Happy Birthday, Culture Blocks! Celebrating 10-Years of Community Engagement
Some birthdays are milestone celebrations. For the Arts & Science Council, celebrating a decade of accessible and engaging community programs feels like a true milestone. This August, the Culture Blocks program turned 10-years-old, and we couldn’t be happier to celebrate with all of the artists, creatives, and community leaders who helped shape this program.
a birthday celebration 10-years in the making
On August 27th, in the lobby of the recently renovated Carolina Theatre, ASC staff gathered with some of the program providers who have been on this journey since the early years of Culture Blocks. Together, and alongside area cultural leaders and some of our most engaged community members, we shared a night to remember.
Groups like the Queen City Robotics Alliance, Fiestas Patrias, and the Charlotte Film Society came together in fellowship at the Charlotte area’s premier marquee theatre, a setting with a rich history of community-centered programming. Today, the Culture Blocks program continues that tradition by working alongside Charlotte-Mecklenburg to help build the next generation of not only artists and creatives, but also engaged citizens and community leaders.
The evening featured remarks from ASC president Adam Santalla Pierce, as well as Claudia Gonzalez Griffin, Culture Block’s program director, and Brooklyn Miller, ASC’s Culture Blocks program manager.
Each ASC representative thanked those in attendance for believing in the bold vision that, ten years ago, seemed to some like an insurmountable task. But together, between ASC staff, leadership, and Charlotte-Mecklenburg’s creative community, we’ve collectively turned that vision into a reality.
The work of Culture Blocks is led by dedicated ASC staff, but their diligent efforts aren’t the sole contributor to the success of the program. Indeed, it is the engaged residents, neighbors, and community leaders, alongside our creative partners, that the Culture Blocks program remains a staple of Charlotte-Mecklenburg’s cultural ecosystem.
A HEARTFELT THANKS
For the more than 100,000 people who have experienced a Culture Blocks program in the past, we extend our deepest gratitude. Your participation, enthusiasm, and support have helped make Culture Blocks a vibrant and meaningful part of life in Charlotte-Mecklenburg.
For those who have not yet had the opportunity, we warmly invite you to be part of this collective journey, where neighbors gather, artists share their gifts, and communities are strengthened through creativity and connection.
Together, we look ahead with excitement and commitment to the next ten years and beyond, as we continue building a region where arts and culture are accessible to all. Here’s to celebrating the past, embracing the present, and imagining the future of Charlotte-Mecklenburg!
ABOUT culture blocks
ASC’s Culture Blocks program engages with creative individuals and organizations with a primary mission of arts, science, and/or history to present programs in specific geographic areas.
Funded by Mecklenburg County, Culture Blocks programs activate recreation centers, libraries, and other public spaces into laboratories of connection and creativity.
To learn more about the July – December 2025 class of Culture Blocks providers, click here.
ABOUT ASC
The Arts & Science Council (ASC) is Charlotte-Mecklenburg’s cultural leader, serving as a resource hub, funder, and advocate for arts, science, and history.
A supporting organization of Foundation For The Carolinas, ASC champions local creatives by investing in the arts, sciences, and culture to drive economic growth, community retention, and cultural engagement.
Our mission is to build inclusive, sustainable, and culturally rich communities where creativity drives belonging, growth, and opportunity. From artist support grants and public art stewardship to free Culture Blocks events and partnerships with local schools and universities, ASC invests in a thriving, accessible creative ecosystem for all.
