8/24/21 UPDATE: Blumenthal Performing Arts and Charlotte Center City Partners have made the decision to postpone the Charlotte SHOUT! Festival. It will be rescheduled to a future date in 2022.
In April 2019, one of the most fun & fabulous events to ever hit the QC burst on to the scene with the CHARLOTTE SHOUT festival in Uptown. Whether or not you made some or all of the events, this “highlight reel” is a great recap of the magical moments, big & small, that are the SHOUT festival.
Charlotte SHOUT! 2019 drew thousands of visitors to more than 200 events over its two-week run. That success led presenters Charlotte Center City Partners and Blumenthal Performing Arts to expand the festival to three weeks this Fall, and to launch a worldwide search for unique and thrilling festival content, much of which will be free to the public.
Taking over the heart of Uptown Charlotte Sept. 17 – Oct. 3, Charlotte SHOUT 2021 will be a celebration of our city’s creativity, diversity, and resilience. Weaving together internationally acclaimed artists and art installations, including the return of Amanda Parer’s Intrude (inflatable bunnies), with local creatives, thought leaders and culinarians, the multi-week celebration seeks to bring the community together and breathe life back into Uptown Charlotte.
“Our goal is to make Charlotte SHOUT! the most inspiring annual festival in the southeast celebrating art, music, food and ideas,” said Blumenthal President Tom Gabbard. “This year we will especially savor the chance to safely be together again to enjoy our vibrant City, and the creativity that helps to define it.”
There were far too many fantastic festival experiences in the 2019 Charlotte SHOUT to name them all, there were events & activities day and night, indoors and out, for family and grown ups … music, food, art, creativity, discussion and amazing circus-like feats.
The full lineup of musical acts, installations, performances and conversations will be announced this summer.
To sign up for updates and learn more about Charlotte SHOUT!, visit www.CharlotteShout.com.
To celebrate the announcement of Charlotte SHOUT!’s return, Victoria Yards and The Square at Spirit Square will host a variety of performances and activities beginning at 5:30 p.m. on Friday, April 2. For more information about this and events throughout the weekend, click here.
New in this year’s festival are two programs to showcase local creativity and talent:
Made in CLT, is the umbrella term for participating Charlotte-area acts, and Of Earth and Sky, will be a large-scale poetry installation project featuring pieces from local poets. Applications are now open for both at www.charlotteshout.com.
“In addition to talent from around the world, we’re actively searching for local artists from all areas of Charlotte’s vibrant creative community to participate in this year’s festival,”said Robert Krumbine, Chief Creative Officer for Charlotte Center City Partners. “Whether you’re a local musician, a playwright, an acrobat, a master chef or a graffiti artist, there could be a spot for you in our lineup.”
Made in CLT invites creatives to think outside the box and bring their unique ideas, energy and passion to the festival. The categories for participation include art, music, food and ideas. Applications are due by May 15, 2021.
Poets interested in participating in the Of Earth and Sky projectare invited to attend a workshop hosted by Emmy award-winning poet Boris “Bluz” Rogers and National Poetry Slam champions Jay Ward and Jordan Bailey at the Middleton McMillan Gallery at Spirit Square or via ZOOM. Held each Saturday this April and May, the free workshops will allow poets to learn more about the Of Earth and Sky vision and receive writing prompts to help guide their work.
“The goal for the Of Earth and Sky project is to poetically amplify the voices of Charlotte residents, with the workshops functioning as a way to help those edit and fine tune their work before submitting,” said Rogers. “The curation team will simply be looking for honesty and creativity, so whether you have been writing for 40 years or 4 minutes, we will be accepting submissions from everyone with a poem in their heart.”
Winning pieces created through the workshops or submitted online will be announced in June. The pieces will then be curated and installed across multiple locations in Charlotte, forming a temporary sculpture trail. Learn more about Of Earth and Sky and the workshops here.
ABOUT BLUMENTHAL PERFORMING ARTS
Blumenthal Performing Arts serves the Carolinas as a leading cultural, entertainment and education provider. For more information, call (704) 372-1000 or visit BlumenthalArts.org. Blumenthal Performing Arts receives operating support from the Arts & Science Council and North Carolina Arts Council. Blumenthal Performing Arts is also supported by PNC Bank, sponsor of the PNC Broadway Lights.
ABOUT CHARLOTTE CENTER CITY PARTNERS
Charlotte Center City Partners boldly envisions and activates strategies and actions that will assure Charlotte Center City is a welcoming and equitable, economically vibrant, culturally rich and beloved place for all. For more information, please visit www.charlottecentercity.org.
