Neighborhood Living Room coming to South End on Thursday October 15. Here’s how to use it.

Charlottean Varian Shrum won a K880 Emerging City Champion Grant to bring a “neighborhood living room” to South End. The public space will be available from Thursday, October 15 to Sunday, October 18. I freaking love it.

Community

This is why I love our city. Varian’s been overwhelmed by community support. Here’s just some of the business and the people at those business who’ve helped to make this happen.

• Knight Foundation: Susan Patterson
• 8-80 Cities: Ryan O’Connor
• Better Block: Jason Roberts
• Center City Partners: Megan Gude
• Historic South End: Tobe Holmes
• South End Neighborhood Association: Krissy Oechslin
• Dilworth Artisan Station: Bob and Dick Fuller, Paul Hastings, Hank Rhodes
• Move Loot: Chelsea Cote
• LandDesign: Amanda Zullo, Lori Race, Monica Mitevski
• The Metrolina Landscape Co: Neill Stephens
• The Mayobird: Deedee Mills
• Pure Intentions Coffee: Matt Yarmey
• Tavern on the Tracks: Haley Randazzo
• Hex Coffee: Chandler Wrenn
• Futo Buta: Courtney Estes
• BrewPublik: Katie Palermo
• The Boulevard at South End: Jen Branham
• 704 Shop: Scott Wooten
• Carolina Reclaimed: Jon
• CLT Boutique: Britt Misenheimer
• Fifth & Franklin: Brandon Finch
• Small Keys: Toni South
• Stix + Stones: Ally Frazier
• New Hires: Chandler Martin
• BCycle: Dianna Ward, Hallie Willis
• Queen City Cycles: Bart Stetler
• Sustain Charlotte Biketoberfest: Jordan Moore
• NC Yoga Bar: Lindsay Cunningham
• CMPD: Lt. Ryan Kendall
• CDOT: Scott Curry
• Charlotte Mecklenburg Library: Ulonda Slaughter
• League of Creative Interventionists: Johnny Wakefield, Cece Stronach, Brandon Robinson, John Horne III
• No Barriers Project: Sarah Hazel, Eugene Bradley
• Charlotte Art League: Cindy Connelly
• WTF We Vote: Amy Chiou
• Red Ventures: Austin Shrum
• Wells Fargo: Cory Enwall
• Arrichion: Quinn Reynolds

• Music with Holly: Holly Johnson

Location and layout

The Neighborhood Living Room will be located in the parking lots of Dilworth Artisan Station – 118 East Kingston Avenue. The small parking lot will be occupied on Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday. The large parking lot will only be set up for Sunday.

How to experience the Neighborhood Living Room

(View Facebook Event)

Thursday 10/15

• 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. Grand opening party
• 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. Remarks from Gil Penalosa (Gil is a legit expert Urban Expert and the Founder of 8-80 Cities). Register here (it’s free)
• 8 p.m. to 9 p.m. Live music by Hank Rhodes

Friday 10/16

• 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. Family friendly live music + pumpkin painting
• 6 p.m. to 9 p.m.: Dilworth Artisan Station Gallery Crawl + live music by New Hires (30 artist studios inside).

Saturday 10/17

• 9 a.m. to noon. HEX Coffee
• 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. Charlotte Mecklenburg Library storytime + pumpkin painting
• 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.  Dilworth Artisans in action

• 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. Pop-up shops by Small Keys and CLT Boutique
• 2 p.m. to 9 p.m, Live music and entertainment by Lea’s Dance Troupe, Brad Loundry, Greg Ragan, and T.O.M.

Sunday 10/18

• Noon to 4 p.m. Carolina Panthers Tailgate Party! Live music, food trucks, BREWPUBLIK samples and games, dance parties, cornhole, Charlotte B-Cycle valet, and pop-up shops by Carolina Reclaimed, Fifth & Franklin, 704 Shop, CLT Boutique, and Stix+Stones.
• They’re focusing instead on creating an awesome pre-game experience with FREE FOOD from the Red Ventures “FoodRV,” FREE SAMPLES from BrewPublik, and food/coffee for purchase from Mayobird and Pure Intentions!

What does Varian hope to accomplish?

Varian: “I want to create a cool hang-out spot that makes people stop and think about the built environment and how we’re using the space all around us. I hope people will begin to realize they aren’t helpless or powerless, but that they actually DO have the ability to reimagine space and affect change. You’re already an expert on your community because you live there. If you’ve ever said to yourself, ‘Wouldn’t it be cool if they put ___ here?’ … who exactly do you think ‘they’ is? It starts with you! After the demonstration is over, I hope use my project as a case study to help the City of Charlotte develop a permitting process to allow for similar ‘Placemaking‘ initiatives.”

Do it. Show up.

Go support this initiative. I’m proud our city has residents making things happen like Varian.

Social:
Site: CLTlivingroom.com
Twitter: @CLTLivingRoom
#CLTLivingRoom