Artscape

Artscape 2008 is over. Check back in July 2009 for details on next year's festival.

Baltimore touts Artscape as "America's largest free public arts festival." But that title doesn't quite convey the diversity of this annual event, which this year is scheduled for July 18-20,2008. At Artscape, "arts" means anything from a bejeweled jalopy to an animated short film to fashion workshops.

Its artist market stretches four blocks along Mount Royal Avenue with more than 100 artists from all over the country. Live concerts on four outdoor stages, hands-on art projects, children's entertainers, street theater and an array of festival food are all part of the fun in this annual festival just north of Mount Vernon.

Exhibits and Information

Artscape 2008 is rain or shine, and free to the public.

Types of Artscape performances include:

• Dance
• Opera
• Theater
• Film
• Classical music
• Vocal competition

But some of the headliners for 2008 include Joan Jett, Dru Hill and Mario. See full schedule and stage map. The annual Billie Holiday and Cab Calloway vocal comeptitions are heled Sunday, July 20, 2008, from noon – 4 p.m. at the Meyerhoff Symphony Hall.

Visual Arts Exhibits

• Art cars
• Sculpture
• Short films
• Fashion

2008 Event Details

Date
July 18-20, 2008 Fri.- Sat. noon-10 p.m., Sun. noon-8 p.m. A few of the festival's visual arts exhibitions are on display before and after the three day festival.

Location
Main festival location is 1200 block of Mount Royal Avenue (at Cathedral Street) near the Mount Vernon and Bolton Hill neighborhoods. This year the festival has expanded to include the Station North Arts & Entertainment District (1400-1700 blocks of Charles Street). However, some events are held in indoor venues. Other venues include:

• Langsdale Auditorium - University of Baltimore - Maryland Ave. & Oliver St.
• The Charles Theatre
• Penn Station
• Everyman Theater
• Gordon Plaza – Fashion
• Lyric Opera House - Dance
• Meyerhoff Symphony Hall – Vocal Competition, BSO performance
• Mica's Brown Center - Opera
• Theatre Project - Theater

Events and Activities

Artists' Market
Along the main corridor of the festival on Mount Royal Avenue, the Artists' Market is one of the main attractions. This year more than 120 juried booths offer high-quality ceramics, jewelry, glass, sculpture, handmade prints, fine art, hand-decorated clothing and accessories, photography and more – all sold by the artists themselves. Also, Maryland's arts organizations, museums and cultural institutions are on hand to provide resources and information.

Target Family Art Park
Open until 8 p.m. each day, the Target Family Art Park is in the Pearlstone Park at Cathedral and Preston streets. It included one of the festival's street theater locations in the Target Family Performance Tent. The Target Make It At Artscape Tent! gives children the chance to paint, draw and more. The Greater Baltimore Youth Orchestra offers a musical petting zoo. And its all free!

These Baltimore cultural institutions and attractions provide activities:

• Baltimore City Department of Recreation and Parks - craft activities
• Baltimore City Public School System - exhibiting and selling artwork created by Baltimore City School students
• Baltimore City Recycling - making recycled crafts
• Baltimore Museum of Art - making sculpture-inspired hats
• Baltimore Museum of Industry - found object mobiles
• Baltimore Public Works Museum - flowers made from recyclable materials
• Downtown Baltimore Family Alliance - sugar cube sculptures
• Maryland Zoo in Baltimore - frog puppets
• National Aquarium in Baltimore - frog crafts
• North Baltimore City Youth in Partnership with Maryland Institute College of Art - art workshops
• Port Discovery Children's Museum - "shrinky dink" magnets
• Providence Art Institute - mask making
• The Greater Baltimore Youth Orchestra
• Grace Life Church The Light - paper fans, peace kites, animal masks
• The Walters Art Museum - faces of Ancient Arabia activity
• Waldorf School of Baltimore - felt balls, paper butterflies, paper pinwheels

DemoScape

Pick up some DIY techniques along Mount Vernon Avenue where a series of creative arts demonstrations for festival-goers of all ages show a variety of art mediums, techniques and genres. The sessions, which range from glass blowing and clay sculpting to making handmade lamps and African drums, take place throughout the run of the festival. But demostrations are not limited to this one block. Churches, retailers and other businesses in the festival area, offer demonstrations, tours and performances.

Food and Concessions

Hungry? Check out one of the six food courts spread throughout the fesival areas. Restaurants from all over the city and specialty vendors sell everything from BBQ and Caribbean cuisine to Polish sausage and crab cakes. New this year is the "Green Food Court" in the 1700 block of Charles Street. Look for an array of sustainable and organic food vendors, along with information about recycling, reducing carbon footprints and making a difference.

Parking and Public Transit

The Maryland State Office Parking lots at Eutaw and Preston streets are offering with free parking during Artscape. Paid parking garages in the festival area include the University of Baltimore Garage on Maryland Avenue and the Symphony Center Garage at Park and Preston streets.

The Light Rail stop at University of Baltimore/Mt. Royal Avenue is nearest to the festival center, and the Cultural Center stop on Howard Street is near Meyerhoff Symphony Hall. The Light Rail operates until 11p.m. on Friday and Saturday. On Sunday service will be extended until 9 p.m. The State Center Metro Subway Station is the closest stop. It is open until midnight during all three nights. MTA Bus lines servicing the Artscape area are the numbers 3, 11, 14 (Sunday only), 19, 21 and 27.