The Truth In This Art with CEO of Baltimore Office for Promotion & The Arts Rachel D. Graham

And welcome back to the Truth in His Art. Thank you for joining me for my conversations bridging arts, culture, and community. I am your host, Rob Lee. Thank you for listening. Before we get started, I'd like to ask you to leave a review and a kind word wherever you get your podcast.

You know, that could be Apple, YouTube, Spotify. Leaving a kind word and a review goes a long way in helping this podcast reach so many more people. It helps us extend and get more exposure for these great stories, such as the one that you're gonna hear today. Today, I have a special guest for a special conversation. My guest is a veteran strategic communications and public relations professional with extensive experience in events marketing, hospitality, and partnership engagement.

My guest is the chief executive officer for the Baltimore Office For Promotions and the Arts. Please welcome Rachel d Graham. Welcome to the podcast.

Thank you, Rob. It's a pleasure to be here.

Thank you for for making the time. You took your glasses off, so I got to give you your credit though, for you for wearing your glasses. I always tell people that it's like, you know.

I know. I know. The challenge though is that I I have, trifocals, and so I had to look like this in order to see you.

My partner says whenever I take my glasses off, my eyes disappear, and I'm like, oh, this is this is a lot.

So my father had the same problem when I was growing up, and it's kind of a thing as we get older, the space is squinching. So

I I I just feel like she's making fun of me as a drawing. I think she's just drawing sketches of me with little dots for eyes. You know, it's about art. Right?

It's about art. It's about art.

So, you know, again, thank you for for coming on and and making the time. And as it is customary to to start off this pod, I'd like to, like, go towards the beginning and, you know, just 2 things. I'd like to give you the space and opportunity to to introduce yourself in your own words. I think there's a lot of power in that. Like, we have these very grandiose or sometimes even limited artist statements and bios, and it's great, but getting the real dope from the real person is more important.

So I'm gonna give you the space to do that.

Very cool. Wow. So I am my title is serving as the chief executive officer, for the Baltimore Office of Promotion in the Arts. But I guess if anyone were to tell you who I am, I am a frustrated interior designer. I am a frustrated visual artist.

I am a a former vocalist. I am a bit of a poet if you push me to do it, did a little acting and the like, and I and what that has turned into, is that I am a huge advocate for arts and culture, equitable access, and really respectable and respectful treatment of of arts and artists and the arts community. And and that kinda all goes back to the beginning, which I I feel like I've told this story many, many times. I am the product of, a man who was a DJ in the true sense of the word. So he was a disc Jackie on the radio, and a woman who was an amazing visual artist and vocalist and writer, who happened to meet in Denver, Colorado and ended up happening to make me.

And so I think that and, you know, and and coming from a long history of what I now understand to be artists. So my mother's mother did crafts. She did needlepoint and the like. Her great aunt did needlepoint and and and so forth. And so, yeah, that's who I am.

I'm a product of my history and, my love of all things arts and culture.

Thank you. See, that's that's that's the thing. Getting those extra details, you

know. Yeah.

And, and, yeah, it's I think it's always important to kind of get that that level set and that sort of, like, understanding, like, what's what's baked in. You know, I've joked about this. So, you know, when when you mentioned sort of the, you know, I was doing this for a bit and frustrated in this way, Frustrated comic artist.

Oh, wow.

Actor, rapper, poet, short story writer.

Right.

And finding podcast as sort of my medium. And then, you know, over the time, pushing for that as a as an art form, as storytelling, anthropology, journalism, what have you, and hitting all of these these different areas. And in the sort of last year, being able to be an educator in that space now, really putting the money and effort and the time towards that goal and really just pushing for it. So can that can I I just felt that? That's all.

Cool beans. Cool beans. So is there and thinking back, is there, like, an indelible, super early experience that that pops up that, you know, when you think back on sort of your your love and your appreciation and your your your upbringing around arts and culture, that that has a shape or has, like, sort of color and texture with how you approach things even to this day?

I would say that, you know, my my upbringing was it's split into kind of 2 eras. Until I was about 10 years old, I lived in Indianapolis, Indiana with my mom, and my grandparents kinda helped her raise me. And I was in a in an environment where I was always around art, be it music. So, my grandmother, you know, had a piano. We had a piano.

We didn't have a lot of money, but we had a piano because my mother, had been trained in piano and voice and the like. My grandmother had me doing my own, note cards to you know, writing letters and correspondence is a big thing back when I was younger. And so she bought me this little set where I would like color in the cover and write thank you notes or write cards. I learned how to knit when I was younger. Right?

