MEDIA ADVISORY

• Carla Aaron-Lopez, Installation Curator | caaronlopez@gmail.com
• Tim Miner, Charlotte Is Creative | tim@charlotteiscreative.com

LOCAL/STREET ART EXHIBITION TAKES IT UPTOWN FOR YEAR TWO

60+ Local Street Artists Will Display Work at the Mint Museum Uptown June 16-24

Last March, more than 1,000 visitors swarmed the Mint Museum on Randolph Road over the course of three days at the inaugural LOCAL/STREET installation. The weekend exhibition featured the work of more than 40 local BIPOC (Black and indigenous people of color) street artists, many of whom had never been displayed in a museum or gallery before.

This year, LOCAL/STREET is headed to the Mint Museum Uptown and will display new works from more than 60 local creatives. Once again, it is curated by Charlotte artist, Carla Aaron-Lopez, working with the Mint’s chief curator, Jennifer Edwards. It will open with a special reception the evening of June 16 and will remain on display through June 24.

While the location is new and the exhibition has expanded, LOCAL/STREET’s goal remains the same – to bring attention to as many local artists of color as possible, strengthening the relationship between them and the greater Charlotte community. Aaron-Lopez and the Mint are continuing their goal to address the reality that museums and cultural institutions are often seen as uninviting as well as unwelcoming to BIPOC artists and visitors. This is in keeping with the work the Mint has done for the past several years with its Constellation CLT and Interventions series. 

“After one year, the exhibition is beginning to take shape as a citywide representation of Charlotte’s artists and creatives. I’m excited to be housed in the Mint Museum again and I can’t wait for the reactions to this year’s newbies to Local Street.” – Carla Aaron-Lopez, Installation Curator

“The first LOCAL STREETS was a complete explosion of color, style, and exceptional talent. I can’t wait to see what the second installment brings.” – Jen Edwards, Chief Curator and Curator of Contemporary Art at The Mint Museum

WHAT: LOCAL/STREET is a pop-up exhibition highlighting local artists of color who are defining Charlotte’s 21st-century visual identity. 

WHO: This installation is a collaboration between Carla Aaron-Lopez and The Mint Museum, with support from the NC Arts Council, Arts and Science Council and Charlotte Is Creative. 

WHERE: Mint Museum Uptown – 500 S Tryon St, Charlotte, NC 28202

WHEN: Opening Night: Thursday, June 16 from 6 to 9 p.m. 
The exhibition will remain on display during normal museum hours through June 24.

TICKETS: Tickets are available here.

INTERVIEWS: Interviews will be available with the curator, organizers and artists upon request throughout the installation. To make arrangements, please contact Tim Miner at 704-957-3084. 

RESOURCES:

• Artists: Click here for a full list of artists.
• Graphics: Click here for downloadable graphics for LOCAL/STREET.
• Photos: Click here for photos of LOCAL/STREET 2021.

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