Community Calendar

Free 8-Week Work Readiness Program for Individuals with Disabilities ages 16+. Build skills, discover strengths, and prepare for work in a small, supportive group setting. To register contact Jamie Leboe @ 410-843-7316 / [email protected]

When was the last time you unplugged?

Disconnect, slow down, and rediscover what it means to be present inside the BMA’s historic Spring House, where acclaimed American conceptual artist Rachel Lee Hovnanian presents the Nature Deficit Disorder immersion room this spring. The powerful installation challenges our digital dependence and rekindles our connection to the natural world.

Inspired by journalist Richard Louv’s term “nature deficit disorder,” described as a growing disconnection from nature, often linked to diminished focus and negative moods, Hovnanian transforms the Spring House into a simulated nighttime forest.

“My work has long explored how technology shapes attention, mental health, and human connection. This installation emerged from my observations of society’s growing digital dependence, alongside my own experience of it.” –Rachel Lee Hovnanian
Away from the constant ping of notifications and endless scrolling, surrender your phone, surround yourself with fir trees, and let lantern light guide you. Hear the crunch of leaves beneath your feet and watch the flicker of a campfire casting shadows across the room.

In a world where we check our phones every other minute, Hovnanian invites you to linger for at least five minutes in the immersion room and consider what is lost when we give our attention to apps and devices rather than real-life experiences.

“What do we lose when our lives are constantly mediated by screens? I hope to offer a pause—an invitation to rediscover how it feels to be fully present.” –Rachel Lee Hovnanian

Between 1946 and 1953, Henri Matisse created 28 lithographic portraits for Poésies Antillaises (Antillean Poetry), a book of poems by John-Antoine Nau. Published posthumously in 1972, this rare volume remains one of Matisse’s least-known illustrated works.

Inspired by his brief 1930 visit to Martinique, Matisse translated Nau’s evocative poems—celebrating travel, music, and oceanic landscapes—into vibrant portraits. These reflect the artist’s collaborations with notable Caribbean and international models and are presented alongside works by two leading artists from Martinique and Guadeloupe, Germaine Casse and Serge Hélénon. This focus exhibition illuminates aspects of the transatlantic artistic circles active during the late French colonial period.

On View February 4 - May 16 (closed March 15 - 22)

Explore the remarkable artistic journey and cultural legacy of Lain Singh Bangdel (1919–2002), widely regarded as the “Father of Modern Art” in Nepal. This collection of paintings—spanning the 1940s to the 1980s— reflects and reframes the cultural, political, and emotional realities of Bangdel’s time and traces his evolving vision as he navigated multiple worlds: colonial and postcolonial South Asia, cosmopolitan Europe, and an emerging modern Nepal.

Gallery Hours: Monday - Saturday, 11 a.m. - 4 p.m.

Exhibition
Transformations: Lain Singh Bangdel, Art, Nepal
February 4 – May 16 (closed March 15-22)
Monday – Saturday 11 am – 4 pm
Asian Arts Gallery, Center for the Arts, Towson University
1 Fine Arts Drive, Towson, MD 21204

Explore the remarkable artistic journey and cultural legacy of Lain Singh Bangdel (1919–2002), widely regarded as the “Father of Modern Art” in Nepal. This collection of paintings—spanning the 1940s to the 1980s— reflects and reframes the cultural, political, and emotional realities of Bangdel’s time and traces his evolving vision as he navigated multiple worlds: colonial and postcolonial South Asia, cosmopolitan Europe, and an emerging modern Nepal.

Are you single and looking to make new connections? Are you new to the area? Or are you looking to make new friends. Then come join us for a night of fast-paced fun at our speed dating event! Our speed dating event is designed to help you meet a variety of potential matches in a short amount of time. You'll have the opportunity to sit down with multiple singles for a series of quick, five-minute dates. After each conversation, you'll mark down whether or not you're interested in seeing that person again or remain friends.

Instead of sifting through countless profiles and risking ghosting or awkward dates, come to our speed dating events where you can meet multiple interesting people in one night. On average, attendees find 2-3 matches out of 10 potential partners. Even if you don’t find “the one,” most people leave with a smile, having enjoyed the experience and making at least one connection.

Light refreshments - drinks (alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages) & food will be available.

At the end of the night, you'll receive an email confirming who you are interested in. It's a great way to meet new people, break the ice, and potentially find a romantic connection.

So why wait? Sign up today and join us for a night of fun, flirting, and maybe even love!

How it works:
Purchase your speed dating ticket to secure your spot (better to sign up early)
On the date of the event, arrive 15 minutes early to check in with our host
Meet & Mingle: Food & drinks will be available so guests can eat and converse
30 mins into the event guests will be seated and the event begins
You'll be seated at a numbered table and asked to rotate to the next number once our bell rings
After every 5 minutes, the bell will ring, and you'll go on the next 5-minute date
Takes notes to like/pass after each date with our dating pamphlet
Right after the rounds, a game will be played, a free gift basket will be handed to the winner
After the speed dating event, you will be contacted via email about your matches
If you have a match, you'll able to see their email and info
It's fun, easy to take part, and unlike anything you've ever done before.

Heather McHugh, recipient of a 2009 MacArthur fellowship, is the author of thirteen books of poetry, translation, and literary essays. Her prize-winning translations include a Griffin International Poetry Prize selection, and her books of original poetry have been finalists for the Pulitzer Prize and the National Book Award. McHugh has taught literature and writing for over three decades, most regularly at the University of Washington in Seattle and in the low-residency MFA Program for Writers at Warren Wilson College in Asheville. From 1999 to 2005 she served as a Chancellor of the Academy of American Poets, and in 2000 she was elected a fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. From 2011 to 2018 she hosted respite getaways for full-time family caregivers.

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The Writing Seminars hosts a wide array of writers across literary disciplines, including poets, novelists, translators, and biographers. Our regular reading series connects acclaimed writers from around the world with Baltimore communities at Johns Hopkins and beyond.

Our events are always free and open to the public, and include lively Q&A, catered receptions, books signings, and sales in partnership with Greedy Reads. If you would like to receive email announcements about our events, please contact [email protected].

Join us as we celebrate the launch of The Commons, an arts and culture magazine produced and written by JHU students in collaboration with the University Writing Program and the Common Question.

This year’s issue responds to the Common Question, “What is health?,” with articles exploring the question from a multitude of angles—personal, cultural, social, and planetary. Contributing authors will read from the latest issue and attendees will bring home a limited edition of the magazine.

Soulful contemporary jazz saxophonist Mike Phillips is known as one of the most electrifying instrumentalists today. Mike is the first musician signed by Michael Jordan to the Nike Jordan Brand, home of the Air Jordan, and is the only musician in the world to have recorded and toured with the legendary “Big Three” of American soul and pop music: Michael Jackson, Prince and Stevie Wonder, not only as a member of the band, but as a featured soloist. Mike Phillips has played three halftime NFL shows with various artists and served as Music Director for the Super Bowl Gospel Celebration for two consecutive years. Phillips also served as Musical Director and Host of the popular BET program “Lyric Café”.