Derrick Adams sits indoors in sunlight, wearing a black cap and glasses, with a window view of a garden behind him.” width=”970″ height=”647″ data-caption=’Artist and curator Derrick Adams launched Scout Art Fair to spotlight Baltimore’s thriving creative community and connect it to a national audience. <span class=”lazyload media-credit”>Photo Schaun Champion</span>’>
Known for his vibrant practice celebrating Black joy, leisure and identity, artist Derrick Adams is launching a new art fair in his hometown, Baltimore. Opening on May 23, Scout Art Fair will gather the work of more than fifty established and emerging artists from Baltimore, the greater Washington Metropolitan Area and beyond. “The main goal and strategy of Scout Affordable Art Fair is to position artists living and working in the Baltimore and the DMV area in a space of visibility, where their talent can be invested in over the long term,” the artist told Observer.
The idea for Scout Art Fair was born, Adams said, during the pandemic, when he saw artists were relocating—or returning—to cities like Baltimore, where the cost of living was more manageable. “I noticed the city’s emerging community of artists was flourishing in those challenging times,” and as an artist who collects work by other artists, he wanted to share some of his discoveries with the world while also establishing sustainable support systems for artists in Baltimore.
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Scout Art Fair will be among the more accessible fairs in the U.S., with all works priced at $5,000 or below—a deliberate strategy shaped by the current market. “Collectors might be reluctant to purchase works at a higher price,” Adams said. “This fair offers quality with a modest price tag.” Scout joins Adams’ growing constellation of Baltimore-based initiatives—among them, Charm City Cultural Cultivation, The Last Resort Artist Retreat, the Black Baltimore Digital Database and Zora’s Den—all of which reflect his sustained commitment to community-centered cultural infrastructure.
Conceived by Adams with assistant curator Teri Henderson, the fair will debut with a roster of inaugural exhibitors that includes local galleries like CPM Gallery, Raunjiba, Quid Nuc Gallery and Highlandtown Gallery, which all have a proven track record of championing artists from Baltimore and across Maryland. A curated selection of both emerging and established artists will be represented—expect to see work by Emma Childs, Lex Marie, Se Jong Cho, Murjoni Merriweather, Melissa Sutherland Moss and Arvay Adams, among others.
Adams thinks of the fair as a gift to the art market; Scout Art Fair is a fresh opportunity for collectors interested in discovering artists working beyond the orbits of New York, L.A. and Miami. While it’s rare for an artist to launch an art fair, Adams saw a need for someone with deep roots in Baltimore and an insider’s grasp of the commercial art ecosystem to take initiative. That vision, paired with a personal willingness to “do some heavy lifting,” is a big part of what brought Scout to life. “I’ve been on a mission to highlight the talent I’ve been witnessing for the past few years.”
Presented in partnership with the Baltimore Office of Promotion & The Arts (BOPA), the City of Baltimore and Mayor Brandon M. Scott’s Downtown RISE Initiative, the inaugural edition of Scout will take place in the historic War Memorial Building. It’s a meaningful new addition to the city’s storied Artscape cultural festival, which has driven artistic innovation, economic vitality and cultural transformation in Baltimore for over four decades.
This year, Artscape hopes to reimagine what a weekend festival can mean for long-term urban revitalization through creative placemaking and sustained community investment. “Baltimore’s creative energy is unmatched, and Scout Art Fair aims to amplify that,” said Adams. “This event is more than an exhibition—it’s a celebration of the city’s dynamic culture and the incredible talent that calls it home.” Mayor Scott, in a statement, said that Scout, though brand-new, could “rival emerging art fairs across the country.”
Scout Art Fair will run from May 23-25.
