TheBiscuitFeb52024HEADLINE: We’re Playing Matchmaker! Fall in love with the creative opportunities below! 
Happy February! It’s a month devoted to love, everyone. And, we at Charlotte Is Creative, publishers of The Biscuit, are devoted to playing Cupid all month long – playing matchmaker and connecting you to opportunities, other creatives and ideas that make your hearts beat a little faster and your creative juices flow a little easier. Throughout February, this newsletter will share information about open calls for art, grants and educational opportunities. We’ll also send you profiles of local creatives with whom you can collaborate or hire. And, we’ll offer up thoughts on ideas and movements that may strike a chord with you. We can’t wait to get started, so let’s let that arrow fly! 
Help Transform Charlotte with Your Creative VisionCreatives, do not miss these two opportunites. CITY OF CHARLOTTE CREATIVE POOLOnce a year, the City of Charlotte’s Urban Design Center opens its Creative Pool to new applicants. This program connects local creatives with project opportunities across Charlotte. In addition, project managers in need of creative help can access the pool to look for artists and organizations with whom to work. This initiative supports a broad spectrum of creatives in managing, creating and implementing original community engagement and public art. The application deadline is 3/15. There is no cost to apply. PLACEMAKING GRANT PROGRAMIn addition to the creative pool, the Urban Design Center has opened the City’s Placemaking Grant Program for a fifth consecutive year. With a grant pool of $150,000 and awards ranging from $1,000 to $25,000, this program invites creatives, businesses and neighborhoods to submit proposals for projects designed to transform underutilized public spaces into vibrant places for people. Q&A SESSIONSFor those interested in applying for a Placemaking Grant, the Urban Design Center is playing host to a virtual Q&A session on 2/15 and an in-person information session is scheduled for 2/29. Both events are 6 to 8 p.m. TEN MORE OPPORTUNITIES
Artsplosure invites artists to exhibit and sell original work at this year’s festival 5/18-19 in Raleigh. Over 75,000 attendees are expected and up to $3,500 in cash prizes are available. Trips for Kids Charlotte (TFKC) is seeking local artists or teams to create a mural for the facade of the Charlotte Re-Cyclery at 812 Atando Avenue. This opportunity offers $14,000 for the creation of three design concepts and one final design to be installed after community feedback and collaboration. Plus Charlotte has announced 2024 grants for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ+) organizations in North Carolina. Grants range from basic operating funds to project grants of up to $7,500 and capacity-building funds up to $2,000. McColl Center Benefit Art Auction is inviting artists to donate work for their annual fundraiser 4/26 through 5/4. Participating artists can receive 50 percent commission on the sale price of their work. All proceeds from the event support McColl Center programming. Retail value of $200 to $3,000 per work is recommended. Up & Coming Artists Show at Shain Gallery offers emerging artists a chance to be showcased in Charlotte. Artists must reside in the Southeast to participate. The show will be 7/26. Opening 12/14/24, the third “Coined in the South,” hosted by the Young Affiliates of the Mint, will celebrate the Southern arts community in Charlotte. With prizes from $1,000-$10,000, the exhibition is focused on bridging “the gap between museums, galleries, and studios by showcasing thought-provoking works by the emerging talents of the South.” Reel Out Charlotte invites filmmakers to submit LGBTQ-themed films for a screening event at the Independent Picture House 5/15-19. H.U.G. Micro-Grants, managed by Charlotte Is Creative, offers micro-grants of $250 to Mecklenburg County creatives to support their innovative projects and ideas. H.U.G. stands for “Helpful Unfettered Gift.” The program was designed to remove one obstacle from the development of a creative idea or business. This is a rolling grant with grantees announced monthly. - DEADLINE: The 15th of each month.
- MORE INFO.
2024 Sprint CEI Cohort and Friends from Aspire Community Capital
Elevate Your Creative Business Prowess with Free Business Training SessionsAs part of the Creative Entrepreneurs Initiative, Charlotte Is Creative offers a series of free business training classes and online talks for creatives. These sessions, provided at the DoGreater CRTV Lab and online, are designed to enhance entrepreneurial skills, financial literacy, legal understanding and much more. The initiative aims to empower creatives with the knowledge and tools necessary for business success. All classes below are free and open to the public with registration. Open In-Person Classes for Spring 2024Location: DoGreater CRTV Lab, 2400 Greenland Ave, Charlotte, NC (unless otherwise noted)
- 2/5 (6:30 to 8 p.m.) – The Legalities: Entities, Contracts, Copyright & Trademark with Karen Schuller Boardman, Alignment Legal
- 2/12 (6:30 to 8 p.m.) – Financial Wellness for Entrepreneurs with Three Coins Consulting
- 2/26 (6:30 to 8:30 p.m.) – Tax Workshop with Hannah Cole
- 3/11 (6:30 to 8 p.m.) – Scaling Your Business with Dupp&Swat (@Dupp&Swat, Camp North End)
- 3/18 (6:30 to 8 p.m.) – Proposal Writing with Rosalia Torres-Weiner & Robert Krumbine
- 4/15 (6:30 to 8 p.m.) – Marketing 101
Register for any/all of the classes above here. https://www.charlotteiscreative.com/openclasses/ Creative ConvosCreative Convos are free online ZOOM sessions featuring talks, training and Q&As, tailored for Mecklenburg County creatives, led by local experts. 
Creative Convo: Business Insights from CLT BLACK OWNED 2/8 from 6 to 7 p.m.
Register HERE. Meet the founders of CLT BLACK OWNED, Ashley Craft and Madeline Holly-Carothers. CLT Black Owned (CBO) is Charlotte’s leading platform for the inclusion, support, and stabilization of Black-owned businesses. The social good company is the local expert in black-owned and is a connector for authentic community in the Charlotte market. 
Creative Convo: Crafting Your Elevator Pitch with Deevo Tindall
What is an elevator pitch and who is it for? How long should it be and what should you be sure to include? Join us for a jam-packed hour with Deevo Tindall, CEO of Fusion Creative Branding, as he explains how to craft a 30-second elevator pitch that opens doors and creates opportunities. The Creative Entrepreneurs Initiative (CEI) is supported by Wells Fargo, Mecklenburg County, LISC, LPL Financial and various partners. 
Rosalia Torres-Weiner & Charlotte Symphony Join ForcesCharlotte-based creative, Rosalia Torres-Weiner, and the Charlotte Symphony are set to make beautiful music (and art!) together. Rosalia was selected from an incredible field of talented, local applicants to design a wrap for the Symphony’s brand-new mobile stage, the CSO Roadshow. Launching this April, the CSO Roadshow is set to revolutionize how symphonic music and community events are delivered across our region. Its mission is to bring the power of live music right to the heart of neighborhoods and cities across the region. An additional highlight? The Roadshow will be adorned with an original design by Rosalia, bringing the stage’s mission to beautiful life. This collaboration is more than just a project for Rosalia; it’s a heartfelt journey. “I feel a deep connection to the world of music, as my grandfather was a Military Band conductor in Mexico. His passion for music left a lasting impact on our family,” she shared. “As a child, I was part of a junior orchestra and learned various instruments. Though my path diverged, music’s influence remains a constant in my life.” Rosalia and the Symphony team are now putting the finishing touches on this unique design. Stay tuned, as we’ll be giving you exclusive sneak peeks of her work before the Roadshow sets off on its inaugural tour through our city’s neighborhoods this spring. | The Biscuit is proudly sponsored by: |
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