With "Growing Art in Baltimore" as its motto, Artscape '98 promises a celebration that's grown to be bigger than ever, its organizers say.
In its 17th year, Baltimore's free annual arts festival will feature music and performing arts on three outdoor stages, indoor and outdoor visual arts exhibitions, opera, chamber music, international dance, literary arts workshops and celebrity readings, street theater and activities for children and families.
Artscape runs tomorrow through Sunday.
"It's an incredibly wonderful coming together of everyone in the region," said Claudia Bismark, director of development for Artscape '98. "We have participants from all up and down the East Coast."
Bismark said highlights of the literary arts celebration will include a celebrity reading Saturday with filmmaker and author John Waters, a writers' dialogue with mystery writers Laura Lippman and Sujata Massey, and Sunday panel discussions on "How To Get Published" and "Baltimore Bylines."
Performing arts will take place on three stages. The headliners are Roger Daltrey, formerly of the Who, tomorrow, and Gladys Knight on Sunday.
For family fun, Bismark said, festival-goers should be sure to catch "Growing Shakespeare & Kids" - a performance of Macbeth put on by 20 children ranging in age from 7 to 17. Another crowd-pleaser will be the
Creation Station: Architectonics, a hands-on exhibit where kids, along with architects and designers, will be able to build labyrinths with interlocking blocks.
The visual arts exhibitions will include nine different shows in addition to a Literary Arts Market and an Artists' Market, where art will be for sale.
Bismark said Artscape organizers are expecting about 1.5 million people to attend the event, topping the million mark hit at every festival since 1992.
"If you're not familiar with the arts, there will always be something to entice you," she said. "There's something for everybody at Artscape."
THE FACTS
What: Artscape '98
When: Tomorrow, 5:45 p.m.-10:30 p.m.; Saturday and Sunday, noon-10:30 p.m. (rain or shine)
Where: Mount Royal Avenue, between North Avenue and Preston Street near the Lyric Opera House, Meyerhoff Symphony Hall, University of Baltimore and Maryland Institute, College of Art
Admission: Free
Access: Public transportation includes a light rail stop on festival grounds and access from Amtrak's Penn Station. Limited parking is available nearby. Artscape is accessible to those with disabilities.
Information: Call 410-396-4575 or look at the Artscape Web site, http://www.artscape.org
SCHEDULE OF EVENTS
Friday
5:45 p.m.
BGE Kinderman Art Parade, Fox Stage to Decker Stage
6 p.m.
Literary Arts Market opens, Mount Royal Avenue at Lyric Opera House
Artists' Market opens, Preston Street, Cathedral Street and through Pearlstone Park
6:45 p.m.
lan, pop/jazz/world beat, Decker Stage
7 p.m.
All Mighty Senators, funk and pop, Fox Stage
7:30 p.m.
Literary arts awards ceremony, Moot Court Room, UB. Host: Daniel Mark Epstein.
8 p.m.
Readings by poetry and short story award winners Laura Lynds and Molly Bruce Jacobs, Moot Court Room, UB
Roger Daltrey with British Rock Symphony and Choir, Decker Stage
8:15 p.m.
Ruth Brown, rhythm and blues, Fox Stage
Saturday
Noon
Opening of Creation Station, Bright StARTS Tent, Literary Arts Market, Artists' Market, art exhibits, art car show
Poetry and short story readings by literary arts award nominees, Moot Court Room, UB
12:30 p.m.
"Macbeth," Growing Shakespeare and Kids, Decker Auditorium, MICA
Darryl Morgan PEP, percussion, Gordon Plaza, UB
Navasha D. Boxley, winner of the Mayor's 1998 Billie Holiday Vocal Competition, Fox Stage
12:45 p.m.
Kinderman John Taylor, MICA main building steps
Collaboration, rhythm and blues, Decker Stage
1 p.m.
Tir Na Nog Irish Dancers, Langsdale Auditorium, UB
Part Harmony, a cappella, Mount Royal Avenue at Dolphin Street
Louis Paul, Balloons with Enchantment, until 7 p.m. in Pearlstone Park
L Bright StARTS Performers, McDonald's Family Performance Tent
Jay Kishor, Indian sitar and surbahar, Gordon Stage
1:15 p.m.
Dunbar Jazz Ensemble, Fox Stage
1:45 p.m.
L John Allicock, the Calypso Tumbler, MICA main building steps
Mystic Warriors, Andean music, Maryland Avenue at Mount Royal Avenue
2 p.m.
Nilimma Devi, classical Indian dance, Langsdale Auditorium, UB
Baltimore Youth Television, student videos, Decker Auditorium, Station Building, MICA
Devonna Rowe's Songs of Africa, McDonald's Family Performance Tent
"A Woman's Life: A Personal View," panel discussion with Allegra Bennett, Judith Hillman Paterson, Lillie Shockney, RN, and MiMi Zannino, Moot Court Room, UB
The Recipe, Appalachian roots rock, Fox Stage
Chu Shan Chinese Opera, for kids too, Gordon Stage
2:15 p.m.
