-396-4641.

Eric LaLonde - January 29 through February 27, 2010
Claire Feng - March 5 through April 3, 2010
Derek Coet - April 9 through May 8, 2010

School 33 Art Center’s Lotta Art, presented by M&T Bank - An evening centered around a lottery-style drawing to benefit School 33 Art Center’s exhibitions and education program.  Art ticket holders are guaranteed a piece of work, Saturday, April 24, 6-10pm with drawing at 7:30pm, Silo Point, 1200 Steuart Street, 410-396-4641. $

Baltimore Farmers’ Market & Bazaar - The market has crisp produce, lean poultry and other meats, dairy and nut products, freshly baked breads and more for purchase.  In addition, the bazaar offers uniquely crafted gifts and collectibles including handmade accessories, home décor items and original artwork, Sundays, May 2 through December 19, 7am-sellout (usually noon), underneath the Jones Falls Expressway at Holliday & Saratoga streets.

MECU’s Pee Wee Preakness - Tykes race on bouncy hippity-hops while clowns and costumed characters cheer on the junior jockeys, Tuesday, May 11, 11:30am Federal Hill Park located on Warren Street near Battery Avenue.

Baltimore Screenwriters Competition - The Baltimore Film Office announces the winner of the Baltimore Screenwriters Competition during the Maryland Film Festival, May 6-9, 2010.  Prizes include cash and all access passes to the Maryland Film Festival. 

Showcase of Nations Ethnic Festivals - Baltimore celebrates its proud ethnic heritage with festivals featuring crafts, foods, dances, live entertainment and special ceremonies, weekends June through October, $ and locations vary.

Polish Festival - June 4-6, Patterson Park

St. Nicholas Greek Folk Festival - June 10-13, Ponca Street

African American Heritage Festival - June 18-20, Camden Yards

LatinoFest - June 26 & 27, Patterson Park

Caribbean Carnival Festival - July 9-11, Druid Hill Park

International Festival - August 7 & 8, Poly/Western High School

FestAfrica - August 14 & 15, Patterson Park

Ukrainian Festival - September 11 & 12, Patterson Park

Russian Festival - October 15-17, Holy Trinity Russian Orthodox Church

Baltimore’s Fourth of July Celebration - An array of entertainment throughout the day culminating with a fireworks spectacular, Sunday, July 4, fireworks at 9:30pm, Inner Harbor.

The Janet & Walter Sondheim Artscape Prize Finalists Exhibition at the BMA - View the works of the visual artists vying for top honors and $25,000 in the area’s most prestigious arts competition, Saturday, June 19 through Sunday, August 1, The Baltimore Museum of Art, 10 Art Museum Drive. Winner announced Saturday, July 10, 7pm.

Artscape - America’s largest free arts festival featuring continuous musical performances by local, regional and national talent on three outdoor stages, indoor and outdoor visual arts exhibitions, sculptures, art cars, film, theater, crafts, opera, dance, street theater and children’s activities, July 16-18, Friday and Saturday, 12-10pm and Sunday, 12-8pm, Mount Royal Avenue and Charles Street.

Baltimore Book Festival - The mid-Atlantic’s premier celebration of the literary arts offers 200 local and celebrity authors, bookstores, publishers, children’s writers, storytellers, author signings, food and entertainment, September 24 - 26, Friday and Saturday 12-8pm and Sunday 12-7pm, Mount Vernon Place centered on the 600 block of North Charles Street.

Free Fall Baltimore - Fall celebration features free arts events during Arts & Humanities Month, October 1-31, throughout the city.  Top area attractions offer more than 100 fun, educational and free activities including workshops, dance and music concerts, films, lectures and history tours.

School 33 Art Center’s Open Studio Tour - Visitors observe more than 100 of Baltimore’s visual artists in their local studios during this annual tour, October, date TBA,  10am-6pm (studio times vary), locations throughout Baltimore, 410-396-4641.

Mayor’s Cultural Town Meeting – The Baltimore Office of Promotion & The Arts invites residents and arts community leaders to share their concerns regarding the importance of the arts to the quality of life in Baltimore City, October, date and location TBD.  The meeting now occurs every other year during Arts & Humanities Month.

A Monumental Occasion - Baltimore’s aglow for the holiday season with the official lighting of the Washington Monument which features entertainment, fireworks and refreshments, Thursday, December 2, festivities begin at 5:30pm, the official ceremony begins at 7pm, Mount Vernon Place, 600 block of North Charles Street.  Produced in conjunction with Downtown Partnership of Baltimore and the Baltimore Department of Recreation and Parks.

Last Minute Maul: small packages - Shop for last minute holiday gifts for friends and family.  This School 33 Art Center event showcases local craftspeople and their original and handmade work, December, date TBA, 10am-5pm.  School 33 Art Center, 1427 Light Street, 410-396-4641.

Baltimore’s New Year’s Eve Spectacular - A celebration offering a night of live music and the countdown to 2011 with spectacular midnight fireworks, Friday, December 31, 9pm-12:30am, Inner Harbor.

For more information on events produced by the Baltimore Office of Promotion & The Arts, call      1-877-BALTIMORE or visit www.promotionandarts.com.

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