Baltimore City IG probes $1.6M ARPA payments for Artscape talent, VIP

The Baltimore City Office of the Inspector General, led by Isabel Cumming, has raised questions about $1.6 million in federal American Rescue Plan Act funds used for Artscape 2025, finding more than $500,000 paid to music artists, at least $582,809 moved between budget lines without required approvals, and ARPA money used for a mayoral VIP reception. Cumming told investigators the probe began after a complaint and that the office opened its review "back probably in June" to determine whether ARPA dollars were properly spent.

The IG report identifies $516,150 in ARPA spending tied directly to music talent and associated booking fees. Line-item detail in the report shows a $240,500 payment to one headlining performer and $125,000 to a second headliner, with nine additional performers paid a combined $40,650. Those artist payments exceeded the talent budget the city had originally planned, the IG found.

City records and the IG’s review show the Artscape allocation came from Baltimore’s broader ARPA pool, which totaled $641 million; $1.6 million was routed to Artscape through the Baltimore Civic Fund to underwrite the rebooted 2025 festival. The 2025 Artscape returned on Memorial Day weekend with a new footprint outside City Hall and headliners Fantasia and Robin Thicke; the city has argued the festival produces an economic boost, citing an $8.8 million impact figure.

The IG flagged procedural lapses tied to budget control and approvals. Investigators found $582,809 was reallocated among Artscape budget lines without approval from the Chief Recovery Officer or the Board of Estimates, a step required when overages exceed 25 percent of an ARPA allocation. Chief Recovery Officer Elizabeth Tatum told investigators that using ARPA funds for a VIP event "required more explanation" and was "not preferable," the report notes.

The report also documents at least $26,546 in ARPA money spent on a mayoral VIP reception during Artscape weekend; the IG could not fully reconcile hospitality charges because purchase receipts were not required for some payments. The city told investigators that ARPA funds were not directly used to purchase alcohol and that sponsorships covered bar costs at the VIP reception, and said that hospitality riders were not paid by either the city or the booking agent.

Cumming framed much of the probe as an audit of compliance rather than a criminal referral. "We received a complaint at the office of the inspector general, and we started our investigation back probably in June about that ARPA money," she said. She also warned that whether a use is improper can be subjective: "The ARPA — whether or not it’s an improper use, that’s — see, my office does waste, fraud, and abuse. And whether or not it’s — that is much more subjective."

The IG’s formal recommendation calls for the city to develop standard operating procedures for large events like Artscape to define roles, tighten oversight, and ensure competitive vendor selection. The report stops short of alleging criminal wrongdoing but highlights recordkeeping gaps and authority questions, including an internal note that talent selections can come from the mayor’s "wish list," according to an unidentified Mayor’s Office employee quoted in the investigation.

The findings intersect with earlier warnings to City Council: independent auditors told Council members in September 2025 that Baltimore risked ARPA noncompliance. The IG’s review leaves outstanding documentation questions—contracts, invoices, and sponsorship agreements—that will determine whether the expenditures meet federal ARPA rules and whether further action by the Board of Estimates or auditors is required.