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:  

 

Hodges Taylor Art Consultancy 

118 E Kingston Ave 

Suite 16 

Charlotte, NC 28203 

 

Elder Gallery of Contemporary Art 

1520 S Tryon St  

Charlotte, NC 28203 

 

Hidell Brooks Gallery 

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