Publishers’ Note: The Warnock Foundation is a client of What Weekly’s sister company, What Works Studio. We are proud to work with The Warnock Foundation and share its commitment to Baltimore, its people, and cultivating the great ideas that will help our city reach its full potential.

Last fall, the Warnock Foundation asked Baltimoreans what they thought about their city and its future, in their survey Speak Up . While some responses were apathetic, over half felt that Baltimore is headed in a very hopeful direction. With these responses in mind, the Warnock Foundation created The Baltimore Innovation Journal, taking social innovators and highlighting their ideas geared to help improve Baltimore.

“Despite the obstacles we face, Baltimore is a city full of good people with great ideas and a willingness to aim high,” says David Warnock, chairman of the foundation. Innovators were encouraged to submit their ideas for the journal with the hopes of receive funding and resources to make their ideas realities. The best ideas are showcased in the new print publication and online with the hopes of helping Baltimore reach its full potential.

Among the journal’s innovators are What Weekly founders, Brooke Hall and Justin Allen with architectural project coordinator (and WW contributor) Lindsey Davis, for their innovative festival: Light City.

With Baltimore on the cusp of a turning point, Light City offers a catalyst to propel the city into a new era. Scoped to be the first ever large-scale light festival in the United States, Light City is projected to reoccur every year staring in 2015, in Baltimore’s Inner Harbor.

With international prestige in mind, the Light City Team hopes to replace the noxious Grand Prix with inspiring “state-of-the-art light displays, live music, performances, conferences, workshops, family friendly programming, and some of the most exciting interactive technology found anywhere.” Drawing from light festivals in Europe and Australia, specifically Vivid Sydney, Light City aims to host an ambitious week (or more), captivating the essence of Baltimore’s creative scene. The team plans to highlight the beauty of Baltimore that is often overlooked by those outside the city.

In a constant quest to forego the tainted views of Baltimore, the Light City Team feels that the festival will fill a great void in Baltimore, by bringing its people together and providing the city with educational, innovative, cultural and technological resources. An opportunity for change and positive reflection, Light City creates a unique opportunity for the rebranding of Baltimore as a cultural and intellectual hub as well as a global center for business.

Stay in the know about Light City by signing up here.