East Coast Helps The West Coast — Charlotte Artists Inspire Black Lives Matter Mural in Palo Alto The Black Lives Matter mural in Palo Alto. PHOTO CREDIT: Benny Villarreal The impact of Charlotte’s Black Lives Matter mural has reverberated through the Queen City … but it hasn’t stopped there. The team that worked on the June 9 mural on the 200 block of South Tryon Street has helped other communities create their own mural through sharing templates and measurements (in Seattle) and even jumping in and lending a hand (in Spartanburg, SC). The best practices developed by the Charlotte team has been shared and used across the country and the globe. One of the most vibrant examples is the Black Lives Matter mural painted in Palo Alto, California, pictured above. See a larger version of the Palo Alto mural and get links to the artists who created it here.


Major Global Shifts Make Local News More Vital Than EverWFAE’s Chief Content Officer and Executive Vice President, Ju-Don Marshall, is on her second tour of duty in Charlotte. During her first stint 25 years ago, she worked at the Charlotte Observer. Now, she oversees news and programming for one of the country’s leading public radio stations. In this batch of the Biscuit Blitz, Matt Olin blitzes Ju-Don about how the pandemic has intensified her role at the station, the expansion of their digital presence and why local programming is so vital during major global shifts (HINT: all news is local).

Get Ink-cited About National Tattoo DayTo celebrate National Tattoo Day, we’ve compiled a list of a few Charlotte tattoo shops that always catch our eye when drive by (and scroll by on Instagram). Each of these parlors is filled to the brim with talented artists who run the gamut of styles, designs, and ideas. This is by no means a definitive list of the dozens of shops and hundreds of talented artists in Charlotte, but it’s a great place to start if you’re looking to get your first (or 20th) permanent masterpiece. View our list (and help us add to it) here!
 It’s Still Okay to HUG … with $250 Donations
It may very well be the only way to give a socially distanced HUG left on earth. Each month, Charlotte is Creative awards HUGs (Helpful Unfettered Gifts) — $250 strings-free micro-grants — to creative and innovative Queen City individuals and projects. Eight HUGs were given at the monthly gathering of CreativeMornings/Charlotte on July 10: Podcasts and Media – Adrian Freeman – El3phant in the Room – Jinna Kim – Documentary Film – William Jenkins – Project Rough Cuts Creative Community Engagement – Marjorie Wrenn – Child Proof Advice – Angelika Crawford – Jumping Dreams DD Visual – Joanne Rogers – 9189 Studio Gallery Music and Performance – Cyanca Sanders – Jason Jet HUG Micro-Grants are sponsored by T. Reid & Company, Savvy and Company, Google Fiber and generous individual and one-time donors, like the Queen City Podcast Network. Applications for August HUGs are open now at HUGGrant.com.

There’s Still Time to Shop for GoodYou’ve got two more days to shop ’til you drop … for GOOD. SHARE Charlotte’s Shop for GOOD week kicked off Monday and ends this Sunday, July 19. The goal of the week is to shop for and donate the items local nonprofits need to run their programs and organizations. It’s an easy way to see exactly what these organizations need and lend them support. The best part is items are shipped directly to the nonprofit’s doorstep AND you know exactly where your money is going! Find hundreds of nonprofit wishlists and more information at shopforgoodclt.org.


Explore the Spine … ONLINE! Thursday, July 23 from 6:30-8PMOrthoCarolina, in partnership with Experience Anatomy, will host the next installment of its online Orthopedic Anatomy Series on July 23. This time, experts on hand will lead attendees through an exploration of the spine. Surgeons will discuss injuries that are common to the spine and take any questions from the audience in real-time. The series aims to help people learn more about how their bodies work in order to keep themselves in good working order. No RSVP is required for this series and you just need to go to Facebook or Youtube to connect. So tune in (and sit and watch with your best posture). Charlotte Is Creative’s Matt Olin will emcee this interactive event (but, don’t let that deter you from attending).

Voltron Eat Your Heart Out! 12 Charlotte-Based Film Festivals Combine for 1CLT Film Festival July 25 & 26It’s no surprise that 2020 has not been kind to film festivals. But, it may be a surprise to you that Charlotte is home to an incredible array of them. And, when creatives are painted into a corner, they usually come out swinging. Announced this week, a free two-day online film festival — 1CLT Film Fest — was born out of a partnership of 12 different Queen City film fests working together. It will be available online on July 25 and 26. Participating groups span the entire world, subject, genre and language of cinema. They include: Carolina Film Community, Carolina Film Festival, Charlotte Film Festival, Cine Casual Film Series, CineOdyssey Film Fest, 15 Short Film Festival, Charlotte 48-Hour Jewish Film Festival, Charlotte Unconventional Film School, Classic Black Cinema Series, Queen City Cinephiles and Reel Out CLT. A complete line-up of films to be shown isn’t available, but we will share it when it is. Until then, visit 1CLTFilmFest.com for more information.
 
Give a Damn … and #COUNTONMECLTMay the COVID not be with you. The new #COUNTONMECLT campaign is a call to action that has been issued to Charlotteans across the Queen City: Wear a mask. Wash Your Hands. Stay 6 feet apart. Who are we to argue? We’ve done our part to show that masks are cool and they mean you care. But, all jokes aside … wear a mask in public for your protection and that of others!
 
It’s looking like a hot weekend ahead, so we are preemptively telling you where you need to go get some ice cream (and a burger or two) to cool off. Mr. K’s Soft Ice Cream is an #OGCLT establishment that has stood the test of time on its little corner of South Boulevard. Since 1967, Mr. K’s has been a staple in the diet of many Charlotteans who love the simple things in life. A burger. Some fries. And, of course, a chocolate-vanilla swirl ice cream cone. Does it get much better than that? Fun Fact: When Theodore Karres started the restaurant in 1967, it was called Zesto. It was in 1971 that the name was changed to the iconic Mr. K’s Soft Ice Cream we know today. Directions: 2107 South Blvd, Charlotte, NC 28203 This Queen City exploration was powered by OrthoCarolina.

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 features stories about: - Rocio Gonzalez & the Latin American Chamber’s efforts to support businesses federal programs won’t
- The call to real change in White-led organizations by NC Black Artists for Liberation
- A new place for creatives underway in East Town Market’s retail space
- John Howard’s 30-day TV show graphic challenge
- An invitation to ACT:NOW Act II
- A trip to Old City Hall
Click here to dig in, y‘all. The Biscuit is proudly sponsored by: |  |
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