Ideas for Creating Culture, Temporary and Permanent, in Charlotte

[InSouthPark]

22 hours ago, Scribe said:

Yesterday's Around the Crown 10k was an event that screams Charlotte.  Many local companies involved... NoDa Brewing Co even made a special lager... not the greatest beer, but still a cool way to celebrate. RedVentures took over the last mile -- and called it the Red Mile.

The sheer number of people that showed up to run was impressive! I think (recurring) events like this are a great way to engage people and in the process create culture!

Yes, but in typical Charlotte fashion, the amount of spectators was very low for the number of people running and a city of our size.  I have run 75+ races in more states than most people have visited, and can safely say Charlotte has the worst number of spectators for any and all events.  

That said, this race has the best likely hood to actually get an event that gains respect outside of the area.  Thunder Road/Charlotte Marathon is not well reviewed.  Sure the turkey trot has a lot of runners but there aren't more than a few dozen houses with people outside in SouthPark.  This is unique enough that it could catch on to bring in out of towners and their families.  Weather is perfect for spectating.  Lets see if Charlotte can pull it off. 

I wish they could have convinced Anthony Famiglietti of Davidson to run and put a big exclamation mark on the course record.  He doesn't run a lot of local races but when he does, the 2x Olympian causally throws down 14 minute 5k's at 40 years old. 

 

[BullDurhamer]

you think people should show up to watch you run?    ha

 

On 6/7/2019 at 1:16 PM, JHart said:

Is it not kosher to suggest we dig up everybody in Pinewood Cemetery and turn it into an awesome urban park?? I mean how big of a waste are cemeteries, and you probably won't get much pushback from its current residents..  We can throw a big Halloween party each year in their honor

yes!   parks should be for the living, not the dead.  if humanity lives long enough, we'll laugh at the notion that people who died hundreds of years ago should inhabit some of the best real estate in town.    

[Bikeguy]

1 hour ago, BullDurhamer said:

 

 

yes!   parks should be for the living, not the dead.  if humanity lives long enough, we'll laugh at the notion that people who died hundreds of years ago should inhabit some of the best real estate in town.    

 

http://www.talkdeath.com/cemetery-overcrowding-leading-europe-recycle-burial-plots/

[KJHburg]

Wonder if a circle of half buried NASCAR cars in a circle like Stonehenge and call it the Circle of Champions would be a tourist attraction?   The half buried Cadillacs outside of Amarillo TX sure are.   However I would not want spray painting to be involved.  It would highlight our NASCAR heritage and be very Instagramable.   Even something like this in downtown Fort Worth with crown for the Queen City would be great addition uptown.  

 

[Guest]

1 hour ago, KJHburg said:

Wonder if a circle of half buried NASCAR cars in a circle like Stonehenge and call it the Circle of Champions would be a tourist attraction?   The half buried Cadillacs outside of Amarillo TX sure are.   However I would not want spray painting to be involved.  It would highlight our NASCAR heritage and be very Instagramable.   Even something like this in downtown Fort Worth with crown for the Queen City would be great addition uptown.  

 

you should tweet this out so certain folks can retweet it.

[j-man]

All I want Charlotte to do is expand these “art district”  and neighborhoods with more retail and green spaces because areas like  Noda and Plaza Midwood have more apartments now than attractions. SouthEnd already did that and is now finally trying to play catch-up. 

[KJHburg]

from the Mint today.  Thank you Bank of America for free museum days.  from KJ your Tex Mex and doughnut eating, photo taking tourist in my own home town.  That Studio  Drift exhibit is really neat  yall need to see it.   I need to get this book called Waffle House Vistas in an exhibit on Southern artists. 

the first few photos is from an interactive art piece.  Looks like leaves or trash in a box that blows around while you are in there on the 5th floor.  https://mintmuseum.org/immersed-in-light-studio-drift-at-the-mint/

and yes that is really sand in the corner not a cat's litter box. 

