Twenty-three Member Body to Support, Guide Baltimore's Arts and Culture Scene

BALTIMORE, MD. (Tuesday, September 19, 2023) - Today, during ‘Arts and Culture Week, Mayor Brandon M. Scott issued an executive order to establish the Mayor’s Arts & Culture Advisory Committee.  The 23-member body will serve in an advisory capacity, providing guidance, recommendations, and support to the Mayor, City Council, and Senior Advisor of Arts & Culture in Baltimore City on matters involving and pertaining to arts and culture.

In an effort to cultivate and support Baltimore’s rich longstanding artistic and cultural history, Mayor Scott seeks to nurture an economy that prioritizes and retains artists and preserves culture. Therefore, the advisory committee will recommend methods and pathways to support local artists, entrepreneurs, and other creative professionals while also promoting the growth and sustainability of the arts and cultural sector for all who live, work, and play in and around Baltimore.

“The Arts & Culture Advisory Committee will champion the importance of arts and culture in our city, advocating for increased support, funding, and resources for the creative community,” said Mayor Brandon M. Scott. “I’m thrilled we have a group of dedicated and passionate art professionals and enthusiasts who will be instrumental in supporting our local artists and organizations, and the coordination of cultural events that showcase our city’s talent and heritage.”

According to the Executive Order, the Mayor appoints 20 members to the committee, while the City Council President and Comptroller appoint the remaining three seats on the committee.

Confirmed members of the Mayor’s Arts & Culture Advisory Committee include:

• Derrick Adams, Contemporary Artist and the Last Resort Artist Retreat
• Sean Brescia, Mission Media
• Nicholas Cohen, Maryland Citizens for the Arts
• Terri Freeman, Reginald F. Lewis Museum of Maryland African American History and Culture
• Amy Burke Friedman, PROFILES
• Stacy Handler, Bloom Arts Strategy
• Jeannie Howe, Greater Baltimore Cultural Alliance
• Eze Jackson, Artist
• Mary Ann Mears, Sculptor and Public Art Advocate
• Robyn Murphy, JRM Consultancy
• Cara Ober, BmoreArt
• Wendel Patrick, Johns Hopkins Peabody Institute
• Ernest Shaw Jr., Contemporary Artist
• Jessica Solomon, Art in Praxis
• Eric Souza, Midtown Community Benefits District
• DJ Tanz, DJ, Event Producer, and Baltimore Influencer
• Thea Washington, Thea Washington Casting
• Jenenne Whitfield, American Visionary Art Museum and The Heidelberg Project

“Baltimore is entrenched with talent,” said committee member Derrick Adams. “However, nearly 30 years ago, I left Baltimore to pursue a career in the arts. While my path in pursuit of my passion was destined and I am ever-grateful for my journey over the past three decades, it is important to me that we create spaces in Baltimore that nurture and retain the City’s talent.”

The Scott Administration remains committed to prioritizing and promoting arts and culture in Baltimore through economic development, policy recommendations, community engagement, and education and outreach, as well as cultural heritage preservation and public art initiatives. The creation of the advisory committee reinforces that commitment, and further guides and influences efforts toward realizing these objectives.