New head of Baltimore Office of Promotion and the Arts hopes to steady ship after rocky years

BALTIMORE --  Rachel Graham, the new CEO of The Baltimore Office of Promotion and the Arts, hopes to bring stability to an organization fraught with criticism and turmoil in recent years.

WJZ's Paul Gessler spoke with Graham at Gallerie Myrtis on North Charles Street to see an exhibition from local painter Megan Lewis.

Three months on the job, she says BOPA's main mission is to support artists.

"Ultimately, promoting and celebrating Baltimore as an arts hub and cultural mecca," Graham said.

 BOPA is in charge of organizing several marquee events citywide, including Artscape, Light City Baltimore and the Martin Luther King Jr. Parade.

The organization came under fire by city leaders early in 2023 for canceling the MLK Parade, causing the mayor's office to take over its planning and call for then-CEO Donna Drew Sawyer to step down or risk losing funding.

"Winning back confidence is, first of all, having conversations and figuring out where we went wrong and then figuring out ways not to go wrong again," Graham said.

Graham says that included having conversations with the organization's vocal critics at City Hall.

"At the end of the day, the Baltimore Office of Promotion and the Arts is responsible to the tax-paying citizens of Baltimore because that's who pays our bills," Graham said.

Graham comes to BOPA from the Reginald F. Lewis Museum of Maryland African America History and Culture.

"We'll look to really expand the notion of what 'art' is," Graham said.

Graham's first major test will be the nation's largest free arts festival which returned in September after a three-year COVID hiatus.

Artscape is set for the first weekend in August.

Musical acts are not yet announced, but Graham says to expect a similar footprint as years past with additional emphasis on games and fashion.