$6 Million in Funding Deployed to Aid Local Cultural Nonprofits and Individual Creatives
Before the end of the year, 123 individual creatives and more than 50 arts and cultural organizations experiencing financial hardship related to the impact of COVID-19 are getting some relief — $5 million in CARES funding provided by the City of Charlotte ($4 million) and Mecklenburg County ($1 million) along with $1 million in private support from the THRIVE Fund at Foundation For The Carolinas (FFTC).
The grantmaking process was administered through two distinct funding mechanisms:
- The Arts, Culture & Creativity Fund, managed by the Arts & Science Council, with planning and promotional support from Charlotte Is Creative* and Hue House, distributed $1.2 million to small and mid-sized arts, science and history organizations and individual creatives. To ensure all eligible applications were supported, ASC contributed to the Fund.
- Foundation For The Carolinas, in partnership with THRIVE, distributed $4.8 million to large arts and cultural organizations
“Creative individuals and cultural organizations in Charlotte-Mecklenburg have experienced devastating financial losses during this pandemic,” said ASC President Jeep Bryant. “Their direct revenue losses are nearly $30 million, and the impact on our economy is even greater.”
Each funder established specific requirements for their portion of funding. The funds will help organizations retain employees and bolster the artistic community to help the region’s long-term economic growth.
* Charlotte Is Creative is the publisher of The Biscuit.
 PHOTO CREDIT: Frankie Zombie The Panthers Match Philanthropic Passion with Creative Prowess
“Our experience working with local artists in the greater Charlotte area was truly eye-opening. Each artist brought their own flavor to the collaboration and took to heart the passion behind the highlighted cause of each player.” – Jill Cole, community relations assistant for the Carolinas Panthers.
When the Carolina Panthers took the field against the Denver Broncos on Dec. 13, a select group of players carried their passion for philanthropy in their hearts … and on their cleats … onto the field.
For the past five seasons, each team in the NFL has matched players with artists for the #MyCauseMyCleats initiative. This year, Charlotte Is Creative helped the Panthers identify six artists who worked on the Black Lives Matter Murals in Charlotte and Spartanburg to design shoes for six Panther players.
Help Us Identify 2020’s Unsung Creative Heroes
This year, creatives across Charlotte lifted up our community. They were hurting. They were scared. They were uncertain. But, they put their creative passions to work to give voices to those deserving to be heard. They made us look at those going unseen. They made us laugh, cry, think and realize we are not alone.
And, many of them did it without recognition. Let’s end that.
Please help us identify the “Unsung Creative Heroes of 2020” so we can lift them up in a January feature here in The Biscuit. To do so, click the button below and let us know:
- Who used their creative and artistic powers to carry this community in 2020?
- Who did the work without the credit?
- Which creatives deserve more love in 2021?
 PHOTO CREDIT: Brooke Brown Dear Frontline Gives Artistic Props to Essential Workers
Last week, the Oakland, California artist Kate Deciccio and her team painted a new, temporary mural on the back of the Mecklenburg Investment Company Building 229 S. Brevard Street.
This new mural was funded by Dear Frontline, a community art initiative managed and produced by Big Bowl of Ideas, a Black-owned creative public affairs firm from Los Angeles. Brooklyn Collective and Studio 229 on Brevard were partners on the project.
The mural promotes fair wages for frontline workers and mail and delivery personnel. The efforts are funded through Kickstarter.
“We hope the community will come by and visit, take photos and spread the word that the frontline in all industries deserves recognition and fair compensation for the fact that they risk their lives daily on our behalf,” said Monique Douglas, director of community engagement and board member of Brooklyn Collective.
The mural is expected to remain on display at the corner of 3rd and S. Brevard Streets for at least six months.
Dear Frontline also allows you to write a message and send an online postcard to a frontline worker. Do that here.
VIDEO: A Holiday Bedtime Story for Charlotte
Christmas is almost upon us, and Santa is revving up his sleigh. If you’re like us, you’re finding it hard to sleep from all the excitement. That’s why we called in an expert — Nick de la Canal of WFAE — to read us a bedtime story. He chose “Goodnight Queen,” a little tale about life in the city we love.
“… Goodnight queso
And, goodnight K-pop
Goodnight post-season
Goodnight ramen shop
And, goodnight to the orange barrels making us stop …”
This parody video was produced in partnership with Charlotte Star Room.
PODCAST: A Chat with Jody Mace of Charlotte On the Cheap
For more than a decade, Charlotte on the Cheap has shared news about free and cheap happenings across the Charlotte region. During the pandemic, Editor Jody Mace has redoubled her efforts, making sure we all know that, despite closures and social distancing, Charlotte performers, restaurants, museums and destinations are still open for business.
Jody puts herself at the service of the community day in and day out, writing hundreds of articles a year. And, we want you to get to know the woman behind the emails. Jody and The Biscuit’s Tim Miner met up for a quick chat about her work and why it’s important that everyone has a chance to enjoy their city. Listen here.
Every time we pass this installation at the Scaleybark light rail station on South Blvd., we can’t help but daydream about giant cookies. (No, our diet isn’t going very well. Thank you for asking.)
All jokes aside, these six large disks known as “Furrow” were created by Raleigh artist Thomas Sayre through a process called “earthcasting,” which Sayre himself developed. The process involves digging large shapes from the earth to create a mold and filling them with reinforced concrete and iron oxide.
The steel-reinforced sculptures might look thin and fragile, but you don’t need to worry about these cookies crumbling. Each 11-ton disk was designed to withstand hurricane-force winds.
According to Sayre’s website, the installation was “inspired by the harrow disks used for centuries to cultivate farmland; the forms pay tribute to the location’s agricultural past.”
DIRECTIONS: 3750 South Blvd., Charlotte, N.C. 28209
Don’t go ’round hungry. If you missed the last batch of The Biscuit, don’t worry. We’ve kept it warm for you. This batch featured:
- A look at Leandro Manzo’s latest exhibition and creative friendship with Michal Bay
- An album of COVID-related holiday hits
- Charlotte Art League’s podcast chat with Rosa Renteria
- Our New Best Friend, @_CharlotteEAST
- Holiday #PhotoSafari suggestions to get you out of the house
- A tasty trip into the history of Anderson’s pecan pie
Click here to dig in, y‘all.
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