On this episode we feature Nicholas Cohen - a musician, educator, and the Executive Director of Maryland Citizens for the Arts. MCA is an arts advocacy organization committed to expanding the nonprofit arts sector through public investment and service, thereby enhancing lifelong learning, quality of life, and economic vitality for all Maryland citizens.

Nicholas joins us to recap Maryland Arts Day 2026, an event produced by Maryland Citizens for the Arts, and largest annual gathering of arts professionals in Maryland. With more than 500 participants, representing every county in the state and Baltimore City, this statewide arts advocacy event connects artists, educators, administrators, and volunteers with lawmakers from every legislative district in Maryland.

Attendees of Maryland Arts Day have the opportunity to network with colleagues from around the state, learn about the arts advocacy process, and meet directly with lawmakers. Guided by county arts council directors, participants are encouraged to share specific impacts that the arts have in their community to make sure the arts stay funded in our state.

Nicholas and I are joined in studio with Barbara Hauck, a multi-hyphenate theatre artist and the Director of Arts Council Programming here at Create Baltimore, to give us her take on Maryland Arts Day, organizing, and advocacy.

On this episode of When Creatives Thrive we feature Brian K. Oliver, a travel and city experience content creator who brings destinations to life through community, culture, and storytelling. Born on the west side of Baltimore, his love for travel began at a young age on local journeys with his grandfather, an ordained minister. Brian was captivated by seeing new places, meeting new people, and observing different cultures - all within driving distance. As he got older, his interest in travel continued to grow. Soon he realized that outrageously-expensive international travel is actually a myth. And today, with the help of a few travel hacks, he has been fortunate enough to visit nearly 60 countries.

Brian uses his platform to be a source of inspiration, motivation and encouragement. Because travel has been the best education he’s received, it’s Brian’s mission to share lessons learned with others. Whether it’s taking your first solo trip, exploring a city you’ve never considered, or trying a new restaurant, Brian’s goal is to convey to Baltimoreans and beyond that some of life's best moments begin when you step outside of what's familiar. While many use travel as an escape, Brian explores with Baltimore in his heart and always returns home grateful for his city.

On this episode of "When Creatives Thrive" we feature Cheryl T. Goodman, the Founder and Director of the nonprofit organization Dance Baltimore, Inc. Cheryl is a native of Baltimore and a graduate of Carnegie-Mellon University. She has studied, worked, and performed in the professional arena of arts and entertainment since 1982, and specifically, non-profit arts administration since 1985.

Through Dance Baltimore, her mission is to enhance the role of dance in the Baltimore metropolitan area by offering a variety of classes with a special focus on the adult dancer. Dance Baltimore also produces dance concerts featuring area professional dance companies and performers at The Baltimore Museum of Art, Gordon Center for Performing Arts, the Reginald F. Lewis Museum, Murphy Fine Arts Center, Theatre Project, The Creative Alliance, and other venues.

Cheryl is also published as a feature writer and critic in multiple national art and entertainment trade newsletters, online services and magazines. And as Your Girl Cheryl, she shares local art & entertainment news on the radio at WEAA, via her website, www.yourgirlcheryl.net, and the free, online magazine she publishes, What’s HOT in the DMV.

On this episode of When Creatives Thrive we feature Baltimore natives, Nikki Powell and Alexandra Queen-Sneed. We’ll also hear special behind the scenes interviews with the director and crew of “They Fight,” a feature film produced in Baltimore last year that is now available to stream on Hulu.

Nikki Powell is a filmmaker, photographer, location coordinator, and Film Production Coordinator for the Baltimore Film Office. After completing an undergraduate degree at University of Maryland, College Park, she completed her Master's degree in Film and Media at Johns Hopkins University in 2019. Nikki is inspired by human connections and enjoys making films that provoke introspection. In addition to supporting film & television productions, Nikki helps execute Artscape, AFRAM, and other prominent events for Baltimore City. You can find some of her work on Instagram @filmgirlinthecity. 

Alex is an NAACP Image Award winning and Emmy-nominated Producer in unscripted television, as well as the founder of Create & Serve Media Group. With a heart for under-told stories, Alex produces legacy storytelling and experiences that make people feel seen. She also runs Crew Call, a workforce development initiative designed to build community and help creatives gain education and access to industry opportunities outside of the flagship Hollywood cities.

Together we’ll get into why it’s so important to have film, television, and other entertainment projects shot on location here in Baltimore and what the highly skilled crew based in our city go through when there is a production hiatus. We’ll also discuss the how the local economy can benefit when large projects come through, as money trickles down in ways you might not expect.