Yeah. It was very interesting stuff. I often tell folks that, just to give you further insight, it was a very interesting upbringing because, you know, of course, we went to church. My mother sang on the choir. I sang on the choir.

One of my earliest influences was a woman by the name of Ruth Lamox Davis, who was the editor of the National Baptist Hymnal, which is a huge deal, and she was very well respected in the gospel music community. But I didn't really hear, and I always tell people this. We didn't listen to R and B music when I was growing up. Yeah. So I was a top 40 baby, David Gates and Bread, America, Captain and Taneal.

Like, that was what I listened to, but I also had a appreciation for classical music because that's what my mother listened to and the like. So that's kind of the front end Yeah. Of my development. When I was 10, because I was a bit of a rambunctious child, I went to go live with my dad. My dad, as I shared, you know, was a disc jockey.

He when they met, he was a DJ in Denver, Colorado. He was also a concert promoter, promoted Smokey Robinson's first solo concert in Denver. My mother always jokingly tells me, you were at that concert because she was carrying me at the time. And and so I got exposed to that side of art. So my father, when I moved to Biloxi, Mississippi to live with him, was serving as stagehand at the Mississippi Coast Coliseum, the only and first Black stagehand at that facility.

And that was where I started to get that side of the exposure. So lots of RME music. One of my first concerts that I remember 2 concerts I remember. 3, actually. I went to a Chuck Berry concert that was part of, we lived in Biloxi, so Marksbury used to have a festival

Right.

At the Coast Coliseum, so I saw Chuck Berry there. The Commodores performed, and I I went to one of those. But my favorite was I went to a Sugar Hill Gang concert that didn't happen because the promoter didn't pay the electric bill, which is always funny to me. But that was, you know, that was my upbringing. And then, you know, we, we moved to Philadelphia.

My father worked with the Spectrum, which was turned into it was the Wells Fargo Center. It was, like, it turned to all these things, which is where the, you know, the Sixers played and the Eagles played. And so he did a lot of the background work in that. And then, you know, moving to Atlantic City, he was in the entertainment department. And so that part of my life, kind of the nuts and bolts and behind the scenes work of producing and developing, musical opportunities, I was exposed to that.

And so that is kind of what builds foundationally this love of art, and it explains why my interests are so broad and why, honestly, I felt like I was kind of built for this work because my interest is so vast. It is very, diverse. It is the traditional art forms, but it also, you know, branches out into, you know, DJing as an art form, and fashion design as an art form, and and all of the all of the things.

Thank you. I I so like I said, I'm I'm picking up what you're laying down. I'm vibing off of it because it's it's it's literally that. When I go through and I'm gonna move into this next question. When I go through sort of who I'm gonna talk to and sort of building it out, you know, I'll talk to folks, and they're like, wow.

You're actually reaching out. No one ever thought what I did was art or creative and so on. It's like, you talk to these people. It's like, it's high, low, however it's like, does your work interest me? Do you have a story?

And let let's let's do it. You know? And and I think that comes from sort of that that similar sort of sort of background of, you know, not, you know, going to concerts and having, you know, in that way, but, you know, being able to see, like, the broadness of creativity, the broadness of art, that that's sort of what it was for me.

Absolutely. You know, my mom took me to go see Timbuk 2, which was a groundbreaking black musical.

Yeah.

And it's I went to see it when Eartha Kitt was actually in it, and I was fascinated by that. You know? And so those are like, it there's not one single memory for me. It's just those, you know, unique opportunities to be in the presence of greatness, that really stuck with me. You know?

Yeah. I I I really get on with the the idea of, like, extending the boundaries of what it is

Absolutely.

And being exposed to it, is is big. Mhmm. So let let's let's talk about the career a little bit. You know, as you you touched on sort of being built for for this work, so various roles, in arts and cultural organizations. Can can you share, like, some of those those stops during this time that have been particularly influential on your in your professional journey?

I think we can start from the beginning. Okay. I attended Towson, for a year and a half, and money did what money does, unfortunately, for young black students. And I, you know, I had to take a step away. And I came home to, the South Jersey area and worked for, like, a year in retail.

I worked for Sam Goody, and then I worked for the Gap. Right? So that's the beginning. Why is that important? Because I have, like, this crazy encyclopedic understanding of all thing music, all things music.

So the year that I did that, was the year that the movie Boomerang came out, Pearl Jam, Soundgarden, Boyz II Men, End of the Road, the midnight marauder album. Like, it was it was a, like, a crazy time. Right? And so that you get that. Like, I always loved music anyway.

