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Meet Frank. Better known by his full name of Francis Scott Key, he is a long time resident of Maryland. A lawyer by trade, Frank considers himself to be a fair poet and a patriot. When not working pro bono cases for prisoner releases he can be found eating Bertha's Mussels, enjoying a dark -n- stormy, or rooting for his beloved Ravens in section 115.

Frank generously volunteers his time on discover Baltimore to answer people's questions about all things Baltimore. He answers all appropriate questions via email and our editors select certain ones to be featured in this column. If you have a question you'd like frank to answer drop him a line!

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Is there a strong artist community in Baltimore and if so where can I find it?

-Jenna M.

Excellent question Jenna. Baltimore has a diverse community of artisans. Fortunately there are several enclaves of personal expressionists to be found throughout Baltimore.

In South East Baltimore you can find many art galleries to go along with the antique shops and taverns in Fell's Point. Head East from there and you'll find the home of the Creative Alliance at the Patterson in Patterson Park / Highlandtown, an organization dedicated to the development of art in Baltimore.

Across the harbor from Fell's Point is South Baltimore where many artists have galleries in historic Federal Hill. Also in South Baltimore is the American Visionary Arts Museum which is a hub for self trained artists and makes for a great introduction to the art community in Baltimore.

Perhaps the largest community of artists can be found orbiting the Maryland Institute College of Art, or MICA for short. Situated in Bolton Hill, MICA is one of the premiere visual art schools in the world. Accordingly there is a strong community of people that live near this treasured institution.

There are many other neighborhoods in Baltimore that make contributions to the local art scene. Charles Village is the home of the Baltimore Museum of Art while Mount Vernon is the home of the Walter's Art Gallery, the Peabody Conservatory of Music, and the Myerhoff Symphony Hall. Additionally one can find screen painters in Canton, performing artists in Mount Vernon, and pink flamingos in Hampden.

I hope that you'll enjoy discovering Baltimore's rich culture and that you'll have the opportunity to contribute!

Best Regards,
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