Susan Washington

In Baltimore’s art world, there are only a handful of places that have stayed steady through every shift: new leadership, new neighborhoods, new funding climates, new generations of artists. [Maryland Art Place](https://www.mdartplace.org/) is one of them. For more than forty years, MAP has been a constant presence in a city where creative communities grow fast, burn bright, and sometimes disappear just as quickly. MAP is the institution artists talk about when they are looking for their first real opportunity, a place where careers quietly begin and the community’s next wave finds its footing.

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Since the early 1980s, MAP has filled a gap that existed for too long. Contemporary artists, especially women, had few places to show work and limited access to the commercial gallery world. MAP stepped in with intention, creating programs that offered visibility, connection, and a bridge between art school and the broader art world. Programs like Young Blood, Curators Incubator, the 14 Karat Cabaret, Critics Residency, and Windows gave countless Baltimore artists their first public platform, their first exhibition, first sale, or first real moment of being seen. As an artist working in Baltimore, I have always appreciated how MAP creates an environment where artists feel welcomed, supported, and encouraged to take the next step in their practice.

Today, MAP continues that role not just through exhibitions but through infrastructure. Hundreds of artists each year move through MAP’s orbit. The organization manages the Maryland State Artist Directory and Resource Bulletin on behalf of the state, maintaining nearly 2,000 artist profiles. MAP’s downtown building is central to that mission. Located in the heart of the Bromo Arts District, it places artists in the center of the city’s daily life rather than on its fringes.


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MAP’s impact is not just historic. It is happening right now, and one of the clearest examples is its upcoming event: _**UNDER $2,500.**_

UNDER $2,500 is where MAP’s mission becomes tangible. It is one of the city’s most anticipated annual shows, a gathering that brings together emerging talent, rising voices, mid-career artists, and the full spectrum of Baltimore’s creative energy.

What makes UNDER $2,500 so powerful is its accessibility. In a moment when contemporary art prices can feel out of reach, this event creates a real point of entry for collectors at every level. It is a chance to discover original work in painting, sculpture, photography, fiber, prints and conceptual pieces, all thoughtfully curated and priced to allow new patrons to step into collecting.

For artists, the event is even more meaningful. UNDER $2,500 is often a turning point: a first sale, a first collector connection, a first moment of public recognition, or a first chance to see their work presented with care alongside their peers.



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MAP builds this show with intention. There is no hierarchy and no separating emerging from established. Every piece is presented with the same level of seriousness and visibility. It reflects MAP’s core belief that Baltimore artists deserve to be seen, supported and collected, not someday but now.

The atmosphere of UNDER $2,500 is one of discovery. Collectors walk in without pretense. Artists walk in with excitement. The room buzzes with possibility. People find work they love and can actually take home. The city’s cultural ecosystem gets stronger in real time.


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This year’s show promises to be one of the most dynamic yet, bringing together a wide range of practices from across Maryland. It is not just a showcase. It is a community moment, a chance to reinvest in the artists who make Baltimore’s identity what it is. From my perspective, MAP’s impact shows up in the everyday interactions, the opportunities, the encouragement and the genuine commitment to helping artists build sustainable practices in the city they call home.

UNDER $2,500 shows exactly why MAP has stayed relevant for more than four decades. It is not nostalgia and it is not just history. MAP continues to support working artists in ways that are practical, equitable and rooted in the belief that Baltimore’s creative talent should thrive here rather than somewhere else.


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In a city that often punches above its weight but does not always get national attention, MAP’s work keeps Baltimore visible by supporting the people who shape it.  If you support Baltimore artists, if you collect, if you are curious, or if you simply want to see what the city’s creative community is building right now, UNDER $2,500 is the place to be.


Maryland Art Place presents UNDER $2,500: Building Baltimore’s Art Future

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