The Arts Issue: Why Now?

Charlotte arts are having a moment, but that’s not the reason you should pay attention

- Andy Smith

I’VE ALWAYS DISLIKED the saying, “If you have to say it, it isn’t true.” That’s probably because I write about the arts for a living.

In my decade-long career doing this in various cities, I’ve had countless conversations about why the arts are important. A few reflexive answers: Cultural experiences bring money to a city. (More than $200 million annually here in Charlotte.) Arts education is vital to a child’s emotional development and academic success. (Students with four years of art classes average 100 more points on their SATs, a government study says.) The arts also lower rates of crime and poverty. (University of Pennsylvania researchers found that a high concentration of the arts means lower poverty rates and improved child welfare.)

All of these were fine reasons when we were considering whether March 2017 was the right time for “The Great Big Arts Issue.” I’d add a fourth, more immediate, defense: Charlotte arts are having a moment. Today, shows of every kind are packed. The leaders of the scene, mostly women now, are thinking of new ways to fund these endeavors and break through bureaucracy to get artists paid. The Amys (Herman and Bagwell), along with Graham Carew, continue to create residencies in transitioning, temporary spaces in the Goodyear Arts Project. Artist April Marten leads the monthly meet-up Charlotte Art Chat at C3 Lab, an emerging arts venue and coworking space for creatives. Over in Myers Park, Chandra Johnson’s SOCO Gallery creates a new buyers’ market, armed with work from artists making waves in the international scene. And don’t forget about the hybrid spaces. Donna Scott Productions puts on all-female productions at Charlotte Art League, a place usually reserved for visual art. And in the back room of the sneaker shop Social Status in Plaza Midwood, hip-hop themed art shows are packed, in-the-know affairs.