As Charlotte and its art scene continue to explode in tandem, our city is diversifying and becoming more interesting through the lens of its most creative members. While there are many forms of Charlotte arts, these are the museums and galleries we think are worth your visit, the artists whose work has captivated us, and the performing arts destinations that will make you laugh, cry, and cheer.
This is but a small list including some of the many, many talented artists in this city—we encourage you to not only support our current picks, but all the many creatives and arts hubs that deserve your support and attention. All in all, more art is good art!
GALLERIES
Shain Gallery
Known as one of the finest contemporary art providers in the Southeast, Shain Gallery offers colorful and modern art. The fine art gallery is located in the Myers Park neighborhood of Charlotte and showcases acclaimed artists from all over. Offering an annual schedule of exhibitions, Shain Gallery is also open Monday through Sunday to view art at your preference.
Elder Gallery
Elder Gallery is a contemporary art gallery aiming to connect Charlotteans through the experience of art. Representing a booming variety of artists, Elder Gallery mainly displays fine glass art and paintings. In fact, different exhibits showcase different human experiences. Open to the public each Friday and Saturday, Elder Gallery is a great place to appreciate and experience one-of-a-kind art.
Central Piedmont Community College’s Galleries
CPCC is home to five gallery spaces. Each plays a different role, both in terms of the growth, stimulation, and education of CPCC’s students and in furthering the college’s relationship with the broader community. The Dove Gallery is not only the most well known of CPCC’s exhibition spaces, but also the newest. This traditional gallery space hosts the college’s annual juried art show, as well as exhibitions of work by professional artists and community-related shows. Additionally, CPCC renovated the Ross and Overcash galleries in 2024 to transform them from traditional gallery spaces into a new student activity area called The Art Hub. The Art Hub also includes a photography studio, work spaces, and a year-round student exhibition space.
Sozo Gallery
Sozo Gallery is a contemporary art gallery located in Plaza Midwood that specializes in inspiring soulful connections. Particularly, Sozo brings art from local, national, and international artists to the Charlotte area. Rotating art every 4 to 6 weeks, there is always something new going on at Sozo. The space is open every week from Tuesday to Saturday.
Picture House Gallery
Near Uptown, Picture House brings over 40 years of expertise, making it one of Charlotte’s original resources for major collectors and institutions. All told, the gallery showcases styles ranging from traditional to abstract, and their eclectic collection features oil paintings, watercolors, pastels, and a variety of sculptures by nationally and internationally recognized artists. Owner Bob Griffin and his team also offer appraisals, placement, custom framing, and restoration services to meet their clients’ every art need.
The Light Factory
Located in the Visual and Performing Arts Center, about a mile from Uptown, is The Light Factory. The Light Factory exhibits the art of photography and showcases many artists, from world-renowned photographers to local Charlotte photographers. With the exhibits changing constantly, you’re bound to see something new during your visit to The Light Factory.
Charlotte Art League
The Charlotte Art League is a non-profit organization offering classes, studio space and events to the locals, along with a gallery. Located in NoDa, the Charlotte Art League strives to be accessible to every art lover, regardless of age, background or experience level.
Hidell Brooks Gallery
Hidell Brooks Gallery, at The Steelyard in South end, is owned and operated by Katherine Hidell Thomas and Rebecca Brooks. The gallery showcases contemporary work of well-established and solidly-emerging American artists.
Hot Glass Alley
Located in NoDa, Hot Glass Alley is Charlotte’s first glass-blowing art shop. The gallery is home to three experienced gaffers who commission all different types of vases, light fixtures, and installations. The gallery is open to the public for glass-blowing classes, or you can book your next private event.
Anne Neilson Fine Art
Anne Neilson Fine Art displays more than fifty different kinds of artists from all over the world. Generally, the gallery showcases art of all mediums and styles with a mission to help nonprofit organizations all over the world through donating a portion of its fine art sales. Open Tuesday through Saturday, Anne Neilson is a fresh, eclectic art gallery that illuminates Charlotte.
Jerald Melberg
Jerald Melberg is a fine art gallery that exhibits art chosen with the utmost care. The gallery seeks to display art that is “visually poetic and transcends the everyday.” Jerald Melberg himself has been involved in fine art for over forty years, previously as curator at the Mint Museum. His gallery offers rotating themed exhibitions that can last around one to four months.
Van Every/Smith Galleries
The William H. Van Every and Edward M. Smith Galleries, also known as the Van Every/Smith Galleries, is curated and operated by Davidson College. These galleries feature both rotating and permanent collections with a wide range of pieces. Guests can see art made over 500 years ago, as well as art made from students currently attending the college. Because of Davidson College’s dedication to the surrounding community, these galleries are excellent places to learn a little more about a variety of artistic creations.
davidsoncollegeartgalleries.org
Art House Charlotte
Judith Weston Zehmke started Art House Charlotte in 2009 when she wanted to mix her love of art with her outgoing nature. Now home to many local artists of different mediums, Art House Charlotte provides original and affordable artwork for its clients.
