Charlotte Musician Finds His NoteWorthy Voice
Seeger, Baez, Dylan, Quisol
There’s a rich history of American singer/activists. One lives here in Charlotte.
“When I went to the Blumenthal to record the NoteWorthy concert, that was the first time I’d ever been there in person. I lived here for 15 years before I left, and I’d never witnessed classical music until after I went to college. And all because of finances.” – Musician/cultural organizer Quisol
Meet Quisol, a Charlotte native out to change the world through music and activism. And then tune in to NoteWorthy on Facebook Live June 30 at 7:30 p.m. to hear his music as even he has never heard it before.
NoteWorthy concerts – a series created by WDAV Classical Public Radio and FAIR PLAY Music Equity Initiative with support from OrthoCarolina, Blumenthal Performing Arts and the Arts & Science Council – pairs a local singer/songwriter of color with classical musicians.
City of Charlotte Seeks Arts & Culture Officer
The City of Charlotte is accepting applications for the newly created position of Arts & Cultural Officer. The position reports directly to the city manager to “shape the future of arts and culture in the Charlotte community.” This is a full-time position, but is expected to end after three years.
Per the official job description, the arts & culture officer will “be charged with developing and establishing the implementation infrastructure for a cultural plan for Charlotte that helps both fulfill the goal of building a framework for a sustainable and thriving creative community from emerging artists to established, legacy institutions. This will require incorporating feedback and insights from a diverse set of perspectives across the cultural landscape in Charlotte.”
Find out more information on this position here. The application period opened June 22 and will close July 19.
More Art and Activism on Beatties Ford Rd.
“Showing love with and within our communities is part of the process of increasing proximity to each other to grow, share and understand. In our communities, art acts as an invitation to conversation and connection between people who live in and out of the area.” – Charlotte artist Makayla Binter
Last weekend, several local artists completed a new mural on Lulia Market in West Charlotte as part of the #BeattiesFordStrong movement (PICTURED ABOVE). This Saturday, two of them — Makayla Binter and Ricky Singh — are spearheading another community event.
Titled “Blackness is …,” the event combines a community clean-up with music, food, live painting and airbrushing demonstrations. Binter and Singh will be joined by artists Frankie Zombie and DeNeer Davis, as well as organizations For the Struggle, The Underground Art Bus and Impact Global International.
The public is invited to participate in the clean-up and create custom hats, pins and headbands to take home.
The June 26 event is from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. in front of The Dooby Shop School of Cosmetology at 2107 Beatties Ford Rd.
Photo Credit (Above): Brooke Brown
Goodyear Artists & SOCO Gallery are Cheerful
“Joy is a creative act.” Those words were spoken by artist Holly Keogh about SOCO Gallery’s latest exhibition, REASONS TO BE CHEERFUL.
Keogh, who is the curator of the exhibit, has framed the showing as a “Goodyear Arts Takeover.” Each artist featured in the exhibit is a member of the diverse Goodyear Arts Collective based right here in Charlotte. They include:
The exhibition runs from June 22 – August 7, 2021 at SOCO Gallery. For more information on the exhibition, click here.
Photo Credit (Above): SOCO Gallery
So much creative news! Below are snapshots of five timely creative stories and links to learn more about each.
 Mike Daikubara’s watercolor sketch of Price’s Chicken Coop ONE: Price’s Chicken Coop Closes After 59 Years
Unless you were hiding in a sensory deprivation tank last week, you know that South End staple Price’s Chicken Coop closed for business after 59 years, citing market challenges (labor, coin availability, food costs) as the reason. The lines of hundreds of hungry (and nostalgic) Charlotteans wrapped around the building — a tribute to a Charlotte culinary and cultural institution.
The once lively storefront now stands empty. But, artists can find beauty even in sadness, as local urban sketcher, Mike Daikubara, did in the drawing he posted on Instagram.
TWO: Close City Council Vote Adopts the 2040 Plan
As reported by our media partner, WFAE, the Charlotte City Council voted in favor of adopting the 2040 Comprehensive Plan by a slim margin of 6 votes to 5 Monday night. The plan was developed under the direction of the city’s Assistant City Manager and Director of Planning, Design & Development Taiwo Jayeoba. It is intended to guide development and city investments for the next two decades.
A portion of the plan, which would allow duplexes and triplexes in areas currently zoned only for single-family homes, remained in the adopted plan, despite a last-minute measure to strike it from the final plan mounted by District 3 Councilmember Victoria Watlington. To read WFAE’s full story, click here. To view the 2040 plan, click here.
THREE: Theatre Charlotte Takes it On The Road
Last December, Theatre Charlotte’s building at 501 Queens Road was severely damaged in an electrical fire. Repairs are underway, but the historic building isn’t yet suitable for performances.
Since the fire, Theatre Charlotte has continued to offer programming and announced Wednesday that it will produce six shows and other programs in various locations around Charlotte for its 94th season. The musical line-up includes:
- The Fantasticks – Sept. 2-19, 2021 at The Palmer Building
- All Together Now – Nov. 12-14, 2021 at Dilworth United Methodist Church
- A Christmas Carol – Dec. 16-19, 2021 at CPCC’s Halton Theatre
- Smoke on the Mountain – Jan. 27-Feb. 12, 2022 at The Great Aunt Stella Center
- Love, Loss and What I Wore – March 24-April 10, 2022 at Camp North End, Warehouse 242, Mint Museum Randolph and Palmer Building
- Detroit ’67 – May 26-June 5, 2022 at a location TBD
Ticket sales for Theatre Charlotte’s 94th season open June 25 and can be purchased on their website.
FOUR: Five More AAPI Creatives to Know
In honor of May’s Asian-American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, we have featured profiles of some of Charlotte’s most dynamic and exciting AAPI creatives sourced from our Instagram followers. The response was so great, that we have continued into June. This week, meet our final five featured creatives — Evelyn Tsai, Mark Borja, Malu Tan, Varsha Pradhan and Pooja Nair. Click here to get to know them.
FIVE: More National Acts Announced for SHOUT!
Blumenthal Performing Arts has announced three performances they’re adding to this fall’s Charlotte SHOUT! line-up:
- Author, chef, and Queer Eye co-host, Antoni Porowski on Sept. 20
- Renowned therapist, speaker, and podcaster, Esther Perel on Sept. 22
- New York Times bestselling novelist and storyteller, Nicholas Sparks on Sept. 23
Tickets for each speaker go on sale Friday, June 25, 2021 at 10am. More information and ticket links here.
From Charlotte With Love
As one South End icon was saying goodbye, another was coming onto the scene. On Monday, artist Garrison Gist put the finishing touches on a mural he created at Wooden Robot Brewing during South End Blooms, a six-weeks series of pop-up art installations which ended Sunday.
The new work was a collaboration with Rel Mariano, a.k.a. “Trash Genius,” creator of the “From Charlotte with Love” brand, and the brewery, South End and Charlotte Is Creative.
While most of the South End Blooms installations were temporary, this mural, and one by Amber Thompson nearing completion at the Holiday Inn Express on S. Tryon St., are here to stay.
Photo Credit: Rel Mariano a.k.a Trash Genius
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 four Charlotte artists who painted portraits of the past
- A behind-the-numbers peek at Immersive Van Gogh
Click here to dig in, y‘all.
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