Congaree Vista named official South Carolina cultural district

Congaree Vista named official South Carolina cultural district

From The State

Article by Erin Shaw; photo by Rob Thompson

The Vista has been named an official South Carolina Cultural District, the Congaree Vista Guild announced Friday.

The S.C. Arts Commission awards the designation to communities that prove a desire to retain an artistic identity and creativity that encourages growth and tourism, according to a press release.

A qualifying district is made up of galleries, live performance venues, artists studios, public art pieces and museums — all things the Vista has.

“The Vista as we know it today is a hub for entertainment and tourism because of the artistic aesthetic and vision that artists and the arts community founded many years ago in this neighborhood,” Vista Guild director Meredith Atkinson said in the release. “We’re proud that responsible growth in the Vista through the years has retained the character of the neighborhood, continued to support the arts and led to this cultural district designation.”

The Vista is the fourth entity to receive a cultural district designation and the first non-city. Previous cultural district designations have been awarded to Spartanburg, Lancaster and Rock Hill.

The Vista Guild will have a special announcement about its designation as a cultural district at Vista Lights, the area’s holiday open house, on Nov. 19.