A list of upcoming events organized or supported by Baltimore Sister Cities and our sister city committees (Changwon, South Korea; Gbarnga, Liberia; Kawasaki, Japan; Luxor & Alexandria, Egypt; Odesa, Ukraine; Piraeus, Greece; Rotterdam, the Netherlands; Xiamen, China) and our affiliates. Events include:
September 21, 2025 – March 8, 2025
The Way of Nature: Art from Japan, China, and Korea
Exhibition at the Baltimore Museum of Art (BMA)
For centuries, East Asian cultures have considered human life as part of a much larger system that encompasses the natural world. More than 40 artworks from Japan, China, and Korea demonstrate a way of living where mountains and seas, animals—both wild and supernatural—and plant life and insects are symbolically meaningful and historically pervasive in visual culture. The objects range from delicate 13th-century porcelain to a luminous 18th-century embroidered silk Buddhist Priest’s Robe and large-scale 20th-century photography. Collectively, these works provide a sense of the impulse to fully experience the natural world, as foundational to our existence, as impacted by human life, and as an enduring metaphor for our survival.
More information: artbma.org/exhibition/the-way-of-nature-art-from-japan-china-and-korea
January 16 – February 21, 2026
Julia Kim Smith: Transit art exhibition
Times: Saturdays 1-5pm, and by appointment
Location: Waller Gallery, 2420 N Calvert Street, Baltimore, MD 21218
More information: wallergallery.com/exhibitions/transit-julia-kim-smith
Julia Kim Smith (Baltimore, MD) is a multidisciplinary artist whose work addresses issues of racism, sexism, misrepresentation, and under-representation through traditional and new media. In her Transit exhibition, Julia Kim Smith, the daughter of Korean refugees who immigrated to the United States after the Korean War, has assembled fifteen years of work spanning video, text, embroidery, and blood into a reckoning that refuses the comfort of metaphor. These pieces insist on the material reality of bodies that carry history, bodies that get reduced to caricature on restaurant receipts, bodies that must perform citizenship as proof of belonging.
January 17, 2026
Film screening: Spring Dreams (春の夢 Haru no Yume)
Time: 1pm ET
Location: Towson University Center for the Arts, Art Lecture Hall, Room 2032, 7700 Osler Drive, Towson, MD 21204
Admission: Free; advance registration required. To register, go to the film program webpage and click the RSVP link next to the film.
This 1960 satirical comedy explores class, greed, love and selfishness. A sweet potato vendor has a stroke in the home of the wealthy and dysfunctional Okudaira family. While he recuperates there, “well-wishers” from his tenement house drop in to visit with ulterior motives. (color) Directed by Keisuke Kinoshita. 126 minutes.
The Japan Film Program is organized by the Baltimore-Kawasaki Sister City Committee (BKSCC) in partnership with Towson University College of Fine Arts and Communication (COFAC) Dean’s Office , along with the Asian Arts & Culture Center at Towson University. Films are hosted by and from the private collection of Reed Hessler, longtime host on WBJC.
January 22, 2026
Baltimore Sister Cities Meet & Greet
Time: 5:30-7:30pm (people are welcome to stay longer if they’d like)
Location: R.House, 301 West 29th Street, Baltimore MD 21211
Admission: Free
No RSVP needed – just show up!
Join us January 22 at our Meet & Greet get-together to ring in the new year! We’re excited to bring together friends, old and new, to celebrate our city’s diverse cultures and connections. This in-person gathering promises an evening filled with fun, laughter, and community spirit. Don’t miss out on this opportunity to connect with fellow Baltimoreans, make lasting memories, and find out more about our sister cities and our activities at this informal get-together. Mark your calendars and get ready for a night of good vibes, great food, and amazing company. Spread the word to others in your network and invite them to come, too!
Baltimore Sister Cities will provide limited appetizers; a variety of dinner and beverage options are available for purchase at this venue.
More information: baltimoresistercities.org/meetgreet2026
February 1, 2026
Sangjaru – Korean Folk Gypsy Swing
Time: 7pm
Location: Creative Alliance, 3134 Eastern Ave., Baltimore, MD, 21224
More information: creativealliance.org/event/sangjaru-korean-folk-gypsy-swing/
Sangjaru is a captivating Korean folk fusion band that merges the energy of traditional Korean music with the infectious rhythms of gypsy swing, funk, rock, and improvisation. The name “Sangjaru” originates from the combination of two Korean words, “sangja” (box) and “jaru” (sack). While a box retains a fixed form, a sack adapts to its contents. Inspired by this analogy, the band aspires to infuse new creativity into the rich traditions of Korean music. Through a blend of diverse musical influences, Sangjaru creates innovative cultural expressions that are both distinctive and exhilarating. As the winner of the prestigious Sori Frontier 2019 competition, part of the Jeonju International Sori Festival, Sangjaru has been recognized for their exceptional talent and unique approach to traditional music.
February 15, 2025 – March 1, 2026
Lunar New Year Arts Festival
Dates: Wednesday, December 3, 4:00 – 7:30pm
Location: Vollmer Center, Cylburn Arboretum, 4915 Greenspring Avenue
Admission: Free
Celebrate the rich traditions and themes of the Lunar New Year and Asian and Asian American communities and welcome in the Year of the Horse (the zodiac symbol that embodies confidence, power, joy, freedom, energy, and perseverance) with a series of community events. The public will enjoy a diverse array of music, dance, visual art, spoken word, markets, and other cultural activities. This event is a platform to honor and share the traditions of many Asian and Asian American cultures and communities that call our area home.
