Charlotte-based creative Rosalia Torres-Weiner and the Charlotte Symphony are set to make beautiful music (and art!) together. Rosalia, Chief Executive Artist of Red Calaca Studio, was selected from an incredible field of talented, local applicants to design a wrap for the Symphony's brand-new mobile stage, CSO Roadshow.

Launching this April, CSO Roadshow will deliver free "walk up" concerts to streets, parks, and plazas for all to enjoy, with each unique program created in partnership with the local community. Our mission is to bring the power of live music right to the heart of Charlotte's neighborhoods. An additional highlight? The 40-foot trailer will be adorned with original artwork by Rosalia, bringing the mission to life in a vibrant way.



This collaboration is more than just a project for Rosalia, it's a heartfelt journey. "I feel a deep connection to the world of music, as my grandfather was a Military Band conductor in Mexico. His passion for music left a lasting impact on our family," she shared. "As a child, I was part of a junior orchestra and learned various instruments. Though my path diverged, music's influence remains a constant in my life."

Rosalia and the Symphony are now putting the finishing touches on this unique design. Stay tuned, as we'll be giving you exclusive sneak peeks of her work before CSO Roadshow sets off on its inaugural tour through our city's neighborhoods this spring.

This innovative project has been made possible thanks to the generous support of the City of Charlotte; the Arts & Science Council; the North Carolina Arts Council, a division of the Department of Natural & Cultural Resources; the Philip L. Van Every Foundation; and the Mariam & Robert Hayes Charitable Trust.

 

About Rosalia

Rosalia Torres-Weiner is an artist, activist and community leader in Charlotte, NC. Her art captures the themes, colors, and rich symbolism of her native home of Mexico. In 2010, Rosalia shifted the focus of her work from commercial art to art activism, after witnessing the repeated injustices and dysfunction of our immigration system. Her work is featured in the permanent collection of the Smithsonian Anacostia Museum and has been exhibited in venues including the McColl Center for Arts and Innovation, Levine Museum of the New South, Elder Gallery of Contemporary Art, the Leyland Gallery at Georgia College, UNCC's Projective Eye Gallery, the City of Raleigh Museum, the Latin American Center for Arts Gallery, the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute, and the Mexican Cultural Institute at the Mexican Embassy in Washington D.C.  Her public murals celebrate the rich history as well as the changing demographics of the South. She also uses her art to document social conditions and to raise awareness about issues that are affecting immigrant communities such as family separation, access to public education, racism, and moving beyond common stereotypes.

Her story "The Magic Kite" was adapted by The Children's Theatre of Charlotte, and is also performed as part of her "Suitcase Stories" one-woman show, which was featured at the Smithsonian National Museum of American History. She has been a featured speaker for the North Carolina ASC, Johnson & Wales University, George Washington University, the National Association of Latino Arts and Culture, and the Southern Foodways Alliance. Through her Red Calaca Mobile Art Studio, a 24-foot "Art Truck" she takes the arts directly to people in underserved areas in Charlotte.