Artscape

The tradition & historical record

Artscape is an annual art festival held in Baltimore, Maryland. Previously held in the vicinity of Maryland Institute College of Art in July, Artscape was moved to Downtown and Memorial Day weekend as of 2025. Since its first annual event in 1982, Artscape has become the largest free arts festival in America. It has boasted acts such as Ray Charles and Aretha Franklin in the past, attracting over 350,000 people from the city, and surrounding areas. Film programming during Artscape is provided by Maryland Film Festival. There are artists in a variety of visual and performing media. Events are free and open to the public. ¹

According to Artscape, 43% of the funding for 2010's event came from sponsorships and contributions, while 29% came from concession income, the remaining funds came from fundraising, and grants. The report states that about 18% of their expenses in 2010 went to administrative costs, 3% to fundraising activities, while the majority 79% went to program expenses. Artscape organizers estimate that the total economic impact for the City of Baltimore in 2010 was $25.97 million. It is reported that 2009 attendees spend $9,256,046 with Artscape vendors. ¹

Artscape includes various programs and artwork displays, including juried exhibitions, installations, literary arts, visual arts, and performances. Musical performances take place at various stages across Baltimore. Past notable musical performers have included Aretha Franklin (1994), Al Green (2003), and Isaac Hayes (2004), among others. ¹

BGE Main Stage Wyclef Jean Burning Spear The Mighty Mighty Bosstones Jah Works Spirit Blues Chelsey Green and the Green Project Of Tomorrow Foggy May 8 Ohms Band Tropik Sol Bond Street District Reggie Wayne Morris Thurgood Marshall Band Aztec Soul Johns Hopkins University Station North Stage Baltimore City Public Schools' Young Audiences Summer Arts and Learning Academies Hotline F featuring Landis Expandis Parks Landing The Henchmen Prince Dance Party featuring Wendel Patrick & DJ Dubble8, DJ Sam Burns Modern Nomad Fake Flowers Real Dirt Lost Keys Surf Harp Weekends Sun Club Bmore Does Bowie (featuring Aguierre's Dogs, Scroll Downers, Ed Schrader's Music Beat, SYS Band and The Band that Fell to Earth) Milestones Scroll Downers Expert Alterations Chiffon Bmore Beatscape hosted by Eze Jackson Morgan State University Sound Off Live Stage Michele McTierney Coexist Music Group and Devin Jano Spaceboy DBS Rumba Club David Bach The Coldspring Jazz Quartet Orchester Prazevica Gotham Theory Greenspan Naked Jungle Dunson Michael Raitzyk Quartet Tongue in Cheek High-Brid Band Essential Vybe The Palovations Edjacated Phools ¹

George Clinton & Parliament Funkadelic The Reverend Peyton's Big Damn Band Michael Franti & Spearhead Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue Martian Architect Slow Lights Reve Purple Orange Inde Kanika Goat Subtle Hustle Quinton Randall 10 Step Groove The Upstarters D.T. Huber 9 Mile Roots The Slanted Sound Hollywood Banks ¹

MEA Energy Stage Anthony Hamilton Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings Ozomatli Galactic Carl Filipiak Emily King Nadine Ray & The Allstars Kelly Bell Band Joe Cooper Project By & By Sweet Leda The Crawdaddies May Weather Kevin Jackson Station North Stage The Players Band All Mighty Senators Baltimore City Public Schools Blind Man Leading Brooks Long and the Mad Dog No Good Bobby E Lee & The Sympathizers Small Apartments 8 Ohms Band Skydivers Wyoming Exploding Deaf Scene Andy Poxon Bosley Super City Connor Brendan Band Among Wolves The Festival Stage Tom Principato Cowboy Mouth The Glenmont Popes Yellow Dubmarine Reverend Horton Heat Blizz Mystic Warriors T.K. Blue Evokatones Muddy Crows Eureka Birds Honest Haloway Plurals Lotus Song & The Black Light Asylum Voodoo Pharmacology Rufus Roundtree & Da B'More Brass Factory MC Booze No BS! Brass Band ¹

The text above is adapted from the Wikipedia article “Artscape (festival)”, available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 licence. ¹

Artscape is America's largest free arts festival, located in Baltimore, Maryland, according to the structured record cited below. This entry was generated automatically from that record and has not yet been reviewed by a person familiar with the tradition. ²

The source record links this tradition to 1 external register, which can be verified through the citation. ²