Baltimore’s arts council, event center and film office. A nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization.
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About Us
Making Baltimore a more vibrant and creative city!
The Baltimore Office of Promotion & The Arts (BOPA) is a standalone 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that serves as the arts council, events producer and film office for the City of Baltimore. In addition to organizing almost every fun, free city-wide event, BOPA uplifts Baltimore’s creative community through funding and support to artists, arts programs and organizations across the City. BOPA is the primary advocate for the arts within the City of Baltimore, and BOPA’s annual economic impact for special events and festivals is $111.1 million.
BOPA is an exceptional producer of large-scale events such as Artscape and the Baltimore Book Festival/Light City under the theme Brilliant Baltimore. BOPA promotes the culinary arts through its management of the Baltimore Farmers’ Market & Bazaar and its inclusion in festivals. It produces New Year's Eve and July 4th celebrations at the Inner Harbor, art classes and exhibitions at the School 33 Art Center; the annual Baltimore Open Studio Tour and Free Fall Baltimore during Arts & Humanities Month, and the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Parade.
As the city’s arts council, BOPA provides opportunities for artists to showcase work through the Public Art Program, Baltimore Mural Program, Community Arts Grants, and various Calls for Artists; engages the next generation of artists through the arts education programs Art@Work, Bright StArts, Emerging Artist Network and BOPA Youth Arts Council; and collaborates with cultural organizations and neighborhood groups through a myriad of other programming.
Additionally, as the Baltimore Film Office, BOPA provides service to all productions scouting and filming in Baltimore City. BOPA oversees historic attractions and sites including the Top of the World Observation Level, School 33 Art Center, The Cloisters, and the Bromo Seltzer Arts Tower.
Over the past 40+ years, BOPA has been called upon to orchestrate or assist with large-scale city events. The activities include Star-Spangled Spectacular in 2014, NFL Kick-Off in 2013, Star-Spangled Sailabration in 2012 and the Ravens Super Bowl Victory Parades.
Our Mission
The Baltimore Office of Promotion & The Arts is a nonprofit cultural organization that inspires and engages audiences and cultivates the city's creative economy through the arts, events and film industry.
Our Commitment
- To address the needs of the arts community through arts and cultural activities, advocacy and support.
- To produce festivals, special events and promotions for Baltimore City.
- To develop and administer funds, grant programs and community workshops.
More Information
For information on any of the events or services provided by the Baltimore Office of Promotion & The Arts, please call 410-752-8632 or visit www.promotionandarts.org.
Baltimore Office of Promotion & The Arts
10 E. Baltimore Street, 10th Floor
Baltimore, MD 21202
410-752-8632
Economic Impact
Please click on the below link to download the Economic Impact Study of Nonprofits Arts and Culture Organizations and Their Audiences in the City of Baltimore 2012, Light City 2018, Artscape 2009, Baltimore Book Festival 2009 and Baltimore’s New Year’s Eve Spectacular 2010.
Freedom of Information Act Requests
For information requests, contact Lauren Green at Baltimore Office of Promotion & The Arts, 10 E. Baltimore Street, 10th Floor, Baltimore, MD 21202 or 410-752-8632 or lgreen@promotionandarts.org.
Equity Statement
The Baltimore Office of Promotion & The Arts, Inc. strives to mirror the rich diversity of Baltimore City in our staffing and programming while emphasizing cultural equity. Cultural equity embodies the values, policies, and practices that ensure that all people-including but not limited to those who have been historically underrepresented based on race/ethnicity, age, ability, sexual orientation, gender, socioeconomic status, geography, citizenship status, or religion-are represented in the development of arts policy; the support of artists; the nurturing of accessible, thriving venues for expression; and the fair distribution of programmatic, financial, and informational resources.