MLK Day 2026: Instruments for Change

MLK Day 2026: Instruments for Change celebrates the enduring connection between the arts and activism, honoring Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s legacy in the civil rights movement. This year’s theme highlights how creative expression—music, performance, and visual art—has long served as a powerful force for social change.

Central to the celebration is our Jazz Greats: Classic Photographs from the Bank of America Collection exhibition, featuring 33 black-and-white photographs that capture the brilliance and cultural impact of jazz legends from the 1920s to the 1980s. Their stories remind us that jazz, like the civil rights movement itself, is rooted in resilience, innovation, and the pursuit of freedom.

Throughout the day, visitors can engage in hands-on crafts, screen-printing with MacFly Fresh, enjoy story time sessions introducing children to jazz, or experience screenings including Our Friend, Martin and Rustin. Two panel discussions will bring together visionary artists and thinkers to discuss how contemporary creative practices continue to advance justice as it relates to the current social political climate of Charlotte & beyond. Live performances—including a dance production by JOYEMOVEMENT—and workshops like Strokes of Freedom offer opportunities for creative participation and reflection.

Through these programs, Instruments for Change invites our community to experience how the arts continue to inspire action, strengthen connection, and shape a more just future. All are welcome to join us for a day of creativity, conversation, and celebration at the Gantt.

We would like to extend a special thank you to Food Lion for being our presenting sponsors for MLK Day 2026.

Stay tuned for the celebration’s full schedule, coming soon.

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Host or Publisher Harvey B. Gantt Center for African-American Arts + Culture