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The festival, which has traditionally enveloped the "Mount Royal Cultural Corridor" outside The Lyric Opera House, "expanded its footprint last year," Gilmore says. "We added about a third more real estate." Maintaining its expanded layout, Artscape extends north into the Station North Arts and Entertainment District along Charles Street, up by The Charles Theatre. The additional stretch accommodates more attractions and events, including a 200-ft. long carnival of alternative performances and art exhibitions called "Midway II" and a DIY (do-it-yourself) crafts area. BOPA's Gary Kachadourian – who has been involved with 22 Artscapes – says the festival "has grown in a natural and qualitative way." The programming has continued at a high level and, he says, the additional physical space has led to a feeling reminiscent of past Artscapes when attendance was not as high. The density of people at the festival, he explains, resulted in a perceived disappearance of sculpture and other displayed art. "Now," he says, "the art jumps forward because there's some space around it." Kachadourian, who coordinates the visual-arts aspects of the festival is impressed by Artscape's capacity to "generate crowds that are incredibly diverse." It's unlike other large festivals that tend to appeal to specific audiences, he says. Moreover, at Artscape "all the parts are interwoven." Visitors, he explains, can listen to pop music or listen to experimental music, look at installation art and sculpture, and then see someone selling jewelry – all within 50 to 100 feet of each other. "It's all really close together." Musical headliners Additional performers include the Dayton Contemporary Dance Company, Acrobats of China and the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra. A variety of competitions are also tied to Artscape. Visitors, for instance, can view the artwork of the semi-finalists for the fourth annual Janet & Walter Sondheim Artscape Prize – a $25,000 fellowship for a Baltimore-area artist – at the Maryland Institute College of Art's galleries. Also, jazz bands compete in the second annual Chick Webb Jazz Combo Competition, July 18 at Everyman Theatre. And, the 20th annual Billie Holiday Competition and the third annual Cab Calloway Competition will be at the Joseph Meyerhoff Symphony Hall on Sunday, July 19. Artscape made its debut in 1982 as part of the city's re-vitalization efforts. Ray Charles and Ethel Ennis were the featured musical performers. Other musical artists who have performed at Artscape are: the Duke Ellington Orchestra, The Chiffons, Joan Baez, Martha Reeves and the Vandellas, Grover Washington, Jr., Roberta Flack, Bela Fleck and the Flecktones, Jeffrey Osbourne, Emmylou Harris, Gladys Knight, Tammy Wynette Aretha Franklin, Roger Daltrey, Patti LaBelle, and The Temptations |
