Charlotte, North Carolina — A city on the rise, Charlotte is home to nearly one million people and is one of 26 Knight Foundation communities across the country. Knight’s commitment to Charlotte dates back to 1955, when Knight Newspapers acquired the Charlotte Observer. Since then, the foundation has invested more than $100 million fostering community engagement, nurturing a dynamic creative economy, and supporting local journalism, arts, and culture. These efforts are helping to shape Charlotte into a vibrant hub for creativity and culture.
Charles Thomas, Knight’s Charlotte program director, and Koven Smith, Knight’s senior director of arts, share insights into the foundation’s approach to building a thriving creative ecosystem in the Queen City.
Koven Smith: Knight has always had an interest in supporting both large anchor arts institutions as well as emerging arts organizations and individual artists, believing all three have key roles to play in the cultural vibrancy of the city. For instance, Knight recently committed $5M to the Charlotte Ballet and $5M to the Charlotte Symphony, but those grants were made in parallel with the Art and Tech Expansion Fund, a $3M program that has supported more than 75 individual artists and emerging arts organizations in Charlotte as well. That middle layer is critical—it’s often missing in other cities, but it helps create opportunities for artists to grow their careers locally.
Charles Thomas: I’ve had artists tell me that Knight was their first grant or that our funding opened doors for them to do things they wouldn’t have been able to otherwise. It grounds our creatives in the place that they call home.”
Koven Smith: We want artists to thrive here and not feel like they need to leave to achieve success. That’s a big part of why we focus on supporting artists and organizations at every level.
Charles Thomas: I’ve seen that issue firsthand as someone who grew up in Charlotte and worked here as a photographer. One of the challenges for artists has been the gaps—it wasn’t always a place where you can start your career and finish it, without having to leave.
Koven Smith: We provided early support to organizations like BOOM Charlotte, JazzArts Charlotte, GoodYear Arts and Charlotte is Creative, who are working to build out that middle layer.
Charles Thomas: This is what we’re trying to build in Charlotte. We want to ensure it is a place where artists are not alone but can grow as part of a collective.
Beyond individual success stories, Thomas and Smith see the arts as a driver of economic development in Charlotte.
Charles Thomas: We’re seeing artists integrate into the economy in exciting ways. Muralists, for example, are being hired by developers to create public art across the city. We’re also seeing artists incorporated into sectors like healthcare, helping to build an inclusive and creative economy.
According to the Charlotte Business Journal, public investment in the arts has also increased, with the city and county recently doubling their annual arts funding from $10.6 million to $21 million arts and culture sector starts new chapter with $21 million in fresh funds.
Charles Thomas: This new funding is an outcome of the Infusion Fund, in which Charlotte’s public and private sector rallied to raise $41M for the arts during COVID. The three-year Infusion Fund raised the bar for public support of the arts sector. It’s a great example of how the public and private sectors come together to make Charlotte a fertile ground for the arts.
Smith shared an example of how the arts are driving economic growth with Knight’s investment with Charlotte Ballet.
Koven Smith: “The grant we made to the Charlotte Ballet to expand their facilities isn’t just about building infrastructure—it’s also tied to creating affordable housing for artists. This housing will support not just Ballet performers, but potentially arts workers in other disciplines who might otherwise be priced out of living in Uptown Charlotte. This new development is a key part of ensuring the arts remain accessible and sustainable in Charlotte.
As the conversation wrapped up, both agreed that Charlotte’s arts scene is at an inflection point.
Charles Thomas: Charlotte is a city on the move, and it feels like we’re becoming a place where artists can land and grow. The arts are helping to shape our identity as a city, and that’s incredibly exciting.
Koven Smith: What I find inspiring is how artists are taking a leading role in defining what Charlotte will become. It’s an evolving city, and creatives are at the heart of that evolution.
Charlotte isn’t just growing—it’s creating a space where artists can thrive. As Thomas put it: “Come to Charlotte and thrive (as an artist).”
