NoDa neighborhood in Charlotte


The NoDa neighborhood is a place of art, culture, and entertainment in the city of Charlotte. The neighborhood has a diverse collection of performance venues and art galleries. NoDa is short for North Davidson street which runs through the northern and eclectic portion of the city. The NoDa area is considered an arts district in Charlotte and has a convenient location about one mile northeast of downtown. The area was formerly used for textile manufacturing and was a residential hub for the workers, but over the years NoDa has transformed into a center for the arts.

The NoDa neighborhood is known for an event called the Gallery Crawl which happens twice a month. Every 1st and 3rd Friday of the month visitors of the NoDa Gallery crawl get a chance to sample local NoDa restaurants, enjoy original artwork and visit local pubs in the historical arts district. There are ten galleries located in NoDa - The Arthouse, Art Preserve, Beet, Canvas Monkey, Center of the Earth Gallery, The Evening Muse, Green Rice Designs, Lark & Key Gallery and Hart Witzen Gallery. The Center of the Earth Gallery has been voted NoDa's best Gallery from 1995-2008 by local publications. The gallery premiers museum quality contemporary art. It is an award wining gallery that features original paintings, sculpture and glass by both new and established artists. The city's main news publication, The Charlotte Observer, recommended the gallery and called it one of the most important galleries in the southeast.

Art education is another mission of the NoDa community. The NoDa School of Arts was constructed in the neighborhood to educate the youth and bring cultural awareness and knowledge to the forefront of the learning experience. The main goal of the school is to develop confident youth who are equipped with skills that are transferable to a professional art-based career. Some of the programs at the NoDa school of Arts include workshops, classes, and summer theater productions.

The most popular restaurant in NoDa is a placed called Boudreaux's. The restaurant specializes in Cajun food and has received glowing reviews from residents all over Charlotte that flock to the restaurant for brunch, lunch, and dinner. Boudreaux's is a major participant in the famous Gallery Crawl that takes place in NoDa on a monthly basis. A popular entertainment venue in the NoDa neighborhood is the Neighborhood Theatre. The theatre was originally built in 1945 and has been restored and transformed into a performance venue. The theatre can hold up to 950 people and has a steady stream of performances from both local and national bands, singers, and musicians.

The NoDa neighborhood also features its very own grass-roots community group that is led by a committee of NoDa residents, artists, patrons, and business owners. The grass-roots group is called NodaRioty. The organization was created to serve the artistic and cultural identity of NoDa. Some of the ways NodaRioty implements their vision is by providing opportunities for collaboration between local artist and art organizations in NoDa, conducting art fundraising activities, and partnering with businesses in planning and promoting neighborhood events.

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Feb 7, 2014 @ 5:17 pm
Hi there, I have lived in Charlotte all my life and I Love it. I live in NoDa in the house that I was raised in. I absolutely Love it here. Both of my Parents worked at the Highland Park Mill before it was closed down in 1969 and I have seen things change for the better. If you're thinking about moving here, I think NoDa is a better place for younger people. There is so much to do for everybody of all ages all within about a quarter of a mile. And everybody is very friendly. Last year we had a Halloween Run Race which was a lot of fun. I took a lot of pictures of everybody that dressed up. One was dressed up like Pac-Man and another was dressed up like Shark Tank. That was a good time. NoDa is a very nice, quiet place to live.

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