[KJHburg]

Here is the book and artist I mentioned above Waffle House Vistas and a couple of these are in the Charlotte area.   Update this guy lives in Charlotte!  His work is great. 

https://www.micahcash.com/waffle-house-vistas

Edited January 5, 2020 by KJHburg

[QCxpat]

Today's Charlotte Ledger  -  "You are feeling sleepy, very sleepy"

Four new pieces of interactive art popped up along the Rail Trail late last week in South End.  Judging by the number of people taking selfies, the one that seems most popular is “Passage,” a colorful and hypnotic piece consisting of a series of rings of light that’s described by a nearby sign as an “immersive, minimalist, contemplative and interactive artwork that explores the emotional connections we develop with light and sound” (description also helpfully available in French):

 

“Passage” is located on the trail near Bland Street (across from Hot Taco). The artwork is sponsored by Charlotte Center City Partners and will be on display through the end of the month, Charlotte Five reports.

Link:  https://charlotteledger.substack.com/

[NYtoCLT]

Does anyone know if there is any chance the city gets rid of "Charlotte's got a lot!".  It is such an awful slogal/website.  I was reading Garden and Gun and almost every southern city advertises for its tourism.  Charlotte's ad was fine compared to all of the others, but the website/slogan is so embarrassing.  

[j-man]

On 5/23/2020 at 1:18 PM, NYtoCLT said:

Does anyone know if there is any chance the city gets rid of "Charlotte's got a lot!".  It is such an awful slogal/website.  I was reading Garden and Gun and almost every southern city advertises for its tourism.  Charlotte's ad was fine compared to all of the others, but the website/slogan is so embarrassing.  

I agree. It sounds like “No don’t listen to everyone who says we don’t have a lot. We actually do.”

[Tyrone Wiggum]

On 1/4/2020 at 3:46 PM, KJHburg said:

I've wandered around the finest museums on earth (including spending almost a week in the Louvre, having a girlfriend who was a big deal at Guggenheim, getting baked and getting kicked out of Rijksmusem in Amsterdam for getting "lost" and staying WAY past closing time, etc ad nauseam), and this is, despite its blurry quality (blows raspberry), exceptional.  Stop trying to be extra CLT; just be.  It's ok, when you make it you'll make it and everybody will know.  Just be.

In all seriousness, this is a great composition.  The picture quality sucks, but c'est la vie, c'est la guerre.  Or something.

Edited May 25, 2020 by Tyrone Wiggum
blue font: for great justice

[ertley]

QCXpt posted on Saturday:

Today 2:12 p.m. - Major General Nathaniel Greene, Commander of the American forces at the Battle of Guilford Courthouse & namesake of Greensboro, NC

It seems to me, with the significance of this event, that it should be commemorated with more than a marker. I think a grand, imposing statue of Greene (or dramatizing the transfer, if they met in person), like the ones being placed along the Sugar Creek Greenway, with perhaps even supporting figures, but certainly explanatory carvings conveying the importance of the event, would be great. I'm all for modern, abstract or interpretive art, but I think art should reflect what it's conveying, and in this case IMO traditional is preferable. But I would personally prefer it not be lumped in with all the others, but actually placed as near to where Greene would've been based as could be determined. 

[QCxpat]

Today - 12:45 p.m.  Charlotte: The Global City  -  "Cool Globes: Hot Ideas for a Cooler Planet"

31 Globes on display in Uptown Charlotte through the end of 2020

 

Link:  https://www.wsoctv.com/your704/see-cool-globes-uptown/B6JQVC4G3VECLJKSFWDBMO7MWM/#:~:text=CHARLOTTE%2C N.C. — Take a walk,to help reduce climate change.

For those who would like to read in depth about Charlotte's evolution as a global city, the best academic study is - 

Graves, William, and Heather A. Smith, eds. Charlotte, NC: The Global Evolution of a New South City (University of Georgia Press; 2010) 320 pages.

Essays that use Charlotte to explore how globalization and local forces combine to transform Southern cities.

NOTE:  one of the Editors is a member of UP.

Edited July 2, 2020 by QCxpat

[QCxpat]

Today 1:12 p.m. - Installing "Tune In"  -  sculpture by Charlotte-based artist, Richard Lazes, at The Mint Museum Plaza Uptown

 

N.B.:    The Mint Museums will reopen to the public Friday, Sept. 25. 

