By Dasia Hood

One of the biggest events to come to the Queen City this century led to a creative – and economic – explosion.

BOOM Charlotte, the city’s homegrown, artist-led arts festival, makes a diverse range of art and artists accessible to local communities. Festival executive director Manoj Kesavan said the event was conceptualized in 2012, when the Democratic National Convention came to uptown Charlotte.

“It was the biggest media event ever in Charlotte. A group of us wanted to showcase some local and regional arts,” Kesavan said.

An eclectic group that referred to themselves as the Quasimodo Project met at the McColl Center and planned 18-plus pop-up art and performances that happened along the street corners and in the city center during the convention.  

“That got a lot of international media attention because that was the only thing happening in public during the convention and there was so much security,” Kesavan recalled. That’s when many of BOOM Charlotte’s core team members came together and planned for the first official event in 2016.

In those days, BOOM collaborated with local businesses in Plaza Midwood, like Petra’s and Snug Harbor, to provide free or affordable space to host performances and exhibitions.

The first festival featured 50+ programs and drew approximately 5,000 people. There was no real budget of which to speak.

“By 2019, we doubled in size, had 100+ shows and 10,000 people came through,” Kesavan said. Today, the festival – which now takes place at Camp North End – operates on a $35,000-40,000 budget.

“It just took off like we never imagined,” Kesavan said.

The festival grew thanks to grants, sponsors and in-kind support from local businesses. One benefit of relocating to Camp North End was the ability to open a BOOM Marketplace with 60+ vendors in 2023. Now, people can attend art performances and shopping experiences with local artists and artisanal crafts.

A portion of the festival experience, BOOM Fringe, offers ticketed events; however, most of the festival is free and open to the public, which aligns with BOOM’s mission of making art accessible and inclusive. This year’s BOOM Fringe is supported by a $20,000 ASC Cultural Vision Grant. 

The new marketplace solidifies the festival’s accessibility for small businesses, which Ai Nguyen, owner of the Ai to You Brand and one of the vendors from the first marketplace, can attest.

“We focus on providing high quality 14K Gold Filled or Sterling Silver handcrafted minimalist jewelry, inspired by geometric shapes and concepts,” Nguyen said. She said that collaborating with aligned shopping experiences at arts festivals helps brands like hers feel supported by the arts community as creatives and business owners. Ai to You reached the estimated 10,000 people who attended BOOM in 2023.

Thirty-four vendors are expected at this year’s festival, which takes place April 26-28. BOOM plans to collect data about how the festival generates revenue for its vendor partners. According to Arts & Economic Prosperity 6 (AEP6), an economic and social impact study conducted by Americans for the Arts in partnership with ASC, local merchants should expect guests to spend an average of $43.46 per person.

Don’t Miss It!

This year’s BOOM Charlotte takes place April 26-28 at Camp North End (300 Camp Rd., Charlotte).

Expect a multifaceted and immersive art experience with an eclectic mix of dance, music, theatre, poetry, visual art, film and more. BOOM consists of two distinct parts: BOOM Fringe, original edgy/experimental art performed in intimate settings; and BOOM Intersection, a broad range of art performed on a central stage, plus interactive installations and activities.

Free admission for Intersection performances, events, installations and activities. Ticketed Fringe performances are $13 each; a festival pass for five performances is $50. Click here for more details.