Watch as The Charlotte Observer reports on a Knight-sponsored "Random Act of Culture."

Strolling through a farmers market at lunchtime in Charlotte is always a treat. Sniffing the just-picked peaches, choosing a perfect ruby red tomato - those are usually the highlights.

My visit to Atherton Market was made even better Tuesday when opera filled the air. Yes, I knew a musical surprise was planned as part of Knight Foundation's new Random Acts of Culture series, so I waited with some anticipation. But my friend did not know what was about to happen.

First startled, she quickly became totally enthralled as singers from Opera Carolina serenaded each other and their unlikely audience. Shoppers pulled out camera phones and joined the throng of professional photographers on hand. Wide-eyed children and suit-clad dads alike applauded enthusiastically as yet another singer joined in.

Knight's grant to the Arts and Science Council to organize these Random Acts of Culture accomplished its goal, I'd say. I didn't poll the crowd, but I'm guessing many have never been to an Opera Carolina performance at the performing arts center downtown. But, now they've experienced the beauty and passion of Puccini, and hopefully they'll want to hear more.

Carolina Thread Trail

A small item in the Charlotte Observer this week caught my attention: The Carolina Thread Trail has now invested more than $1 million in community grants for trail development.

For a 15-county initiative with more than 500 miles of trails that will take 15-20 years to build out, this may seem a small figure. But these community grants are the first step in bringing residents together to plan and decide on the best routes for the trails. Knight Foundation has supported these sessions with a $1 million grant for the early planning of the trail.

As the trails are first envisioned, planned and then built, they'll link together to create a "green interstate" of walking and biking paths circling Charlotte.

Near center city Charlotte today, we'll celebrate the completion on one such link. Little Sugar Creek , once the most polluted creek in town, has been literally uncovered and a new linear park built alongside it. Little Sugar Creek Greenway is part of the Thread Trail, and a visible part of it. Unlike more rural or forested stretches of the greenway, this section along a major street to uptown has a more urban feel with fountains, a clock tower and a kiosk offering a restroom and spot to buy drinks.

It has taken years and millions of dollars to complete, but what a transformation.

Residents use the computers at the Charlotte Mecklenburg Library

About a year ago, Knight Foundation supported the Charlotte library's plans to create a job help facility at the main branch downtown - part of an initiative to empower libraries to be true community information centers.

Today, it's busier than ever - even though the library is open fewer days and fewer hours. At a time when more folks need libraries, their services and the Internet access they provide, our library system is more challenged than ever.

As a member of the Charlotte Catalyst Fund committee,  I was pleased to support a request to help the county and library explore the library's future. The Charlotte-Mecklenburg library is not a county department though it gets the bulk of its funding from the county. That puts it in a precarious position during budget discussions.

The county is likely to face budget shortfalls again next year, so it's smart to be looking now for operating strategies to keep more libraries open for more hours.

Dennis Scholl

Great news for the national arts scene: Dennis Scholl, Knight Foundation’s Miami program director and a longtime arts advocate and philanthropist, will head up Knight’s new national cultural arts efforts. Dennis was just named vice president/arts for Knight Foundation. He’ll work with arts leaders in different communities around the country where the Knight brothers owned newspapers – from Detroit, Akron, Charlotte and Philadelphia to Macon, Miami, San Jose and St. Paul – to promote the arts and find innovative cultural programs that enrich people’s lives. He has already has helped transform the South Florida arts scene with Miami’s Knight Arts Challenge, $40 million initiative that aims to unite the region through the arts (finalists will be named in May in the contest’s third round).

With one of the top contemporary art collections in the US and experience leading local and national philanthropic efforts in the visual arts, Dennis’s passion and energy for the arts makes him particularly well-suited for his new post at Knight. He has also ventured into the role of creator as writer and co-producer of a short film, Sunday’s Best, which was just shown at the Aspen Shortsfest 2010. Besides his broad involvement in the arts, Dennis co-founded Betts & Scholl, an international wine venture, and has practiced law, worked as a CPA and restored Art Deco properties on South Beach. We at Knight are looking forward to continuing to transform communities with Dennis’s leadership.

Skyline of downtown Charlotte. Photo by John Ashley via Flickr.

While Charlotte was growing during the boom times of the last decade, poverty was less visible. Today, it's not only more visible, it's at the heart of two critical issues facing the city: educating our children and providing affordable housing for our residents. Like most of the country, Charlotte has seen unemployment rates rise over the past few years and more than 15.8% of Charlotte's nearly one million residents are currently living in poverty. In May 2009, a study found 2,989 homeless children enrolled in the Charlotte-Mecklenburg school system.

Susan Patterson, program director for Charlotte, says Knight has begun investing in projects to address these critical issues.

The Urban Ministry Center's Moore Place project will provide permanent supportive housing for chronically homeless men and women. It's one piece of a continuum of services needed to reduce the number of people in over-crowded shelters in the community.

