By Megan Sayles
AFRO Staff Writer
msayles@afro.com
Baltimore-based photographer Devin Allen will serve as the 2026 curator for SCOUT, an affordable art fair held as part of Artscape. Create Baltimore, the city’s official arts council and promotion agency, announced the selection on March 27.
SCOUT was launched by visual and performance artist Derrick Adams in 2025 to forge stronger connections between artists and the community through accessible price points—an objective that’s personal to Allen.
“The hard truth is that a lot of Baltimore artists have had to leave the city to find real opportunity, and I understand that—artists always want to grow, always want to spread their wings,” said Allen. “But, platforms like SCOUT give artists a reason to stay … a place to grow right here at home.”
A self-taught photographer, Allen said becoming a working artist seemed like a lofty goal when he was growing up in West Baltimore. For him, platforms like SCOUT bring visibility to local artists and ultimately provide them a chance to develop their work.
“Art can get expensive, and that can create a wall between artists and the people who genuinely love their work,” said Allen. “SCOUT breaks that wall down. It allows real fans—people who may not be major collectors but who connect with your work—to actually own a piece of it. That relationship between artist and community is everything. When the people around you can afford to support you, that’s when a creative ecosystem really starts to thrive.”
As the 2026 curator, Allen will oversee the design of SCOUT. He will be working alongside co-curator Cierra Britton, owner of the Cierra Britton Gallery, and a panel of judges to select artists to showcase on the platform. His team is also collaborating with Under Armour to create a limited edition SCOUT t-shirt.
Allen recalled excitedly anticipating the annual return of Artscape while growing up in Baltimore. He said he never imagined becoming more than a visitor to his hometown’s festival.
“To go from that—a kid catching the bus to Artscape—to now being trusted to curate SCOUT in its second year? That’s monumental. That’s full circle,” said Allen. “Professionally, this is a milestone I’m proud of. It validates the work, the growth and the persistence it takes to build a career as an artist in this city.”
This year, SCOUT will kick off with its opening preview on May 21, and Artscape will run May 23-24. Participating artists will be announced this month and include a range of local, national and international talent.
Part of Allen’s charge as curator is to amplify the creative voice of the city, a responsibility Create Baltimore CEO Robyn Murphy believes he will be able to execute on.
“Devin Allen represents the very spirit of Baltimore—resilient, visionary and deeply connected to community,” said Murphy in a statement. “His leadership as curator seamlessly continues the work of Derrick Adams: to solidify Baltimore as a world class city for arts and culture.”
