Stellar Gospel Music Awards coming to Charlotte
Add Axios as your preferred source to
see more of our stories on Google.
Singers Michelle Williams, Kelly Rowland and Beyoncé performed "Say Yes" during the Stellar Awards in 2015. March 28, 2015 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Photo: Erik Umphery/Getty Images for Parkwood Entertainment
The Stellar Gospel Music Awards are coming to Charlotte this summer.
Why it matters: The Stellar Awards are often compared to the Grammys for gospel music. The annual awards show, which has more than 3.6 million television viewers, will put a global spotlight on Charlotte and draw a large number of people to the city, local boosters hope.
Driving the news: Charlotte was announced as the host city for the 41st annual Stellar Gospel Music Awards Tuesday at the Charlotte Convention Center. The awards were hosted last year in Nashville.
By the numbers: The state will contribute $995,000 to the awards, according to Walter Bowers, director of Governor Josh Stein's Charlotte office.
- Funding will come from the state's Major Events, Games & Attractions Fund, which is funded by sports betting revenue, a spokesperson from the governor's office confirmed to Axios.
What to expect: The Stellar Awards are a multi-day celebration of gospel music and will run Aug. 12-15, bringing some of the biggest gospel artists to town.
- Aug. 12-14 will be the Stellar Plus events. Everything culminates with the main event at Spectrum Center on Aug. 15, when the awards show will be taped.
- Carolina Theatre will also be a host venue during the week, as will historically Black churches around town.
Zoom out: Charlotte hosting the Stellar Gospel Music Awards underscores the city's push to cement its reputation as a serious supporter of music, artists and Black cultural institutions.
Flashback: Securing the Stellar Awards took over a year and a half, Charlotte City Council member Malcolm Graham says. The first time Stellar Awards organizers visited Charlotte, they weren't interested in hosting the event here. But the city kept trying to woo them.
- Stellar Awards organizers fell in love with Carolina Theatre, which reopened last year after a major restoration, and the renovated Spectrum Center, Graham says. During their first visit, they had visited Bojangles Coliseum as the Uptown arena was under construction.
The big picture: Graham hopes the awards, which Central City Productions Inc. CEO Don Jackson founded in 1985, return to Charlotte for future years. Right now, the only guarantee is this year.
- "We're trying to get them to stay," Graham said.
What we're watching: Charlotte is home to several Stellar Award nominees and winners, including Praise 100.9 host Melanie Pratt and Pastor John P. Kee, who has more than 25 Stellar awards.
What's next: Tickets, artist and event lineups will become available closer to the event.