After more than half of its governing board resigned this month, the Baltimore Office of Promotion and the Arts (BOPA) has scheduled a series of three “Community Listening Conversations” starting Nov. 19 to hear from local artists and others how the agency can work with them.Announcement of the meetings comes one week after Baltimore’s Board of Estimates voted to terminate the city’s contract with the independent organization, due to concerns about its financial performance and ability to support the arts community. “It has been evident that BOPA’s handling of city-allocated funds has not met the standards of transparency and accountability required for this critical role,” Calvin Young III, senior advisor to Mayor Brandon Scott, told the board.The vote means that BOPA will no longer serve as the city’s arts council, film office and events producers, effective Jan. 20. It also will no longer receive $2.6 million a year from the city – the bulk of its operating budget.Following the action taken by the Board of Estimates (BOE) on Nov. 6, at least seven of BOPA’s 13 interim board members have resigned, including interim chair Andrew Chaveas and interim vice chair Lady Brion. The resignations leave BOPA’s board of directors without a quorum to conduct business, unless it fills the vacancies or changes the way it calculates the number of directors.The contract termination also means that BOPA CEO Rachel Graham will need to find other sources of funding to replace what the city won’t be providing, one of the board members pointed out after resigning: “She has to raise private money. I just don’t see that happening.”Graham did not respond to a reporter’s request for information on Wednesday about the resignations. According to one member, the interim board scheduled a meeting on Wednesday that was not previously announced, for its remaining members. Lack of advance public notice for a board meeting by an organization that has a contract with the city violates Baltimore’s Open Meetings Law.On Thursday, Graham acknowledged the resignations and announced the series of “listening conversations” in a message sent “To Our Partners & Stakeholders.”“Since the BOE hearing on November 6th that resulted in the cancellation of BOPA’s contract with the City, a number of our interim board members have stepped down from their roles,” she wrote. “We deeply value the time and effort they invested in our organization in recent months, and we understand their decision to depart in light of shifts in our relationship with the City.”Graham went on to say that despite the resignations and lack of support from the city, BOPA intends to start a “new chapter” and “Grow the Cultural Economy” under her leadership. Here is what she wrote:These board members joined to advance a shared vision with the City, and the recent cancellation of our contract has influenced the scope of the work they were positioned to accomplish. However, BOPA remains steadfast in its commitment to Baltimore’s vibrant arts community and cultural economy, and we remain resilient and forward-looking. Our work is grounded in our deep support of Baltimore’s creatives, and we are moving ahead with a vision for the organization, driven by three core strategic pillars: Support of the Arts Community through Grantmaking and Advocacy – We will continue to provide grants and champion advocacy initiatives that directly support Baltimore’s artists, arts organizations, and cultural leaders.  Development of a Citywide Creative Agenda to Grow the Cultural Economy – We are committed to building a robust cultural economy that recognizes the value of creative industries as a core driver of Baltimore’s growth.  Promotion of Baltimore as a Destination for Arts Tourism – We aim to elevate Baltimore’s profile, showcasing the city as a premier destination for arts and culture to residents and visitors alike. As part of this new chapter, we are inviting our community members, partners, and stakeholders to participate in a series of Community Listening Conversations next week. These gatherings will be a space to hear from you — our valued supporters — and for you to share your vision for how we can collectively shape the organization’s future and maximize its impact in Baltimore. Thank you for your continued support. Together, we can forge a path that honors Baltimore’s creative legacy and builds a vibrant future for Baltimore’s arts community. We look forward to your input and partnership in this journey. In creativity,  Rachel D. Graham, CEO Baltimore Office of Promotion & The Arts BOPA’s community meetings will be held in person in three locations around the city. The plan is reminiscent of a survey that former BOPA CEO Donna Drew Sawyer initiated at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic to develop a “strategic plan” for the agency that was never released.The dates and places for BOPA’s three meetings are: Session 1 on Nov. 19 from noon to 1:30 p.m. at BOPA’s offices, 7 St. Paul Street; Session 2 on Nov. 21 from 7 to 8:30 p.m. at Westside Open Works on the Coppin State University campus; and Session 3 on Dec. 4 from noon to 1:30 p.m. at Open Works, 1400 Greenmount Avenue. Admission is free but registration is required. BOPA’s website is promotionandarts.org. Its phone number is 410-752-8632.