Drop in on Saturday, April 11, 2026 (2:00–6:00 PM) at the Wells Fargo Atrium Uptown for a series of panel discussions on key topics shaping Charlotte’s future. Hear diverse perspectives from thought leaders, engage in meaningful dialogue, and gain insights. This event is free but we ask that you register. Join us for one panel or stay for all!

2:00-3:00pm: Your Brain on Art: How NeuroArts is Improving Health and Wellness in Charlotte

We are honored to welcome Jen Sullivan, Vice Chief Academic Officer for the National Service Lines, Advocate Strategy; David Popoli, Associate Professor at Wake Forest University School of Medicine; Molly Phillips, Assistant Director for Education for the Bechtler Museum of Modern Art, and David Fisk, President & CEO of the Charlotte Symphony Orchestra, as they explore the groundbreaking work of the Charlotte NeuroArts Coalition. This new network of eleven community-based coalitions is advancing science-backed, arts-based creative programming designed to enhance health and well-being across our region. Drawing from healthcare leadership, arts education, cultural stewardship, and medical research, these panelists will illuminate how creativity and clinical insight are converging to strengthen both individual flourishing and community vitality.

3:30-4:30pm: I ♥ Charlotte? How is Urban Design Shaping the Quality of Life and Future of Charlotte?

Charlotte is growing fast — but growth alone doesn’t make a city lovable. As our region weighs major infrastructure and mobility decisions, this panel asks a deeper question: What makes a city worth loving? Ming-Chun Lee, Director of the Urban Design Program at UNC Charlotte; Meg Fencil, Director of Engagement and Impact at Sustain Charlotte; Cathy Morrison, Chief Executive Officer for Neighboring Concepts, and Will Linville, Program Manager for Urban Design Center for the City of Charlotte, will explore how mobility, density and public space shape quality of life. How do infrastructure choices influence neighborhood vitality and daily experience? And how can intentional design help create a Charlotte that works, and feels, better for everyone?

5:00-6:00pm: What’s Charlotte’s Story? What is the Impact of What We Say About Ourselves?

Join Michael Graff, founder of The Charlotte Optimist, for a dynamic panel exploring how narratives shape our city’s identity, memory, and future. A city is the story it tells and hears about itself. What is Charlotte’s story at the center of its identity? What do we keep saying about ourselves? From oral histories to public relations to digital newsrooms and community murals, Charlotte’s narrative is written and rewritten every day. What is being said? Is that story true? What voices and moments are going unheard? The conversation will bring together Julian Berger, Race & Equity Reporter for WFAE, Cheryse Terry, owner of Archive CLT, and Tom Hanchett, community historian, to examine Charlotte’s evolving story—who is telling it, who is being heard, and the lasting consequences of what gets remembered or erased.

About the Charlotte Ideas Festival: The Charlotte Ideas Festival is a multi-day exploration of today’s pressing ideas and issues through the lens of the humanities. This year’s conversation-packed events feature a range of thinkers, innovators and community members engaged in connection and conversation. A program of The Charlotte Center for the Humanities & Civic Imagination (The Charlotte Center), the Charlotte Ideas Festival is part of the three-week Charlotte SHOUT! festival celebrating Food, Art, Music, and Ideas.

About The Charlotte Center: The Charlotte Center for the Humanities & Civic Imagination (The Charlotte Center) is a community forum and civic action catalyst that invites people into meaningful connection and problem-solving informed by deep consideration of the human experience. Our mission is to help people and communities flourish. The Charlotte Center is a non-profit 501(c)3 organization. We are interested in what is good for Charlotte and what Charlotte can offer the world. We invite you to join us!

Contact the host of The 2026 Charlotte Ideas Festival Panels on The Future of Charlotte