Free Fall Baltimore, a chance for area residents to sample many of the city's arts and cultural institutions without the need to shell out a dime, will return in October.
"People love the chance to be able to sample and experience Baltimore's arts community for free," said Tracy Baskerville, a spokeswoman for the Baltimore Office of Promotion and the Arts (BOPA), which has been putting together the annual event since it started in 2006. "For some people, this might be their one opportunity."
The full schedule of events for this year's Free Fall has yet to be compiled, she said. Last year, 69 organizations took part, offering more than 200 events. They ranged from opera to dance; gallery exhibits to film screenings. Participating organizations included Center Stage, Baltimore Clayworks, American Visionary Art Museum, Arena Players and the Reginald F. Lewis Museum of Maryland African-American History & Culture.
BOPA will be distributing grants to help some groups offset the cost of participating in Free Fall, Baskerville said. Organizations helping to fund Free Fall Baltimore include The Abell Foundation, Corrigan Sports/The Under Armour Baltimore Marathon, Joseph and Harvey Meyerhoff Charitable Funds and the William G. Baker, Jr. Memorial Fund. The amount of grant money that will be available has yet to be determined.
Free Fall Baltimore is the only event of its kind on the nation, BOPA officials said.
