An artwork depicts an older Black woman sitting in a rocking chair. Her dress cascades out of the boundaries of the artwork's frame and onto the art gallery floor.
An artwork by 2025 Baker Artist Award finalist Sanah Brown-Bowers.

Thirty-six finalists were announced this week for the 2025 Baker Artist Awards, demonstrating excellence in visual, literary, interdisciplinary, film/ video, performance, and music arts.

An anonymous jury examined more than 800 portfolios and ultimately selected six finalists in each of the six artistic disciplines.

“The work of this year’s finalist pool exemplifies the myriad creativity of the artists in the Baltimore region,” said Connie Imboden, president of the William G. Baker Jr. Memorial Fund, in a statement.

For the first time in 17 years, all finalists in the visual arts category are women, Imboden added.

An artwork depicts a young Black man wearing an orange hoodie and long beaded necklace. A pair of white and orange sneakers, with the shoelaces tied to one another, hang over his shoulder. He stands against an orange background.
An artwork by 2025 Baker Artist Award finalist Monica Ikegwu.

The 2025 Baker Artist Awardees will be announced in May. One artist from each of the six disciplines will receive a $10,000 Mary Sawyers Baker Prize. One of the six awardees will also receive the additional $30,000 Mary Sawyers Imboden Prize, with their award money totaling $40,000.

Over 156 artists have been awarded more than $1.4 million through the Baker Artist Awards program since 2009.

“We are excited that the 2025 finalists include newcomers to the site, as well as those who have participated in the past,” said Jeannie Howe, Executive Director of the Greater Baltimore Cultural Alliance. “The Portfolios and the finalists continue to reflect the dynamic and historic nature of Baltimore’s creative character.”

The finalists’ work can be viewed online as well as through a free series of public performances, events, screenings, and exhibitions in April and May.

This year’s finalists include:

Visual Arts

  • Sanah Brown-Bowers
  • Suzanne Coley
  • Andrea Sherrill Evans
  • Monica Ikegwu
  • Ann Margaret Morris
  • Bria Sterling

Interdisciplinary

  • Lynn Cazabon
  • Collis Donadio
  • Jim Doran
  • Phylicia Ghee
  • Dave Greber
  • Bruce Willen

Film/ Video

  • Cathy C. Cook
  • Marnie Ellen Hertzler
  • Chung-Wei Huang
  • Corey Hughes
  • Daniela Mileykovsky
  • Lynn Tomlinson

Literary Arts

  • Kathy Flann
  • Bry Reed
  • Timmy Reed
  • Kate Reed Petty
  • Lysley Tenorio
  • Jeannie Vanasco

Music

  • Evan Nicole Bell
  • Lavena Johanson
  • Delandria Mills
  • Outcalls band
  • Mark Navarro
  • Daniel Ryan

Performance

  • Ruth MarGraff
  • Nicole A Martinell
  • Lola B Pierson
  • Juanita Rockwell
  • Unique Robinson
  • Vincent Thomas

Marcus Dieterle is the managing editor of Baltimore Fishbowl, telling the stories of communities across the Baltimore region. Marcus helped lead the team to win a Best of Show award for Website of General...