City launches creative initiative as festival season approaches
Streamlining creative leadership
Baltimore is reimagining its approach to arts and culture with Mayor Brandon Scott’s establishment of the Mayor’s Office of Arts, Culture, and Entertainment (MOACE), a move designed to transform how the city nurtures its creative community.
Announced during Scott’s State of the City address, MOACE represents a strategic pivot to consolidate oversight of Baltimore’s arts programs, events coordination, nightlife development, and film initiatives. This new entity will operate separately from the Baltimore Office of Promotion and the Arts (BOPA), with Morgan State University graduate Tonya Miller Hall, one of Scott’s senior advisers, at the helm.
The timing coincides with Baltimore’s preparation for its festival season, a critical period for the city’s cultural identity and tourism economy. Last year, Baltimore attracted more than 28 million visitors, highlighting the significant role cultural attractions play in the city’s economic ecosystem.
Ambitious agenda for cultural growth
Economic and creative expansion
MOACE’s mission extends beyond administrative reorganization. Hall outlined several key objectives for the new office, including enhancing operational capabilities, developing additional revenue streams through sponsorships and grants, providing comprehensive support to local artists and cultural organizations, and expanding Baltimore’s creative infrastructure.
The office aims to serve as an economic catalyst through strategic investments in festivals, film production, public art installations, and nightlife development. This approach reflects a broader understanding of arts and culture as essential components of urban revitalization and community building.
The establishment of MOACE follows the city’s January 2025 decision to cut ties with BOPA due to financial issues and leadership changes, including the exit of former CEO Rachel Graham. While it’s unclear if MOACE will fully replace BOPA, the new office will oversee major events like the Farmers Market, the Martin Luther King Jr. Parade, and Artscape.
Centering artists in city development
From afterthought to priority
A fundamental shift in philosophy underlies the creation of MOACE. According to official statements, the office will ensure that artists, creatives, and cultural workers are integrated into Baltimore’s economic development strategy rather than being treated as secondary considerations.
This repositioning comes at a particularly important moment as Baltimore prepares for the 2025 AFRAM Festival during Juneteenth weekend. The cultural celebration will feature performances by influential artists including Patti LaBelle, Juvenile, Saweetie, and Teedra Moses.
By centralizing cultural programming under MOACE, Baltimore aims to create more cohesive experiences that better serve both residents and visitors. The restructuring should allow for more efficient resource allocation and focused promotion of the city’s diverse cultural offerings.
Building on Baltimore’s cultural identity
Preserving tradition while fostering innovation
Baltimore’s rich cultural landscape includes longstanding traditions like Artscape, the Baltimore AFRAM Festival, and newer additions such as Charm City Live. These events showcase local talent while attracting regional and national attention, serving as both cultural anchors and tourism drivers.
Through MOACE, the Scott administration intends to amplify these cultural assets while developing new opportunities for creative expression and economic growth. By supporting local artists and community-based cultural groups, the office aims to ensure that Baltimore’s creative ecosystem remains authentic and sustainable.
The restructuring also presents an opportunity to address historical inequities in arts funding and promotion, potentially opening doors for underrepresented communities to participate more fully in the city’s cultural economy.
Forward momentum
For Baltimore’s creative community, MOACE represents a significant institutional commitment to arts and culture as central components of the city’s identity and development strategy. As Baltimore approaches its festival season, the new office faces both challenges and opportunities in establishing its role and demonstrating its effectiveness.
The success of MOACE will ultimately be measured by its ability to enrich local cultural offerings while supporting the individuals and organizations behind them. By integrating arts and culture into broader economic and community development efforts, the city aims to be a place that not only values creativity but actively fosters it.
As MOACE takes shape, Baltimore’s arts community and residents alike will be watching to see how this administrative evolution translates into tangible cultural experiences and opportunities for creative expression throughout the city.