From the fashion side, there was working in the gap and understanding trends and all that other good stuff. And so I did that for a year. Fast forward, I moved to Philly, and I violated the cardinal rule. My stepmother always told me whenever he goes to a job interview, you never answer any question that's not asked. You never volunteer information.

And so I go into this interview for a hardware software development company that was kind of on the cutting edge of interactive music instruction. And the guy said, well, they I was interviewing for a receptionist role. And the guy said, okay. Well, is there anything you, you know, wanna tell us about yourself that you haven't already told us? And I'm like, well, I'll write.

And he was like, okay. Well, send me a writing sample. And that was the the opening into this world of public relations. And I was the communications liaison for this, interactive hardware software company called Liris Inc.

Yeah.

It was I will tell you, it was way before the invention of the Internet, and what the World Wide Web was gonna look like. And, I had a really great run with those folks. But along the way, I wanted to branch out into public relations. And so I happened to meet this guy. He was an artist.

His name was Timmy Graham. We were, on WHAT radio in Philly doing an interview. It was me, him. I was in a calendar, for bald women. Go figure.

I have not always been bald, but I was bald at the time. So it was me, him, and a jewelry designer who also had an art gallery named, Keith Majay Scrivens. And, you know, the artist, his name was Timmy Graham. I said, I'd love to see some of your work. He was like, well, sure.

You know, why don't you come by the studio? He had just graduated from Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Art, and, you know, I guess guess, like, a year after you finish your MFA, they give you this studio space to work in. And what I saw when I walked in the door was overwhelming. And and I'm like, this is crazy. Have you ever done your own show before?

Have you ever done a show? And he was like, well, you know, we did our graduate show and, you know, I sold a piece and it was, you know, whatever. But, no. Besides that, I hadn't. And so part of the beauty of what I've been able to do is connect folks with, interests and opportunities together.

So I pulled him together with Keith. We did his first show. He sold 2 paintings the 1st night. And it's those kind of opportunities that I always tended to see. So that's kind of the arts part of it.

I went into my my career history is so crazy. I used to I'll give you the highlights. Okay. I worked for 3 years as the coordinator of the Penn Relays, which is the world's largest track and field meet outside of the Olympics. I worked for another year, at a mom and pop record store where I was the cassette and CD buyer for r and b and gospel.

That afforded me the opportunity to, meet this ragtag bunch of artists that were roaming around the streets of Philadelphia. And at the time, they were called the Square Roots. And, at the time so the record store that I was working at, there's a guy by the name of, Keith McPhee. Keith was the person that hired me. And, you know, the world is just crazy.

Like, you know, I met them. We would hang out on South Street all the time and I was very close with Amir Thompson, Questlove. I was actually on their first studio album, do you want more? In a video from that album, and had the had the honor to actually be mentored by Rich Nichols, who was their who was their manager. And for a while, I really thought I don't wanna go into the record business.

And so there's that part of my life. You know? You fast forward, I worked for a public relations firm in Philadelphia for two and a half years, the largest African American firm representing clients such as Marriott International, Philadelphia Coca Cola Bottling Company, the Adunde Festival, and the like. I have worked for economic development organizations both, in Houston, in New Orleans, in Baton Rouge. I've advised like, there's this crazy amount of work that I've done that has spanned, this very broad stretch of work.

I was a radio host for two and a half years in New Orleans. I had a, drive time talk show that I did. And I figured it was time for me to get out of the work when I became the target of a social media campaign, questioning whether or not I was a radio personality or race baiter because I wanted to talk about, the things that were important, you know, but I was doing it in the South. So if you fast forward, unfortunately, I lost my mother in 2016. I was kind of an empty nester.

My daughter had gone off to college. I felt really untethered, and I'm like, it's time to come home. Right? I grew up on the East Coast. My large part of my family is here and made the decision to come back.

I was so fortunate to end up working with Family League of Baltimore, which is a nonprofit organization that works to improve childhood outcomes and improve overall outcomes for children, youth, and families in the Baltimore area. Very similar to what BOPA is. We receive city and state funding, but we're a nonprofit. Did that work. The opportunity came along to go work for the Lewis Museum, which I will tell you when I heard that the Lewis Museum was coming, I was, like, I wasn't living here.

I think at that point I was living in Houston at the time, and I was so excited by the possibility of this this amazing building coming to the downtown area. And when the opportunity came, they were looking for a director of external relations. It took all of this huge body of work. You know? I've done extensive work in politics, political communications, have been trained in, you know, campaign management and the like, and this relationship management and comms and all of that.

It just made sense Mhmm. To be in that space. And I was fortunate to work under the amazing Terry Lee Freeman, and to really, put my talents to work to expand the relationships that the Reginald Left Lewis Museum has been able to enjoy throughout the city of Baltimore. And then this happened. This this happened, and that was that's a crazy story in and of itself.

