The Most Important Link

ARTSCAPE

I could not embed this video, but this is definitely worth checking out.

You start out one way, and end up another.

Though Baltimore might not be New York, or Boston it is still a city that appreciates and cares about the arts. Baltimore offers vibrant art museums: The Walters, The Baltimore Museum of Art, The Visionary Art Museum, and the Bromo Seltzer Arts Tower. Each museum, and gallery offers a completely different experience from the next; much like the different experience Baltimore offers in comparison to New York, and Boston.

In the beginning of this Baltimore and the arts journey we've seen gala's, festivals, and heard criticism about what Baltimore is doing in connection with its artists. Maybe Baltimore missed the boat in terms of becoming a developed arts city, and maybe Baltimore is still on its way. Artscape has been the most effective and successful festival produced in this city, and is growing every year.

My next few posts will be some sites and sounds from this past Artscape, 2009.

Blog Reflection:

In the beginning of this assignment I thought I would have no trouble finding the information I needed to create a healthy looking and well planned blog on Artscape. I was wrong. This assignment definitely enlightened me about the work of a historian, and I really enjoyed the (at some points) struggle. I have a greater appreciation for the Baltimore Artscape, an event I have attended since 2004, and have witnessed the growth of in the past five years. If anything, I hope I have educated the reader with the struggle Baltimore had in producing an arts community, and a festival that would have lasting power. A few tips I would tell any student about to undertake this project:

• Never procrastinate!
• Use the Library! The Maryland Room of the Enoch Pratt Free Library is an amazing place!
• Outline the information you have and plan-plan-plan!

Thank you for checking out my blog,
Regina Isaksson

Who is in charge of Artscape today???

Well, WJZ 13 is still a large contributor to the Artscape but the committee in charge is the Baltimore Office of Promotion & The Arts. This organization's goals are:

To make Baltimore a more vibrant and creative city by:

• Producing high-quality special events, festivals and arts programming that stimulate communities economically, artistically and culturally.
• Inspiring and promoting literary, performing and visual arts, and artists.
• Celebrating Baltimore's rich, diverse heritage while enhancing the quality of life and sense of community for all residents.
• Forging partnerships that make Baltimore a premiere visitor destination.
• Managing cultural and historic attractions.
• Generating positive local, national and international publicity about Baltimore.

(Information accessed from above link regarding the Baltimore Office of Promotions & The Arts)

O'Malleys Artscape Message, 2004

Skipping years?! Artscape 2004

As I said, the Maryland Room of the Enoch Pratt Free Library, while provided me with the bulk of Baltimore art festival beginnings doesn't show much information on its transfer to the present day festival that we enjoy. Here is the 23rd annual Artscape pamphlet; Mayor O'Malley writes the inside address. Year 2004.

The 10th year of Baltimore's Artscape!

Front view of pamphlet below.

The 1990 pamphlet address from Mayor Schmoke; Maryland Room of Enoch Pratt Free Library V.F. Artscape.

This is the inside of the Artscape 89' pamphlet that I saw at the Maryland Room Enoch Pratt Free Library, V.F. Artscape. Mayor Schmoke is giving his welcome to the Artscape, this is also a year when WJZ 13 became involved in Artscape festivities, as well as worked as a sponsor.

Another time jump, and missing facts...

Like we discussed in class, doing historical research is difficult. The years that are well documented in the history of Baltimore Arts Festivals, and the Baltimore Artscape are 1952, 1975, and 1982... after that Artscape seems to have taken off. There are pamphlets provided for the early to mid 90s that I will post but other than that I am doing a lot of "guess work," with the bits of information I can find online.

Think you might want your own caricature??? Go here!

Caricature Map of Central Baltimore

Here is a section of Tom Chalkley's "Caricature Map of Baltimore."

1982 "Artscape was great, but how about a broader base?"

Unfortuantely, in 1982 at the time of Artscape, Baltimore's relationship with the artist community it was seemingly trying to cultivate was strained. Artscape, despite some rain, was a success to most Baltimoreans that attended the event. But, there was a dark side. Mike Rowland, a writer for The Forum, and native Baltimorean living in the Mount Royal neighborhood discovered a few artists protesting the event. These artitst protesting the event said that local artitsts were "arm-twisted," into participation, and that grass-roots artistic expression was exculded; in this example caricatures.

