Awards
Expertise.com
Best Social Media Marketing Agency in Baltimore, 2020 and 2022
What Works Studio
“After a review of local experts, What Works Studio has been identified and published in our article of the Best Social Media Marketing Agencies in Baltimore.”
The Daily Record
Innovator of the Year Award, 2016
Brooke Hall and Justin Allen, Founders Light City
“Winners were selected based on their innovation’s originality, power, challenge, value and the quality of letters of reference.” This award was for founding Light City Baltimore.
Baltimore Business Journal
40 Under 40 Honorees, 2016
Justin Allen and Brooke Hall, Founders of Light City
“Allen and Hall wanted to show Baltimore to the world in the way that they saw it, and began brainstorming a way to attract positive attention to the city in a big way. So they developed Light City Baltimore, a seven-day, $4 million light installation festival that took place in the spring. And although for many the sparking, lit up attractions near the Inner Harbor was what brought them out, for Allen and Hall, the whole event was primarily meant to be an innovation center. They wanted the festival to not only inspire the people of Baltimore and beyond, but also to drive innovation and economy in the city. And it did. Light City brought over 400,000 attendees and contributed $33.8 million to the local economy [in 2016, the festival’s first year].”
The Baltimore Sun
25 Women to Watch Award, 2016
Brooke Hall, 35, co-founder, Light City Baltimore; founder and CEO, What Works Studio
“For six years, Brooke Hall and her husband, Justin Allen, dreamed and worked to make Light City Baltimore a reality — persuading skeptics that Baltimore could stage a world-scale festival of lights and attract enough visitors to the Inner Harbor to make it an annual event. ‘There was a need for a grand collaboration, a beautiful shared moment for the people of Baltimore,” the Roland Park resident says. This year’s inaugural festival attracted 400,000 visitors. Insists the ever-optimistic Hall: “I think it’s only going to grow and get better.’”
Smart CEO Magazine
Brava Award, 2016
Brooke Hall, founder and CEO, What Works Studio
“The Smart CEO Brava Awards celebrate women business leaders who combine their irrepressible entrepreneurial spirit with a passion for giving back to the community. These female CEOs have become exemplary leaders in their companies and the community at large by encouraging local philanthropy, mentoring fellow CEOs and setting their companies on the path to tremendous growth.”
Baltimore’s Beta City Awards
Silo Breaker Award, 2016
Justin Allen and Brooke Hall
“The Silo Breaker award is given to a member of the Betamore community that actively works to break down silos between people and institutions in Baltimore. This year the Silo Breaker award was given to the team behind Light City Baltimore. Light City demonstrates efforts that are a critical component of what Betamore seeks to do — illuminate the collective wisdom and experience of our community for the purpose of entrepreneurship.”
Downtown Partnership of Baltimore
2016 Downtown Baltimore Award, 2016
Brooke Hall and Justin Allen, Founders of Light City
Awarded to a select group whose work has impacted the community in a considerable way.
“This award is much-deserved recognition of your creation of Light City Baltimore – and its tremendous success.”
Baltimore Magazine
Best of Baltimore Award Winner, 2016
Light City wins “Best Category Buster” Award
“This interactive art and innovation festival (the first of its kind in the U.S.) lined the harbor in art installations and performances – and people came by the [hundreds of] thousands.”
Baltimore Innovation Awards
Artist/Creative Group of the Year
Light City Festival
October 2, 2015
“More than 2,000 people voted in the third annual Baltimore Innovation Awards.”
Mayor's Certificate of Recognition
What Works Studio
City of Baltimore, Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake
April 2015
"On behalf of the citizens of Baltimore, I am pleased to present this certificate to What Works Studio in recognition of your contribution to our local economy. Your continued success is essential to providing jobs, promoting economic growth, diversifying our economy, and reaching the vision of growing Baltimore City by 10,000 families. As Mayor, I was pleased to feature What Works Studio as a simple way of saying thank you for your contribution to Baltimore's economy." -Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake
Social Innovation Award
Light City
Baltimore Social Innovation Journal and The Warnock Foundation
Jan 2014
“The Baltimore Social Innovation Journal's Social Innovation Award and grants are awarded to innovators deploying ideas to create a better Baltimore.”
Baltimore Transformer Award
What Weekly
Strong City Baltimore
Nov 2013
Strong City Baltimore, formerly GHCC, awarded those who help transform Baltimore.
Baltimore Magazine
Best of Baltimore Award Winner, 2013
What Weekly Magazine wins "Best 'Zine Award.
"Documenting the city's renaissance, What Weekly's collective of artists, entrepreneurs, educators, and writers produce media 'dedicated to telling the positive stories about Baltimore.' The mission: 'to create positive social change by amplifying the good stuff.' What we really like about What Weekly are the killer images and photography."
Baltimore Magazine
Best of Baltimore Award Winner, 2012
What Weekly Magazine wins "Best New Magazine”
"The online mag's tagline is 'Documenting the Baltimore renaissance,' and few outlets do it as well as What Weekly, which launched last year. Covering broad stretches of the city's arts and cultural scenes, from the Transmodern Festival to the recent Scapescape, its dispatches are filled with lush photos and frontline accounts from events that are often overlooked by mainstream media. While many of us are quietly proud of Baltimore's reputation as a home for experimental artists and musicians, What Weekly is giving them a broader voice."