Wow. There

And that's the cliff notes version

Oh, yeah.

Of Hawaii. I mean,

you gave me the trailer version, and I'm hearing things that I'm like, this was a swerve that I was gonna take. You know? You you mentioned, like, you know, radio personality, and then I heard New Orleans. New Orleans is my favorite city outside of Baltimore.

Okay.

You had the Philly connection. I did a series of interviews in Philly.

Okay. Cool. Cool. Cool.

Every 2 weeks, and so definitely

I didn't mention the Houston connection because Houston was a a move that I made against what I wanted to do, but I had an amazing opportunity in Houston where I worked for a restaurant brand called the rest the breakfast club, and and really worked with them to help put that that restaurant on the map. I think I started working with them, like, 3 years into their run and got them to understand the importance of leveraging partnerships with your local visitors bureau

Yeah.

To leverage any marketing opportunities that they have. If you're a small entity and you don't have a lot of dollars, you leverage that relationship, and they became like this signature, go to destination for dining in the city of of Houston. And, you know, it was an amazing opportunity. So, yes, a lot of stuff has happened in my short lifetime.

I mean, look. I I I don't be, like, pinging you. I was like, so, Rachel, I got this idea. What you think? You you seem like everything.

I mean Go for it.

So I wanna talk a little bit about your time at Lewis Museum and sort of going into to both of that that period of of transition. So Yeah. You know, is is there a lesson that that truly sticks out for you? And I don't wanna distill it down because it's a it's a lot of experience, but it's a lesson that really sticks out from your time at the Lewis Museum and sort of that that you that you look back on when you're taking this role as CEO of, like like, BOPA?

Yeah. I I really, had a lot of time to consider that because it's kind of similar situations, if you will. We spent a lot of time at the Lewis, dealing with the the documented challenged history that the Lewis Museum had experienced. Sure. The shifts in leadership and the like.

And it would really irritate me because Terry Lee Freeman is an amazing leader with an amazing background. And every story that was written about her found a way to spend 2 to 3 paragraphs talking about the troublesome past of the museum

Yeah.

And did not really allow her genius to shine through. I'm not saying I'm a genius, but what I will say is I spend a lot of time answering the question. Ironically, an article just came out. Is BOPA okay? Are you alright over there?

You know, I understand that you don't have any people working. I understand the office is empty. You're gonna have to rehire your whole new staff. I've actually had people ask me, are you sleeping at night? And I'm like, very well, because we work hard here.

And most of the time, I go home and I'm absolutely exhausted in a good way because it's good work. And so if there's any lesson I've learned is to, accept the questions with grace, to make sure that every opportunity I have, I get a chance to talk about the good work and the good people that are doing the work here at this organization, to respect the past that the organization brings with it, both challenged and otherwise, but to, you know, help folks understand, you know, I had to actually tell a journalist, I am not this person, that person, or the other person. I'm Rachel, and that's who I'm bringing to this role.

That's that's great. It it's it's funny because I, you know, talk with people that I know that are in the scene because they're coming up on 800 interviews, so it's a lot. And Good

for you.

Thank you. And, the what are the firsts I asked? I was like, yeah. I'm interviewing Rachel later today, and it's like, how's things going over there? Heard things messed up.

I was like, I'm doing doing the interview. I don't know if that's a topic that we're gonna discuss, but I assume everything is going well. Everything's out on fire. You know? Right.

And it is it is sort of sort of that, and I I try when I do this, when I when I do these interviews, what have you, I'm curious. But then it's also I don't come in with with an agenda. And I think to that that number I mentioned, that's why that number kinda continues to grow because there's a fairness. There's a lack of of of bias and agenda that's there. It's just like, let folks, you know, share what it is to get to sort of the real story.

I approach what I do journalistically. I'm not a journalist. I'm just a podcaster. It's a noble podcaster.

Yeah. And and I will say, I'm not, I'm not unrealistic. There have been challenges in the past that are, have been quite curious for me as I as I as I have said, I go through the closets in the attics and figure out where all the things are and and why things were done the way that they were done. And I understand historically, the organization has really been looked at as an organization that takes care of its friends, that it has been perceived as insular, and that, there is like a a finite group, with which this organization kind of works and supports. But that's not unlike art in and of itself.

Right.

That, you know, art has, in a lot of cases, been lifted up as this, this dalliance for the elite, shall we say, that there is, luxury and privilege to have access, to art, to make living from art, to what has even been considered art. And, unfortunately, it is following the long color lines.

Yeah.

