You can join ArtPop on its mission to spread art, creativity throughout Charlotte

If you’ve walked by a digital billboard at Charlotte Douglas International Airport, taken a stroll past the Windows of Hope in South End or purchased a party box for the Charlotte Mecklenburg Library Foundation’s Verse & Vino, you’ve seen the art that ArtPop Street Gallery has helped bring to the Charlotte community.

Now, the nonprofit that gives communities greater access to art by supporting the artists that create it is looking for 20 artists to help spread some creativity in 2021 — including one high school student.

Starting Sept. 20, ArtPop will begin collecting submissions for #ArtPopCLT’s class of 2021.

Artists with work spanning everything from painting to photography can submit examples through Oct. 18. “We are excited to review the submissions and to be able to support 20 juried-in artists again in 2021. These artists will join the 130 artists who have been family since 2014, making art accessible to all in the greater Charlotte region while making sure local artists are seen and known,” said Wendy Hickey, executive director of ArtPop.

Once in danger of having to close down after seven years due to lack of funding, the Charlotte community came through to raise the $100,000 needed for ArtPop 2021. “We had one really significant donation that combined with donations as little as $10 that just added up to make this possible. We are beyond grateful to the Charlotte community for their support,” Hickey said.

In addition to making art available to the Charlotte community, the goal of ArtPop is to give artists a platform for exposure by utilizing their art across a $3.3 million ad campaign. The ad space, which spans billboards, newsstands and displays, is donated by Adams Outdoor Advertising, Awedience Media and Charlotte Center City Partners.

This year the call for artists has been expanded to a 12-county region that includes: Cabarrus, Cleveland, Gaston, Iredell, Lincoln, Mecklenburg, Rowan, Rutherford, Stanley and Union counties in North Carolina and York and Lancaster counties in South Carolina.

ArtPop also accepts one high school senior each year who plans on pursuing a college degree in the arts. This student receives a modest scholarship in addition to the exposure and benefits of the program.

ArtPop2020 high school winner Andrew Knotts said, “The program helped me think about art as a business and helped me realize what my motivations are in creating art. ArtPop has provided me with more exposure, which has been helpful in pursuing my degree in Studio Art.”

Windows of Hope

In addition to ArtPop’s annual campaign, the organization regularly teams with Charlotte businesses to give local artists unique opportunities to display their work. With COVID-19 limiting exposure possibilities for artists, this has required some creativity.

As part of these efforts, ArtPop recently joined Charlotte Center City Partners, Lowe’s and South End CLT to complete the Windows of Hope project in South End. This 13-window art display was created as a way to support local artists in a time when many physical exhibitions have been postponed or canceled.

Artist Monique Luck said about her piece, Lost & Found, “It’s really about looking at life through the perspective of a child’s eyes. Children have such transparency, and they have a way of looking at the world in such a beautiful way, and sometimes as adults we can forget that. We forget that innocence and that transparency and honesty and truthfulness that children have. If we can take a step back and look at life that way, especially in this time we’re living in, I think we have a hope for the future.”

“I am so excited to be a part of a project that instills in our community feelings of hope, creativity and togetherness during a time when we are all overwhelmed and socially distanced. I hope that when people see my piece ‘Lost in My Mind.’ they will recognize something in themselves and realize they are not alone in this journey and move forward with a more positive and hopeful mindset,” artist Bailey Wingler said.

Artist Maguerico Manuel Nye echoed this message of positivity, “Seeds sown of hate cannot sustain society. Let’s leave a legacy of love or else our children will reap the consequences.”

The project was completed this month and spans three areas of South End: 2100 S. Tryon, Hub South End apartments and Lowe’s South End.

“As part of our organizational mission, we want to foster community and cultural development in Center City,” said Robert Krumbine, chief creative officer at Charlotte Center City Partners. “Art is just one way we do that. Art connects us. It gives us a reason to come together. It gives us hope in difficult times and we’re excited to bring art with a great message to South End.”

Windows of Hope artists include Sarah Frisbie, Melissa D. Johnston, Luck, Nye, Tambra Parsons, Janki Patel, Adrian Chu Redmond, Nick Signet, Caroline Simas, Bree Stallings, Melissa Wineman, Wingler and Mary Zio.

Bringing art into homes

In addition to putting art on the streets, ArtPop has also helped bring art into the homes of Charlotteans. The organization teamed with Charlotte Mecklenburg Library Foundation and Lowe’s to commission local woodworkers to produce 300 charcuterie boards for the foundation’s annual Verse & Vino event. This event, which brings together authors and the community for a celebration of reading, is being held virtually this year due to COVID-19. As part of the event packages, select ticket holders will receive a party box that contains these locally-made boards.

Woodworker Emily Berger led a team of five artisans who each produced 60 charcuterie boards for the project. She estimated they put in a cumulative 50 hours in sanding alone.

“Group projects can be daunting. We all remember how those things would go in school. But, given the times, this team was able to come together regularly and everyone pulled their weight,” Berger said. “I was incredibly lucky to assemble a team that worked well together, maintained good attitudes and humor, and will likely work together again on leisurely projects and personal challenges. With our combined experience, I’d trust the five of us to tackle any job Charlotte had to offer.”

Each board carries an individual brand from one of the five woodworkers including Berger, Mark Doepker, Adam Jochim, Kristen Gurri and Ian Wegener.

This story was originally published September 18, 2020 at 12:23 PM.