BEFORE 2022 IS OUT … START SOMETHING
Your inner voice may say, “I can’t do this.”
Or, “There’s not enough time.”
Pay it no mind. Others may tell you to wait.
Don’t listen to them. There will be obstacles,
Swerve around them. There will be questions.
They don’t all have to be answered. Perfectionism will tell you you’re not ready.
Tell perfectionism it can piss off. You’ll think up a million reasons to stop.
But, all you need is the one reason to start. The week ahead is full of opportunities.
Seize them. Let nothing deter you. Get to the “GO.”
ROBERT BUSH, RETIRED PRESIDENT OF ASC, PASSES AWAY AT 70Yesterday, Robert Bush, former president of the Arts & Science Council (ASC) passed away at the age of 70. Bush worked at ASC for 19 years. He retired in 2019 after five years as the president. He was a passionate advocate for the arts in neighborhoods across the city of Charlotte and we will miss his heart and his leadership. For more information on Robert’s legacy, visit the ASC blog. | MORE INFO PHOTO CREDIT: ASC
THE CHARLOTTE LAB SCHOOL KICKS IT WITH ASICSAt a special “friends and family night” at their upper school campus on S. Tryon Street, the Charlotte Lab School unveiled two new designs for Asics GEL-LTYE 5 sneakers. These were the result of a partnership between the shoe company and Lab students. Those interested in buying a pair (or two) of their own are invited to the official shoe launch from 5 to 7 p.m. on Dec. 16 at Social Status (1519 Central Ave.) In addition, an Asics store, run and managed by students, will open soon inside the Lab Upper School. | MORE INFO ABOVE: Garrison Gist holding one of the new designs
THE GREAT MUSICAL EXPERIMENT ROLLS ONThe third session of OneBand, a program created by Matt Olin, co-founder of Charlotte Is Creative, returns to Divine Barrel Brewing on Tuesday, Dec. 13 at 6:30 p.m. Like the sessions before, OneBand features songs performed by a group of amateur and professional musicians assembled for one rehearsal and one performance. The evening’s set list is: - “Dogs Days Are Over” by Florence + the Machine
- “Don’t Dream It’s Over” by Crowded House
- “The Letter” by Joe Cocker
- “Christmas In Hollis” by Run-DMC
There is no admission cost for the performance. The StrudelTeig food truck will be on site serving German cuisine. ABOVE: OneBand rehearsing at Jam Box
DRINK COFFEE. MEET CREATIVES. The next gathering of Coffee With Creatives, organized by Charlotte Is Creative, is Monday, Dec., 19 from 10 to 11:30 a.m. at a coffee shop near uptown. The first cup is on the house. (Ssssshh! It’s a secret for now.) Coffee With Creatives is a casual meet-up designed to introduce an intimate group of creatives to one another. Over the course of 90 minutes, participants share what they’re working on, ask for help they may need and offer help they can provide others in the circle. Those interested in attending should e-mail hello@charlotteiscreative.com by 8 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 11. All names will be entered into a randomizer. The first 15 will receive instructions on where to meet. | MORE INFO
JENNIFER APPLEBY AND WRAY WARD DONATE 30 HUGSOn Dec. 2, Wray Ward and its president and chief creative officer, Jennifer Appleby, donated funds for 30 HUG (Helpful Unfettered Gift) micro-grants. Each $250 HUG will help advance creative individuals and their projects, as well as honor Appleby’s 30 years of service to the agency and to Charlotte’s arts and culture community. Earlier this fall, Wray Ward announced that Appleby would be exiting day-to-day agency management and transitioning to be the agency’s executive chair in January. Accompanying this change, current executive vice president, Kent Panther, will become Wray Ward’s new president and chief executive officer. Panther and Appleby also announced that Wray Ward would provide two years of support to Charlotte Is Creative in the form of a special extension of the agency’s EmpoWWer program, a service-based grant for local nonprofits. MORE HERE. ABOVE: Tim Miner, Kent Panther, Jennifer Appleby and Matt Olin
CREDIT: Kathy D. Williams & Jennifer Hastings
FIVE LOCAL CREATIVES GET HUGGED IN DECEMBER Speaking of HUGS, four local artists were each awarded a $250 HUG micro-grants at the December gathering of CreativeMornings/Charlotte. They are: - Nia Stormer – HUG will help finance a residency at Jason Jet’s GrindHaus Studios
- Joanna Henry – HUG will pay for marketing materials and tools for an upcoming exhibition
- Eliana Esquivel – HUG will pay for epoxy resin needed for a new art piece
- Kate Bankston – HUG will cover moving costs for a new piano headed to her teaching studio
In addition, Natasha White of B Helpful Love Inc. got a Helping Hand HUG, a $300 credit at the Charlotte Community Tool Bank. This credit will enable the organization to rent tools and equipment to programs designed to enhance quality of life for senior citizens and unhoused Charlotteans. The HUG program is sponsored by the LendingTree Foundation and NoDa Brewing. This month two HUGS were funded by Splatter CLT and the Morgan Family. | MORE INFO. ABOVE: HUG recipient Eliana Esquivel
Get caught up! Here’s a snapshot of ten items of creative coolness taking place across the Queen City. 
