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Nation’s largest free farm + arts crawl announces 2023 event

No bull! Annual event has ... bumper crop of counties

The annual South Carolina Ag + Art Tour is adding Aiken and Sumter counties while returning eight previously participating counties to feature a cornucopia of more than 100 tour sites during the 2023 iteration of the event—the largest such in the U.S.

[caption id="attachment_52401" align="alignright" width="300"] Click to enlarge.[/caption] Will Culler, Clemson Extension agribusiness agent and tour director, bills the free, self-guided farm and art tour as a great way to educate people about where their food and fiber come from while they're introduced to local artisans. Now in its 12th year, it has seen steady growth in length and counties and sites participating. Ag + Art Tour is looking for #SCartists who want to exhibit! Go here for information and to apply. Have a farm? Tour sites are being sough to apply too. “We are proud of the commitment of our farms, artisans, and county teams. Because of that, we can sustain continued growth,” Culler said. “One of our goals has been to give people a better knowledge of what is produced in their backyard and help them to support local businesses while making healthier food choices. This event does that by putting food and product with a face.” The 2023 tour include farms and artisans in Aiken, Chester, Colleton, Fairfield, Kershaw, Lancaster, Lexington, Newberry, Richland, Sumter, and York counties.

2023 schedule

Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Sundays from 1-5 p.m.
  • May 6: Lexington
  • May 13-14: Aiken, Lancaster, Sumter
  • May 20-21: Colleton, Newberry
  • June 3-4: Kershaw
  • June 10-11: Richland, York
  • June 17-18: Fairfield
  • June 24-25: Chester
Tour stops include farms and farmers' markets, with art at each location. Artisans on the tour range from weavers, painters, musicians, storytellers, metalworkers, and craftsmen to poets and live musical performances. Some farms will offer value-added products, such as jarred and canned foods, honey, baked goods, or even farm-fresh meals.  There is no fee to attend; visitors can start and stop their tour at any location.
The tour began in York County in 2012 and has added at least one new county each year since. The interest in the South Carolina Ag + Art Tour continues to be high, and it is the largest free farm tour in the nation. More than 85,000 visitors have enjoyed it since its inception. More information about the participating farms, markets, artisans, and ancillary sites can be found online at www.agandarttour.com and its social media accounts:
  • Facebook: @agandarttour
  • Instagram: @agandarttour
Various counties have accounts too, so do a quick search for yours. And don't forget the hashtag: #agandarttour. Plan your mooooooves now.
About the South Carolina Ag + Art Tour The South Carolina Ag + Art Tour is a free self-guided tour of farms and farmers' markets featuring artisans at every stop occurring every weekend in June.  The first Ag + Art Tour was held in 2012 in York County to blend agriculture and art. The tour began to expand in 2013 and has continued to do so yearly. It is the largest free farm and art tour in the nation. The tour is coordinated by leadership and county-level planning teams led by Clemson University Cooperative Extension. Partner organizations include economic development agencies, chambers of commerce, tourism bureaus, farm and artisan organizations, education and extension offices, arts councils, and community volunteers.
Photo by Pixabay: https://www.pexels.com/photo/corn-fields-under-white-clouds-with-blue-sky-during-daytime-158827/

Jason Rapp

Hold my beer… no really, I have to play a set

Soda City orchestra's ensembles to pop up in watering holes

[caption id="attachment_49073" align="aligncenter" width="950"]A string quartet plays music in a rustic indoor setting in front of a small seated group. An SC Philharmonic string ensemble.[/caption]

There's an old joke in the orchestra world that attempts to juxtapose baseball and things orchestral by referring to the basses being "loaded."

The Hub wants on the record as hoping that won't be the case. Depending on the makeup of the ensemble, you can't rule it out though. Yep, we're using the Bad Puns tag today. The South Carolina Philharmonic (a general operating support grantee, among others, of the SCAC) announced its intention to begin presenting a Chamber Crawl Series this month around the Midlands, with the first taking place Wednesday, Feb. 16, 2022 at 7:30 p.m. at Craft and Draft Irmo (7583 St. Andrews Rd.). A string quartet comprised of two violins, a viola, and a cello gets the first call: Concertmaster Mary Lee Taylor Kinosian (violin), Principal Violin 2 Damir Horvat, Principal Viola Audrey Harris, and Tzu-Ying Liao (cello) might or might not open up a tab. For patrons (orchestra and drinking establishment alike...) beer and wine will be available at a cash bar. General admission tickets are $15, and concert-goers may add a charcuterie board for $10. Doors open at 7 p.m., and the concert starts at 7:30 p.m. Tickets may be purchased at www.scphilharmonic.com.
The idea for the SC Philharmonic’s Chamber Crawl Series sprang from successful community outreach events that brought classical music to non-traditional performance spaces during the orchestra’s last performing season season. Venues like The Hunter Gatherer Hangar and Historic Columbia properties provided the symphony the opportunity to steal take classical music from the Koger Center stage (it's home plate, if you will) and take it to other communities in the Columbia area. The Chamber Crawl Series, being led by Education and Community Engagement Director Susan Cafferty, aims to broaden the service area of the organization by bringing chamber ensembles to neighborhood watering holes around the region. The SC Philharmonic says it is excited to partner with Craft and Draft (Irmo) for the series’ inaugural performance, citing the restaurant’s connection to the Irmo area and an event space that lends itself to an excellent listening experience for patrons. Providing a cash bar with expert-chosen beers and wines for the event also serves the "The Phil’s" ongoing goal to make classical musical accessible and, "unbutton the perception that the experience may be buttoned-up," according to a release. “Music is universal in the way it connects with people. This series is a great opportunity to make more connections with the music by bringing it to Midlands bars and restaurants that are craving new experiences for their community and customers,” Cafferty said.
The South Carolina Philharmonic is committed to performing live symphonic music and providing dynamic educational opportunities in the Midlands. We carry forward a legacy of passion for the music and embrace our responsibility to be a vibrant part of the cultural fabric of our diverse community. For more information about the South Carolina Philharmonic, please visit SCPhilharmonic.com or follow on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. 

