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Posted: June 11th, 2012 Liz Bertrand

“A little bit off the beaten path” is the way Director of Galleries Crista Cammaroto describes the location of UNC Charlotte Center City's Projective Eye Gallery but she could have just as easily been describing the art inside.

The gallery housed in this strikingly modern building located at 9^th and Brevard streets is dedicated to presenting interdisciplinary and multimedia works – including digital art, sound space installation, and video – created by nationally and locally known artists. On Sat, June 2 the College of Arts + Architecture of UNC Charlotte invited kids and their families to explore the latest exhibition, “Concurrent Rhythms,” and create their own artwork at a special event called “Art in the House.”

“We're a gallery that geared up when a lot of the galleries were closing uptown,” says Cammaroto. She has been eager to find ways to connect with the community through outreach events since assuming her position at the helm of UNCC's gallery system last July. While opening nights have been popular “happenings” with music, art, and food, she wanted to find other ways during the run of a show to engage people with the art.

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Posted: June 5th, 2012 Liz Barrett

The 2011-2012 Front Porch Grant Program came to a close last month with a celebration and sharing of stories amongst the 24 grant recipients. It was another successful year as organizations used up to $2,500 to build relationships across differences in the community. Both Above and Beyond Students and Supportive Housing Community (formerly St. Peter's Home/McCreesh Place) shared their program stories with the group at large.

With it's second year of funding from Front Porch, Above and Beyond Students, strengthened relationships between the Latino and African-American students at Eastway Middle School through their after-school program "Sewing Our Way To Stisterhood" in which the girls learned to sew and quilt. Together the diverse students created 25 dresses that a local church will take to an orphanage in Jamaica on mission trip in July. Through the shared experience of learning and creating a new craft, the young women were able to create new relationships and build trust across their cultural differences as well as give back to those in need in another country.

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Posted: May 30th, 2012 Brant Aycock

Mobilize.org will be investing $25,000 in projects led by Millennials (defined as individuals born between 1976-1996) that increase civic engagement, community participation, and voter awareness around the country between now and this year's election.
 
Mobilize.org doesn’t want America to have to look too far to find an example of a young person who is tackling the challenges that they face, and working to increase civic engagement, community participation and voter awareness. To this end, they are excited to announce the first ever election Summit, Millennial Civic Engagement (MCE): Our Generation, Our Communities.
 
Using the GOOD Maker platform, Mobilize.org will invest in hyperlocal, Millennial-led projects that will work to increase civic engagement, community participation, and voter awareness. Millennials in North Carolina, Florida, California, Pennsylvania and Michigan will be eligible to submit their ideas online, and build communities around their projects.

From May 15th to June 11th, North Carolina Millennials can submit their ideas online by clicking HERE.  Approved submissions will be put to a public vote June 11^th to June 29^th. The Millennial with the top-voted idea in each state with receive an all-expense paid trip to the summit and a $500 starter fund to support their idea. 

In addition to the winners of the online competition, Mobilize.org will invite additional outstanding applicants to the summit.  They will convene in Charlotte, North Carolina on August 24 – 26th, 2012.  At the summit, Mobilize.org representatives will host a live competition where they will distribute awards totaling $25,000 to support the implementation of these amazing examples of community-based, Millennial problem solving.

For more information on the competition, please visit http://mobilize.org/MCESummit.

Posted: May 25th, 2012 Ana Brown

Incoming CMS Superintendent Heath Morrison held a media briefing this morning at the Charlotte Mecklenburg Government Center. Dr. Morrison unveiled his entry plan, which establishes a framework for his first few months on the job. He officially begins his new duties on July 2, but has been visiting Mecklenburg County regularly since being appointed in April. To see Dr. Morrison’s entry plan in full, please visit the CMS website.