Even with the on and off cooperation of the weather, the third annual Light City was a resounding success. The event drew thousands of visitors to Baltimore’s Inner Harbor and beyond through Neighborhood Lights. Congratulations to all the artists involved and to Baltimore Office of Promotion & The Arts. Now it’s time to gear up for Artscape!
Last Sunday was Earth Day, a time to think about our responsibility to be good stewards to the planet and our own neighborhoods. The Baltimore region’s trash problem is not only unsightly, its debris runs off into the Chesapeake Bay causing further danger to the bay’s ecology and harming marine life. Mr. Trash Wheel, which collects trash and cigarette butts from in the Inner Harbor, is one example of how innovative thinking is creating solutions. Worldwide, about 4.5 trillion cigarettes are littered on streets each year. In another example, a Dutch startup is training crows to recognize and pick up cigarette butts. The birds then drop them in a “Crowbar” device. The device scans the item to confirm it's a cigarette butt, and then gives the crow a food reward to reinforce the behavior. Of course, the best solution would be to stop littering completely. There are so many creative people in Baltimore, I bet there’s an idea out there that would top the Crowbar!
Back by popular demand, Mountainfilm on Tour will return to Baltimore on April 27-28, 2018 at the Parkway Theatre and Baltimore School for the Arts. Mountainfilm on Tour brings a selection of culturally rich, adventure-packed, and incredibly inspiring documentary films curated from the Mountainfilm Festival in Telluride, Colorado and is generously sponsored by the Saul Zaentz Charitable Foundation.
Festival highlights include the Friday, April 27 screening of No Man’s Land at the Parkway Theatre. No Man’s Land provides a detailed, on-the-ground account of the 2016 standoff between protestors occupying Oregon’s Malheur National Wildlife Refuge and federal authorities. Director David Byars will be present and will answer questions after the film screening.
On Saturday, April 28 at 6:30pm, there will be a screening of documentary shorts at Baltimore School for the Arts. This carefully curated selection of fast-paced films touches on themes of the environment, the outdoors, science, and culture. Gregory Crichlow, the subject of the documentary Chocolate Spokes, will be present to answer questions from the audience. The film tells the story of an African-American bicycle shop owner in Denver. For tickets and more information, visit www.bsfa.org/mountainfilm.
It’s recruitment season for the Urban Arts Leadership Program! If you, or a talented emerging leader in your life are interested in this transformational experience, you can learn more about and find an application on the GBCA website.
Enjoy spring,
Jeannie
P.S. If spring time is your time for change, be sure to visit GBCA’s Jobs Plus website to see the opportunities in the regional’s cultural work place. Our most popular site, Jobs Plus is one of the many resources we offer to members and the broader community. Your financial support helps make sure these services continue to be available for everyone! And, you can now sign up for the ease of monthly giving on our secure Network for Good page. Every gift and every membership helps make our work possible.
