Baltimore’s Walters Art Museum celebrated a home‑grown triumph on Thursday night as Filipina American artist Thea Canlas was named the winner of the 21st annual Janet & Walter Sondheim Art Prize. The award, which includes a $30,000 cash prize, recognizes visual artists who live and work in the Greater Baltimore region.
Local roots and artistic focus
Canlas, a graduate of the Maryland Institute College of Art (MICA), earned a BFA in Fibers in 2006 – the inaugural year of the Sondheim prize – and recently completed an MFA at Emily Carr University of Art and Design in Vancouver. Her practice weaves together craft, material histories, sculptural objects and installations to examine “the entanglements of diasporic Philippine identity.”
In a statement after receiving the award, Canlas described the honor as “a full circle moment” and expressed gratitude for the support of her family, friends, and the Baltimore art community. “I’m still absorbing everything,” she said, adding that exhibiting alongside fellow finalists made the experience “extraordinary.”
The prize and its sponsors
The Janet & Walter Sondheim Art Prize is presented by Create Baltimore (formerly the Baltimore Office of Promotion and the Arts) in partnership with the Walters Art Museum and the Maryland State Arts Council. Named for civic leaders who championed the arts, the prize aims to further the careers of visual artists working in the city.
All five finalists – Leigh Davis, Brandon Donahue‑Shipp, Curran Hatleberg, Danni O’Brien, and Canlas – collaborated with the museum to install works for an exhibition now on view at the museum’s Hackerman House through September 13. Each finalist also received $3,000 toward the exhibition costs.
Jury and exhibition details
The winner was selected by a three‑member jury: Lauren Haynes, a curator and arts professional based in New York City; Jinny Khanduja, executive director of the Cue Art Foundation in New York; and Shellyne Roderiguez, an artist, educator, writer and community organizer from the Bronx. The exhibition follows a prior showing of the semifinalists at the Reginald F. Lewis Museum earlier this summer.
Visitors to the Walters Art Museum can explore the Sondheim exhibition at 600 N. Charles Street. The museum is open Wednesday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Thursday from 1 p.m. to 8 p.m.; admission is free.
Community impact
Canlas’s win highlights Baltimore’s growing reputation as a supportive environment for diverse artists. Create Baltimore CEO Robyn Murphy praised the finalists for “pushing the boundaries of form and meaning” and expressed confidence that the prize will help shape the next stage of Canlas’s career.
The award underscores the city’s commitment to fostering cultural expression that reflects the varied backgrounds of its residents, reinforcing Baltimore’s identity as a great art city where families and faith‑based communities can thrive alongside vibrant creative endeavors.
Original reporting: Baltimore Fishbowl — read the source article.