Baaba Maal, African pop, Decker Stage
2:30 p.m.
Kinderman John Taylor, song and dance, Mount Royal Avenue at Dolphin Street
3 p.m.
Hua Sha, Chinese dance, Langsdale Auditorium, UB
B.L.A.C.K. Steppers, dancing and rapping, food tent area
Anansegromma, West African drumming and dance, McDonald's Family Performance Tent
Film and video screenings, Decker Auditorium, MICA: "Wasteland," "The Mutualists," "Empty," "For a Moment I Only," "Sheltered," "You Are Here," "Why Live Here?"
Big Jesse Yawn, down home blues, Fox Stage
Jonathan Briskin, acrobatics, Gordon Stage
3:30 p.m.
Mystic Warriors, Andean music, Mount Royal Avenue at Dolphin Street
3:45 p.m.
Part Harmony, a cappella, Maryland Avenue at Mount Royal Avenue
Richard Thompson, folk rock/pop ballad, Decker Stage
4 p.m.
Geist, visual comedy, MICA main building steps
Beale Street Puppets, Out of Orbit, McDonald's Family Performance Tent
Writers' dialogue with Laura Lippman and Sujata Massey, Moot Court Room, UB
Spencer and Dexter, ventriloquism, Gordon Stage
4:15 p.m.
Peggy Cone and Her Gentlemen Jazz Quartet, Golden Era jazz and swing, Fox Stage
4:30 p.m.
John Allicock, the Calypso Tumbler, Mount Royal Avenue at Dolphin Street
4:40 p.m.
Meshelle Foreman, comedy, Gordon Stage
4:45 p.m.
B.L.A.C.K. Steppers, dancing and rapping, Maryland Avenue at Mount Royal Avenue
5 p.m.
One-act opera, "The Tale of Johnnie S. Kickey," Langsdale Auditorium, UB
Jonathan Briskin, Kalonymus, acrobatics, MICA main building steps
Ronald McDonald's fun show, McDonald's Family Performance Tent
Poetry and short story readings by literary arts award nominees, Moot Court Room, UB
5:15 p.m.
Stanley Jordan, jazz/blues guitar, Decker Stage
Sunz of Robeson, performance poetry, Gordon Stage
5:30 p.m.
Kinderman John Taylor, song and dance, Mount Royal Avenue at Dolphin Street
One-act play by Scott D. Morrow, literary arts award winner, Decker Auditorium, Station Building, MICA
Hanulsori, Korean drums, Fox Stage
5:45 p.m.
Part Harmony, a cappella, Maryland Avenue at Mount Royal Avenue
Little Big Bang, inflatables, Gordon Plaza, UB
6 p.m.
Hot Steppers, tap dancers, McDonald's Family Performance Tent
6:20 p.m.
Blue Smoke Blues Band, blues, Gordon Stage
6:30 p.m.
Geist, visual comedy, MICA main building steps
John Allicock, the Calypso Tumbler, Mount Royal Avenue at Dolphin Street
John Waters, celebrity reading, Langsdale Auditorium
6:45 p.m.
Aleta Green, rhythm and blues, Decker Stage
7 p.m.
Bruce Hutton, folk music/audience participation, McDonald's Family Performance Tent
Ruth Gerson, folk, Fox Stage
7:15 p.m.
Mystic Warriors, Andean music, Maryland Avenue at Mount Royal Avenue
7:45 p.m.
Orlando Phillips, calypso, Gordon Stage
Award presentation, Al Sanders Foundation for Music Studies, Decker Stage
8 p.m.
Latin Jazz All-Stars: J.P. Torres, Giovani Hidalgo, Hilton Ruiz, Dave Valentin, Johnny Almendra, Ruben Rodriquez and John Stubblefield, Decker Stage
Bla Fleck and the Flecktones, fusion bluegrass, Fox Stage
Sunday
Noon
Opening of Creation Station, Bright StARTS Tent, Literary Arts Market, Artists' Market, art exhibits, art car show
Poetry and short story readings by literary arts award nominees, Moot Court Room, UB
12:30 p.m.
"Macbeth," Growing Shakespeare and Kids, Decker Auditorium, MICA
Rhythmic Rites, percussion, Gordon Plaza, UB
Xaala Mainama, African percussion and dance, Decker Stage
12:45 p.m.
Kinderman John Taylor, MICA main building steps
1 p.m.
