Blumenthal Arts

We recently welcomed 21 students and their chaperones from Angels & Sparrows' Pathway Program to experience the magic of The Lion King at our beautiful Belk Theater! The group (for most, this was their FIRST visit to the theater) enjoyed this experience of a lifetime thanks to the generous support of George and Eva Raftelis who made a contribution as part of our Lion King Arts for All ticket scholarship campaign. They also enjoyed a pre-show workshop led by the talented team from Sigmon Theatrical! Arts for All access grants remove financial barriers for students, families and community groups to enjoy transformational artistic experiences and education programs. Grant requests may include funding for tickets, workshops, and transportation, gift the magic of live theater to members of our community today: https://lnkd.in/ga_VDDni

Looking for an out of this world job opportunity? We’re looking for members to join our growing team at Space Explorers: The Infinite, launching this fall on Stage 1 at Blume Studios! - VR Lead - Education Field Trip Manager - Education Field Trip Interns For full job descriptions and details on how to apply, visit: https://lnkd.in/dpu3VpQ

Talk about a full circle (of life) moment! This week, our friends at Lawrence Orr Elementary School joined us for a performance of Disney’s The Lion King through our Arts for All ticket scholarships AND they were treated to a special post-show talkback with cast members Darian Sanders (Simba), Gerald Ramsey (Mufasa), Lyric Danae (Swing), and Courtney Thomas (Swing & Dance Captain)! Lawrence Orr Elementary was a first-year participant in our Junior Theater Celebration this spring where students performed The Lion King KIDS at their school AND on our iconic Belk Theater stage! BRAVO to all! Arts for All access grants remove financial barriers for students, families and community groups to enjoy transformational artistic experiences and education programs. Grant requests may include funding for tickets, workshops, and transportation, gift the magic of live theater to members of our community today: https://lnkd.in/ga_VDDni

Please join us in wishing Mukelisiwe Goba, who plays Rafiki in the North American Tour of The Lion King, a HAPPY BIRTHDAY! #FunFact This is her third time in Charlotte with the tour AND the third time she’s celebrating a birthday here in the Queen City!

Sharing our #Pride with everything the light touches!🌈✨ We had an absolute blast marching again in this year’s Charlotte Pride Parade! THANK YOU to our LGBTQIA+ social group Out on the Town for hosting an amazing pre-parade party at Queen City Grounds and special shout out to One Voice Chorus for stopping by to perform! Out on the Town is free to join and allies are welcome! Members enjoy pre-show parties, exclusive discount ticket offers and free mixers for our community! For more details on how to get involved, visit: https://lnkd.in/gVtAT34F

Happy Charlotte Pride weekend!

We are officially ONE MONTH OUT from kicking off the 2024 Charlotte International Arts Festival (CIAF), a Blumenthal Arts Original, returning to Uptown and Ballantyne September 13th – 29th! The annual festival bridges Charlotte's local and international communities with global artists in a joyful celebration filled with live performances, art installations and cultural expressions from around the world! A smorgasbord of art from a variety of cultures and genres, CIAF offers something for everyone—no matter your taste, background, or budget—with more than 200 events, many which are free and open to the public, with ticketed events starting at $5! For the latest festival lineup, visit: charlotteartsfest.com Blumenthal Arts recognizes with gratitude the dedication and generosity of the supporters for the Charlotte International Arts Festival. Lead Sponsor: The Leon Levine Foundation Supporting Sponsors: Bank of America, Wells Fargo, Hearst, TD Charitable Foundation, Wastequip, Ally, Brighthouse Financial, Shea Homes Official Hospitality Sponsor: The Dunhill Hotel

The 200+ puppets featured in every performance of Disney’s The Lion King are always a crowd favorite! Go behind-the-scenes with the show’s iconic Puppet Shop for an inside look at how some of the mane (😉🦁) characters come to life! Check it out and make sure you have your tickets to see them in action LIVE at Belk Theater through September 8th! Visit: https://lnkd.in/gYTbwcSd

We’re thrilled to announce we are hosting another Community Cue Lunch and Learn event featuring a great Q&A with company members of Disney’s The Lion King! Join us August 21st at 12pm at Booth Playhouse! This event is FREE and includes a complimentary lunch but registration is required. Visit: https://lnkd.in/g3Gwj8yi

Please join us in congratulating our Treasurer and Finance Chair Liz Sterling who recently received the Community Impact Award from the Urban League of Central Carolinas for important work she did with Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools (CMS)!   She had the opportunity to participate in the inaugural Executives in Residence program working with CMS on strategy and budget. The Executive in Residence Program is sponsored by the Charlotte Executive Leadership Council (CELC), which encourages collaboration between leaders in the Charlotte business and civic communities.    “The CMS budget has historically been a contentious process. I knew that with my experience I could drive positive change and felt very excited for the opportunity. The CMS Executive team did a tremendous amount of work to formulate the strategy, outline the financial needs of the district and craft the narrative around telling a transparent story for the district. We started this work in September 2022 and worked diligently for several months and received final approval at the beginning of May 2023,” said Sterling.   BRAVO, Liz!