The Crown is alive … with the sound of Creativity!
Gracie Bryant SHOUTs from the Rooftops to Lift Neighbor’s SpiritsIn anticipation of Charlotte SHOUT! later this year and to celebrate the creative spirit of our city that is alive, well and helping all of us keep going under the current conditions, we’re asking Charlotte musicians to film themselves performing songs within earshot of the neighbors. In this edition of “SHOUTing from the Rooftops,” 13-year-old musical theater up-and-comer Gracie Bryant gives us her take on Alanis Morissette’s “One Hand In My Pocket.” She’s been singing for her neighbors to keep them entertained … and now she sings for us. Gracie says, “To other Charlotte Creatives of any age, I would say to just take this time to continue to work on your art and music. Now is NOT the time to stop singing or creating art because it is the time that everyone needs our ART the most!” Hit the “pause” button on the day and hit “play” on Gracie’s song. You’ll thank us. All good things, Tim Miner & Matt Olin
Charlotte Is Creative 
QC Creative Challenge: Love for the Charlotte Restaurant CommunityJust like Gracie Byant’s song above, we asked the Queen City creative community to help us thank local restaurant workers. We announced a creative contest last week and were amazed by the response we got. Jeff Dubinsky was selected for the video reminding all of us of the people who worked to make our restaurants great, employ our neighbors and feed us all. Of the project, he said: “I thought I’d put together something from our shoots with the charlotte restaurants.” Watch it here and please take it and share it on your own feed with the hashtag #QCCreativeChallenge. Runner Up – Lisa FarleyWhile Jeff’s video edged it out for the $50 prize, we absolutely love the playfulness of this image from Lisa Farley and had to share it with you.  PHOTO CREDIT: Lisa Farley The Next Creative ContestTo take part in the next contest to create a social media image or video to thank Charlotte-area teachers, please click here for information and get us a sketch of your idea no later than 11pm on Sunday, May 3. The QC Creative Contest was managed by Charlotte Is Creative in partnership with Charlotte Center City Partners and Charlotte SHOUT!
Challenge Accepted! More than 2,500 Students Answer Ascend’s CallWith students working from home over the past few weeks, in-person public school canceled through the remainder of the school year and an uncertain future leading to the fall, the need to find ways to engage, enthrall and reward students is acute. The world has thrown the gauntlet for educators. Ascend, a Charlotte-based education technology startup has thrown it back. Ascend creates goal-setting software for middle and high school students. During stay-at-home orders, Ascent launched a free program called Challenge Accepted!, a program that rewards participating students for performing simple tasks they can do while at home. Through the completion of these small goals, students earn points and a chance to win money for college scholarships. To date, more than 2,500 students have participated in Challenge Accepted!.
Biscuit Blitz: Carlos Alexis Cruz Creates without a NetCarlos Alexis Cruz is an Associate Professor of Physical Theatre at UNCC and an Arts and Science Council McColl Award winner. That award led him to launch Nouveau Sud, a contemporary social circus initiative that strives to create a meaningful and thought-provoking dialogue on social issues through the use of movement, acrobatics, spoken word and other various physical art forms. On today’s Biscuit Blitz, he chats with Matt Olin about life in the COVID-19 crisis and how we’re all performing without a net.
 PHOTO CREDIT: Bethany Otten The Live Events May be Canceled, but Pride Carries OnWe try to be pretty cheery around here at The Biscuit and Charlotte Is Creative. Difficult things happen, we’re not blind to them. But we choose to look for positive, creative stories around the Queen City … because they are everywhere. Like you, reading about the live events, concerts and gatherings we love being postponed or canceled outright has been difficult to look past. Each one has saddened us, but finding out this week that Charlotte Pride and Charlotte Black Pride had canceled their respective July and August events was a kick in the gut. It’s no secret that we believe in the innate creativity in every Charlottean and the fact that everyone is welcome and loved in the creative community here. Pride events are beautiful expressions of this. But, we know this is only a momentary pause. Both groups have pledged to create virtual and smaller in-person events as allowed. When those plans are solidified we will share them through The Biscuit. Until then, we invite you to remember the unabashed color, whimsey, passion and purpose of Charlotte Pride through the work of local photographer, Bethany Otten. Experience Charlotte Pride 2019 through Bethany’s lens.
The Camp North End Community Gives QC Creatives a Big HUGFor the last few weeks, tenants at Camp North End have sold “Camp At Home” care packages to give Charlotteans a taste of what they’re missing just North of Uptown. This week, the package features: - Instant from Hex Coffee
- A mug from Hygge
- A “thinking cap” from MacFly Fresh
- The book, “Sprint,” gifted by Wily
- Pencils and a greeting card from Good Postage
And, there is a wonderful surprise — All proceeds from this $35 box will benefit the HUG Micro-Grant program! We are set to issue another round of $100 micro-grants next week, so the timing is perfect. Thank you.
