Where Did the Money Go? Baltimore's Arts Office in the Dark

Baltimore's new arts office, the Mayor’s Office of Arts, Culture & Entertainment (MOACE), has been running for six months, but no one can say exactly where its $2 million budget is going. This lack of clarity has raised eyebrows, especially among city officials. MOACE is in charge of big city events like AFRAM, Artscape, and Charm City Live. But when asked for a detailed breakdown of expenses, no one could provide one. The city budget director, the mayor's team, and the law department all came up empty-handed. The law department even said no records exist. City Councilman Mark Conway isn't happy about this. He thinks it's not okay for an office spending public money to not have a clear record of how it's being used. He believes this raises serious questions about accountability. MOACE was created after the city ended its contract with the Baltimore Office of Promotion & The Arts (BOPA) in 2024. The reason given was financial instability and management issues. MOACE took over BOPA's events, but it seems transparency might be a bigger issue now.Luke Spreen, a public finance expert, finds it surprising that MOACE can't provide spending details. He says even if it's just staff salaries, they should be able to give a report. He also notes that Baltimore's budget office usually collects and publishes spending data, so this lack of information is unusual. The office has faced other issues too. Soon after it launched, a senior adviser, Tonya Miller Hall, resigned. Her departure was unexpected, given her reputation in the local arts scene. Mayor Brandon Scott says MOACE is meant to support the city's cultural workforce, creative economy, nightlife, and film industry. But if the office can't show where the money is going, it's hard to know if it's living up to that goal. Conway points out that MOACE might have less transparency than BOPA, which is concerning. He also thinks that having offices report directly to the mayor can make oversight more complicated.