Real African Art
RAA was started with the aspiration to improve the lives of Zimbabwean and African artists and provide them with opportunities and platforms to exhibit and market their creative art work in the United States and beyond. The types of art represented ranges from stone sculptures to wooden masks and carvings, beaded jewelry, paintings and more. The art comes from dozens of African countries including Malawi, Mozambique, Tanzania and Ghana. Visit RAA for yourself today in University City.
MUSEUMS
Mint Museum
North Carolina’s very first art museum, The Mint has one of the largest collections of art in the greater Southeast. The museum offers two locations in Uptown and Randolph showcasing collections of American, Contemporary, and European art. The museum offers events for all ages making it a family friendly environment. Offering a variety of different exhibits every year, The Mint Museum is rightfully one of the most respected museums in Charlotte.
The Culture & Heritage Museums
The Culture & Heritage Museums are a family of museums in York County, SC. These include Historic Brattonsville, The McCelvey Center, the Museum of York County, and the Main Street Children’s Museum in Old Town Rock Hill. The Culture & Heritage Museums are responsible for communicating and preserving the natural and cultural histories of the Carolina Piedmont, inspiring a lifetime of learning. On top of the fantastic exhibits at the Main Street Children’s Museum and the Museum of York County, visit the Settlemyre Planetarium, which puts on more than 600 showings annually.
Bechtler Museum of Modern Art
Designed by Swiss architect Mario Botta, Bechtler Museum of Modern Art is a unique and elegant museum exhibiting work from the mid-20th century. The museum specializes in displaying work from prestigious artists such as Picasso and Warhol. The gorgeous museum has some of the most sought-after art in Charlotte.
The Discovery Place
Discovery Place, a private not-for-profit education organization based in the Carolinas, has four museums in three cities, but the original is in Uptown Charlotte. It was opened in 1946 by a teacher named Laura Owens: Since then, the museum has undergone several location changes and major renovations, but its mission is still the same: The museum remains dedicated to inspiring and educating students and teachers through STEM. You can visit Discovery Place at any of its four locations, including Discovery Place Science in Uptown, Discovery Place Nature in Freedom Park, and Discovery Place Kids in Huntersville and Rockingham, N.C. It’s a great place to spend a day learning about science while also having a lot of fun.
Harvey B. Gantt Center
Named after Charlotte’s first African-American mayor, the Harvey B. Gantt Center exemplifies the type of cultural consciousness Charlotte can enjoy when people come together. The center has held numerous exhibitions from renowned artists, including Russel Craig and Deana Lawson. Importantly, it has also become a safe place dedicated to opening a dialogue around the many injustices plaguing African-Americans and people of color. Visitors can find breathtaking art inside its gallery walls, as well as an abundance of resources for further learning.
The Charlotte Museum of History
The Charlotte Museum of History is a nonprofit museum that aims to share and preserve Charlotte’s eccentric history. Located in East Charlotte, the museum also showcases the Hezekiah Alexander House, which is the oldest house in Mecklenburg County. Open to the public only one Saturday a month, the Charlotte Museum of History is a must-see for Charlotte natives.
Levine Museum
The Levine Museum of the New South is a history museum showcasing the everchanging Queen City. All told, the museum has a variety of exhibits, from Charlotte post-Civil War to those confronting social issues the city faces today.
ARTISTS
Irisol Gonzalez
Through her interdisciplinary work with a background studying both psychology and political science, Irisol Gonzalez’s multimedia art evokes the complex femininities at play within Latin-American culture. She received her Masters in Fine Art in painting and printmaking at Yale School of Art.
Hannah Stewart Yanetsko
Hannah is a self-taught contemporary artist who lives and paints in Davidson, North Carolina with her two young daughters. In short, her work really kicked off in 2020, and since then she has worked mainly in large-scale paintings of edgeless oceans, starting with wood panels on which she renders figures and adds sweeping background colors.
André Leon Gray
Raleigh native André Leon Gray specializes in designing ornate installations to create poignant commentary on America’s relationship with race. In particular, he highlights both the historical and contemporary experiences of black and native communities. Impressively, his artwork was featured in the newest season of the Disney+ Emmy Award-winning anthology series GENIUS: MLK/X.
Marcy Gregg
Primarily working in oil paint, Marcy Gregg creates atmospheric abstract pieces, often alluding to the natural world with a cubist sensibility. After surviving a coma that resulted in major impacts to her memory, Marcy also became involved in public speaking and writing. Through these avenues, she discusses the impact of art on the process of reclaiming her life.
