The Albin O. Kuhn Library Gallery presents Lewis Hine in Maryland, on display from August 24 through December 18. The exhibition will be accompanied by Lisa Oppenheim/Lewis Hine: Spine/Verso. From 1908 to 1924, documentary photographer Lewis Hine (American, 1874–1940) traveled throughout the United States, using his camera to document child labor on behalf of the National Child Labor Committee (NCLC). He photographed children working in coal mines, cotton mills, farms, tenements, and city streets. The NCLC used Hine’s photographs and eyewitness reports to support its campaigns for labor regulation and reform. His images appeared in pamphlets, posters, traveling exhibitions, and lantern-slide presentations across the country. Ultimately, these searing photographs helped shape labor legislation in the United States and established a model for documentary photography.
Baltimore is a city of dreamers. Inspired by the narrative poetry of NIA JUNE, Over The Rainbow Of Rowhomes, We Fly, on display at the Center for Art, Design, and Visual Culture from August 25 through November 24, presents an intergenerational survey of Baltimore-based artists working in photography, film, sculpture, installation, painting and collage to explore broad vantages about home, memory, and community.
Internationally recognized artist Janet Echelman will present her groundbreaking work, which seamlessly merges sculpture, architecture, and urban design with fields like engineering, material science, and computer science. Her building-scale experiential sculptures, crafted from materials such as knotted fiber and atomized water, are designed to transform with the movement of wind and light, offering viewers an immersive environment to inhabit rather than just an object to observe. Oprah ranked Echelman’s work #1 on her “List of 50 Things That Make You Say Wow!”
Join Maryland Volunteer Lawyers for the Arts (MDVLA) for a discussion on common legal issues that creative entrepreneurs or small arts organizations may encounter. This session covers contracts, intellectual property, and business entity basics, empowering attendees to better understand the legal aspects of their creative work and to determine when to consult with an attorney. This information is essential for any creative entrepreneur or arts organization looking to protect their work and rights.
UMBC Theatre presents the serpent under’t, an experimental dance theatre adaptation of Shakespeare’s Macbeth, conceived and directed by Nigel Semaj. Blending movement, dance, and spoken text, this reimagining draws inspiration from horror and the macabre of Edgar Allen Poe. Join us as we explore the shadows of the human psyche where ambition, guilt, and fate intertwine with the supernatural.
Mary Celenza, a showrunner, director, and writer with over 25 years of experience in television and audio production, will discuss her extensive career. She is currently the Head of Current and Executive Producer at Treefort Media, where she oversees series for Audible, Wondery, Netflix, and Focus Features.
UMBC Theatre presents WITCH by Jen Silverman, directed by Katie Hileman. A charming devil arrives in the quiet village of Edmonton to bargain for the souls of its residents in exchange for their darkest wishes. Elizabeth should be his easiest target, having been labeled a “witch” and cast out by the town, but her soul is not so readily bought. As the devil returns to convince her — and then returns again — unexpected passions flare, alliances are formed, and the village is forever changed. An inventive retelling of a Jacobean drama, this sharp, subversive fable debates how much our souls are worth when hope is hard to come by.
UMBC Theatre presents Merlin by Susan McCully, directed by Eve Muson. During a catastrophic storm surge in Baltimore’s Inner Harbor, a mutual-aid collective coordinates emergency shelter operations while a woman searches desperately for her missing dog, Merlin. Inside a media studio used as an emergency coordination center, activists navigate tensions surrounding privilege, leadership, and collective responsibility while organizing shelter for hundreds of displaced residents. Meanwhile, Merlin undergoes a surreal evolutionary transformation — from dog to otter to fish to microalgae — symbolizing ecological interdependence and adaptation. As the storm intensifies, the characters confront the limits of individual heroism and the necessity of collective action. The play ultimately imagines survival through networks of cooperation and mutual aid rather than domination or escape.
UMBC Theatre presents Ludicrous! — a very silly variety show — directed by Colette Searls and Gerrad Alex Taylor. This production is a contemporary comedy variety show inspired by vaudeville traditions. The performance will include clowning, physical comedy sketches, staged fight bits, stand-up style monologues, and more. Material will be developed through rehearsal exercises in clown, physical comedy, and comic choreography. Some segments may draw inspiration from current events, transforming topical material into satirical comic sketches. The final performance will be a curated sequence of short comedic pieces devised collaboratively by the ensemble.
Don’t miss out on future events!