Artscape 2024 in Baltimore, MD
One of the largest free outdoor art festivals in America
Dates: August 2–4, 2024
Artscape is an annual culture and arts festival, which attracts over 350,000 people every year. Held in the Mount Royal/Bolton Hill neighborhood of Baltimore every July, this free outdoor event showcases hundreds of artists of various genres and media. The festival features bold visual art exhibitions, eclectic music performances, vibrant public art, exciting fashion shows, films, experimental tunes, improv, comedy, literary delights, and immersive family and youth activities. Artscape also boasts a bustling artist marketplace, food vendors, and interesting culinary experiences.
Location
Artscape is located in the heart of Mount Vernon’s cultural district, spanning the 1300-1800 blocks on Charles Street and Mount Royal Avenue. The Main Stage is set up on Cathedral St. and Mount Royal Ave. Mica Stage is at Mount Royal Ave. and Mosher St., and Station North Stage is located at Maryland Ave.
2024 Highlights and Schedule
2024 highlights include the B_24 Art Exhibition, Sondheim Semi-Finalist Exhibition, Maryland Film Festival Shorts Fest, Comedy, Gamescape, Live & DJ Music Performances, Artscape Afterhours, Performing Arts – Pop Ups, Dance, Project Artscape (Fashion) and Literary Arts & Prints Fair.
The three-day festival runs from 5 to 10 pm on Friday, from 11 am to 10 pm on Saturday, and from 11 am to 5 pm on Sunday. The Artscape Afterhours program, which features music, dance, DJs, and comedy, runs from 9 to 11 pm on Friday and Saturday.
Festival History
Artscape was founded in 1982 as an Arts Fair to promote Baltimore's role as a cultural hub. It was also supposed to attract community support to the newly developed Meyerhoff Symphony Hall and draw investment in the area, Gradually, the festival expanded north of the Mt. Vernon section of the city. Since 2017, it's been held on Charles Street, near Penn Station, around the Maryland Institute College of Art (MICA) and the University of Baltimore campus. Over the years, the festival has hosted such stars as Ray Charles, Aretha Franklin, and Matisyahu.