Admission will be free at both locations opening weekend, Friday Sept. 25 - Sunday Sept. 27th. 

Tickets will be sold by timed entry with 2 available slots from 11 a.m. - 1 p.m.  and  2 p.m. to closing, Tuesday through Sunday.

https://mintmuseum.org/tune-in-installation-connects-the-past-and-future-of-our-society/

Edited September 22, 2020 by QCxpat

[KJHburg]

Museums back open and thanks to Bank of America swung by today the Mint.  New safety procedures of course.   couple new exhibits or pieces.   This the museums opening and a small crowd game today attracted more people uptown most I have seen on a weekend in a long time (not protesting or marching) 

New desk for the office?    nice wedding cake with a grenade on top. 

 

[SouthEndCLT811]

The city council equivalent of the phenomenon this summer of a corporation tweeting Black Lives Matter while the CEO is low key donating to anti-BLM efforts.  Hollow words with no action

 

Edited November 10, 2020 by SouthEndCLT811

[Nathan2]

Agreed. The city council had months to come up with a more permanent plan that would have welcomed the new 2040 plan and cemented their commitment to vision zero. Instead they have once again let that opportunity slide and it will most likely follow with lots of talks and studies that won't amount to anything. I highly doubt that allowing a few cars to park on Tryon is going to do much to save the businesses on Tryon. 

[SgtCampsalot]

2 hours ago, SouthEndCLT811 said:

The city council equivalent of the phenomenon this summer of a corporation tweeting Black Lives Matter while the CEO is low key donating to anti-BLM efforts.  Hollow words with no action

 

Larken... Larken constantly tells us who he is and yet he's the politician type who keeps convincing us he's different and we believe him.

*Just like most politicians, but his both-sides-of-the-mouth style is becoming more obvious every year.

[Madison Parkitect]

29 minutes ago, SgtCampsalot said:

Larken... Larken constantly tells us who he is and yet he's the politician type who keeps convincing us he's different and we believe him.

*Just like most politicians, but his both-sides-of-the-mouth style is becoming more obvious every year.

Yeah, it was really disappointing to see Larken vote yes on that. It's a real shame Braxton was the only one who recognized the potential of keeping it closed.

[navigator319]

Count me in the camp of happy this is back open. Come up with a real plan for a true pedestrian zone and the activation of it by incentives for retail along it and programming. Until then this was an eye sore as it was.

[TheMightyBK]

4 hours ago, navigator319 said:

Count me in the camp of happy this is back open. Come up with a real plan for a true pedestrian zone and the activation of it by incentives for retail along it and programming. Until then this was an eye sore as it was.

I like art.  It brought people uptown, and together, during a hard time.  If it weren't for this, there would have been tumbleweeds.  I never for a minute thought it would be made permanent.  A moment in time...but not an eye sore IMO.

[elrodvt]

It was in no way an eyesore! Granted they could have made a lot better attempt though. As usual no plan..

We missed a golden opportunity to move the city into the 21st century with a pedestrian focus. Now, during the dead period downtown, which was the perfect time to acclimate people to the concept we instead stick with the unsuccessful status quo. Instead we remain with one wheel in the ditch. Sad day. I now hold little hope the city will actually become an urban center anytime soon. Go Hummers and suburbs...

[CLT Development]

9 hours ago, SgtCampsalot said:

Larken... Larken constantly tells us who he is and yet he's the politician type who keeps convincing us he's different and we believe him.

*Just like most politicians, but his both-sides-of-the-mouth style is becoming more obvious every year.

He's saying we should have a permanent feature with permanent activation, a destination, with placemaking and outdoor dining, and shopping, hardscape, AND ART.  I would have voted no with Braxton, but calling Larken hypocritical because of that post is silly. He wants the same thing as me, to make Tryon Street incredible.

[SgtCampsalot]

12 hours ago, The Real Clayton said:

He's saying we should have a permanent feature with permanent activation, a destination, with placemaking and outdoor dining, and shopping, hardscape, AND ART.  I would have voted no with Braxton, but calling Larken hypocritical because of that post is silly. He wants the same thing as me, to make Tryon Street incredible.

Maybe I'm playing armchair politician