When you consider what we as black folks were and were not allowed to do, that it was monitored and measured and, you know, the art and the and the work that we do, the acknowledgement thereof, you know, not really being a thing, that has been kind of the narrative or the reality for art, overarchingly.

Yeah.

And so, you know, the the difference and the change I hope to bring, yes, there is space and room for appreciation for generally accepted forms of art. And, you know, those folks within the Baltimore community, they are affectionately known by the big 6. You know what I mean? Like, the the tried and true venues and organizations. Yes, they do need support.

But from an equity perspective, looking at other community based black and brown led organizations, they deserve to be supported and made whole as well because they were the entities that provided opportunities for black and brown folks to experience and learn art when other institutions would not even let us in the door. And so, you know, that's the perspective that I bring to this work and to this and to this role.

Thank you. Thank you. And I think this this next question before I move into sort of the the artscape chunk, I definitely wanna ask this because I think we're we're right there, but I just wanna ask it as a question. So in in this role, what what was what was the key, like, motivator and sort of, you know, how does it feel, you know, really to be in this spot? That's the thing.

Like, it's like, oh, it's the work. It's great. I'm exhausted, but it's doing great work.

How do you feel? Yeah. So, I will tell you the great motivator for me was folks were tired of me running around, beating up my chest, talking about, the exposure and the promotion that diverse art forms and entities were not receiving. And so let's get right down to it. This city is 62% African American, and there are spaces where when you promote this city, it's either that that 62% is absent or the way that it's portrayed is not in the best light.

Yep.

And I was having conversations with folks where I was getting completely frustrated. You know, you have the Lewis Museum that sits at a major intersection in the city and is not typically found when you see promotion of the city of Baltimore. And I've been having those conversations, and I will tell you this was nowhere on my radar. I was, you know, in a leadership program that forced me to sit down and write out, an individual development plan. I was in it was actually the M and T Bank NextUp Leadership Incubator Series Community Leadership Series, rather.

And they made us sit down and write an individual development plan, and I was so not I was so used to being in the background and so used to being in a supportive role that having a conversation around being a leader was something that was terrifying for me. And it had been broached with leadership at the museum around what that could potentially look like. And I was so afraid that me actually giving voice to it, folks would be like, absolutely not you, or you aren't an MFA, or you don't have a museum studies degree, or you're not a, you know, PhD or whatever. And really was hesitant. And, you know, I come from a very strong faith background.

And part of that is when you speak the words, you gotta be prepared for the blessing to come. I wrote this IDP and put out that I wanted to be the leader of a, a nonprofit entity that had a focus on arts history or culture. I I didn't even wanna go into saying the museum because that's a big thing. Right? And big shoes to fill.

And, literally, the night that we wrapped up our cohort with the leadership program was when this opportunity, came across my email. And I still had to ask my father and my sister. I'm like, what does this mean? And they were like, well, and after, you know, consulting with a lot of folks, I made the decision to submit my resume for consideration. I will tell you a lot of people told me not to do this, for various reasons.

A lot of people told me not to do this. It's too political. You know, there's a lot of agendas, interests, concerns, plans, plots, schemes, and it's not gonna last. It's not gonna work. And I will tell you, I would be lying if I were to say I just kinda disregarded that and kept going.

There were days when I'm like, is this really what I'm supposed to do? And being a person of faith, I said, if it's supposed to be for me, point me in the direction, and I'll do it. And if it's not, take it away. And it never got taken away. And so here I am.

Here I am.

Thank you. That's it's great. And and, you know, as you know, as as I hear it, I'm trying I'm trying not to, like it's almost like a little bit of a fanboy energy. When I start hearing I started hearing the energy that sounds very similar, I was like, she gets it.

Mhmm. Yeah.

So so so with it, one of the things that over the last few years that have come up is is Artscape. So before we kinda dive into that, you know, I like to always get folks' perspective. I've had a few folks who are speaking about Artscape over the last few years. So let's talk about it. For those who are undipped, what's Artscape?

So Artscape is the country's largest free arts festival. We are celebrating our 40th edition. Now we had the 1st Artscape in 1982, But as everyone knows, during COVID, we had a couple of years when we didn't have Artscape, and that's how you get to the 40th edition. So this is not the 40th anniversary. It is the 40th edition.

It, came about, as a result of from my understanding, they were finishing up the building of the Meyerhoff, and we're really looking to celebrate arts and culture in the Mount Vernon neighborhood, in the Mount Vernon footprint. And, at that time, it it, you know, came into being, and it really was focused primarily, in the area right around, the Meyerhoff. That then expanded to include MICA and the University of Baltimore. And then in 2017, it extended up Charles Street. And then last year, we had, the north of north activation that happened.

