Arts + Culture – Croixstone

The Incredible Power of the Arts to Drive Business Innovation

“We invite the greater Charlotte region to join us in supporting the nonprofit Legacy Theater & Music. Co. and the junior cast performing in the magical production of Into The Woods Jr.”

– Patti Weber, CEO – Croixstone Consulting

Art and innovation: Nesta, a UK-based innovation agency for social good, published research in 2016 that spotlights the economic benefits to companies of fusing both art and science skills into the workforce . Nesta’s research found that “fused” companies:

• Show higher sales growth
• Deliver higher employment growth
• Are more productive than the average firm
• Are more likely to bring radical innovations to market

Croixstone is a big believer in the theory that the broader set of skills a firm uses, the higher its level of innovative performance and growth.

The Arts and Croixstone: As an extension of our co-founders’ long-standing support for the arts, and their belief in the benefit of the arts to fuel business performance, Croixstone actively seeks opportunities to support the arts across the greater Charlotte, NC region.

About Legacy Theater and Music Co.: Based in Stallings, NC, this innovative nonprofit organization exists to provide opportunities in the performing arts for all by providing private lessons, classes and performance opportunities. Founder Jess Strzepek is the daughter of consultant Drew Strzepek who provides expertise in Croixstone’s Finance and Operational Excellence practices.

Into The Woods Jr.: Croixstone is thrilled to underwrite Legacy’s production of Into The Woods Jr., the musical with music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim and book by James Lapine. Legacy’s “junior cast” (18 years old and under) is performing this magical musical that intertwines the plots of several Brothers Grimm fairy tales, exploring the consequences of the characters’ wishes and quests.

Join Us: Join the Croixstone team in supporting Legacy’s junior cast at the upcoming performances of Into The Woods Jr. at Stallings United Methodist Church located at 1115 Stallings Road in Stallings, NC 28104:

• Friday, July 21 @ 7pm ET
• Saturday, July 22 @ 2pm ET and 7pm ET

Get Social with Legacy Theater and Music Co.: Click on the following links to like, follow and engage with this special nonprofit.

• Website
• Facebook
• Instagram

Seed20 OnStage!

Martin Luther King Jr. once said, “Life’s most persistent and urgent question is, ‘What are you doing for others?'” Today, we focus on an upcoming event dedicated to those in the Charlotte community that are “doing for others” each and every day…SEED20 OnStage!

SEED20 is the annual program of Social Venture Partners Charlotte (a nonprofit organization) to identify, highlight and connect the community to the region’s most promising social entrepreneurs tackling pressing challenges.

Croixstone’s Mark Weber is serving as the Lead Partner for this year’s powerful program, best known for its high-energy SEED20 OnStage event where ten members of the SEED20 class compete to win cash awards by making three-minute “pitches” to a panel of judges and a community audience.

This year’s event takes place at the Bechtler Museum and Knight Theater in front of an audience of 1,000 guests on April 16, 2018. We invite you to view the SEED20 video and website to learn more.

Tickets for the event are now on sale. To purchase tickets, Click Here

Friday Fun Facts – Life is Good with the Firebird

So if you live in Charlotte, you already know that the #1 destination for tourist photos and selfies in the QC is on the sidewalk in front of The Bechtler Museum of Modern Art.

It is here that the Firebird outdoor sculpture (affectionately named “Disco Chicken” by many locals) calls home.

Some Friday fun facts compiled by the Croixstone Consulting team that every Firebird aficionado should know…

The sculpture was created in 1991 by French-American artist Niki de Saint Phalle (1930-2002).
It was purchased by museum patron Andreas Bechtler specifically for placement in front of the museum.
Andreas Bechtler loved the sculpture and found it to be “joyful, uplifting and engaging” and stated that “it makes you feel that life is good” (don’t we all feel this way on Fridays?).
Firebird is adorned with 7,500 mirror mosaics over polyester on steel armature and stands over 17 feet tall.
The sculpture weighs 1,443 pounds.
It gets restored three to four times a year at an annual cost of $5,000 to $8,000. The process largely involves replacing cracked mosaic mirrors. It is believed that “nocturnal skateboarders” are largely responsible for required restoration work.