Recent News

Charlotte is Creative says BOOM Fringe Festival Claps Back in Real Life. Here’s an excerpt:

On Friday, April 22 at Camp North End, the BOOM Fringe festival returns after a two-year hiatus brought on by COVID-19.

That’s not to say the folks at Que-OS, the local nonprofit that produces BOOM, have been idle. Among other things, they have executed neighborhood arts events, helped create a comic book

The Queen City Nerve provides A Quick Guide to BOOM Charlotte’s In-Person Return. Here’s an excerpt:

After two years of online showcases and limited capacity performances, BOOM Charlotte will return on April 22 for two days of fringe arts, breaking away from its original Plaza Midwood locale to arrive at Camp North End in 2022.

The annual BOOM Charlotte festival features art of all types — with a focus on the unusual or avant-garde — including theatre and film, music and dance, spoken-word and showcases that blend genres or defy them altogether.

The Charlotte Observer reports BOOM Charlotte art festival adds to diverse lineup Here’s an excerpt:

The fifth annual BOOM Charlotte returns this week after a two-year hiatus because of COVID. And it has an expanded lineup of diverse performers and artists at a new location.

“Even though we set off to do a smaller festival, it has ballooned into one with 60-plus shows,” festival co-founder and executive director Manoj Kesavan told The Charlotte Observer Tuesday. “It’s still one of the largest local arts gathering in Charlotte.”

QNotes Carolinas says BOOM Charlotte to hold live show after being restricted by pandemic to online for two years. Here’s an excerpt:

Festival returns with fifth annual showcase of creative talent live and in-person.

After a two-year pandemic-induced halt from holding its traditional in-person celebration of art, music, theater and more, BOOM Charlotte, the city’s leading showcase of creativity, is now poised to make a comeback April 22-23, with live and in-person performances and presentations at its fifth annual artist-led showcase.

WFAE says BOOM Charlotte Founder Wants to See Local Artists Prioritized. Here’s an excerpt:

As the city of Charlotte rethinks the way it supports the arts, a grassroots organizer offers a simple point of view. Prioritize Charlotte artists and art created here.

Manoj Kesavan formalized BOOM Charlotte just before the Democratic National Convention in 2012, creating festivals and programs of inclusion, diversity and collaboration among artists and communities. It helps artists work on a scale they cannot accomplish by themselves.

WCNC says Charlotte artists, journalists team up to tell real-world stories through comic books. Here’s an excerpt:

While this particular story won’t have a caped superhero fly in to save the day, it does show real truth, and fear, and hope and heroes nonetheless.

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — For decades, comic books have immersed readers in new worlds — in stories that make readers root for the good guy, face villains head-on and make anything seem possible.

QCity Metro says Local artists, reporters bring COVID-19 graphic novel to life. Here’s an excerpt:

The Covid-19 pandemic influenced so many stories from various news outlets around Charlotte that the Charlotte Journalism Collaborative and BOOM Charlotte have partnered to create an eight-chapter graphic novel titled “The Pandemic: Stories of Covid-19.”

Each chapter pairs a local journalist with a local artist to illustrate comic book panels based on previously reported Covid-19 stories. A new chapter of the graphic novel will be released every two weeks before concluding in February.

La Noticia dice que Novela gráfica gratuita cuenta las historias detrás de la pandemia en Charlotte. Aquí hay un extracto:

Un grupo de medios de comunicación locales busca destacar las historias de la comunidad mediante un novedoso formato: cómic o novela gráfica en inglés y español.

Charlotte Journalism Collaborative (CJC) lanzó un proyecto llamado “Pandemic” que cuenta historias locales y reales sobre cómo el COVID-19 afecta a la comunidad, no solo en el tema de salud, sino también en su actividad laboral, sus familias y su economía.

WFAE Morning Edition says BOOM Project Tells Stories From The Pandemic, In Graphic Novel Style. Here’s an excerpt:

The Charlotte Journalism Collaborative and BOOM Charlotte have launched THE PANDEMIC, a graphic novel of stories about COVID-19’s impact on people in the Charlotte area. Eight artists and eight reporters are working on it, said Chris Rudisill, the CJC director.

The first episode, with artwork by Marcus Kiser, is based on (and linked to) a video story by Stephanie Bunao and John D. Simmons for The Charlotte Observer about the first month of the pandemic in North Carolina.

American Press Institute says journalists and artists in Charlotte have teamed up to tell COVID-19 stories as graphic novels. Here’s an excerpt:

The Charlotte Journalism Collaborative and BOOM Charlotte, an arts festival, have teamed up to produce a graphic novel about the effects of the coronavirus in the North Carolina city.

The novel, called “The Pandem!c: Stories of COVID-19,” will be divided into eight chapters, and will tell the stories of people in the region who have been affected by the pandemic.

NC Local News Workshop Newsletter says BOOM and Charlotte Journalism Collaborative have launched a new graphic novel. Here’s an excerpt:

The Charlotte Journalism Collaborative and BOOM Charlotte have launched THE PANDEMIC, a graphic novel of stories about COVID-19’s impact on people in the Charlotte area. Eight artists and eight reporters are working on it, said Chris Rudisill, the CJC director.

The first episode, with artwork by Marcus Kiser, is based on (and linked to) a video story by Stephanie Bunao and John D. Simmons for The Charlotte Observer about the first month of the pandemic in North Carolina.

Three Things to Be Excited About Here’s an excerpt:

There is a lot going on right now in the Queen City when it comes to art, music and overall just flat out creativity. That’s where we call up our friends from Charlotte is Creative. Tim Miner shared three things to be excited about and introduced us to a special guest, Kia O.

1. Windows of Hope: Lowe’s, South End and ArtPop! want to turn 13 windows into an outside art gallery. .
2. Tosco Music Party: John Tosco is having an online event Saturday night featuring incredible talent and raising money for the COVID-19 Music Relief fund created by Fair Play Music Equity Initiative and Music Everywhere.
3. A Call To Create: Charlotte is Creative has partnered with BOOM, BLKMRKTCLT and The Roll Up to invite artists to submit ideas to present at an online event on July 11.