ABOUT

     Charlotte’s Brooklyn neighborhood was a hub for African American culture at the heart of the city during the 1880’s housing some of the cities most dignified Black professionals. This area was a “city within a city” and a place for Black businesses to start, grow and thrive.  Eventually the city would begin to push out Black families and business owners and clear out the city’s urban town in order to turn uptown Charlotte into a more streamlined government center.

     The Charlotte Renaissance: An Urban Revival event is a community partnership between local Black artists and local restaurants in order to highlight the works of those artists in efforts to increase the notoriety and presence of art work created by Black artists here in Charlotte. 

     Throughout the pandemic it has become evident in my practice that many artists and creative individuals have experienced an extreme amount of stress, anxiety and isolation.  They are unable to expose their work and thus unable to maintain the ability to make money for themselves based on their inability to expose what they create to the consumer and lack of avenues to do such with a decrease in social contact. The world of art is an exclusive “club” and those who are on the outside can rarely get in without special knowledge or understanding of the process. COVID-19 has only made selling art work more difficult.

     Charlotte Renaissance: An Urban Revival event is designed to bring the art work closer in proximity and availability to the consumer and potential buyers thus making is easier for the artists to expose their works in a less elite and non inclusive manner.

     It also highlights the achievements of Black creatives in Charlotte while increasing the relationship between local artists and local businesses.