Reflections from Charlotte SHOUT! – From One Artist to Another
As an artist, Charlotte SHOUT! is one of my favorite times of the year. Charlotte’s art and culture is on full display… literally. Stages, performances, interactive art, installations, vendor markets and workshops fill Uptown. The streets are alive with sunshine, spring… and yes, pollen. But that doesn’t stop families, neighbors and creatives from coming together to experience it all. And that’s the magic of SHOUT!. It’s not just about what’s created. It’s about what’s shared. This year, we took a moment to sit down with a few of the creatives behind the work to reflect on their events, their process and the role experiences like this play in building a stronger, more connected Charlotte. Meet them below: 
Dominique Prescott
IG: @dapdesignzThrough nine interactive stamp stations placed across Uptown, artist Dominique Prescott created a citywide experience rooted in storytelling and movement. Prescott designed The Stamp Station as a public art installation tied to her children’s book, Shayla Goes to SHOUT!. Each stop features a unique stamp that helps complete the story as Shayla and her family explore the city. The book itself was embedded in the SHOUT! Guidebook, making it easy for participants to follow along and keep. What could have been a simple installation became something much more interactive and personal. “I built this because I wanted to create something that gets people moving through Uptown with curiosity at the forefront,” Dominique says. “Something that engages with the city and its art.” “Charlotte is home, and I love getting to make unique experiences for it.” 
Co-curators Kathleen Finch and Ali Loncar brought together artists across mediums for a multi-layered experience that blended live mural painting, interactive workshops, fashion, breakdancing, poetry, music and more. But beyond the programming, what stood out most was accessibility. At EdgeFest, artists weren’t just showcasing their work. They were creating in real time, vending and inviting audiences into their process. Young attendees, many of whom were aspiring creatives, watched these works unfold, asked questions and stepped in closer. Finch and Loncar reflected on EdgeFest: placing street art and live creation in a high-traffic, highly-visible environment like SHOUT! allows these experiences to reach people who may not typically attend a street art-oriented event. And the community responded. Many creatives were able to sell their work, get paid to participate and return from previous events, strengthening relationships and building deeper connections within the community. “Executing events like this makes us braver. Braver to try and explore,” the team shared. “It’s a beautiful thing to behold.” 
When four South African wine makers were scheduled to come to Charlotte, the timing aligned with a plan Brion Cephus, also known as The Certified Wino, already had in mind. Cephus’ goal was simple: show that wine doesn’t have to be elitist. It can be approachable, affordable and something people grow to love over time. And when nearly 100 guests came for a social night out, they left with something more. Braai & Bottles blended music, food and storytelling into an immersive, creative environment. The event connected audiences with the pillars of SHOUT!: a curated playlist, a live cooking demo from Chef Taylor Kastl of The Teal Turnip, a crash course in wine tasting and regions, and dramatic, artistically-crafted grazing boards. Even the smallest details helped transport guests beyond Uptown, from the scent of burning herbs to a mapped journey of wine locations, fun facts and connections back to Charlotte SHOUT!. “There was a strong sense of community that I was able to see in real time,” Cephus says. “I got to see the power of SHOUT! bringing individuals from different circles together and watching them intersect.” 
We here at Charlotte Is Creative (publisher of The Biscuit) facilitated ArtSearch this year for three weekends of SHOUT!, where ten artists each customized five 4×4-inch canvases to hide around events and experiences in Uptown. Whoever found a piece of hidden artwork got to keep it. It was amazing to see how quickly the canvases were discovered (maybe we need to hide them better next year!) and, in some cases, we even got to see who picked them up. So we had to share this moment from ArtSearch at the Charlotte StrEATs Festival. One of the pieces by Sally Stokes of Play More Charlotte was discovered by the cutest art collector we’ve seen all month. [VIDEO] Arts, community and memories. That is what SHOUT! is about: creating moments where music, art, ideas and food don’t just coexist, they connect.
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