L Elifrey, Caribbean School of Dance, Langsdale Auditorium, UB
Part Harmony, a cappella, Mount Royal Avenue at Dolphin Street
Louis Paul, Balloons with Enchantment, until 7 p.m. in Pearlstone Park
L Bright StARTS Performers, McDonald's Family Performance Tent
Jay Kishor, Indian sitar, Gordon Stage
1:20 p.m.
DeDe Wyland, bluegrass, Fox Stage
1:30 p.m.
Heaven 600, gospel, Decker Stage
1:45 p.m.
L John Allicock, the Calypso Tumbler, MICA main building steps
Mystic Warriors, Andean music, Maryland Avenue at Mount Royal Avenue
2 p.m.
The Guilford Trio, Decker Auditorium
Spanish Dance Society, Langsdale Auditorium, UB
Devonna Rowe's Songs of Africa, McDonald's Family Performance Tent
"How To Get Published," publishers' panel with Paul Coates, Michael Duncan and Gregg Wilhelm, Moot Court Room, UB
Kikuyuki Dancers, Japanese classical to folk, Gordon Stage
2:30 p.m.
Kinderman John Taylor, song and dance, Mount Royal Avenue at Dolphin Street
R. Carlos Nakai Quartet, Native American flute and scat/ethnic jazz, Fox Stage
2:45 p.m.
Shirley Horn, jazz, Decker Stage
3 p.m.
Fiesta Brass, Decker Auditorium
Kankouran, West African Dance Company, Langsdale Auditorium, UB
Hua Sha, Chinese dance, Langsdale Auditorium, UB
B.L.A.C.K. Steppers, dancing and rapping, food tent area
Anansegromma, West African drumming and dance, McDonald's Family Performance Tent
Jonathan Briskin, acrobatics, Gordon Stage
3:30 p.m.
Mystic Warriors, Andean music, Mount Royal Avenue at Dolphin Street
3:45 p.m.
Part Harmony, a cappella, Maryland Avenue at Mount Royal Avenue
4 p.m.
Fox-Moeller Cello and Guitar Duo, Decker Auditorium
Geist, visual comedy, MICA main building steps
Beale Street Puppets, Out of Orbit, McDonald's Family Performance Tent
"Baltimore Bylines," panel discussion with Wiley A. Hall 3rd, R.B. Jones, Milton Kent, Dion Thompson, Blair Walker and Marc Warren, Moot Court Room, UB
Bim Skala Bim, punk ska, Fox Stage
Spencer and Dexter, ventriloquism, Gordon Stage
4:15 p.m.
Groove Collective, funk, Decker Stage
4:20 p.m.
Meshelle Foreman, comedy, Gordon Stage
4:30 p.m.
John Allicock, the Calypso Tumbler, Mount Royal Avenue at Dolphin Street
4:45 p.m.
B.L.A.C.K. Steppers, Maryland Avenue at Mount Royal Avenue
5 p.m.
One-act opera, "The Tale of Johnnie S. Kickey," Langsdale Auditorium, UB
Jonathan Briskin, Kalonymus, acrobatics, MICA main building steps
Ronald McDonald's fun show, McDonald's Family Performance Tent
5:15 p.m.
Anne Watts and Boister, funky cabaret, Gordon Stage
5:30 p.m.
Kinderman John Taylor, song and dance, Mount Royal Avenue at Dolphin Street
One-act play by Scott D. Morrow, literary arts award winner, Decker Auditorium, Station Building, MICA
Short story readings by literary arts award nominees, Moot Court Room, UB
Jump Street, rock and roll, Fox Stage
5:45 p.m.
Part Harmony, a cappella, Maryland Avenue at Mount Royal Avenue
Little Big Bang, inflatables, Gordon Plaza, UB
Buckwheat Zydeco, zydeco, Decker Stage
6 p.m.
Hot Steppers, tap dancers, McDonald's Family Performance Tent
Poetry slam sign-up begins, Moot Court Room, UB
6:30 p.m.
Geist, visual comedy, MICA main building steps
John Allicock, the Calypso Tumbler, Mount Royal Avenue at Dolphin Street
Poetry slam with host Ron Williams, Moot Court Room, UB
Colleen Shanley and Casey O'Neal, rock/country/blues guitars, Fox Stage
Sunz of Robeson, performance poetry, Gordon Stage
7 p.m.
Bruce Hutton, folk music/audience participation, McDonald's Family Performance Tent
Film and video screenings, Decker Auditorium, MICA: "Entrepose," "At the Edge," "Louisville," "Blindsided," "Dante Harrison 229"
7:15 p.m.
Mystic Warriors, Andean music, Maryland Avenue at Mount Royal Avenue
Kenny Wright Experience, blues, Decker Stage
7:45 p.m.
BADD, urban rhythm and blues, Fox Stage
Blue Smoke Blues Band, blues, Gordon Stage
8 p.m.
Gladys Knight, soul and R&B;, Decker Stage
Pub Date: 7/16/98