Artscape is an annual art festival held in the Mount Royal neighborhood Baltimore

Baltimore

Baltimore is the largest independent city in the United States and the largest city and cultural center of the US state of Maryland. The city is located in central Maryland along the tidal portion of the Patapsco River, an arm of the Chesapeake Bay. Baltimore is sometimes referred to as Baltimore...

, Maryland

Maryland

Maryland is a U.S. state located in the Mid Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware to its east...

 in July. Since its first annual opening in 1982, it has become the largest free arts festival in America. It has boasted acts such as Ray Charles

Ray Charles

Ray Charles Robinson , known by his shortened stage name Ray Charles, was an American musician. He was a pioneer in the genre of soul music during the 1950s by fusing rhythm and blues, gospel, and blues styles into his early recordings with Atlantic Records...

, Aretha Franklin

Aretha Franklin

Aretha Louise Franklin is an American singer, songwriter, and pianist. Although known for her soul recordings and referred to as The Queen of Soul, Franklin is also adept at jazz, blues, R&B, gospel music, and rock. Rolling Stone magazine ranked her atop its list of The Greatest Singers of All...

, and Matisyahu

Matisyahu

Matthew Paul Miller , better known by his Hebrew name and stage name Matisyahu, is an American Hasidic Jewish reggae and alternative rock musician....

in the past, attracting over 350,000 people from the city, and surrounding areas. There are artists in a variety of visual and performing media. Events are free and open to the public.

Funding

According to Artscape 43% of the funding for 2010's event came from sponsorships and contributions, while 29% came from concession income, the remaining funds came from fundraising, and grants. The report states that about 18% of their expenses in 2010 went to administrative costs, 3% to fundraising activities, while the majority 79% went to program expenses.
Artscape organizers estimate that the total economic impact for the City of Baltimore in 2010 was $25.97 million. It is reported that 2009 attendees spend $9,256,046 with Artscape vendors.