Mayor Scott Announces Recipients of ARPA-Funded $3.6 Million “Diversity in Arts Grant”

Mayor Brandon M. Scott announced the recipients of the $3.6 million Diversity in Arts Grant. The arts grant, made possible with American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds, is part of a total of $6.25 million focused on supporting arts and cultural institutions led by diverse arts and cultural organizations announced in September 2023. The Diversity in Arts Grant funding will help awardees sustain and expand their work as they provide Baltimore City residents with quality art experiences and activities.

“Baltimore has always been a city defined by the arts, and our art community remains a cornerstone of our city’s identity, reflecting our history, diversity, and resilience,” said Mayor Brandon M. Scott. “Baltimore’s arts community has always been there to express what this city is about, often giving a voice to the voiceless. However, public dollars have too often gone just to the big names and the big players in town. This investment, made possible through the American Rescue Plan Act, underscores our dedication to ensuring that all artists and communities, particularly those minority and historically underrepresented organizations, have equitable access to resources and opportunities.”

“When we invest in the arts, we invest in the soul of our city, nurturing a vibrant culture that attracts talent, stimulates innovation, and generates economic prosperity,” said Mayor’s Office of Arts & Culture Senior Advisor Tonya R. Miller Hall. “The arts are not just an expression of our city’s spirit; they are a powerful engine driving our future forward.”

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Baltimore mayoral challengers question mayor’s spending of ARPA funding

A challenger to Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott leveled harsh criticism over the spending of hundreds of millions of dollars in federal pandemic aid through the American Rescue Plan Act.

Democratic primary mayoral candidate Thiru Vignarajah on Thursday accused Scott of using Baltimore’s allocation as “a personal slush fund.”

He’s calling for an independent forensic audit to get to the bottom of “unilateral” and “nebulous” distributions to dozens of nonprofit organizations, as well as $2 million to the Service Employees International Union, $15 million to Clean Corps to clean trash in city neighborhoods and $5 million to Lexington Market.

“It’s a thinly veiled political payback in a city that has had it pay-to-play culture for too long,” Vignarajah said.

Fellow Democratic primary challenger and former Baltimore mayor, Sheila Dixon, questioned why Scott didn’t use ARPA funds for roads and bike lanes and to synchronize traffic lights.

“I agree with some of the criticism. It’s clearly a missed opportunity, and it clearly shows the mismanagement of this current administration,” Dixon said. “(The money could have been used on) getting those pools open, recycling would not have stopped. I would have met hiring the private sector to partner with the city while we build up our revenue and our inventory of new trucks, EMS, fire trucks fire stations. There’s a disconnect. It’s about accountability, and it’s about management.”

WBAL-TV 11 News reached out to Scott for an interview. His City Hall office called this a political issue. His re-election campaign office said Vignarajah has not offered “any viable vision” for how he would use ARPA funding.