Holly Keogh
In her hazy, vibrant, and often surrealist oil paintings, Holly Keogh captures the continual sense of movement throughout her childhood spent traveling between Charlotte and London. As a result, Keogh specifically utilizes discarded family photographs as the basis for her elevated reimaginings of the past, examining the impact of youth upon memory. Currently, Keogh is represented by SOCO Gallery.
Susan McAlister
With a multi-media creative vision spanning canvas, paper, and assemblages, Susan McAlister’s impressionistic style immerses the viewer in lush, leafy landscapes. A Davidson College alum, McAlister feels a profound spiritual connection to the aesthetic inspiration offered by the North Carolina wilderness.
Diane Pike
A master in the plein-air painting tradition, Diane Pike’s oeuvre spans between styles of abstract expressionism and natural impressionism in bold color palettes. She recently displayed her work at Awaken Gallery’s show, marking their sixth anniversary. Additionally, Pike regularly holds workshops in Charlotte.
Clarence Heyward
Contemporary artist Clarence Heyward specializes in oil portrait and collage art encapsulating the Black American experience. Particularly, Heyward examines how material historicization impacts modern culture and identity. In his portraits, Heyward creates an alternative perception of the Black American identity and centers the deconstruction of myth or stereotype.
Ali Loncar
Mixed media artist Ali Loncar operates seamlessly across multiple artistic disciplines, perhaps best known for her ornate watercolor and scherenschnitte paper designs. Her pieces typically center intricate examinations of the natural world with insects, flowers, and plants in lively compositions. Recently, Loncar also contributed to public art displays, such as an outdoor sculpture for ImaginOn, a pollinator awareness mural for Ally Bank, and a float for Charlotte SHOUT! festival.
Lindsey Jenneman
For the past three years, painter Lindsey Jenneman has been in partnership with Outback Steakhouse to bring her vibrant murals to various of the restaurant’s locations, even internationally. Jenneman’s style prominently features animals portrayed in vivid pops of color accompanied by playful accessorization, each largely dependent upon inspiration from local iconography.
PERFORMING ARTS
Charlotte Ballet
Founded in 1970 as the North Carolina Dance Theater, the Charlotte Ballet is a critically renowned dance company whose local and national performances imbue artistry with dynamic motion. The Charlotte Ballet’s versatile repertoire ranges from timeless, classical ballet such as the annual showing of Tchaikovsky’s The Nutcracker to imaginative contemporary works that take place year round.
Opera Carolina
Breathtakingly beautiful, Opera Carolina draws from over seventy years of excellence to bring grandeur and grace to each of its performances. Whether you are a seasoned admirer or new to the art of opera, Opera Carolina offers an intentionally immersive experience to satisfy all in attendance. Lastly, performances are held at the Belk Theater in Center City on Thursdays, Saturdays, and Sundays.
Middle C Jazz
Cozy and chic, the Middle C Jazz club is Charlotte’s home for cool. Slip into Middle C’s intimate lounge atmosphere and spend the night savoring the flavors of fresh tapas, craft cocktails, and vibrant jazz. Middle C Jazz spotlights local and national acts each Wednesday-Sunday and welcomes lifelong listeners and learners alike to sit back, snack, and snap.
Jazz Arts Initiative
Since 2009, the Jazz Arts Initiative has grown into one of Charlotte’s most celebrated art institutions. Led by a partnership of elite musicians and educators, the Jazz Arts Initiative performs each month at the JazzRoom in uptown Charlotte and at public festivals and events around the city. Stay up to date with Jazz Arts Initiative’s latest showcases by joining their mailing list so you can support the blossoming future of Charlotte arts.
Charlotte Symphony
In 1931, Spanish composer and conductor Guillermo de Roxlo emigrated from Cuba to Charlotte with ambitions to establish a symphony orchestra for his new hometown. Now the longest continuously operating Symphony Orchestra in North Carolina, the Charlotte Symphony has become a champion for Charlotte arts. The Charlotte Symphony performs classical repertoire alongside cinematic scores and family-friendly features.
Blumenthal Performing Arts Center
Located in the heart of Center City, the Blumenthal Performing Arts Center is a cultural centerpiece for the city of Charlotte. The Blumenthal Performing Arts Center consists of three centralized venues, including the prominent Belk Theater, Booth Playhouse, and Stage Door Theater. All told, this venue hosts a diverse variety of performances ranging from Broadway musicals, dance companies, and comedy tours. Furthermore, with year-round events suitable for all ages, the Blumenthal Performing Arts Center has a well-earned history as Charlotte’s center for community enrichment and entertainment.
AvidXchange Music Factory
The Music Factory is a sweeping mixed-use entertainment and lifestyle complex on the outskirts of Uptown. It is a popular all-in-one entertainment and dining destination with multiple bars and restaurants. Additionally, there are four different concert venues that range in size. See a variety of musical acts, local and nationally-known, at Skyla or The Fillmore, grab a beer at VGBG, or catch a show at The Comedy Zone.
