BALTIMORE — It's at the helm of Artscape, the Martin Luther King, Jr. Day Parade, and the Baltimore Farmer's Market underneath I-83. Days which bring the city together.
But now, City Hall intends to split up with the Baltimore Office of Promotion and the Arts, a call it says it has not made lightly, amid BOPA's ongoing financial hardship.
In a letter to the organization Wednesday, the mayor's chief of staff said the city wants to maintain what BOPA does, including those big festivals, and give BOPA employees the opportunity to work for the city, "where appropriate."
"We are taking this step after deep and careful consideration following several years of turmoil within the organization," wrote Marvin James, the city's chief of staff.
"From the artist's perspective, it's really, it's kind of unnerving. Because BOPA has done so much, and it does so many things for so many artists," says Shawn Theron, a Baltimore artist who sells his work at city festivals.
Bad weather and the pandemic hampered recent Artscape festivals, which left a tangible impact on artists who rely on it. The city's letter to BOPA only adds to the recent turbulence.
"It rocks you, because you're like, this is how I earn my living. I get to create this wonderful stuff, but at the same time, this is how I rock and roll. This is my income," Theron added.
At a meeting last month, BOPA's CEO said even if it could cover this year's Artscape, it would still be in a shortfall.
READ MORE: Baltimore Office of Promotion & Arts continues to face major financial issues
Megan Lewis, an artist with thousands of social media followers, told WMAR a BOPA-backed mural was a catalyst in launching her successful art career.
"I wouldn't be the artist that I am if it wasn't for those opportunities from the very beginning," Lewis said.
"I've worked with a lot of brands, like Target, Walmart, Dick's Sporting Goods, Life Water, and all of that was because of the first murals I did with BOPA. So it's just bittersweet; I'm sure everything will find its place and flow," Lewis added.
The last-scheduled BOPA event, according to the city's letter, will be the Martin Luther King, Jr. Day Parade. That is January 20th, 2025, the date the contract would be scheduled to end.
The contract's termination will be presented to the Baltimore City Board of Estimates meeting at the beginning of November.
