Whether you’re looking for an easy, low pressure date spot for meeting someone for the first time or you just want to go on a date that won’t break the bank after you pay the babysitter and get yourself a drink, Charlotte has a wide variety of free to low-cost cultural offerings. Don’t miss the last one on this list—it’s a bonus for Saturday nights with the kids to get you through the aftermath of a fun night out.
The Charlotte Folk Society
926 Elizabeth Ave
Charlotte, NC 28204
Celebrating almost thirty years of folk music, this organization has more than just string-bands. They offer monthly events on the second Friday of every month. The events include food trucks, bluegrass, and acoustic music and the main event – a concert in the sanctuary – at 7:30 p.m.
Free but a $10 per person donation is suggested.
McColl Center for Art & Innovation
721 N Tryon St
Charlotte, NC 28202
(Located at W 10th St and N Church St)
Located in a historic, neo-Gothic church in Uptown Charlotte, the Center houses nine artist studios and over 5,000 square feet of gallery space. Admission is always free, but donations are accepted. Even Parking is free!
Thursdays from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Friday & Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
The Light Factory
1817 Central Ave
Charlotte, NC 28205
If photography is what interests you, let Charlotte’s only space dedicated to the photographic arts into your life. The art on these walls is always changing, cycling through signature events like their Annual, and curated exhibitions guaranteeing there is never a dull visit.
There no admission for the gallery.
Wednesday through Saturdays from 12 noon to 6 p.m.
Charlotte Lit
1817 Central Ave
Charlotte, NC 28205
The Charlotte Center for the Literary Arts is in the SAME building as The Light Factory, but caters to the written word rather than photography.
There is a fee for the wide variety of workshops, but the quarterly poetry and art poster series is free and the community conversations are just one of the many engaging formats this organization offers. Check it out!
South End Gallery Crawl
South End is home to the largest concentration of art galleries in Charlotte and this twist on a Pub crawl offers you the chance to tour the following:
118 E Kingston Ave
Suite 16
Charlotte, NC 28203
Elder Gallery of Contemporary Art
1520 S Tryon St
Charlotte, NC 28203
1910 South Blvd
Suite 130
Charlotte, NC 28203
The first Friday of each month
Admission is free.
Mint Museum
500 S Tryon St
Charlotte, NC 28202
The innovative program, “ArtBreak,” at Levine Center for the Arts is a guided 30-minute tour of either The Mint Museum Uptown, the Bechtler Museum of Modern Art, or the Harvey B. Gantt Center for African-American Art + Culture, designed to give you a break during your lunch hour. It’s held at noon on the third Thursday of each month.
Admission is free to both the Uptown and Randolph Rd locations.
ImaginOn / The Joe & Joan Martin Center
300 E 7th St
Charlotte, NC 28202
This collaborative effort between the Charlotte Mecklenburg Library and Children’s Theatre of Charlotte is a 102,000-square-foot space that is a dedicated library space for kids 11 years old and under, four multi-use classrooms, a teen-only library, a multi-media production studio, and an interactive exhibit space.
Hours:
Monday to Thursday 9:00am – 8:00pm
Friday to Saturday 9:00am – 5:00pm
Sunday 1:00pm – 5:00pm
Photo by Cody Hughes @clhughes21
