By Ericka Alston Buck
Special to the AFRO
BALTIMORE — Inside the grand marble halls of the Baltimore War Memorial, creativity is alive and pulsing as over 40 local artists debut their work at the first-ever Scout Art Fair, a dynamic new addition to this year’s reimagined Artscape festival.
Scout, curated by Baltimore native and internationally acclaimed artist Derrick Adams and Baltimore Beat arts editor Teri Henderson, is being hailed as a landmark moment in the city’s cultural evolution.
“It’s a beautiful showcase of what artists in Baltimore are making right now,” says Henderson. “This is about giving space—and spotlight—to those voices that have long deserved it.”
The fair, which opened with a sold-out preview on May 22 and runs through May 25, is part of Mayor Brandon M. Scott’s Downtown RISE Initiative and a collaboration between the City of Baltimore, BOPA and local visionaries. Featuring 40 solo artist booths and six gallery booths, Scout offers work at price points from $50 to $5,000, making contemporary art more accessible while ensuring artists earn from their craft. A portion of proceeds from all sales will benefit future BOPA programming.
Mayor Scott was on-site to officially kick things off, expressing his pride in the city’s creative community.
“We’re really putting the art back into Artscape this year,” he said. “You can come here and see over 40 artists from Baltimore putting their art out into the world. This is what the move downtown is about—showcasing our artists and the best of Baltimore.”
And showcase it does.
Among the vibrant voices is Ro, whose textured wall sculptures in his “Dope” series draw from his transformative travels in Africa. “I was inspired by the textiles, the motion of the people, the beauty of the land,” he shared. “When I got back, I wanted to do something really creative with what I collected. So I started layering textures and creating pieces that tell that story. I’m honored to be part of this event. It’s something special for Baltimore.”
Ciara K. Walters brings emotion and introspection through delicate screen prints and paintings made from crushed eggshells. “I’m really thinking about how fragile we are, how we’re surrounded by dust, made of dust, and return to dust,” she explained. “Each piece is layered with materials like Japanese handmade paper to explore identity and impermanence. This moment—Scout—is an amazing opportunity. I really feel like Baltimore is next up in the art scene.”
That sentiment is echoed by Ainsley Burrows, who sees the fair as a pivotal cultural moment. “There are so many artists in Baltimore, and we’ve never had a platform this big,” he said. “New York has Art Week. LA has Art Week. Miami has Art Basel. Baltimore has Scout, now. In five, 10 years, this will be international.”
Burrows’ pieces—like “Sky,” “Thunder,” and “Code Switching”—explore consciousness, cultural identity and the emotional terrain of being a Black artist in America. “Code switching—that’s something we know all too well. And my art gives it form.”
More than just an exhibition, Scout is a declaration: that Baltimore’s art scene isn’t emerging—it has arrived.
As Artscape celebrates its new home downtown, Scout stands as a cornerstone of that evolution. “We know the change is hard,” said Mayor Scott. “Artscape has been in Mount Vernon forever, but downtown has something new to offer. With the Food Lab, Scout and the amazing performances, this is what it’s all about—putting Baltimore’s talent front and center.”
Scout Art Fair runs through Sunday, May 25, inside the Baltimore War Memorial. Admission is free. For more information, visit bopa.org.