In a dramatic departure from the Baltimore Office of Promotion & the Arts (BOPA), the organization confirmed yesterday that eight of the thirteen interim board members, including leadership figures, have tendered their resignations. This move follows a unanimous vote by city officials to sever the 22-year contract with BOPA, a decision that has pushed the board members to step aside. As reported by
Fox Baltimore
, those who resigned include Interim Chair Andrew Chaveas and Interim Vice Chair Lady Brion, along with other interim board members who have actively contributed to the city’s arts scene.
BOPA CEO Rachel D. Graham acknowledged the board members’ decisions, noting that changes in BOPA’s relationship with the city played a key role. Despite the upheaval, Graham planned to keep supporting the arts through grants, advocacy, cultural growth, and promoting Baltimore as an arts hub. Meanwhile, the city’s Board of Estimates decided to end its ties with BOPA, citing financial and transparency issues raised by senior advisor Calvin Young III, adding further tension to the situation.
According to a
Baltimore Fishbowl
report, the resignations were submitted individually over the past week. These included key players such as Jeffrey Kent, visual artist and curator, and Lu Zhang, Executive Director of A Blade of Grass. Graham believes that despite the city withdrawing its support, BOPA must continue its work independently, highlighting the organization’s role in distributing grants to local artists.
The future of BOPA now hangs in a critical balance, with the organization contractually bound to produce the New Year’s Eve fireworks show and the Martin Luther King Jr. Day Parade, all while facing the tall task of reinvention post-financial support withdrawal. Mayor Brandon Scott has expressed his commitment to the city’s arts community, looking forward to a transition that does not include BOPA in its previous capacity. “The residents of Baltimore deserve better,” Scott said, per
Baltimore Fishbowl
, hinting at a rigorous approach to ensuring fiscal responsibility and transparency.
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