Celebrating African Americans in the Arts
T. Rowe Price Recognizes U.S. Black History Month 2024
Poets, writers, visual artists, singers, and dancers historically have served as change agents through their crafts and artistic expression. This Black History Month, we acknowledge the countless works that African American/Black artists have contributed to inspire communities, speak truth to power, and inspire globally.
T. Rowe Price and its philanthropic arm—the T. Rowe Price Foundation—see possibilities and seek to expand opportunities for all by fostering growth, advancing learning, and lifting one another up in our communities. Our efforts come to life through deep relationships that include pro bono and volunteer opportunities and experiences, grant-making, associate giving, community partnerships, and signature programming.
As our firm celebrates Black History Month in the U.S., MOSAIC @ T. Rowe Price, one of our firm’s global associate-led business resource groups, and its African Heritage Community are hosting an educational event focused on African Americans and the arts. Here, we also would like to highlight a few of the arts organizations that our firm and Foundation have proudly supported, collectively granting more than $400,000 since 2018.
Afro House is a company of professional musicians, dancers, designers, actors, image-makers, and writers who channel their collective skills, knowledge, and craftsmanship to disrupt normative ideas and push the boundaries of their own disciplines to create something revolutionary. The vision of Afro House is led by Artistic Director Scott Patterson, a pianist, composer, and librettist. Patterson has been recognized as a 2020 Saul Zaentz Innovation Fund Fellow, a Baker Artist Awardee, and a Mary Sawyers Imboden Awardee. His work with Afro House has been featured in the PBS “Great Performances” series.
Founded in 1963 and designated the State Theater of Maryland in 1978, Baltimore Center Stage ignites conversations and imaginations by producing an eclectic season of professional productions and by presenting engaging education programs for community members, including youth and families. Under the leadership of Artistic Director Stevie Walker-Webb and Managing Director Adam Frank, Center Stage leads with its core values—chief among them being access for all—to provide active and open arts and education accessibility for everyone, regardless of barriers.
CityLit Project nurtures the culture of literature in Baltimore and throughout Maryland by creating enthusiasm for the literary arts, connecting a community of avid readers and writers, and designing opportunities for diverse audiences to embrace the literary arts. CityLit delivers informative and compelling events that are accessible and largely free at unique venues around Baltimore. The nonprofit highlights nationally recognized Black writers, including Kiese Laymon, Nikole Hannah-Jones, Nikky Finney, and Remica Bingham-Risher, in master classes and other events. CityLit Project is also a partner in the One Book Baltimore program, an initiative spearheaded by the T. Rowe Price Foundation and the Enoch Pratt Free Library to encourage reading and community dialogue.
DewMore fosters civic engagement with historically marginalized peoples through art-focused programming and purposeful partnerships with organizations, schools, and governmental agencies that foster empowerment, capacity for change, and community development. The nonprofit uses poetry as a platform and tool to inspire young people to become leaders, to call out social injustices, and to act as catalysts for the change they want to see in their communities.
The Pennsylvania Avenue Black Arts & Entertainment District
The Pennsylvania Avenue corridor in West Baltimore was designated as Maryland’s first Black Arts and Entertainment District to highlight and celebrate the cultural contributions of African Americans and to create a new destination centered on and catered to Black arts, entertainment, and culture. The district empowers Black artists and continues community-based revitalization efforts in West Baltimore through events and activities, training and development, and advocacy and education.
The Reginald F. Lewis Museum of Maryland African American History & Culture
As a Smithsonian affiliate, the Reginald F. Lewis Museum of Maryland African American History & Culture documents, interprets, and preserves the complex experiences, contributions, and culture of Black people. It serves as a catalyst of sustained change by providing robust programs and exhibitions and bold conversations that educate and challenge. Founded in 2005, the 82,000-square-foot facility accommodates over 13,000 square feet of permanent and temporary exhibition space, hosting more than 11,000 objects in its permanent collection, special exhibitions, educational programs, and public events.
Throughout Black History Month and other celebrations of diversity, we invite you to learn more about our diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives and how our differences bring us together at troweprice.com/diversity.
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