(Information in this post from: Mike Rowland, "Artscape was great, but how about a broader base?" The Forum, June 18, 1982.)

The 1982 Artscape pamphlet! Inside Mayor Schaefer addresses the city talking about the future of Artscape, and Baltimore's destination as a city for creative arts. I'm sad that the picture turned out the way it did because I wanted it to be more legible. (Pamplet courtesy of Maryland Room Enoch Prat Free Library V.F. Artscape.)

Does Baltimore have a reaccuring issue of art snobbery???

In reflection of the past articles, and criticisms of Baltimore I'm noticing a slight pattern... or problem that Baltimore has when trying to place itself on the "artistic map" in compairison with cities like New York, and Boston. First, Baltimore... is not New York, or Boston. We are grittier, the people who settled, and migrated to Baltimore were not artists, dancers, muscians, or painters. They were working class people, fighting for their jobs, trying to get by. Baltimore was an industrial city, not an arts mecca.

MACAC, wasn't wrong with its intentions, but somewhat clouded. The city leaders wanted Baltimore to be immidiately recognized as a city of the arts far before it was maturing into one. There was also constant controversy on who was considered an artist as well... how amateur was too amateur?

Luckily for Baltimore, Artscape was the first arts festival that made it past 12 years... Artscape celebrated its 27th year in 2009 and has plans for its events in 2010.

ARTSCAPE: New dimension in city's revival!

Baltimore, as an arts district took somewhat of a hiatus between the Baltimore City Arts Festival of 1978, to the beginnings of Artscape in 1982. Though I researched what may have been the reason for such a hiatus when the last article of 1978 mentioning the Baltimore City Arts Festival sounded positive regarding it's growth I had little information to work with on why there was a gap in time.

The concept this time, would stick for the next 27 years (and counting). In the place of the ribbon-cutting ceremony, hundreds of multi-colored paper airplanes would be launched to symbolize the festivals change from "order" to "disorder." Mayor Schaefer, in his opening speech reminded Baltimorean's that the Artscape would be phase in Baltimore's renaissance. This new festival would be held on Mt. Royal Avenue. The Lyric theatre would house the artwork of the 21 local artists and sculptures that won prizes in a juried art show. The 1982 message of Artscape was to celebrate a cultural revival in the Mount Royal district similar to New York or Boston.

In criticism to the new Artscape, artists that came from other places in the country or world said it had a long way to go before it would be considered a sister in the art world to New York and Boston. Jan Zandhuis, a glassblower said "that while he supports the city's conscious effort to develop the arts, he believes the market in Baltimore is immature... this community has a long way to go before it becomes sophisticated."

(Information from this article: Jenny Abdo, "Artscape: New dimension in city's revival," Evening Sun, June 12, 1982.)

The last Baltimore Arts Festival...

In 1978, The Baltimore Arts Festival was seeing success. Richard Micherdzinski, the director of the festival involved in the 11 previous festivals stated "We've moved, we've expanded and in some respects we've made changes." Instead of having amateur performances like there had been in previous yeras, the 1978 festival had fewer performances by more well known artists, and was held on the Inner Harbor promenade in early July instead of June in the Hopkins Plaza. This festival did catch some criticism from local and amateur Baltimore artists that wanted to be included in the festivities, and felt that they were being excluded so that tourists would see what Mayor Schaefer and members of the MACAC wanted instead; "Not the true Baltimore," stated one amateur artist excluded from exhibits.

(Information on this post came from: "Arts Festival Expands Scope," News American, July 3, 1978.)

Hopkins Plaza Ribbon Ceremony 1975, and the Baltimore City Arts Festival

William Donald Schaefer led the ceremony that began the 1975 Baltimore City Arts Festival with the cutting of a ribbon in the Hopkins Plaza. More than 500 people attended the afternoon's activities and the bicentennial band provided music. Two 11 year-old girls assisted the Mayor in the ribbion cutting ceremony; Elizabeth Ozol, and Jessica Pitt.

Information from this post was provided by: William Hotz, "Baltimore City Arts Festival Begins with a Flourish!" Sun Newspaper, June 27, 1975.

"Little Help from Our Friends" mural, by Bob Hieronimus, Baltimore MD.