BOPA raises concerns over Baltimore’s plan to terminate contract

By Megan SaylesAFRO Enterprise Writermsayles@afro.com

The Baltimore Workplace of Promotion and the Arts (BOPA) has issued a press release following metropolis officers’ determination to terminate their contract with the humanities and tradition group. BOPA raised considerations concerning the metropolis’s plan to transition the quasi-government company’s companies in simply 90 days and the danger it poses to the native arts group. 

The response got here on Oct. 18, two days after the Baltimore Metropolis Mayor’s Workplace despatched a letter to the group, relaying its intent to chop ties because of BOPA’s monetary instability. 

“We wish to be clear with you, our valued stakeholders, concerning the steps we now have taken to make sure the group’s stability and future success,” wrote BOPA management within the assertion. “We additionally wish to be clear concerning the concern we maintain for the way the choice to terminate the contract, with out a clear plan of learn how to handle a 90-day transition, locations our group and the humanities group at excessive danger.”

Within the Oct. 16 letter despatched to BOPA, Marvin James, chief of employees for Mayor Brandon M. Scott, defined that the group’s monetary instability solid doubt about its skill to satisfy obligations to town and native arts group. 

Mayor Scott stated in a press release that “ending town’s contractual relationship with BOPA just isn’t a choice taken flippantly.” 

“We’re taking this step after deep and cautious consideration following a number of years of turmoil throughout the group,” he stated. 

BOPA had already been in talks with the officers throughout the Scott Administration because the group’s money troubles turned public in latest months. 

“Members of our govt committee met with the Mayor’s Workplace and left with the understanding that town now not desired to proceed its relationship with BOPA in its present kind, largely as a consequence of public dialogue surrounding our funds,” wrote BOPA within the assertion. “We acknowledged that some components of town contract put a pressure on stabilizing the group, and we agreed a transition of companies could be crucial. Nonetheless, we defined that our money place might be resolved if town launched funds aligned with the timing of our bills, noting that the present quarterly fee construction was a contributing issue.” 

Hours earlier than the Mayor’s Workplace despatched the termination letter to BOPA, the group held a board assembly, which led to votes to execute layoffs and set up a transition taskforce to reassess the contract. Within the assertion, BOPA stated throughout the assembly, it offered a balanced money movement by means of the top of its contract time period in June, which demonstrated a “correct” fee cycle and settled overdue receipts. 

The group stated it was alarmed by the timing of town’s cancellation discover. 

“We’re involved by the timing of town’s notification simply hours after our board permitted a accountable path ahead, a path that was permitted by the mayor’s representatives on our board,” stated BOPA within the assertion. “This reduces what might have been a productive and accountable 8-month transition to 90 days—with none indication of a plan on learn how to preserve the companies offered by BOPA— locations the humanities group at vital danger and impacts the interim board’s skill to assist a wholesome transition of their volunteer capability.” 

BOPA is charged with producing a variety of Baltimore’s prime occasions, together with Artscape, the Baltimore Guide Pageant and Martin Luther King (MLK)  Jr. Day parade. Additionally it is one of many essential sources of funding and assist for native creatives within the metropolis, because it routinely deploys grants to artists and organizations. 

BOPA has encountered vital monetary challenges lately. Based on federal tax filings, the group held greater than $5.8 million in internet belongings in 2019. By 2022, after years of canceling occasions as a result of public well being emergency engendered by the COVID-19 pandemic, that quantity declined to $1.5 million.

Its former chief, Donna Drew Sawyer, additionally publicly clashed with Mayor Brandon M. Scott in January 2023 following the group’s try and cancel the MLK Jr. parade. She stepped down from her publish after Scott instructed the board he misplaced confidence in her skill to guide the group. 

Rachel D. Graham, former director of exterior relations for the Reginald F. Lewis Museum of Maryland African American Historical past and Tradition, was named CEO in February 2024. She formally stepped into the function on March 15. BOPA additionally acquired a brand new interim board, which included representatives from the Mayor’s Workplace in March. 

The brand new management was charged with understanding the group’s money place and devising a long-term technique for fiscal sustainability. This included hiring an outdoor accounting agency to assessment BOPA’s financials relationship again to 2019. 

The cancellation of BOPA’s contract is topic to approval by the Baltimore Metropolis Board of Estimates on Nov. 6. If permitted, BOPA will lose its quasi-government standing however proceed to function as a personal nonprofit group.