The second #LongLiveArts Festival will bring free performances, art activities and more to Levine Center for the Arts. It will take place Saturday, June 3rd, 2017, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., at locations including Bechtler Museum of Modern Art, Harvey B. Gantt Center for African-American Arts + Culture, and Mint Museum Uptown.
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#LongLiveArts Schedule (Subject to change)
11:00am-11:30am: Welcome by Bluz – Festival Information and Activity Overview
Multitalented lyrical artist, Bluz will welcome guests to the Long Live Arts Festival. An Emmy Award-winning Poet and Author, Boris “Bluz” Rogers can be found on the screens of the Spectrum Center as well as in commercials for the NCAA and NASCAR. As a professional poet and host, Bluz also tours and shares his spoken word pieces around the country.
11:00am-3:00pm: Hands-On Art Making – Bechtler, The Gantt Center & Mint
Bechtler
Participants will have a chance to create their own Firebird collages, inspired by the iconic mosaic sculpture of a phoenix located outside of the Bechtler Museum of Modern Art. Festival participants will also have the opportunity to create colorful, mixed media Nanas, based on the joyous figures of artist Niki de Saint Phalle.
The Gantt Center
The Gantt Center presents “Hot off the Press” a screen printing workshop with local creative entrepreneur Ndelo. Turn something old into something new by creating your own work of art from an old t-shirt or tote bag, on a screen printing press. * Bring an old T-shirt or tote bag with you.
Mint Museum
In conjunction with our new State of the Art: Discovering American Art Now exhibition The Mint will offer Grid Portrait Painting. Visitors can explore their face using mirrors, pencils, rulers, and paint. The activity is inspired by artist, Carl Joe Williams’ painting, American Shotgun featured in the State of the Art exhibition.
11:00am- 3:00pm: Roving Interactive Puppetry w/ Drew Nolins
Drew and his larger than life puppets with travel around the complex engaging with patrons. Puppeteer will mingle with the crowd for a hilarious time. Puppetry that’s interactive and fun!
11:15am-12:15pm: Portrait Painting Demo & Patron Paint-Off – Round 1 with Bree Stallings
Meet local canvas and mural painter Bree Stallings. Watch and listen to her process as she works from a live model.
Portrait Paint Off – Round One. Bring YOUR favorite supplies – pencil, pastel, pen or brush. Working from live volunteer models you have 45-minutes to create your masterpiece. A limited number of easels and stools, paper and pencils will be available. Judges will choose one Adult and one Youth winner for each Round. Prizes will be creatively cool swag from the Bechtler, Gantt Center and Mint Museum Gift Shops and will include a Levine Center for the Arts Guest Pass.
11:30am-12:30pm: Cuban Jazz Dance Class with Charlotte Repertory Dance Theater (CRDT)
Participants will explore Cuban Jazz movement as they learn dance steps and perform with the members of CRDT. CRDT is a contemporary dance company that performs and books jobs for dancers in various classical and cultural styles such as Contemporary Ballet/Modern/Jazz, Broadway, Hip Hop, African/Ethnic, Aerial, and Praise Dance. They present formal dance concerts and informal dance presentations in the Charlotte area community.
11:30am-1:00pm: Drum Circle with Drums 4 Life
Connect with the rhythm of the African continent. Experience live West African style drumming with Drums 4 Life. A drum circle is a group of people arranged in a circle experiencing the spontaneous creation of music on a variety of drums and percussion instruments. Because a circle has no beginning and no end, the agreement to connect in a circle allows energy to circulate from one person to the next. For over twenty years Kojo Bey, founder of Drums 4 Life, has been performing and teaching African drumming as a healing art around the world.
12:00pm-2:00pm: Free 30-minute ArtBreak Tours – Noon, 1:00pm & 2:00pm
Experience docent-led tours of each museum’s exhibits.
12:00pm-1:00pm: Shefalee Patel and Dance Troupe
Experience the folk dance from Gujrat, India known as Garba, followed by an interactive dance along featuring the audience.
12:15pm-1:15pm: Portrait Paint Demo & Patron Paint-Off – Round 2 with Gordon James
Meet illustrator, oil painter, and portrait artist Gordon C. James. Experience his process as he works from a live model.
Portrait Paint Off – Round Two. Bring YOUR favorite supplies – pencil, pastel, pen or brush. Working from a live volunteer model you have 45-minutes to create your masterpiece. A limited number of easels and stools, paper and pencils will be available. Judges will choose one Adult and one Youth winner for each Round. Prizes will be creatively cool swag from Binders’ Art Supplies and Framing, the Bechtler Museum, the Gantt Center and the Mint Museum Gift Shops as well as a Levine Center for the Arts Guest Pass.
