The No Boundaries Coalition held its 18th Annual Community Block Party in Sandtown-Winchester this year at Cumberland and Carey Park. The Central West Baltimore-based nonprofit focuses on community support by focusing on features like civic engagement, youth leadership, and food culture. 

This year marks the organization’s second year in partnership with the Black Arts District. The groups alternate locations between Eutaw Street, where the program is traditionally held, and other locations where the Black Arts District is located. The event was full of resources, free food and drinks, vendors, alongside a host of performances.

This year’s theme was “arts as activism” as performances called for recognition of the crisis in the Congo alongside the support of the arts. The block party also had voters registration available as well as a health booth where people were able to check certain vitals.

“It starts with bringing community together to just be in fellowship and share space in something positive,” said Kenneth Something, award-winning poet and Director of Programs for Black Arts District. 

“We have about 16 different creatives that were hired to be able to be part of this and for us, it’s about building the creative economy. Most of the artists we hire are from this area so being able to get hired to work in your community is important.”

A person with brown skin raps into a microphone. They are dressed all in red and have dark locs. They stand in front of a red mural with a woman's face painted on it.
Popular rapper Lor Xay Xay drew the crowd to the stage. Credit: Jeremy Collins
A photo of white tents on either side of a street. People stand at many of the tents.
Two people stand at a microphone stand. One, a man with brown skin, holds an award.
A member of the Arch Social Club, one of the oldest social clubs for Black men in the country, received an award.
A woman with brown skin speaks into a microphone. She has her arm raised.
Poet and Spoken Word Artist K Love the Poet performed pieces about Black women’s empowerment and uplift. 
A woman kneels in the grass with two children.
America for the Arts Executive Director Julia Di Bussolo works with two kids in a placemaking activity.
A young boy holds a drum
A young boy holds a drum as the Marching Elite hosts a soul train down Carey Street.