It is representative of all art forms. We are very intentional around that. And so this year, we will feature over a 100 visual artists. We will have food purveyors. We're about 50, 50 food purveyors.

There are, musical acts that will be featured on 4 different stages. We have dance performance. We have excerpts that are being performed by Center Stage. We have Gamescape, which takes a fresh look at, at art and really brings it into, the personification of steam, science, technology, engineering, art, and mathematics. And then there is project Artscape, which has become a huge success where we look at the, viability of Baltimore as a fashion hub.

And the number of very talented designers that come out of this space. We have public art installations that are happening. We have street performers. It's it's amazing. It is this amazing weekend.

It happens August 2nd, 3rd, and 4th this year, and it's not in September. And, it's just an amazing celebration of what makes Baltimore an arts hub and a cultural mecca.

Thank you. I I was it was a welcome return last year. I was there for, you know the thing was it really spoke to sort of the the the the scrappiness, the get it done sort of approach that we have here. There were different things sort of going against it, weather mostly. Like, hey.

We we moved it from this day because it's hot to this day. It's here's some rain, but I think, you know, I I had a it it was a it was a win. It it was a win in returning and seeing people there and, like, man, I really missed this. And I was like, yes. And I think more people should show appreciation for these sorts of things.

And I remember, Project R Scape specifically because, one, my my partner was one of the models. My partner's daughter was one of the models walking, and Oh,

very cool.

And, I I was sitting, like, there. I was dressed like a cartoon character. I had the biggest shirt on possible and the shortest shorts possible. Fashion. You know, my legs were not as lotioned as they should have been.

That's the thing that happened. But it was definitely something different, right, that I've done. I've never gone to any fashion thing. So, like, seeing that and seeing, like, this is my city, and these are people that I know, and this is the community that I'm in. That's the thing that I dug, and and I yes.

Definitely thought it was very reflective, especially in that return of what Baltimore has to offer. If one were to put on, like, on it, like, your sort of thoughts and this being your your first one at the helm. Right?

Mhmm.

What what what is what are your what's your vision? Like, what what does it look like, like, moving forward? You touched on some of the elements that there, but, like, what is your vision?

So I have to, when I saw that you were gonna ask me this, it's you're about the second person, 3rd person who's asked me this. So this is my opportunity to let folks understand Artscape takes a year to plan.

Yeah.

And so my vision for Artscape is just to land the plane, because someone else built it. Now we are excited. We have we are sticking with the same footprint, with North Avenue being the topmost boundary, Charles being that eastern boundary coming down to Mount Royal, and then Mount Royal heading up just short of North Avenue on that second end. And then we do have, activations that will be between Charles Street and just past Maryland Avenue. Sure.

And so I I would say my basic goal is to make sure that folks see that a change in leadership that far into the planning is possible and to give previews of coming attractions for our escape 25. Right? And so, you know, making sure that it is festive and lively that, you know, part of why we are contracted by Baltimore is to promote economic impact and growth in the arts and cultural sector for the city. And so looking and making sure as best possible, even though we're all the way into the you know, we were kind of into the application process, it needs to represent Baltimore. And so if we are investing dollars that are, coming from the coffers, you know, what I told my team was that every dollar we spend is coming from the hardworking Baltimorean, here in the city through their tax dollars, and that could be from purchasing groceries to owning a home.

And so we need to steward those dollars respectively, to make sure that it there's a return on investment and that we leverage those dollars to reinvest. And so, that's my perspective. And to also really live up to the mission of this organization, which is to promote the city, both to locals as well as to folks from outside the city. You know, I really want folks to who are from Baltimore to be happy and with the fact that this is Baltimore and not to come here Baltimore to anywhere else, to understand that we don't have to be the next New York, DC, Miami, or the like. Baltimore is dope in and of itself.

And to really celebrate that, to show folks all that there is to to offer with this city as it relates to arts and culture.

That's that's a great answer. That's what I've been pounding my chest on for the last 5 years.

Right. Right.

And and even asking this, you know, sort of this this notion, I I I find, like, I've I've heard people who will travel through here, and it's almost like we're, you know, a hidden gem. And I'll talk to people who've been in other places, those cities you you've mentioned, and they'll speak on, like, no. Y'all real discerning down there. Y'all got taste. Y'all don't let any b s kinda flow through.

And talk about that in terms of, like, you know, your time and and as far as in BOPA and this you know, it's but since March? You know, so it's not the longest time in the world in your time since March. And and being here, talk about some of those considerations that go into it. You know, you were you were touching on sort of the hard earned dollar component, but just from the, like, the taste standpoint, we have

tastier, obviously. Okay.