NoDa Gets “Yarn Bombed” with LoveIf you can’t get INTO a building to see art, then the art needs to head outside. Thankfully, Charlotte’s burgeoning mural culture has gotten all of us used to that concept over the last few years and looking for something new around every corner and on every available wall. But, putting textile art installations into the world is a little new. Last year, artist Jillian Mueller of C3Lab received a HUG micro-grant for creating “yarn bomb” art installations she knitted. Now, she’s teamed up with Kat Sanchez Standfield to wish neighbors well with their “Take Care” installation in NoDa. We spotted it on a fence leading to the main NoDa drag last weekend. The pair has since added flowers to it and reinstalled it at Rhino Market on North Davidson Street. “I made it because I strongly believe in the power of public art. As artists, we interpret and document the events of the world, and I felt it was necessary to project what I had seen happening in the community — people offering to help one another, organizing, and volunteering,” said Kat. “When we tell each other to take care it carries whole new meaning and I hope the piece makes people feel supported and united.”
We’re collecting links to creative events and resources happening all over the Queen City. If you’re ready to press “pause” on Netflix, check out our calendar of creative online events. Here’s one we’re really excited about.
LIVE! From the Print Shop
TODAY – May 1
Virtual events are popping up all over Charlotte and, today, the team at MacFly Fresh Print Shop jumps into the fray with the “Live At The Print” — a live concert series “merging sonically diverse artistry with brand awareness via printed T-Shirts courtesy of DRC apparel created simultaneously in real-time.” Musical artists will perform 3 songs per episode backed up by a live band. The inaugural event is today, May 1. Watch the teaser video here. Check into the event here!
Everyone Is Welcome (To Join CM/CLT’s Zoom Event)
CreativeMornings/Charlotte May Meeting
Friday, May 8 – 8:15-10am
CreativeMornings/Charlotte cordially invites you to what could potentially be the greatest sequel of all time, Zoomapalooza 2: Domestic Boogaloo. On Friday, May 8, CM/CLT will take to Zoom to bring you a booster shot of creativity and help recharge your batteries for the rest of the month. This month, Demi Clark, the founder of She Built This City, will join CM/CLT as the guest speaker to discuss the global theme of “Nature.” To participate in this morning of creativity, community and conversation be sure to register for your spot on Monday, May 4 at 9am by using this link.
BOINGO Graphics Bouncing BackCharlottean Linda Kirby is executive vice president of Boingo Graphics, an active supporter of the Queen City nonprofit and creative community through their Boingo Cares program. Like most small businesses, Boingo has had to think fast to serve their customers and keep their team employed. It wasn’t easy. We asked Linda about the strategies they’ve enacted to shift and share her comments here, unedited, with her permission.
#CharlotteStrongApril 30 was the sad one-year anniversary of the mass shooting on the campus of UNC Charlotte that claimed the lives of 19-year old Ellis Reed Parlier and 21-year-old Riley Howell. It’s difficult to decide how to honor the event and celebrate the lives that were lost. Yesterday was replete with beautiful memorials. As we thought about it at The Biscuit, we remembered watching Charlotte artists John Hairston, Jr. and Mike Wirth (who are faculty members at UNC Charlotte and Queens University respectively) collaborating on a #CharlotteStrong mural at last year’s Charlotte SHOUT! festival, which took place in the immediate wake of the shooting. See more of their work together on this mural.
Why is The Manor a Charlotte Staple? This.This week, the Manor Theatre on Providence Road reminded us what we should all be saying more these days: Thank you. We are grateful for all those who are keeping us safe, healthy and fed during these unprecedented times. And we are grateful for the Manor. It’s no wonder why Charlotte has loved The Manor Theater since 1947.
CLT Bedtime Story: Nick Reads Good Night QueenHey there, Crown Town. If you’re anything like us at The Biscuit, you have a really hard time falling asleep during the COVID-19 outbreak. That’s why we called in an expert — Nick de la Canal of WFAE — to read us “Goodnight Queen,” a bedtime story all about life in Charlotte and help us all drift off to sleep, dreaming of the city of love. Nighty night, everyone.
Dr. Mario has some health advice to help get you through quarantine: 1.) Wash your hands. 2.) Grab a beer. 3.) Play 2 rounds of your favorite video game and call him in the morning. This installation inspired by the 1990 puzzle video game Dr. Mario which featured everyone’s favorite Italian plumber trading in his overalls for a lab coat to fight off some fiendish viruses. Dr. Mario has recently opened his newest practice over in NoDa at Abari Game Bar, Charlotte’s first vintage game bar. The bar is closed for the time being to adhere to the stay-at-home order but you can still support your friendly neighborhood bar-cade by purchasing Abari merch and gift cards on their online store or by watching their occasional video game live streams over on Twitch. The piece was created and installed by the Charlotte-based design and fabrication shop 8Lincoln30. Directions: 1721 N Davidson St, Charlotte, NC 28206
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