In fact, in December 2025, as production was wrapping, Governor Wes Moore announced that “They Fight,” generated approximately $9.4 million in economic impact and supported 375 jobs while filming in here in Maryland.

On this episode of When Creatives Thrive, we feature Sarah Doccolo. With a background in the arts, she has been deeply involved with multiple award-winning theater companies in Baltimore as a director, performer and educator for more than a decade. She is passionate about applying her love of the arts within the intersection of Baltimore tourism, education and conservation to celebrate her community by connecting to nature.

Sarah currently manages community programs at the National Aquarium where she designs events meant to serve local communities. In her role, she also curates Voyages - a one-of-a-kind immersive event that invites artists to collaborate with scientists and other staff to reimagine the classic Aquarium experience.

We’ll learn more about the upcoming edition set for July 2026. And stay tuned as tickets go on sale to the public soon!

This episode we are joined by Baltimore-based poets, organizers, cultural architects, and Slam Champions: Kenneth Something and Unique Robinson.

Their shared story begins at a poetry competition, where they met as young artists finding their footing in the power of spoken word. From that early connection, they built a creative partnership that has spanned decades and includes a recent collaboration on a theater production titled The Slam.

We’ll also get into their work as curators of the Revolutionary Writers Poetry Festival, happening this May at The Voxel in Baltimore. This three-day gathering, produced in partnership with Maryland Poet Laureate Lady Brion, is designed to bridge Baltimore’s poetry communities with workshops by day and powerful performances by night.

We’ll also discuss how both Kenneth and Unique have navigated their identities as queer artists while deepening their commitment to their craft.

And make sure to come see Kenneth at Artscape 2026, May 23rd and 24th, as he represents The Black Arts District at Community Row.

This episode of When Creatives Thrive we feature B.K. Borison, a #1 New York Times bestselling author and Baltimore native.

Her most recent release, AND NOW, BACK TO YOU, is a warm, witty romance novel inspired by When Harry Met Sally. Its main characters, two rival meteorologists, are forced to cover the storm of the century - only to get snowed in together. Set in her beloved home city, the novel is part of Borison’s Heartstrings series, which reclaims Baltimore as a place of romance, charm, and possibility. 

With an opening line of “Do you believe in fate?” AND NOW, BACK TO YOU portrays Baltimore with intention and softness—presenting it not as a backdrop, but as a living, breathing character worthy of a rom-com love story.

On this episode of When Creatives Thrive we feature Jamaal ‘Feedy’ Jackson, a textile artist based in Baltimore.

Feedy's venture into art began in 2021 while searching for a creative outlet during the pandemic. A simple video of tufting on social media inspired him to experiment with yarn and consider a new method of self-expression.

Initially designing rugs based on popular images intended to sell at venues like The Baltimore Farmers' Market, Feedy has since elevated his practice to designing and creating detailed, abstract portraits that explore complex human emotion and perception.

His commitment to his craft has led to early recognition, including his first, sold out, solo art exhibition at Monument Sotheby’s, as well as participation in Art Basel.

On this episode of When Creatives Thrive, we feature Red Giant, an artist-run gallery, studio, and workshop, located in the Bromo Arts District of Baltimore City.

Red Giant’s mission is to create a platform for art and artists by curating exhibits and embracing their neighborhood to develop cultural offerings that bring opportunities to local creatives. They are powered by ideals of access, inclusion, experimentation, and community development.

We also discuss Red Giant’s participation in the Scout Art Fair at Artscape, and how festivals are emerging as a mainstream strategy to elevate art and connect with collectors. Festivals like Scout are also an effective way to get cities like Baltimore in on national and international art conversation.

In studio today are two of the founding members, Mary Gagler and Patrick Bell, with a big shout out to the third founding member, Stephen Callender.

Podcast cover art photo: Kayla Morgan

Boob Sweat is a Baltimore-based, woman-led film collective. Formed while in graduate school at the Maryland Institute College of Art, “Boob Sweat” has come to signify the empowerment the founders still feel as a team of women working in the entertainment industry.

Whether they are producing, directing, animating, sound engineering, shooting, or editing, the crew has what it takes to make a film and get it released.

While bringing their varied skills to a range of projects, they are also dedicated to assembling diverse crews and embracing inclusive practices. This philosophy guides the stories they tell, and in turn, the partners that they attract.

Their most recent releases include “Sofia,” which has screened at multiple festivals, as well as the short documentary “Bay to Baltimore,” an official selection of the Maryland Film Festival, where it had its world premiere.

We are joined in studio with half of the Boob Sweat collective, Camila Franco Ribeiro Gomide and Samantha Mitchell. Imani Leigh and Makare Saunders are also founding members.