The Greater Baltimore Cultural Alliance and the William G. Baker, Jr. Memorial Fund are pleased to announce the finalists for the 2026 Baker Artist Awards. From over 1000 portfolios on the website, these 36 Baltimore-area artists were selected by a pool of 12 regional jurors for demonstrating excellence in three areas: mastery of craft, depth of artistic exploration, and a unique vision. Baker Artist Award Finalists are divided equally amongst the website’s six artistic disciplines.
All artists who have received a cumulative total of less than $20,000 in previous prizes remain eligible for a Baker Artist Award.
You can experience the work of many of these artists through the 2026 Baker Artist Finalist Showcases, taking place throughout April and May. These free, public events include screenings, readings, and an exhibition. Participation is optional for finalists and does not influence award selection.
Click here to view the full press release!
The Finalists for the 2026 Baker Artist Awards are:
Visual Arts – 2D: Schroeder Cherry, Joan Cox, Erin Fostel, Lusmerlin, Tony Shore, James Williams II
Visual Arts – 3D: Thea Canlas, David Friedheim, Stephanie Garmey, David Hess, McCormack and Figg, Mary Deacon Opasik
Interdisciplinary: Collis Donadio, Phylicia Ghee, Kei Ito, Soledad Salame, Wickerham & Lomax, Lite Zhang
Film & Photography: Albert Birney, Alaina Lurry, Amy Oden, Be Steadwell, Lendl Tellington, Lynn Tomlinson
Literary Arts: Michael Downs, Ashley Elizabeth, Edgar Kunz, Don Lee, Bry Reed, Justin Sirois
Performance: Alex and Olmsted, Carly J. Bales, Alex Lacquement, MESHELLE "The Indie Mom of Comedy", Jamal Moore, Mark Navarro
Click here to explore the Finalists' portfolios
Finalist Events & Exhibition Schedule
Save these dates and check back for event updates and links to reserve your free tickets!
Baker Literary Finalists @ CityLit Fest
Join this year’s Literary Arts Finalists as they discuss their work with award-winning public radio producer Aaron Henkin.
View Festival Flyer with Schedule
Register for the 23rd Annual CityLit Festival
Baker Artist Awards Finalist Exhibition @ Current Space
Celebrate the opening of the exhibition featuring Finalists in Visual Arts 2-D, Visual Arts 3-D, and Interdisciplinary Art.
Baker Awards Film Finalist Showcase @ MdFF Day
Watch screenings from this year’s Film Finalists and learn about behind-the-scenes insights from the filmmakers during this special Maryland Film Festival event.
Reception to follow the screening.
Finalist Exhibition Closing Reception & Artist Talks
Celebrate the 2026 Finalists and hear directly from artists about their work, process, and artistic vision as the exhibition comes to a close.
Finalists and all of their portfolios can be viewed at bakerartist.org/2026finalists.