Meet Two of the Incredible Creatives Behind SHOUT! 2025

Uptown was abuzz for the first official opening weekend of Charlotte SHOUT!

Friends and families were exploring outside, enjoying the weather, diving into performances and talks and engaging with over 100 participating creatives.

Creatives! That’s what makes SHOUT! so special. Local creatives give it their all and share their passions for all to see. They organize, coordinate and lead events, workshops, and activations through April 20. And the best thing is — they’ll still be here when SHOUT! quiets down for the year. We want you to get to know them.

This week, we interviewed two creatives who are some of our favorite collaborators, friends and culture shakers adding fun twists to the SHOUT! event calendar.

MEET THESE CREATIVES

KATHLEEN FINCH
CLT EDGEFEST | CLT Street Art Collab
April 11 & 12 | 5 – 11 p.m., 4 – 11 p.m., and 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. | FREE
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Kathleen Finch is one of the founding members of the CLT Street Collab. When she entered the Queen City creative scene, she connected with the street art and graffiti community through Tough Ass Crew (TAC), founded by Matt Alvis (also known as @stencilspray). As a nurse, Kathleen found solace in the arts during the COVID-19 pandemic.

She wanted to provide family-friendly gallery experiences. In November 2021, she gathered friends to launch Brews and Hues, an event featuring breakdancing, live indie-rap performances, spoken word, live painting and art vendors. In 2022, their efforts evolved into CLT EdgeFest.

The latest iteration of CLT EdgeFest features over 50 artists during a three-day takeover during Charlotte SHOUT! across various locations, including Victoria Yards and First Ward Park. New additions to the event include a cross-collaboration of fashion and visual art, Poppin’ Tags, with designer Will White, Charlotte Free Skate and the live painting of a colossal object — the QC Crown.

BLUZ ROGERS
SHOUT! MUSIC BINGO | MINDLESS MINUTIA AND BLUZ
April 16 | 7 – 9:30 p.m. | FREE
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Boris “Bluz” Rogers is a Charlotte arts leader and change maker … and he has been for decades.

As an Emmy Award-winning poet and three-time Poetry Slam Champion, Bluz has connected with many aspects of the Charlotte creative community. For the second year in a row, Bluz is partnering with MindlessMinutia Trivia to emcee Charlotte MUSIC Bingo during SHOUT! on April 16 at Victoria Yards.

“The music will be played by an awesome DJ and upon arrival, you will download a bingo card and play on your phone — SO BRING YOUR DEVICES,” said Bluz.

“There will be 4 rounds of bingo with music/dance breaks in between each round and a cash prize for each round winner!”

The event is free, family friendly, and open to all.

And if you’re looking for some additional fun this April, Bluz will be hosting and curating Monologue Mondays at the Independent Picture House, described as “an actor’s showcase meets open mic.”