Knight's investment in Citizen Schools is supporting public education by extending the learning day with citizen teachers. The middle school students learn new skills, and the volunteers learn more about the needs and desires of public school students.

Patterson is hopeful that momentum is growing to address these critical issues and credits the city's new mayor, Anthony Foxx, for making them part of his agenda.

Video of the grant announcement at Freedom Regional is below the jump:

The video with students telling their own stories about challenges of being different (race, gender and sexual preference) was created. It's incredibly powerful and very well done and received a national Telly Award. You'll not be surprised to learn that I've cried every time I've seen it.

I'm proud of this project because of the vision it took to create it, the courage of our school superintendent to put it into our public schools and the tenacity and know-how of the faith leaders to see the need for it and give it legs to succeed.

Knight's unique community of other funders, academics, journalists and new media innovators may know of organizations or projects where teaching the value of differences and diversity would be helpful, and this is a wonderful tool available to you.

"Are you looking for a great diversity training program for your business leaders? Are you searching for an inspiring diversity video and curriculum for your Youth Group or adult Sunday School Class, your high school classroom? You can now obtain, Souls of Our Students, an award winning DVD and curriculum for your congregation or business or school.

This documentary features 9 local high school students sharing heartfelt reflections on the realities of life in Charlotte, and how it feels to be 'different' in a community that is becoming increasingly diverse. It is being incorporated into Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools 9th grade curriculum to address issues that continually affect every high school student in our city. It is also part of the CMS Teacher Training Academy.

Beyond the Charlotte-Mecklenburg School system, the video will be offered to companies, congregations, and independent schools in Mecklenburg County and beyond to be used as part of their diversity training. The Levine Museum of the New South is incorporating this documentary into its new exhibit, "Changing Places."

Three different facilitators' guides are available with the Souls of Our Students DVD: a congregational guide, an independent school curriculum (sponsored by Providence Day School), and a business guide. Curricula include questions for discussion, interactive exercises and additional resources.."

"Souls of Our Students" can be ordered from the homepage of Mecklenberg Ministries; facilitators are available for groups requesting the program.

Welcome to Dennis Scholl, the new Miami Program Director for Knight.

From the press release,

Scholl will work with local leaders to identify opportunities for investing in innovative ideas and programs. His efforts will include leading the Knight Arts Challenge, a $40 million initiative to unite South Florida through the arts.

An art collector for more than 30 years, Scholl has lead local and national philanthropic efforts in the visual arts. He served as founding chair of the Guggenheim Photography Committee, of the Tate Modern American Acquisitions Committee and of the Miami Art Museum Collectors Council. He has also served on the boards of the Aspen Art Museum, the North Miami Museum of Contemporary Art and the alternative art space Locust Projects, of which he was chair.

Congratulations to Damian Thorman, National Program Director for Knight Foundation on his election as Vice Chair of the National Fund for Workforce Solutions.

Congratulations to Susan Patterson, Charlotte Program Director for Knight Foundation, on receiving a lifetime achievement award at the Hornets Nest Girl Scout Council's 4th annual Women of Distinction Award Luncheon. Here she is with her mother, who was her first Girl Scout leader.

Image by Justin Ruckman

Justin Ruckman blogged:

Writer Alan Moore famously said in the Watchmen that the best way to engage your audience in a piece of fiction was to start out with the most tragic thing you could imagine. And Crossroads Charlotte: The Movie did just that. Starting with a scenario entitled Fortress Charlotte, gang members were involved in a drive-by shooting, an eight-year old girl was checked for weaponry via metal detector and an Iraq war veteran was denied entry into a homeless shelter … in the first few minutes. Ouch.

I never thought I would know what it would be like to live in Detroit, but now I think I do.

At the end of the pain, actual stats about city problems were displayed as we transitioned into the next scenario, lending creedence to the possibility of such a world coming to fruition. A trend that continued between each scenario.

The six locations were connected by video before the film; after the film, the audience discussed the different outcomes for the city and passed the microphone. Tonya Jameson has more on her blog.

The new CrossroadsCharlotte.com also launched last night, and has ways for community members to post events and stay in touch:

Congrats to the Crossroads Charlotte team on the site launch; what questions do you have on the possible future scenarios for Charlotte?

The Charlotte Chamber launched its first ever Innovation Awards Tuesday night, and Knight grantees were winners.

The McColl Center for Visual Arts received the Innovative New Product or Service Award for its Innovation Institute, which received a million-dollar grant from Knight in June. Executive Director Suzanne Fetscher was quick to thank Knight for its investment, and Institute alumni scattered around the Westin ballroom cheered.

With more than 400 folks in the room, the Institute is likely to have a waiting list for its next class where artists help business folks tap into their creative side for more effective leadership on the job and in the community.

Michael Marsicano, CEO of the Foundation for the Carolinas (also a Knight grantee and often a partner with Knight in major initiatives), was named Innovator of the Year.

As he said, in this business town, having non-profit winners was remarkable. He’s right.