Issue 82

Music education can make a difference for young people, if Baltimore City schools invest in it

Of the district’s 93 middle schools, only 10 of them offer orchestra or band programs. For many of these students, exposure to fine arts is limited due to the graduation requirements and the demand for standardized testing results.

by Zackery Rogers

Mera Kitchen’s new series serves up food as memory, migration, and inheritance

The restaurant has long positioned itself as more than a dining space — it is a collaborative environment built around artists, immigrants, refugees, and cultural exchange.

by S. Ireti

Baltimore Beat wins more than 20 awards at 2025 Maryland-Delaware-DC Press Association Awards

The Beat won several Best of Show awards as well as News Organization of the Year.

by Baltimore Beat

Welcome to Baltimore Beat’s pay-what-you-can advertising page.

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News

Maryland parents of stillborn children will soon receive a $1,000 tax credit

This new law allows their stillborn child to be recognized by the state, as well as provide financial relief from the costs.

by Emma Akpan May 19, 2026May 19, 2026

Bry Reed: No singular solution exists for young artists

I’m not overconfident enough to suggest that I have the comprehensive strategy for a city full of artists. My only wish is that we build infrastructure for young people to realize their own deep capabilities, not frivolously, but practically.

by Bry Reed May 19, 2026May 19, 2026

Arts & Culture

Roy Crosse was epically inspired by his connection to creative communities in Baltimore

“Contrast between Dreams and Reality” is an intimate and moving survey of Roy Crosse’s life and work.

by Angela N. Carroll May 19, 2026May 19, 2026

In Baltimore, every brick has a story to tell. The Peale Museum wants to be where they’re told.

Nestled between the historic C.J. Youse Company Building and Zion Church of the City of Baltimore, The Peale has lived many lives since it originated in 1814 as painter Rembrandt Peale’s Baltimore Museum and Gallery of the Fine Arts.

by Amari-Grey Johnson May 19, 2026May 19, 2026

Night Lights

April showed exactly why the Baltimore music scene punches so far above its weight, balancing massive milestones with a dedicated DIY community that anchors everything. Photographers Sam Levin and Kyle Meyers were in the middle of these rooms, capturing a month of live music that felt intimate, supportive, and distinctly Baltimore.