Creative Baltimore Fund
The Baltimore Office of Promotion & The Arts (BOPA), on behalf of the Mayor and the City of Baltimore, is excited to announce the Creative Baltimore Grant for FY 2026. Through this grant opportunity, BOPA grants funds to qualified artists and arts and cultural organizations based in Baltimore City. The Creative Baltimore Fund is a grant made annually by the City of Baltimore and is administered by the Baltimore City Arts Council.
The Creative Baltimore Fund has two primary grant programs:
- General Operating Support (GOS) provides core support for established arts or cultural organizations that benefit the public and are artistically or culturally vibrant.
- Mayor’s Individual Artist Award – Project/Practice Support (PS) provides support for an artist’s individual practice or program that promotes public access and encourages the breadth of arts and/or cultural programming in the community.
GRANT AWARDS
Organizations selected for GOS funding will receive one general operating grant of either $5,000 or $10,000. The award amount is determined by the adjudicators.
GOS grants will be awarded in two funding cycles:
- Cycle 1: $10,000 grants distributed by March 6, 2026
- Cycle 2: $5,000 grants distributed by June 5, 2026
The 10 artists selected for the Mayor’s Individual Artist Award will each receive a grant of $3,000. The Mayor’s Individual Artist Award grants will be distributed by March 6, 2026.
TIMELINE
Application Opens: Monday, November 3, 2025
Applicant Office Hours/Information Sessions: Sunday, November 16, and Tuesday, November 18, 2025
Application Deadline: Monday, December 15, 2025
Panel Review: Tuesday, December 16, 2025 – January 15, 2026
Award Notifications: Tuesday, January 20, 2026
Contracts and paperwork due from grantees: February 2, 2026
Cycle 1 grants paid by: Friday, March 6, 2026
Cycle 2 grants paid by: Friday, June 5, 2026
Final Report: Thursday, December 31, 2026
INFO SESSIONS
Nov 16, 12-1pm (virtual info session) – https://calendar.app.google/9USjt53968oVxs2J6
Nov 18, 6-7pm (virtual info session) – https://calendar.app.google/nxbsorZbwRRHojjG9
OFFICE HOURS (by appointment)
- Nov 12, 3-5pm
- Nov 19, 3-5pm
- Nov 26, 3-5pm
- Dec 3, 3-5pm
- Dec 10, 3-5pm
Sign up for an appointment during office hours here: https://calendar.app.google/VaewbtcUbE9qg4mJ6
HOW TO APPLY
Click the buttons below for the FY26 applications.
Congratulations, 2025 Creative Baltimore Fund Recipients!
2025 Mayor’s Individual Artist Awardees
- Taj Poscé
- Rowan Bathurst
- Brandon Kanion
- Jade Flower Foster
- Vanna Ramirez
- Alfonso Fernandez
- Mark West
- Abdul Adaranijo
- Eleisha Faith & Tonisha Hope McCorkle
- Jann Rosen-Queralt
2025 GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT GRANTEES
READ THE PRESS RELEASE ANNOUNCING THE 2025 GRANTEES HERE
Past Grantees
-
2024 Mayor’s Individual Artist Awardees
- Adam Ford
- Abisola Oladeinde
- Alonzo Hellerbach
- Ayana Harris
- Jeanne Marie Martineau
- Pablo Machioli
- Taylor Evans
- Victoria Walton
- Yewande Kotun Davis
- Zori Patrick
-
2024 General Operating Support Grantees
- 901 Arts
- Arts Every Day
- Arts for Learning Maryland
- Asian Pasifika Arts Collective
- Audrey Herman Spotlighters Theatre
- Ballet After Dark
- Baltimore Architecture Foundation
- Baltimore Chamber Orchestra
- Baltimore Children’s Choir
- Baltimore Choral Arts Society
- Baltimore Clayworks
- Baltimore Filmmakers Collective
- Baltimore Jazz Alliance
- Baltimore Museum of Industry
- Baltimore Rock Opera Society (BROS)
