Pennsylvania Avenue Black Arts and Entertainment District, Inc

What Pennsylvania Avenue Black Arts and Entertainment District, Inc does

Pennsylvania Avenue Black Arts and Entertainment District, Inc. (DBA Black Arts District) is a Maryland-based 501c3 nonprofit incorporated on January 1, 2020 following its July 2019 designation by the Maryland State Department of Commerce as Maryland's first Black Arts and Entertainment District. The organization operates across a 149-acre corridor along historic Pennsylvania Avenue in West Baltimore spanning the Penn North, Druid Heights, Upton, and Sandtown-Winchester communities, with a small core staff of 5-7 led by Executive Director Lady Brion and Director of Programs Kenneth Something. Its mission is to empower Black creatives and continue community-based revitalization in West Baltimore through culture, arts, and entertainment, using an explicit anti-displacement framework.

The organization delivers programming through four main vectors: (1) Project RestART, a multi-pronged initiative comprising Creative Community Sponsorships, a Creative Intern Program, an Emerging Artist Fellowship (with a $20,000 stipend for an 18-24-year-old fellow over 10 months), and marquee events; (2) a marquee event portfolio including the Legacy Festival, the Black Artist Fair, the Womxn of the World Poetry Slam, Baltimore Blaq Pride, and the Soul Soiree; (3) community infrastructure such as the Artist Registry, the Historical Photography Project (in partnership with T. Rowe Price, BOPA, and the Maryland Historical Society), the Black Creative Calendar, and the ArtsConnect Volunteer Program; and (4) capital development under a $10 million campaign co-led with Intersection of Change to build the Sanaa Center on the 1900 Block of Pennsylvania Avenue and expand Jubilee Arts/Harris-Marcus Center, with $7.2 million currently being raised.

The business model is grant-and-donation-funded rather than commercial: revenue streams consist of government and foundation grants (Maryland State Arts Council, BOPA), corporate sponsorships (T. Rowe Price), individual donations and recurring giving, peer-to-peer giving days (CLLCTIVgive), fundraising events, and a multi-year capital campaign. Programming is free or low-cost; the Black Artist Fair is free to attend. The organization has no AI/ML or proprietary technology stack, no disclosed annual revenue, and is governed by a coalition of community partners (Leaders of a Beautiful Struggle, Druid Heights CDC, Arch Social Club, Historic Pennsylvania Avenue Main Street, and others) that share strategic and operational roles.

Name

Pennsylvania Avenue Black Arts and Entertainment District, Inc

Legal name

Pennsylvania Avenue Black Arts & Entertainment District, Inc.

Website

https://blackartsdistrict.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2019

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Pennsylvania Avenue Black Arts and Entertainment District, Inc. is a Maryland 501c3 nonprofit and the state's first designated Black Arts and Entertainment District, serving Black creatives and West Baltimore residents across a 149-acre Pennsylvania Avenue corridor through arts programming, fellowships, marquee events, and an anti-displacement community revitalization framework.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community Arts and Cultural Programming

NAICS

Performing Arts, Spectator Sports, and Related Industries (711), Historical Sites (712120)

SIC

Services-Miscellaneous Amusement & Recreation (7990), Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Cultural Centers & Community Cultural Organizations (BPAGAHAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Arts Education & Community Arts Programs (BPAGAHAC), Cultural Festivals & Events Organizations (BPAGAHAG), Cultural Centers & Multidisciplinary Arts Institutions (THAJADAJ)

Keywords

• Arts and culture programming
• Community arts district
• Cultural event production
• Artist development programs
• Historic corridor revitalization

Headquarters

HQ city

Baltimore

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Grants and Funders: The organization receives funding from government grants, foundations, and corporate sponsors including organizations like Maryland State Arts Council, Baltimore Office of Promotion and the Arts, and various corporate partners. Funding supports operational costs and programming.
2. Donations and Contributions: Individual donations through one-time and recurring donation programs. Special fundraising events like the Soul Soiree generate contributions. Participation in giving days such as CLLCTIVgive.
3. Creative Community Sponsorships: Project RestART provides funding to local Black creatives for creating cultural experiences. While this is a sponsorship OUT program (giving to artists), it represents grant-based funding distribution.
4. Event Revenue: Some events may have ticket revenue or vendor fees. Many core events like the Black Artist Fair are free to attend, supported by sponsorships and donations.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Pennsylvania Avenue Black Arts and Entertainment District, Inc is a nonprofit that programs cultural events, artist development opportunities, and heritage-preservation projects for West Baltimore's Pennsylvania Avenue historic Black arts corridor. Its core work is delivered through the umbrella Project RestART initiative and its constituent programs — fairs, festivals, fellowships, sponsorships, internships, and archival projects — aimed at supporting Black artists and stewarding the corridor's cultural legacy.

