Baltimore is one of 17 finalists out of 150 cities in 40 states competing in the 2023 Bloomberg Philanthropies Public Art Challenge.
The competition invites U.S. mayors, artists, community leaders, and residents to create temporary public artworks that draw attention to critical issue and spur action to address them. The grant winners receive up to $1 million from Bloomberg Philanthropies to create the public work of art.
Baltimore native and multidisciplinary artist Derrick Adams will serve as the artistic lead for Baltimore’s “Inviting Light” initiative, which “combines mesmerizing light installations with culturally enriching programming along the Charles Street and North Avenue intersection, a vital crossroads and the heart of the commercial and cultural hub of Station North,” according to a press release.
Adams lives and works in Brooklyn, New York, and has received degrees from Pratt University, Columbia University, and an honorary doctorate from MICA. He “celebrates and expands the dialogue around contemporary Black life and culture through scenes of normalcy and perseverance,” the press release reads.
In 2022 he established Charm City Cultural Cultivation, an organization to support and encourage underserved communities in Baltimore through artist retreats, residency programs, and a database of counter-institutional space for collecting, storing, and safekeeping local archival initiatives.
Adams will collaborate with the Mayor’s Office, Central Baltimore Partnership, and the Neighborhood Design Center to bring together a team of esteemed artists for the project, including the lighting design studio Flux Studio and social practice curator José Ruiz. They will create “a series of artistic lighting interventions activated through visual art, music, performance, film, and food,” according to the press release.
“By making it to the finals for the $1 million Bloomberg Philanthropies Public Art grant, Baltimore has an amazing opportunity to showcase our city’s incredible local talent and add even more beauty to our already wonderful community,” said Baltimore Mayor Brandon M. Scott. “It’s an honor to be one of the 17 cities from across the country that have been shortlisted for this prestigious grant. We want to take a moment to express our gratitude to our stakeholder partners, the Central Baltimore Partnership and Neighborhood Design Center, for their continued support throughout this process.”
The “Inviting Light” project aims to demonstrate how artistic lighting can transform nighttime environments, attract pedestrian and community activity, improve safety and inclusion, and address challenges to commercial activity in Central Baltimore.
“The Inviting Light project is an opportunity to engage pathbreaking public artists to explore how light can support broad access to our city’s public spaces,” said Merrell Hambleton, Program Manager of Arts Planning and Cultural Programming at the Neighborhood Design Center. “Informed by two years of intensive community conversations and an understanding of community-held values in Station North, we hope this effort can open the nighttime environment in Station North and draw attention to light equity in every Baltimore neighborhood.”
Central Baltimore Partnership manages the Arts District. The partnership was founded in 2006 with a mission of partnering with more than 100 organizations active in the 11 neighborhoods that comprise Central Baltimore to help revitalize the area. For the Public Art Challenge, it would lead the site selection, fabrication, contracting, maintenance, and planning and implementation of artist-led events.
“We firmly believe that enhancing lighting and revitalizing the nighttime environment in Station North is not only critical for creating safer access but also serves as a powerful catalyst for future investment,” said Jack Danna, Director of Commercial Revitalization for the Central Baltimore Partnership. “Through Inviting Light, we aim to facilitate positive transformation by activating underutilized spaces with light-based interventions and cultural programming. This will engage the community through free cultural activities, fostering new interactions, and boosting positive perceptions of the district.”
The Neighborhood Design Center is a nonprofit organization that provides design assistance and community development services to low-income neighborhoods throughout Maryland. It has completed more than 4,000 projects with communities seeking to enhance their physical environments. For the Public Art Challenge, it would spearhead community engagement throughout the project, facilitating artist selection, curation, and project development in support of the Artistic Team.
Bloomberg Philanthropies invests in 700 cities and 150 countries around the world, focusing on five key areas for creating lasting change: the Arts, Education, Environment, Government Innovation, and Public Health. In 2022, Bloomberg Philanthropies distributed $1.7 billion dollars.
In the Bloomberg Public Art Challenge, up to 10 winners will receive grants of up to $1 million each. If chosen, Baltimore would create the Inviting Light project over the next two years.
