The Charlotte Center is a non-profit 501(c)3 organization. We are supported by individual donors, grants, sponsorships, and revenue from our programs. We are as strong as the community that supports us. Our programming begins early 2021. Join us as a founding member and sponsor.
Thank you for joining us!
Thank you for being part of the 2025 Charlotte Ideas Festival community! Whether you joined us in person or cheered us on from afar, we’re so grateful for your interest in big ideas and bold conversations. This year’s festival was filled with energy—from our SHOUT! opening event featuring Noelle Russell on the ethics of AI, to an inspiring talk by Jamie Brown on food and historic renovation, to a full day of discussions with authors, community leaders, and UNC Charlotte faculty. We were also thrilled to host a candid lunchtime conversation with Rick Schnall, co-chairman of the Charlotte Hornets, on the business of sports.
The 2025 festival included keynote presentations from leading national and regional thinkers and performers, including from Noelle Russell, multi-award winning technologist on the intersection between AI and ethics, a panel of bestselling historical fiction authors, a series of partnered talks with professors from UNC Charlotte, and a conversation on the business of sports with Rick Schnall, co-chairman of the Charlotte Hornets.
The 2026 festival will be held in the second weekend in April 2026, and speakers will be announced prior to the opening of Charlotte SHOUT!
Why The Festival?
There is power in coming together as a community. We hope to embody the humanities in an immersive experience that contributes to a flourishing city. Our programming strengthens connection and spurs innovation so we might lives our best lives.
