EVOLVE
Tuesday, November 15 • 6-9pm
@ MICA Falvey Hall
The Baltimore Creatives Acceleration Network (BCAN) marks 5 years of igniting creative passion and investing in creative genius on Tuesday, November 15 with a blowout celebration at the iconic Falvey Hall. This milestone anniversary party, aptly titled Evolve, features music by DJ Ty Alexander, delicious food and drinks from some of Baltimore’s most exciting local brands, charismatic guest speakers, and dynamic presentations from the newest members of the BCAN family, the Scale Your Passion (SYP) Fellows of the program’s third cohort.
In just 5 short years, BCAN has helped some of Baltimore’s most innovative creative businesses scale and grow into more widely known brands, including Mess in a Bottle, Le Monade, and Fruit Camp Tattoo. These business ownerswere chosen to participate in BCAN’s various programming based on BCAN’s commitment to hold space for creatives who often lack representation in the entrepreneurial space, including the Black and LGBTQIA+ communities. To date, BCAN has collaboratively invested nearly $1 million into Baltimore’s creative community and provided holistic and custom support and community via expert partnerships, travel opportunities, and a “mindfulness first” approach that is often missing from other business development programs. The program has “evolved” to focus on the wholeness of the creative entrepreneur to better ensure long-lasting, viable business ecosystems and steer away from the old “starving artist” trope that has long plagued those who dare to pursue their creative passions to make a living.
The ten bold, visionary Baltimore-based creative founders that make-up cohort #3 of this year’s SYP Fellowship will present their businesses to the public, including potential investors, friends, family, and supporters utilizing what they’ve learned during the intensive 8-week SYP program. Those founders include:
BLK ASS FLEA MKT | Founders Bri Mobley and Sola Ekunseitan
BrickRose Exchange | Founder Bianca J. Jackson
Currency Studio | Founder Michael Haskins Jr
The Empanada Lady | Founder Elisa Milan
GRL PWR | Founders Amy Reid and Pangelica
Habesha Flavor | Founder Micknai Arefaine
ihenryphoto | Founder Webster Phillips III
JPJackson Art | Founder Jordan Jackson
Visionary Live Studios | Founder Akilah McCrorey
Yele | Founder Yele Oladeinde
Additionally, BCAN’s Entrepreneurship & Innovation Director, Sharayna Ashanti Christmas, will moderate a riveting panel discussion on the topic of building creative community and the creative entrepreneur evolution, including DeShuna Elisa Spencer, Founder & CEO, KweliTV and Nicoletta de la Brown, Interdisciplinary Artist and Chamána, and the hosts of “Kontent Queens” podcast, Kia Marie and Vic Styles, as panelists.
Evolve stages Tuesday, November 15 from 6 PM-9 PM. This event is free and open to the public. To RSVP, tickets are available on Eventbrite.
