BALTIMORE – Tis the season and Art with a Heart (AWAH) is gearing up for its 2025 Holiday Open House. Free and open to the public, the event will take place Friday, Dec. 5, from 5 to 7 p.m., at the nonprofit’s social enterprise retail store, HeARTwares by Art with a Heart (1104 W. 36th St., Baltimore, MD, 21211).

The HeARTwares “elves” are transforming the space into a festive holiday gallery and gift shop — filled with creativity, color and the spirit of the season. Guests will have the opportunity to shop with a purpose for hand-made and one-of-a-kind artwork, jewelry, houseware items, garden ornaments, paintings, mosaics and assorted gifts with meaning.

Each item is unique and crafted with enthusiasm by students in AWAH’s HeARTworks workforce development program – which provides a collaborative and structured space for Baltimore youth, ages 14 to 24, to gain job readiness and life skills while creating marketable art. Participants learn workplace expectations; practice creative problem-solving; gain experience interacting with the public in a retail environment; and work toward personal and professional goals — all while building community and earning income through their own artwork.

Proceeds from all items sold at the Holiday Open House will go directly to the student artists and support HeARTworks. Adding to the merriment, the event will feature an interactive art activity, a DJ, light refreshments and holiday-themed drinks. For more information, visit www.artwithaheart.net or call (410) 366-8886. 

About Art with a Heart

Art with a Heart’s (AWAH) mission is to enhance the lives of people in need through visual arts. Founded in 2000, the Baltimore-based nonprofit uses visual art for positive civic and economic change in its community programming, workforce development, community art, service learning and leadership development initiatives. 

During the last year alone, Art with a Heart provided nearly 16,000 art classes to children, youth, adults, and families in schools, shelters, community centers, hospitals and senior facilities; provided over 270,000 individual art experiences; successfully completed and installed 16 community art projects with the dedication of over 3,900 volunteers; graduated a new cohort of leaders expanding the alumni network to 170 youth; expanded workforce collaborations; graduated 200 students, and opened a satellite location on The Avenue in Hampden for its HeARTwares social enterprise store and workforce development programming. For more information, visit www.artwithaheart.net or follow on social media: @AWAHBaltimore on Facebook and @artwithaheart_ on X & Instagram.