Our signature annual event has been the highlight of the Baltimore gala season for over 40 years — and there is something for everyone! Thursday Opening Night is a lively, festive evening with delectable hors d’oeuvres and cocktails before and after the performance. Our Saturday night fête includes art classes and experiences led by our accomplished students, a luscious selection of hors d’oeuvres, and an inspiring student performance. Our Family Performances invite the community to campus to experience the one-hour show.
Welcome to the BSA Foundation, the school’s fundraising partner!
We hope you’ll join us in supporting the fantastic programs and students at the Baltimore School for the Arts.
We are a 501c(3) organization that works closely with the community to fund the arts, academic, and community initiatives that make Baltimore School for the Arts one of the top five public arts high schools in the country.
Annual and endowment gifts generate funding for test prep and tutoring, master classes and field trips, and art supplies, such as paint, charcoals, pointe shoes, costumes, and set builds. We also finance our free after-school arts program, TWIGS, and educational programming for thousands of elementary and middle school children. Our job is to secure the programs that make a difference for young artists across Baltimore.
Special Events
Expressions Gala
Nutcracker
Many things have changed over the years, but one thing hasn’t — our heartwarming production of The Nutcracker is still a Baltimore favorite, seen by thousands annually. Featuring adults from the community as well as our beloved TWIGS and high school students, this magical performance enchants audiences every time. We provide free weekday matinees for Baltimore City Public Schools students; for many, this is the only live performance they will see all year. Our weekend and evening matinees are affordably priced, providing a little holiday magic for local families. Please contact Brigid Zuknick if you’re interested in sponsoring the event.
Labor of Love
Our students are proud to attend Baltimore School for the Arts, and we want them to be proud of their building, too! Every September, volunteers spend a portion of their day at BSA helping us do work around the school, with tasks ranging from painting to landscaping to plumbing and electrical. There are projects for all skill levels, so please join us! We’re always looking for both volunteers as well as gift cards from home repair stores. This is an excellent project for a team from a company to do together! If you’d like to donate resources or volunteer, please contact Kellan Newby-Matthews.
Spotlights
Thousands attend The Nuttcracker and Expressions every year. But our Spotlights offers donors the opportunity to come to the school to participate in unique and carefully curated arts events in a more intimate setting. Previous Spotlights have included the Charles C. Baum Symposium for Business and the Arts, featuring alumnus Christian Siriano; Mountainfilm on Tour; and the Armstrong Honors Recital. If you’d like to learn more, please contact Kellan Newby-Matthews.
Ways to Give
You can make a difference. About one-third of the funding for the high school and 80 percent of the funding for TWIGS comes from generous members of the community such as yourself. These resources are the backbone of the combined arts and academic education. We want to make it easy to give — there are so many ways!
Creative Partners Program
Through our newly redesigned Creative Partners Program, you or your business have the opportunity to design a unique partnership with the Baltimore School for the Arts while supporting initiatives that positively impact BSA’s high school students and city youth through the TWIGS (To Work In Gaining Skills) program.
Leadership Giving
Our philanthropic leaders are ensuring that all of Baltimore’s children have access to the arts. We have two leadership giving societies, each with its own unique benefits. Membership in the Director’s Circle begins with a gift of $3,500 or more. Membership in the Founders’ Society is for gifts of $10,000 or higher.