Events include:
- Artists Market and Resource Fair on March 1, 12-3pm
- Art exhibition by Asia American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) artists February 15–28 (with an opening reception on February 15)
- Celebration of Talent with performing artists on February 22,12-3pm
More information: www.eventbrite.com/e/lunar-new-year-celebration-of-talent-tickets
Organized by the National Association of Asian American Professionals Baltimore Chapter (NAAAP Baltimore) and the Towson University Asian Arts and Culture Center (AA&CC).
March 13–21, 2026
Architecture trip to Rotterdam
Under the leadership of Professor Cristina Murphy, students and faculty from Morgan State University School of Architecture + Planning (SA+P) and design professionals travel again to Rotterdam in March 2026. Program includes design workshops, visits to design firms, seminars, and city tours in Rotterdam, Antwerp, and Amsterdam. Environmental sustainability, community-centered design, and urban resilience are key themes for this year’s trip.
Supported by Baltimore-Rotterdam Sister City Committee (BRSCC).
March 14, 2026
Film screening: The Ceremony (儀式 Gishiki)
Time: 1pm ET
Location: Towson University Center for the Arts, Art Lecture Hall, Room 2032, 7700 Osler Drive, Towson, MD 21204
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Admission: Free; advance registration required. To register, go to the film program webpage and click the RSVP link next to the film.
Funerals without bodies. Burials without funerals. Marriages without brides. This 1971 epic drama revolves around twenty-five years of weddings, funerals, and incest of the Sakurada clan and their intergenerational conflicts which mirror Japan’s post-war fall from grace. (color) Directed by Nagisa Oshima. 123 minutes.
The Japan Film Program is organized by the Baltimore-Kawasaki Sister City Committee (BKSCC) in partnership with Towson University College of Fine Arts and Communication (COFAC) Dean’s Office , along with the Asian Arts & Culture Center at Towson University. Films are hosted by and from the private collection of Reed Hessler, longtime host on WBJC.
June 5, 2026
Baltimore Immigration Summit
The Baltimore City Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs (MIMA), Baltimore County, and Towson University will host the 13th Annual Baltimore Immigration Summit on June 6. This year’s theme is Harbors and Bridges: Holding Ground and Uniting Communities.
More information: mima.baltimorecity.gov/10th-baltimore-immigration-summit/baltimore-immigration-summit
June 20, 2026
Film screening: Humanity and Paper Balloons (人情紙風船 Ninjo Kami Fusen)
Time: 1pm ET
Location: Towson University Center for the Arts, Art Lecture Hall, Room 2032, 7700 Osler Drive, Towson, MD 21204
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Admission: Free; advance registration required. To register, go to the film program webpage and click the RSVP link next to the film.
This bold, 1937 historical anti-military melodrama is a gem of Japanese cinema. While following Edo-era slum residents—debilitated samurai, peasants, and petty merchants—and their struggles to survive, it exposes the hypocrisy and cruelty of high society. (black and white) Directed by Sadao Yamanaka. 82 minutes.
The Japan Film Program is organized by the Baltimore-Kawasaki Sister City Committee (BKSCC) in partnership with Towson University College of Fine Arts and Communication (COFAC) Dean’s Office , along with the Asian Arts & Culture Center at Towson University. Films are hosted by and from the private collection of Reed Hessler, longtime host on WBJC.
June 21, 2026 – June 27, 2026
Sister Cities International’s Annual Meeting & Youth Leadership Summit
Dates: Week of June 21, 2026
Location: Washington DC
Admission: Free
This year, the Annual Meeting of Sister Cities International (SCI) and its Youth Leadership Summit will take place in Washington, DC, which is located close to Baltimore. The Youth Leadership Summit is an immersive program for young leaders, ages 14-18, from across the globe. Designed to inspire the next generation of citizen diplomats, the Summit equips participants with essential leadership and professional development skills. Through interactive sessions and activities, students will address global challenges, fostering a commitment to peace, mutual respect, and cross-cultural cooperation.
Click here to apply: sistercitiesinternationalsci.submittable.com (Deadline: February 1, 2026)
Baltimore Sister Cities is a member of Sister Cities International.
July 18, 2026
Film screening: Like Father Like Son (そして父になる Soshite Chichi ni Naru)
Time: 1pm ET
Location: Towson University Center for the Arts, Art Lecture Hall, Room 2032, 7700 Osler Drive, Towson, MD 21204
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Admission: Free; advance registration required. To register, go to the film program webpage and click the RSVP link next to the film.
A ten-minute standing ovation followed the premiere of Like Father Like Son at the 2013 Cannes Film Festival. Two couples—from different classes and with contrasting parenting styles—discover that their six-year-old sons were switched at birth and embark on journeys of soul-searching, impossible decisions, and coming to terms with the meaning of family. (color) Directed by Hirokazu Kore-eda. 120 minutes.
The Japan Film Program is organized by the Baltimore-Kawasaki Sister City Committee (BKSCC) in partnership with Towson University College of Fine Arts and Communication (COFAC) Dean’s Office , along with the Asian Arts & Culture Center at Towson University. Films are hosted by and from the private collection of Reed Hessler, longtime host on WBJC.
