Imani Spence
Imani Spence was an Arts and Culture writer for The Baltimore Banner. In 2022, she graduated with her Master’s in Library and Information Science at the University of Maryland, College Park. In the past, she’s freelanced for BmoreArt, the UMBC Magazine and City Paper (RIP). Her coverage focuses on how art affects the lives of people who live and create in Baltimore. Baltimore’s rich literary history is fertile ground for more coverage on literary arts and writers who live here. Art is fundamental to a healthy city. At the UMBC Magazine and BmoreArt, Imani learned about the power of community. Writing about arts showed Imani the varied talent that is present in Baltimore. In her personal life, she has been learning about Baltimore’s queer history and how it directly ties to artists who live and work in Baltimore. Working with these publications, Imani has learned the value of establishing community around shared history and interests. Imani has had a varied work background, spending time in media, academia and nonprofits since graduating from the University of Maryland, Baltimore County in 2016. She began her career at the Marc Steiner Show as one of two producers on the daily radio show. Radio and sound production was what made her most interested in journalism as a profession. She served as Vice President of the Baltimore Abortion Fund’s board from 2018 to 2021 which empowered her to be politically engaged with Baltimore. Imani loves Baltimore, books and TV but is skeptical of all books and TV about Baltimore.
The latest from Imani
Baltimore Pride is more than just parties and a parade
The Pride Center of Maryland hosts host programming and events that elevate the queer community everyday, but Baltimore Pride Week is their Super Bowl.
Walters Art Museum employees vote yes to forming a union
The Walters Workers United has voted to form their union after nearly two years of legal battles.
Baltimore proclaims June 8 as Black Feminist Future Day ahead of conference
The organization Black Feminist Future will bring "Get Free: A Black Feminist Reunion" to Baltimore this weekend in hopes of creating a more inclusive future.
She can’t let it go: Howard County native plays Elsa in ‘Frozen’ national tour
Caroline Bowman, who has played Elsa in productions of “Frozen” across the nation, returns to her home state for a series of shows at the Hippodrome Theatre.
60 years in, Baltimore Center Stage still looks to evolve
As it searches for a new artistic director amid staff turnover and an industry downturn, Baltimore Center Stage works with an eye toward what's next: "This moment is calling to invest in the future."
A new exhibit shows how Jim Henson brought Miss Piggy and the Muppets to life
Visitors to the Maryland Center for History and Culture can learn about the history of famous puppeteer, filmmaker and Terp(!) Jim Henson at “Jim Henson: Imagination Unleashed.”
New/Next Film Festival aims to fill the Maryland Film Festival-shaped hole in your heart
WYPR and WTMD will produce the New/Next Film Festival in August in hopes of filling the gap left by the Maryland Film Festival.
How Edgar Allan Poe became a star in Europe’s campiest song contest
“Who the Hell is Edgar?” has helped Austrian duo Teya and Salena reach the grand final of the 2023 Eurovision Song Contest.
BSO’s new music director on jazz, diversity and his favorite parts of Baltimore
Jonathon Heyward, 30, is the youngest and first person of color to lead the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra in its more than 100-year history.
What to know and how to grow: Use Earth Day to learn about plants
To celebrate Earth Day, The Baltimore Banner compiled a list of shops and resources that will help you choose plants and show you how best to maintain them.
Breathe new life into old clothes at the Vintage Black Expo
The Vintage Black Expo will return to Eubie Blake for a second year with expanded offerings, including fashion shows and styling sessions.
What do you want to know about recreational cannabis in Maryland?
Submit questions to ask about the new system, including what’s allowed, what’s not and what you’ll need to buy it.
Grammy winner Bruno Mars to headline Preakness LIVE in May
The lineup for Preakness LIVE, which takes place May 20, also includes acts such as duo SOFI TUKKER and local radio personality DJ Quicksilva.
The Walters Art Museum and its workers have a union election agreement. Now what?
Walters employees have been working toward this goal for nearly two years — and they’re still not done.
The future of African American art finds a home in Maryland
Myrtis Bedolla brought her “Afro-Futurist Manifesto” to the Venice Biennale in 2022, and now Baltimoreans can visit the expansive show at different places across the city.
A new team at the Jewish Museum of Maryland looks beyond history for inspiration
“Being a history museum is more of a choice, not really a necessity,” executive director Sol Davis said of the institution’s turn toward contemporary art.
Maryland’s first cannabis lounge helps users smoke the stigma away
Ceylon House co-owner Venushki “Venus” Hemachandra said the hope for the Burtonsville lounge is to "help people build community around cannabis.”
Women inmates use art to share their ‘life on hold’ at Notre Dame exhibit
Notre Dame of Maryland guest curator Casey McKeel created art workshops for some of Maryland’s incarcerated women, whose collages, paintings and audio are now on display at Gormley Gallery.
Loring Cornish fights antisemitism with mosaic art and a bit of ‘Shalom’
Popular Baltimore mosaic artist Loring Cornish, no stranger to political work, is using the works in his new Hampden gallery to fight against rising antisemitism and foster solidarity.
In ArtsCentric’s ‘Crowns,’ Black women and church hats take center stage
Baltimore Center Stage and ArtsCentric, a color-conscious community theater organization, teamed up to produce ”Crowns,” a musical about the power of Black church, camaraderie and those ever-important hats.