- Baltimore Science Fiction Society
- Baltimore Theatre Project
- Baltimore Youth Arts
- Beyond Fearless Inspired By Truth
- Black Cherry Puppet Theater
- CHARM: Voices of Baltimore Youth
- Chesapeake Shakespeare Company
- CityLit Project
- Community Concerts at Second
- Current Space (fiscally sponsored by Fractured Atlas)
- Dream Bigger Community Institute
- Eubie Blake National Jazz Institute and Cultural Center
- Fells Point Corner Theatre
- Full Circle Dance Company
- High Zero Foundation
- Hippodrome Foundation
- Interrobang Productions
- Intersection of Change
- Iron Crow Theatre
- Le Mondo
- Le’ Sheea
- Leaders of Tomorrow Youth Center
- Magical Experiences Arts Company
- Make Studio Art Program
- Maryland Art Place
- Maryland Center for History and Culture
- Maryland Volunteer Lawyers for the Arts
- Mind on Fire
- Motor House
- Muse 360
- New Wave Singers of Baltimore
- Nuestras Raices
- ON THE ROAD (OTR) Theater Company
- Open Works
- Opera Baltimore
- R.I.S.E. Arts Center of Baltimore
- Roland Park Community Center
- Shriver Hall Concert Series
- Strand Theater Company
- Submersive Productions
- Sweaty Eyeballs Animation Festival
- The Arts Project Incorporated
- The Baltimore Scene
- The National Edgar Allan Poe Theatre
- The Peale Center for Baltimore History and Architecture
- Vagabond Players
- Wide Angle Youth Media
- WombWork Production
-
2023 Mayor’s Individual Artist Awardees
- Kibibi AJanku
- Hannah Brancato
- Troy Burton
- David Currie
- Dave Eassa
- Marnie Ellen Hertzler
- A. Moon
- Tamara Payne
- Kasean Reeves
- Maria Unger
-
2023 General Operating Support Grantees
- 901 Arts (legal entity is Fusion Partnerships, Inc.)
- Access Art, Inc.
- Afro Charities, Inc.
- Arts Everyday
- Audrey Herman Spotlighters Theatre, Inc.
- Ballet After Dark
- Baltimore Architecture Foundation
- Baltimore Arts Realty Corporation dba Motor House
- Baltimore Chamber Orchestra
- Baltimore Choral Arts Society, Inc.
- Baltimore Jazz Alliance
- Baltimore Jewelry Center
- Baltimore Museum of Industry
- Baltimore Shakespeare Factory
- Baltimore Theatre Project, Inc.
- Baltimore Youth Arts
- Bolton Hill Community Association, Inc.
- Bristol Players dba Fells Point Corner Theatre
- Charm City Fringe, LLC
- Chesapeake Shakespeare Company
- CityLit Project
- Creative Alliance, Inc.
- Creative Nomads
- Current Space (fiscally sponsored by Fractured Atlas, Inc.)
- Dance and Bmore
- Eubie Blake National Jazz Institute and Cultural Center, Inc.
- Everyman Theatre
- Full Circle Dance Company
- Greater Baltimore Cultural Alliance
- Hamilton Arts Collective/Hamilton Gallery
- Hippodrome Foundation, Inc.
- Intersection of Change (Jubilee Arts Program)
- Le Mondo
- Leaders of Tomorrow Youth Center, Inc.
- Magical Experiences Arts Company
- Make Studio Art Program, Inc.
- Maryland Art Place
- Maryland Center for History and Culture
- Maryland Humanities
- Maryland Volunteer Lawyers for the Arts
- Mount Clare Museum, NSCDA-MD
- Muse 360
- Open Works, Inc.
- Opera Baltimore (formerly Baltimore Concert Opera)
- Pennsylvania Black Arts and Entertainment District, Inc.
- Single Carrot Theatre
- Strand Theater Company
- Submersive Productions, LLC
- The Central Baltimore Partnership, Inc.
- The Last Resort Artist Retreat
- The Peale Center for Baltimore History and Architecture, Inc.
- Vagabond Players
- Wide Angle Youth Media
- Writers in Baltimore Schools
- Young Audiences
QUESTIONS?
Contact Grants, Competitions, & Exhibitions Manager Lou Joseph at ljoseph@promotionandarts.org.