Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott criticizes the allocation of public funds

On April 16, Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott expressed his deep disappointment with the use of public money. He stated that the funds go mainly to arts organizations that “happen to be run by white people.”

He made his statements following the announcement of a virtually $4 million Diversity in Arts grant from the bank for COVID-19 relief funds. The beneficiaries of the Capital grant will include: places reminiscent of the National Great Blacks In Wax Museum, positioned on North Avenue, and the Reginald F. Lewis Museum.

Mayor Scott said: “For too long, public money has simply gone to the big names and large players in the city. And dare I say, I do know my employees are going to hate this, the big names and large players in the city who occur to be White-led organizations in Baltimore.

The mayor continued to thank some of the individuals who supported him in his difficult situation to acquire more equitable federal funding: specifically, he called on President Biden and Maryland’s congressional delegation.

Financing from the recent grant may also cover 24 “project” recipients. Some of the allocations include “$200,000 to Baltimore Center Stage and $100,000 to Creative Nomads.”

According to Mayor Scott, “Baltimore has always been a city defined by the arts, and our arts community remains a cornerstone of our city’s identity, reflecting our history, diversity and resilience. Baltimore’s arts community has always been willing to express what this city is about, often giving a voice to those who don’t have one.”

In a press release, Wally Pinkard, president of the Hippodrome Foundation, said he hoped the attention would result in more inclusive funding overall.

“I hope that the enthusiasm surrounding this week’s funding announcement, combined with the frustration felt by arts organizations that have been intentionally excluded from receiving an ARPA award, will lead to discussions about more inclusive arts funding in the future.”