Little Italy Neighborhood Association and Baltimore Jazz Alliance have announced the Little Italy Madonnari Arts Festival will be postponed until September 2021. During the hiatus, a permanent mural and gallery dedicated to Madonnari will be created - the first of its kind in the United States and only the second outside of Italy.
Artist Michael Kirby (left) has begun the mural on Slemmers Alley; it will consist of five vignettes on a backdrop of Renaissance architecture. (Watch the artist in action daily between 6-11 am.) The mural will serve as an entranceway into Little Italy and a permanent promotion of the arts festival. A video production will follow its progress and later posted on the Madonnari's website. The mural is funded by grants from Maryland State Arts Council and SouthEast CDC.
