Gantt Center To Honor PNC Bank and Community Leaders

The Harvey B. Gantt Center will host its Jazzy Holiday Gala on Saturday, December 3rd, 2016, beginning at 6:00 pm at the Charlotte Convention Center, with presenting sponsor Bank of America. The annual black tie event will feature cocktails, dinner, awards, entertainment and dancing. The Gantt Center will present its Spirit of the Center Awards to three honorees who have made notable contributions to the Gantt Center, the arts and the greater Charlotte community. The three award recipients are: civic leader and founding Gantt Center Board member, Sarah Stevenson; Duke University Professor, Richard J. Powell, Ph.D.; and PNC Bank.

"The Jazzy Holiday Gala is our signature fundraising event that allows us to honor those who do good work in the community, and celebrate our accomplishments and the members who support us," said President & CEO David R. Taylor. "We are especially excited to recognize one of our very own, Ms. Sarah Stevenson, who has been with the Gantt Center since its inception as the Afro-American Cultural Center in 1974."

Jazzy is the Harvey B. Gantt Center's major annual fundraiser and provides critical operating support for the Center and its educational programming. One of the longest running annual traditions in the Charlotte area, the Jazzy Holiday event promotes excellence in the community for arts, history and culture and celebrates the accomplishments of established arts patrons and community leaders.

This year's gala theme is "Art and Soul," a play on the phrase heart and soul. It signifies the Gantt Center's impact in creating unique, cultural experiences for visitors. A highlight of the evening is a membership drive allowing attendees who purchase, upgrade or gift a membership to enter a drawing for one of three interactive experiences with acclaimed artists or a luxury hotel stay at the Ritz-Carlton Charlotte hotel. Award recipients will receive a hand-crafted vessel made by master woodturner and guest curator Charles Farrar.

Spirit of the Center Award

The Spirit of the Center Award celebrates individuals and organizations whose exceptional accomplishments have elevated artistic development and cultural awareness and embodied the Gantt Center’s mission to present, preserve and celebrate excellence in the art, history and culture of African-Americans and those of African descent.

Spirit of the Center Award Recipients:

Corporate Citizenship and Partnership - PNC Bank

PNC Bank is one of the largest diversified financial services institutions in the United States. Organized around its customers and communities for strong relationships and local delivery of retail and business banking, PNC has demonstrated a strong commitment to the Charlotte community.

Philanthropy & Community – Sarah Stevenson

Sarah Stevenson is a pioneer in education and politics, a venerable civic leader and a founding board member of the Gantt Center who fought to end inequality in Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools. She is also the creator of the Tuesday Morning Breakfast Forum which addresses important community issues. 

Art & Culture – Richard J. Powell, Ph.D.

Richard J. Powell, Ph.D. is a renowned art historian and serves as a Duke University Professor and Dean of Humanities. Powell’s research and teaching interests lie in American art, African American art and theories of race and representation in the African diaspora, and in the media arts and conceptualizations of the "folk" in world art and culture.

About Harvey B. Gantt Center

Founded in 1974, Charlotte’s Harvey B. Gantt Center for African-American Arts + Culture exists to present, preserve and celebrate the art, history and culture of African-Americans and people of African descent through dance, music, visual and literary arts, film, educational programs, theatre productions and community outreach. Named for Harvey Bernard Gantt- community leader and former Mayor of Charlotte - the Center is housed in an inspired and distinguished award-winning structure and is home to the nationally celebrated John and Vivian Hewitt collection of African-American Art, which was generously donated by Bank of America.

For more information on the Gantt Center, please visit www.ganttcenter.org and join us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter: @hbganttcenter.

About Bank of America

At Bank of America, corporate social responsibility (CSR) is critical to fulfilling our core purpose of making people’s financial lives better. An important part of that commitment is forming strong partnerships across sectors, including art and nonprofit organizations serving community needs, bringing our collective networks and expertise to achieve greater impact. As one of the world's leading supporters of the arts, we recognize that beyond intrinsic beauty, the arts can spur urban renewal, attract new businesses, draw tourism and spark innovation. It's a powerful industry that promotes self-expression, elevates our cultural understanding and generates $166.2 billion a year in the U.S. alone.

Learn more at www.bankofamerica.com/about and follow us on Twitter at @BofA_News.

Media Contact

Loán Sewer, Marketing Manager
lo’an@ganttcenter.org
(704) 547-3767

Posted on Monday, November 28, 2016

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