Product overview

Pennsylvania Avenue Black Arts and Entertainment District operates as a community-based non-profit organization offering a portfolio of programs and events centered around empowering Black creatives in West Baltimore. The core initiative is Project RestART, a four-part program providing Creative Community Sponsorships, Creative Intern Program, Emerging Artist Fellowship, and Marquee Events. Major signature events include Legacy Festival, The Black Artist Fair (annual multi-day educational event), Monthly Black Artist Fair, Womxn of the World Poetry Slam, Baltimore Blaq Pride, and The Soul Soiree. Supporting services include Artist Registry directory, Historical Photography Project, ArtsConnect Volunteer Program, and Black Creative Calendar. The organization also manages a $10 million Capital Campaign for the Sanaa Center development project. All programs operate through an anti-displacement framework to empower Black creatives and support community-based revitalization.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Project RestART: A four-part initiative that hires, trains, sponsors and provides opportunities for Black creatives to restart the Black creative economy post Covid-19.
• Black Artist Fair
• Legacy Festival
• Soul Soiree

Products and services

• Project RestART
• Black Artist Fair (Monthly Black Artist Fair)
• Legacy Festival
• Womxn of the World Poetry Slam
• Baltimore Blaq Pride
• Creative Community Sponsorships
• Creative Intern Program
• Emerging Artist Fellowship
• Artist Registry
• Historical Photography Project
• ArtsConnect Volunteer Program
• Black Creative Calendar

Quantifiable outcome

• 149 acres of West Baltimore revitalized through arts and cultural programming
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

15 partnerships are on record, tiered core and supporting.

• DewMore BaltimorecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Youth performance program partner. DewMore Baltimore's emerging artists develop craft alongside professional mentors. Lady Brion serves on DewMore Baltimore's board. Kenneth Something founded DewMore Baltimore. Olu Woods recently led DewMore Baltimore.
• T. Rowe PricesupportingStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2020Corporate funder and partner for the Historical Photography Project, supporting creative placemaking initiative in West Baltimore.
• Baltimore Office of Promotion and the Arts (BOPA)supportingStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2020City arts agency partner for Historical Photography Project and general programming support.
• Maryland Historical SocietysupportingStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2020Cultural institution partner for Historical Photography Project, providing archival expertise and historical context.
• Leaders of a Beautiful StrugglecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2019Grassroots political think-tank serving as a key coalition member in the formation of the Black Arts District. Executive Director Lady Brion serves as Cultural Curator for this organization. Represents the policy and advocacy arm of the district's founding coalition.
• Druid Heights Community Development CorporationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2019Founding coalition member providing real estate development expertise and housing knowledge. JohnDre Jennings serves as Executive Director and is on the Board of Directors. Contact for commercial property development inquiries.
• Arch Social ClubcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2019Historic venue partner and founding coalition member. Located at 2426 Pennsylvania Ave within the district. Partners on Historical Photography Project and serves as anchor cultural institution.
• Historic Pennsylvania Avenue Main StreetcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2019Main Street program partner providing business development and corridor management. Contact for commercial development opportunities. Nakeisha Turner serves as manager.
• Fight Blight BmoresupportingStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2019Founding coalition member focused on neighborhood improvement and addressing vacant properties in West Baltimore.
• The Avenue BakerysupportingStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2019Local business and founding coalition member located at 2229 Pennsylvania Ave, representing the existing business community's stake in district development.
• Intersection of ChangecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2019Partner organization co-leading the $10 million Capital Campaign for Sanaa Center development. Board Treasurer Todd Marcus is affiliated with this organization. Joint venture partner for major capital projects.
• Office of Councilman Leon PinkettsupportingStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2019City government partner providing political support and coordination for district designation and programming.
• Neighborhood Design CentersupportingStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2019Design and planning support partner that provided technical assistance during the district's formation.
• University of BaltimoresupportingStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2019Academic partner that provided research and support during the district's formation and ongoing programming.
• Baltimore Department of TransportationsupportingStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2019City government partner providing infrastructure and planning support for district development.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Station North Arts & Entertainment District: Maryland-designated Arts & Entertainment District in Baltimore covering a defined urban corridor. Same regulatory designation model, same city, same mixed arts/entertainment/community-development mandate.
• DewMore Baltimore: Baltimore nonprofit using arts to empower Black youth, founded by Black Arts District's Director of Programs and partner organization; directly overlapping youth-arts and Black-creative-empowerment mission.
• Harlem Arts Alliance: Coalition of Black arts organizations serving Harlem with advocacy, programming, and Black-creative-empowerment focus; highly comparable as a community-arts coalition anchored in a historic Black cultural corridor.
• Bromo Arts District: Baltimore arts district in the downtown/Artscape area; comparable as a place-based arts district with event programming, artist support, and corridor-based community development.
• Highland Park Arts Collective: Community-led arts collective serving a historic Black neighborhood with artist support, events, and corridor-based programming; directly comparable mission of Black-creative empowerment in a defined geographic area.
• Creative Alliance of Baltimore: Baltimore-based nonprofit arts and education organization operating a community arts venue with programming, classes, and artist support; comparable mission of artist empowerment in an urban Baltimore context.

Emerging players

• The Peale Center: Baltimore's oldest museum building repurposed as a community arts and culture center with events and residencies; comparable as a Baltimore-based historic-venue arts organization but with smaller programmatic scope.

Others

• National Assembly of State Arts Agencies: Membership organization for state arts agencies that administer designations like Maryland's Arts & Entertainment Districts; comparable as the policy/administrative counterpart relevant to the Black Arts District's regulatory status.
• Americans for the Arts: National nonprofit advocacy organization supporting the arts sector through research, policy, and grants; comparable as a sector support/advocacy entity relevant to Black Arts District's policy and funding positioning.

Broad incumbents

• Baltimore Museum of Art: Major Baltimore art museum with significant collections, exhibition programming, and community engagement; comparable in cultural mission but at much larger scale and without Black-arts-district focus.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/The_OfficialBAD
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCDzGhCDKoxbKw0hh6Tt8gKw
• Facebookfacebook.com/officialblackartsdistrict
• Instagraminstagram.com/officialblackartsdistrict
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/pennsylvania-avenue-black-arts-and-entertainment-district

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Pennsylvania Avenue Black Arts and Entertainment District, Inc