Yeah. What what does that look like for you in terms of considerations of, okay. This this is good. Maybe we should look at this in a different way and sort of any insights that you've gotten being in in the role that you're in now.

I really emphasize to our team that we need to be careful not to look at arts and culture through the European lens and to recognize, that, you know, we zig where other people zag. And so, you know, you talked about it, the fashion sense. I was recently at an event, with a friend and they were like, the fashion in Baltimore is it's always been, you know, top notch and and groundbreaking. Yeah. I've I have friends who have said Baltimore does things in fashion that New York could only wish they could.

Like, it's effortless. It's not like it's contrived. And so from that perspective, we're very clear. I think the cosmopolitan nature and understanding of the visual arts in Baltimore is something that folks miss. So some of your favorite artists have spent time in Baltimore or are rooted in Baltimore or was a part supported by Baltimore artists.

Right now, I call his name frequently. Derrick Adams is tearing up the art world, both with his art, as well as his curation of other art. He is a Baltimorean. He is included in the Dean collection as our Amy Sherald, who has, connections here. I think kinda tangentially, Kyndi Wiley has some connections actually through, Derek's cousin, Danny Simmons.

And so when you look at, just the ability to be discerning around what's coming, what's next, what's cutting edge, It's amazing. Aisley Burrows. So I had to talk about Aisley Burrows. We're about to do a show with Aisley, in September. Right?

Art House is probably one of my favorite things because it sits in the neighborhood and you'll say, like, you like, who are all these people assembled around this little house? And you go in and it's like all of these, like, neat and cool and different people. Right? Let's talk about past and current exhibitions at BMA. Now I know that there are some technical purists that were like, the culture there was some technical things folks felt about the culture.

From the layperson's perspective that grew up in the era that a lot of that content was from, I went to go see it 3 times. And that that was curated and pulled those things together was fascinating. But then you look at the Joyce j Scott exhibition, as well as the Elizabeth Talford Scott exhibitions that have been curated, and how those have come together. Fascinating. Let's talk about this is my thing that I tell people all the time.

House music may have been created in Chicago. It may have been adopted by New York, but it was perfected in Baltimore. And we get to put that on display during Artscape. We're gonna do a set with Collective Minds. Ultra Nite is gonna be doing some some things.

And so, yes, let's talk about architecture. Some of the most amazing architecture in the world you'll find in the streets of Baltimore. Right? Let's talk about film. John Waters, creative genius.

Right? And so you talk about taste and and, you know, flyness, uniqueness, quirkiness. Here's where it's at.

It's great. You got it in spades. Mhmm. So I got one last real question then definitely the rapid fire ones. And Sure.

And this is this goes back into kind of, the the teaser of sort of, you know, 2025. Right? You know, sort of I know I know we're coming up on it, but

you said

it was a year, so, you know, getting the the the the ideas bubbling. Mhmm. What what what's what's one thing or a couple of things that you would have in mind for that 41st edition, the the 20 the 2025

Great.

Artscape?

I would love for us to expand, an element of Artscape, I think started last year or the year before, and that's Artscape in the Neighborhoods. And and currently what it is is the space for us to lift up other arts and cultural programming that happens to happen around the time of Artscape and really promote, that that's going on. This year, we're doing something. We're going a step further. We're actually, coproducing with Wells Baltimore United and, the Department of Transportation something called, imagination aroused, and it is a public art activation that is going to take public, interest and public input as to what should happen with The Highway to Nowhere.

What I would love to see for 2025 is that we take Artscape in the Neighborhood and make it a week long activation, starting with the weekend prior to Artscape, and highlighting and celebrate celebrating all of the, arts and cultural events that happen during the week. Why? Because if you make it a week and you promote that, for tourism and travel, then that results in more beds that are filled for a longer amount of time and encourages travel, which brings money into the city. And it also starts to highlight, getting people off of the white elm and into the black butterfly to understand the richness and just the ultimate dopeness of the neighborhoods that exist in the city of Baltimore. So that's, I mean, that's the thing.

Like, for me, and, also, I don't know. I don't know. We could do, like I don't know. I would say I let me say one thing that we I came in late that we don't have an even broader permanent, art installation concept, like, was started at last year with leadership, that we don't really have that kind of massive behind art is a thing that I really wish that we could have done this year that I would love to look at doing, doing next year.

Yeah. This is gonna be great. Looking looking forward to it. Looking forward to this year. Looking forward to this year and beyond.

I mean, that's really, really what it is. And, so that's kinda it with the real questions.