12:30pm-1:15pm: “Dancing Stories” by April C. Turner
Experience April C.Turner as she performs stories from the African and African American tradition that affirm community building concepts, such as “working together”,“integrity” and “perseverance.” Turner will also demonstrate, where appropriate, the meanings and uses of the songs and dances in a fun, interactive journey through West African culture.
1:15pm-2:15pm: Caroline Calouche & Company
Experience Charlotte’s only aerial and contemporary dance company and school. Caroline Calouche is dedicated to inspiring people of diverse backgrounds to explore beyond their boundaries through performance and education. A resident company of the Blumenthal Performing Arts Center they are bringing inspirational, entertaining gravity-defying dance to the streets of Charlotte.
1:15pm-2:00pm: Kenya Templeton (Live Jazz)
Learn a brief history of jazz and scatting as you’re treated to one of Charlotte’s most multifaceted artists. Kenya Templeton is a renaissance woman, outside of being a vocalist she is an actress, clothing designer, musician, and more.
1:30pm-3:00pm: Family Painting Class with Cathay Dawkins
The Levine Center for the Arts is a great place to become inspired! In this class, everyone will receive step-by-step instruction from Certified Art Instructor, Cathay Dawkins. He is very patient and encouraging so beginners to experts of all ages are welcome to participate. Materials will be provided and space is limited to 30 participants.
2:15pm-3:00pm: Hip Hop Orchestrated
Classical instruments and operatic vocals meet hip hop, neo soul, and 2 turntables. Hip Hop Orchestrated is a passionate group of music makers that blend Hip Hop and Orchestral music. Their goal is to connect people of different backgrounds with one another through their common love for music.
2:30pm-3:30pm: Ekphrastic Writing Workshop with Charlotte Center for Literary Arts
Writing that describes or speaks directly to a work of visual art is called Ekphrastic. Join Charlotte Lit cofounders Kathie Collins and Paul Reali for a workshop in which you’ll explore a variety of ekphrastic forms and write your own creative response to one or more of the exhibits in Harvey B. Gantt Center for African-American Arts + Culture. We’ll provide the materials, instruction, and inspiration. All ages and experience levels welcome!
3:00pm-4:00pm: Salsa Dancing with Rossano Fore
Come learn the steps and start dancing with Rossano! A student of the arts, Rossano loves acting as well as singing and dancing. He is all about human beings expressing themselves through various art forms and is proficient in teaching Afro-Cuban, Salsa, Cha-Cha, Bachata and Merengue.
3:00pm- 4:00pm: Binders’ Multi-Artist Paint-Off
Watch several of Charlotte’s amazing visual artists create their interpretations of a live portrait model. Winner is chosen by YOU, the audience. Winner will receive a Binders’ Art Supplies and Framing prize pack. All the artists’ pieces will be available for purchase via auction. Credit/Debit Card Only. Proceeds benefit the artists and the efforts of Levine Center for the Arts.
#LongLiveArts Activity locations
Bechtler
- Hands-on Art Making: Bechtler Outdoor CREATE Tent & Family Gallery (4th Floor)
- ArtBreak Tours: Guest Services
- Shefalee Patel and Dance Troupe: TBD
- Portrait Painting Demo & Patron Paint-Off – Round 2 with Gordon James: Classroom
- Kenya Templeton (Live Jazz): TBD
- Hip Hop Orchestrated: Outside under Overhang (near Firebird)
- Salsa Dancing with Rossano Fore: Lobby
The Gantt Center
- Hands-on Art Making: Gantt Outdoor CREATE Tent
- Cuban Jazz Dance Class with Charlotte Repertory Dance Theater: Grand Lobby
- ArtBreak Tours: Guest Services
- Ekphrastic Writing Workshop with Charlotte Center for Literary Arts: 2nd Floor Performance Suite
- Family Painting Class with Cathay Dawkins: 2nd Floor Classroom
Mint
- Hands-on Art Making: Classroom
- Portrait Painting Demo & Patron Paint-Off – Round 1 with Bree Stallings: Mint Outside CREATE Tent
- ArtBreak Tours: Guest Services
- “Dancing Stories” by April Turner: Atrium
Artist Pavilion (South Tryon between Stonewall & Levine Ave. of the Arts)
- Welcome
- Drum Circle with Drums 4 Life
- Caroline Calouche Aerial Dance
- Binders’ Multi-Artist Paint-off
- Roving Interactive Puppetry with Drew Nolins: Roaming throughout the festival.
FOOD TRUCKS
OooWee BBQ, Spice Street, Sprinkles and My Sausage Buddy
The festival is made possible by the THRIVE Fund, administered by Foundation For The Carolinas.
Charlotte on the Cheap is a member of 
