Baltimore’s biggest arts festival is back — and the headliners are set.
Mayor Brandon M. Scott and the Mayor’s Office of Art, Culture, & Entertainment, alongside Create Baltimore, announced that The Roots will headline Artscape on Saturday, May 23, with Stephanie Mills closing out the festival on Sunday, May 24.
Artscape returns to Downtown Baltimore Memorial Day weekend with Artscape After Dark events running nightly from 9 p.m. to midnight.
“Charm City is proud to be home to one of the largest free arts festivals on the East Coast – and our residents show out each and every year to support local artists, enjoy great food, and of course, see world-class musical performances,” said Mayor Scott. “I want to thank each and every person working to make this year’s festival a success, from MOACE and Create Baltimore, to OEM and our public safety partners, to the entire creative community. Baltimoreans, this year’s festival will be bigger and better than ever. You won’t want to miss it!”
Last year marked Artscape’s first move to Downtown and the festival generated $8.8 million for the city.
The new Scout Art Fair brought in over $74,000 for local artists, while the Peale Museum surpassed its annual attendance in just one weekend.
Festival organizers say the 2026 edition aims to build on that momentum with even more art, music, and community-centered programming.
