Creative Alliance Baltimore Named New Operational Partner of
The Baker Artist Portfolios and Awards
Partnership marks new era for Baltimore's premier artist recognition program,
beginning immediately
Quick Facts:
- Creative Alliance Baltimore is the new operational and administrative partner of The Baker Artist Portfolios and Awards Programs, effective immediately.
- The Baker Artist Portfolios were created in 2008 by the William G. Baker, Jr. Memorial Fund.
- The Baker Artist Portfolios are open to artists working in all disciplines who live and work in Baltimore City and Anne Arundel, Baltimore, Carroll, Harford and Howard counties.
- Artists who create portfolios are eligible for one of the annual Baker Artist Awards, totaling $90,000 in prizes per year.
Baltimore, Md. (September 18, 2026) – This week, Creative Alliance announced it will serve as the new administrator of The Baker Artist Portfolios and Awards program, beginning immediately. They will support the program and its continued promotion and recognition of artists across the Baltimore region. The 2027 Award season opens October 1 of this year. The next Baker Artist Awards will be awarded in June 2027.
Established to support artists and promote the Baltimore region as a strong creative community, The Baker Artist Portfolios were founded in 2009 by the William G. Baker, Jr. Memorial Fund and developed in partnership with the Greater Baltimore Cultural Alliance over nearly 20 years. The Baker Artist Portfolios and Awards are open to artists working in all disciplines who live and work in Baltimore City and Anne Arundel, Baltimore, Carroll, Harford and Howard counties.
The free, online portfolios expose area artists' work to regional, national and international audiences. Artists who create a Baker Artist Portfolio are automatically eligible for one of six Baker Artist Awards, recognition that comes with significant monetary prizes, showcase and exhibition opportunities at major Baltimore institutions (including the Biennial Baker Artist Awards Exhibition at the Baltimore Museum of Art for visual and interdisciplinary artists), and promotional support.
The new partnership builds directly on Creative Alliance’s central mission of championing artists and creative communities across Baltimore.
“It is both an honor and a genuine joy for Creative Alliance to partner with the Baker Fund, an organization that shares our deep belief that artists deserve not only recognition, but meaningful opportunities to grow, thrive and sustain their creative lives,” said Jason Steer, executive director of Creative Alliance. “Together, we are strengthening a community of artists across Baltimore and Maryland and affirming something central to our mission: when we invest in artists, we invest in the cultural future of our entire region.”
Both organizations remain committed to celebrating the depth and range of artistic talent across the greater Baltimore region, and connecting that talent to wider audiences.
"Our new partnership with Creative Alliance will ensure that the Baker Artist Portfolios and Awards program will not only continue to serve artists through online portfolios, exhibitions and awards, but also unlock new opportunities and possibilities for the Baltimore region's incredible artist community," said Connie Imboden, president of the William G. Baker, Jr. Memorial Fund. "We look forward to continuing to celebrate and promote the exceptional creativity, craft and vision of the Baltimore region for many years to come."
The Baker Artist Awards have recognized over 150 of the region's most celebrated artists since the program's founding, and awarded nearly $1.5 million since that time. The 2026 class of awardees included Lynn Tomlinson, recipient of the $40,000 Mary Sawyers Imboden Prize for her work in clay-on-glass animation, alongside awardees McCormack and Figg, Alex and Olmsted, Don Lee, Erin Fostel, and Kei Ito, spanning disciplines from visual and performing arts to literary arts and interdisciplinary practice.
A full list of past and present awardees is available at bakerartist.org/awardees.
Artists can continue to create, build, and update their portfolios at bakerartist.org, with the deadline for the 2027 Baker Artist Awards slated for January 29, 2027.
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About Creative Alliance
Creative Alliance builds communities by bringing together artists and audiences from diverse backgrounds to experience spectacular arts and education programs. We support area artists, promote Baltimore as a center for creative production, and advocate for cultural expression rooted in a sense of place.
About the Baker Artist Portfolios and Awards
The Baker Artist Portfolios and Awards exist to support, promote and recognize the Baltimore region's artists. The program provides a free platform for artists to showcase their work, champions Greater Baltimore as a strong creative community, and awards artistic excellence with significant monetary prizes along with exhibition and showcase opportunities.
The online portfolios are free and open to artists of every discipline who live and work in Baltimore City or its five surrounding counties and connect their work to regional, national, and international audiences. Artists who create a Baker Artist Portfolio are automatically eligible for one of six Baker Artist Awards.
About The William G. Baker, Jr. Memorial Fund
The William G. Baker, Jr. Memorial Fund commits its resources to enhance the region's economy and quality of life by making investments in arts and culture. Its grants support artistic and cultural organizations and their partners through initiatives that enhance an individual’s sense of self and pleasure and make Baltimore a more attractive place to live and work.