ONE – NEW ART FROM THREE CREATIVES DROPS AT THE DROP On Nov. 15, Charlotte Is Creative dropped the curtain on a new mobile mural created by three local artists – Ricky Singh, Danyelle Ray and Ty McBride in honor of the #BeattiesFordStrong movement. The work will be featured on the labels of special Divine Barrel Brewing beer cans distributed across the state in 2023. It will remain on display at Divine Barrel until a new mural replaces it in March. | MORE INFO ABOVE: The Drop’s “Going Together” mural | CREDIT: Dave Kaminsky TWO – HUNNID DOLLAR ART FAIR – DEC. 8-10 If you’re in the market for unique holiday gifts created by a Charlotte-based artist, Santa’s come a bit early for you this year. BlkMrktClt has organized more than 60 local creatives to create new works for the Hunnid Dollar Art Fair in the Ford Building at Camp North End. All work sold at the three-day installation will be available for $100. | MORE INFO THREE – WINTER JURIED ART SHOW AT CHARLOTTE ART LEAGUE – DEC. 9
All are invited to the opening reception of the Charlotte Art League’s newest juried art show from 6 to 9 p.m. tonight. The evening will feature live music from Letron Brantley, a sculpting performance by Peter Rubino and the opening of an exhibition of work from Tanya Murphy. | MORE INFO FOUR – MATTHEWS PLANNING “POTTERY PARK” As reported in The Charlotte Ledger, the town of Matthews is working to transform a pottery kiln and workshop built on 1.5 acres in the 1950s into Outen Pottery Park, a self-guided cultural museum. FIVE – CHANGE UNDERWAY AT FOUNDATION FOR THE CAROLINAS Foundation for the Carolinas is experiencing changes in its longtime leadership. Earlier this year, FFTC president Michael Marsicano announced he would retire at the end of the year. Executive vice president Brian Collier is also departing to serve as the inaugural president of the Gambrell Foundation. | MORE INFO SIX – LEADING ON OPPORTUNITY LAUNCHES OPPORTUNITY COMPASS This week, Leading On Opportunity launched its Opportunity Compass, “a data visualization tool for measuring Charlotte-Mecklenburg’s collective progress towards improving economic mobility.” The Compass uses publicly available data from 2015-2019 to establish a baseline for measuring mobility growth in the city. | MORE INFO SEVEN – THREE GRANTS OPEN THROUGH NORTH CAROLINA HUMANITIES Regional creatives are encouraged to apply for one or more 2023 grants recently announced by the North Carolina Humanities. These grants, each with its own deadlines and focus areas, are available to “libraries, museums, historical societies, and other cultural and educational nonprofit organizations. | MORE INFO EIGHT – EASTER EGGS ON PARADE MARCHING AGAIN IN 2023 Charlotte Center City Partners has announced the lucky 13 artists who will create giant, decorated eggs taking over Romare Bearden Park at Charlotte SHOUT! 2023. On display from March 31 to April 16, this will be the second year for the installation. Easter Eggs on Parade proved to be one of the most visited and “Instagrammable” exhibitions at this year’s festival. | MORE INFO NINE – 20 ARTISTS SELECTED FOR ARTPOP CLASS OF 2023 ArtPop Street Gallery announced its incoming class of artists from Mecklenburg, Union, Catawba, Lincoln, Gaston and York (South Carolina) counties. Two of them, Arthur Rogers Jr. and Leigh B. Williams, are returning ArtPop artists. One, Haley Horner, is a senior at Fort Mill High School. She will receive a $1,500 scholarship to assist her pursuit of an arts degree. One work from each artist will be promoted through $7 million in advertising space across the Charlotte region. Each will enjoy a $500 honorarium. | MORE INFO TEN – DRINK. DRAW. MAKE NEW CREATIVE FRIENDS On the way to the new year, the Charlotte chapter of AIGA (American Institute of Graphic Arts) is hosting a drink and draw event at Free Range Brewing from 6:30 to 8:30 pm. on Wednesday, Dec. 28. Illustrators of all skill levels are invited to bring sketchbook and drawing supplies and come ready to close out 2022 with fellowship and creative expression. | MORE INFO
Which CLT creatives deserve their jerseys hung in the rafters?It’s no joke that Charlotte is experiencing a cultural, artistic and creative Renaissance … but, it stands on the shoulders of giants. And, our artistic history — and the people who made it — need to be acknowledged and recorded. If you’re an OG Charlotte creative with stories about what the Charlotte art scene was like 20, 30, 40 and 50 years ago, please reach out to us at hello@charlotteiscreative.com and tell us:. - What are the Charlotte Art history stories everyone should know?
- Who are the creative luminaries who held down the creative culture here over the decades?
- What events shaped Charlotte’s creative community?
- What are the challenges that brought the creative community together?
If you have stories you’re willing to tell, we’re willing to share them. | The Biscuit is proudly sponsored by: |  |
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