Okay. Let me prepare myself.

So I got I got 4 rapid fire questions for you, and

Okay.

As the saying goes, it's like your answer is your answer. You said what you said. You know, it's kind of that.

Okay.

What is your favorite spot in Baltimore to relax? Just in, like, you know, I I go here, this is relaxing. For some people, it's a cafe. For some people, it's I like to go to this place to listen to some music. What's what's the place for you that comes

to mind? I'll tell you what the real answer is, and then I'll tell you what the aspirational answer is. The real answer is my house. I have, that's my sanctuary and I'm a bit of an introvert and that's where I unplug. My aspirational answer is vinyl and pages.

So I avoid vinyl and pages because I don't wanna be bankrupt, because it takes 3 of my favorite things and puts them together. Well, 4, coffee and tea, vinyl collections, and books. And if I, I think there's a sub, you know, subliminal thing that I forget the weekend is here. Or every weekend, I have something going on. But, yes, that that would be my spot.

That's a good one. Shout out to Eric. Absolutely. You know, the Dawson's. So let's see.

The next one, it it's funny. It's almost like a segue. How do you take your coffee?

I like coffee with my cream with probably 4 to 6 sugar in the raw. Okay. And I prefer red eyes. So

Okay. So you see, again, like I said, that's another one of those things. I'm a red eye guy. Yeah. Yeah.

Mhmm. I I ask this for for folks who've had these, like, distinguished careers that have, like, built up, and I think there's generally something that carries over from one office to the next. Is there an item that's currently in your office that you've taken maybe from a previous role that's, like, traveled with you? That's, like, this is your totem. This is your thing that's in your office.

Oh, wow. Ironically, yes. I'm looking at them. There's 2 of them. And so this is a rock

Yeah.

That a good friend of mine let me have from his collection. Shout out to Sean Yo's. So this is the rock. It's actually very pretty. I don't know what it is.

He knows what it is, but so yeah, there's this rock and then there is this, Yeah. Thinker thing. And also, I would be like, the, the gold accessories in my office too. I I have a thing about, gold, but my office set, but those are the 2 that I look to first. This is supposed to be a good energy rock.

Mhmm. And that little gold thing is really personification of me. I'm always in my head.

Oh, aren't we

all? Yeah. Yeah.

So so here's here's the last one I got for you. And, as a fellow introvert, even though people don't think about you, I was

like Insane. Insane. Insane.

Maybe I'm really just a shy extrovert. Who knows? But, what's a hidden talent or hobby? And I know some people are saying that's the reason it's hidden. I don't tell anybody.

But what's the hidden habit, hidden hidden talent or hobby that, you know, you had? Not too many people know. You touched on, you know, poetry earlier. You touched on a few different items. So I'm gonna circle back, but what's one that you that comes

to mind? The one that comes to mind is that every morning I wake up and I play 3 games, solitaire, pyramid solitaire, and this thing called Blacadoku. I am, a puzzle person, and and puzzles and trivia are my two things. Anything that challenges my mental, that is how I start my day. And I'm really good I'm really good at them so

a little bit of this a little bit of that you know

a little bit a little bit

Look. You know, we we'll we'll definitely have to talk a little trivia. I'm a trivia and random knowledge pop culture guy, not music guy. You know, I I bow to you on that?

Absolutely. My, when I was growing up, I used to watch Jeopardy and Wheel of Fortune with my grandparents.

Yeah.

And it would only take me, like, two letters, three letters to solve a puzzle.

A lot of jeopardy in my days. So Nerd. Yep. Just the glasses full circle.

Right. Right. Right.

So so as we wrap up here, there are 2 things I wanna do. There's 1, I want to thank you for coming on to the podcast. This has been a great time. Absolutely. 2, I wanna give you the space and opportunity to shamelessly plug, communications and outreach and community background.

Please, tell LaFine folks where to check out the latest, updates on Artscape and all things BOPA. The floor

is yours. Absolutely. So to learn more about Artscape, please visit artscape.org. And, you can visit us at Artscape be more on Instagram and to keep up with and learn about all of the vast things that this organization, does. Oh, Oh, somebody is calling me, to, find out about all the vast things that BOPA does as an organization.

You can find us at, promo and arts on Instagram. You can also visit the web at promotion and arts dotorg.

And there you have it, folks. I'm gonna again thank Rachel d Graham from the Baltimore Office For Promotion and the Arts for coming on to the podcast to talk a bit about Artscape, her background and her insights and sort of let's get ready for Artscape. And I'm Rob Lee saying that there's art, culture and community in and around your neck of the woods. You've just got to look for it.