CHARLOTTE, N.C. — TAOH Outdoor Gallery, hailed as Charlotte's first graffiti park, will officially open to the public on Saturday.
"This was intentionally set up to fill a gap that Charlotte did not have fulfilled for people to be able to come and express themselves without any risk of getting in trouble for painting in public," co-founder Osiris Rain said.
The project was funded by a 2024 Opportunity Fund grant, allocated by the City of Charlotte Arts and Culture Advisory Board. In the last two years, the Opportunity Fund has led to more than $2.7 million in investments.
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"This has been in the works for a very long time," Rain said. "Thankfully, [the Opportunity Fund] came through and literally within receiving the funds we have this built in a week."
The park includes more than 20 walls, built in late July, designed to be easily relocated and reassembled. Anyone can come and graffiti on the walls before the next person comes along to remake their own art.
"This space is for the community to come and create and be and meet other community members and express themselves and try something new and push themselves out of their comfort zone," co-founder Sydney Duarte said.
Organizers say in the weeks since more than 75 unique works have already come to life thanks in part to artists from across the country and world. Artists from the United Kingdom and Australia have already left their mark on Charlotte's newest art scene.
Charlotte's first graffiti park
"We had no idea how hungry the community was, the city at large." Rain said. "Just the feedback we've gotten already, not just the accessibility for painting, but the interaction with the rest of the community. People can come here and meet people. They can expand their world. They don't feel trapped at home. It provides a lot more than just a space to paint."
TAOH Outdoor Gallery will hold a grand opening event on Saturday, September 14, from 2 until 10 p.m. The Gallery is located at 2200 N. Brevard St. in Charlotte.