The Mint Museum is launching its first-ever Contemporary Architecture + Design (CAD) series with an event on January 5 at 7 p.m. that brings the architect who designed the new Mint Museum Uptown building and the artist who created the monumental five-story work on display in its atrium together to discuss “The Marriage of Art + Architecture.” The series continues throughout 2012 as part of a slate of innovative programming that will broaden the museum’s audience and reach deeper into the community than ever before.
“We believe it is important to launch a new architecture and design series to serve the museum’s mission of sharing innovative perspectives and engaging audiences in new ways. It further illustrates our commitment to leadership in the fields of design and architecture through our collection, research, exhibitions and programming,” said Dr. Kathleen V. Jameson, President & CEO of the Mint. “It will be an ideal complement to our strong slate of other diverse programs including ArtFusion, family-friendly Sunday Fun Days, studio art classes, lectures, films and more.”
Monthly CAD events will continue throughout the year and bring notable names in the architecture and design fields to Charlotte, including Rodolfo Machado, principal of Machado and Silvetti Associates, who designed Mint Museum Uptown; artist Sheila Hicks, subject of the museum’s current exhibition Sheila Hicks: Fifty Years; Craig Dykers, co-founder of Oslo- and New York-based architecture, landscape, and interior design firm Snøhetta; and Cortney and Robert Novogratz, who with their seven children are featured on Bravo’s show “9 By Design.” All of the events will be held at Mint Museum Uptown except Dykers’ visit on February 15, which will be held at UNC Charlotte’s Center City Building at 320 East Ninth Street. Events are $10 for non-members and $5 for members, and more information is available at mintmuseum.org.
Also joining the museum’s winter and spring slate is an expansion of the museum’s new ArtFusion series, a selection of FREE monthly events that include music, dance, fashion, interaction with local artists and more. The winter/spring events kick off January 31 from 6-9 p.m. at Mint Museum Randolph with a celebration of the museum’s 75-year tradition of collecting North Carolina pottery, a lecture, music, and more. “Whether it’s your first time to the Mint or your 50th,ArtFusion offers something new for everyone,” says Laura Everett, Adult Programs Coordinator for the Mint. “This spring’s experiences include a surrealist fashion show, dream interpretation, and much more. I hope that people will use this opportunity to explore Mint Museum Uptown, rediscover Mint Museum Randolph, and see what we’re up to – these programs are slightly offbeat but always engaging.”
The museum has also announced family-friendly spring programming including Sunday Fun Days; Toddler Time at the Mint; Saturday Art Sessions; and studio art classes for children, teens, homeschoolers, adults and masters. Other programs include curator tours, demonstrations, performances, lectures and films tied to the museum’s slate of exhibitions (think Surrealism, fairytales and much more!). Some programs require pre-registration, which is available at mintmuseum.org. Information about all upcoming programs is in an attachment with this news release, and most programs are listed in an online brochure at www.mintmuseum.org/education-programs-winter-spring-2012. Please contact Leigh Dyer, the museum’s public relations and publications manager, at 704-337-2009 or leigh.dyer@mintmuseum.org for more information.
ABOUT THE MINT MUSEUM
The Mint Museum is a non-profit, visual arts institution comprised of two dynamic facilities: the newly opened Mint Museum Uptown and the historic Mint Museum Randolph. As the oldest art museum in North Carolina, The Mint Museum offers its visitors a remarkable opportunity to experience art through two facilities that feature a global collection spanning over 4,500 years of human creativity. Located in what was the original branch of the United States Mint, the Mint Museum Randolph opened in 1936 in Charlotte’s Eastover neighborhood as the first art museum in North Carolina. Today, intimate galleries invite visitors to engage with the art of the ancient Americas, ceramics and decorative arts, historic costume and fashionable dress, European, African, and Asian art, among other collections. Resources include a reference library with over 15,000 volumes, a theater featuring lectures and performances, and a Museum Shop offering merchandise that complements both the permanent collection and special exhibitions. The Mint Museum Uptown houses the internationally renowned Mint Museum of Craft + Design, as well as outstanding collections of American, contemporary, and European art. Designed by Machado and Silvetti Associates of Boston, the five-story, 145,000-square-foot facility combines inspiring architecture with groundbreaking exhibitions to provide visitors with unparalleled educational and cultural experiences. Located in the heart of Charlotte’s burgeoning center city, the Mint Museum Uptown is an integral part of the Levine Center for the Arts, a cultural campus that includes the Bechtler Museum of Modern Art, the Harvey B. Gantt Center for African-American Arts and Culture, the Knight Theater, and the Duke Energy Center. The Mint Museum Uptown also features a range of visitor amenities, including the 240-seat James B. Duke Auditorium, the Lewis Family Gallery, art studios, a restaurant, and a museum shop. For more information, check outmintmuseum.org. 
The Mint Museum is a non-profit, visual arts institution comprised of two dynamic facilities: the newly opened Mint Museum Uptown and the historic Mint Museum Randolph. As the oldest art museum in North Carolina, The Mint Museum offers its visitors a remarkable opportunity to experience art through two facilities that feature a global collection spanning over 4,500 years of human creativity. Located in what was the original branch of the United States Mint, the Mint Museum Randolph opened in 1936 in Charlotte’s Eastover neighborhood as the first art museum in North Carolina. Today, intimate galleries invite visitors to engage with the art of the ancient Americas, ceramics and decorative arts, historic costume and fashionable dress, European, African, and Asian art, among other collections. Resources include a reference library with over 15,000 volumes, a theater featuring lectures and performances, and a Museum Shop offering merchandise that complements both the permanent collection and special exhibitions. The Mint Museum Uptown houses the internationally renowned Mint Museum of Craft + Design, as well as outstanding collections of American, contemporary, and European art. Designed by Machado and Silvetti Associates of Boston, the five-story, 145,000-square-foot facility combines inspiring architecture with groundbreaking exhibitions to provide visitors with unparalleled educational and cultural experiences. Located in the heart of Charlotte’s burgeoning center city, the Mint Museum Uptown is an integral part of the Levine Center for the Arts, a cultural campus that includes the Bechtler Museum of Modern Art, the Harvey B. Gantt Center for African-American Arts and Culture, the Knight Theater, and the Duke Energy Center. The Mint Museum Uptown also features a range of visitor amenities, including the 240-seat James B. Duke Auditorium, the Lewis Family Gallery, art studios, a restaurant, and a museum shop. For more information, check outmintmuseum.org.