Jason Rapp

Ag + Art Tour announces 2022 return

Via email, the annual South Carolina Ag + Art Tour announced it will take place again in May and June 2022.

No bull! We would not steer you wrong. Starting the final weekend in May, and every weekend in June, explore the agriculture and artistic heritage of South Carolina through the South Carolina Ag + Art Tour.  This experience is a free, self-guided tour of designated farms in South Carolina, featuring local artisans and farmer's markets. The Hub is a fan. (Probably because we really like cows.) So if you live in or near Charleston, Chester, Chesterfield, Colleton, Fairfield, Kershaw, Lancaster, Lexington, Newberry, Richland, and York counties... get ready! Exact dates and additional details TBA, but for those of you bemoaning, you know, actual winter weather: this is a sign of spring. Ag + Art Tour is coordinated by Clemson Extension in partnership with organizations in all participating counties.

Jason Rapp

Tuning Up: CAE lands call for art; Carter Boucher, GCCA news

Good morning!  "Tuning Up" is a morning post series where The Hub delivers curated, quick-hit arts stories of interest to readers. Sometimes there will be one story, sometimes there will be several. Get in tune now, and have a masterpiece of a day. And now, in no particular order...

CAE: S.C.'s newest arts hotspot taking off?

(Sorry, we couldn't resist. The pilot has illuminated the fasten seat belts sign, because it gets worse.) Columbia Metropolitan Airport (Lexington County) has been active on the arts scene in the past week. Consider:
  • Midlands artists, please pick up the white courtesy phone. Last week CAE announced a call for Midlands artists to exhibit their artwork at the airport's new rotating exhibition. That is cleared for takeoff October 2020 into 2021. A new program, Art in the Airport is also intended to enhance travelers’ experience while “creating a sense of place” within the airport. Upon landing, travelers will see the art "which showcases the life and culture of the Midlands." Artists accepted may sell their work(s), and CAE will not be taking any commissions. That's more than ... fare; it's an upgrade! This link will route you to your final destination for more information from ColaDaily.com.
  • Yesterday, a partnership with Transitions Homeless Shelter continued as 18 works of art by past and present residents of the shelter were displayed. These works, too, are available for purchase. Residents keep their commissions as well. Read more about the new exhibition from (again) ColaDaily.com.

Carter Boucher news

Works by #SCArtists Carter Boucher is being noticed. To wit:
  • Another of his Enigma series paintings accepted in a juried show. This time, his painting "Pandemic Engulfment" (acrylic on canvas) was accepted in the Mid-Atlantic Juried Art Show in Virginia Beach, Virginia.
  • Further, his poem, "A Love Letter To Covid 19," was accepted for publication in Constellations. Boucher has had four creative pieces, three poems and one creative non-fiction piece, accepted so far this year. He also published his book, How to Be an Artist in Residence (And Excel at It!) on Amazon.

GCCA honors founder

[caption id="attachment_45309" align="aligncenter" width="600"]Linda Furman surrounded by family and friends in front of new building signage bearing her name. GCCA photo.[/caption] Greenville Center for Creative Arts has completed a $1 million fundraising campaign to sustain operations and expand its impact—all in the name of a beloved member of the Greenville arts community. GCCA’s historic Cloth Building at 101 Abney St. will now be named the Linda Quinn Furman Building in honor of one of its founders, a dynamic artist and philanthropist. Family and friends surprised her with the announcement yesterday when they stopped by GCCA to view the newly installed signage (above).

Jason Rapp

New book takes dogs in literature for a walk

Furman librarian Jeffrey Makala co-edits anthology

Jeffrey Makala, Furman University special collections librarian and university archivist at the James B. Duke Library, has co-edited a new book about dogs in literature. The book, “In Dogs We Trust: An Anthology of American Dog Literature,” is co-edited by Jacob F. Rivers III and published by the University of South Carolina Press. A book signing event is set for Saturday, June 8, 10 a.m.-noon at M. Judson Booksellers in downtown Greenville. University of South Carolina Press offers this description of “In Dogs We Trust”:

“‘In Dogs We Trust’ is a grand anthology that celebrates the many sterling virtues of the canine species. Dogs have lived with humans for thousands of years as working partners. By the 19th century, their role expanded to companions. American dog literature reflects this gradual but dramatic shift that continues even today. Our household dogs are quite literally closer than ever to us: sleeping in our beds, getting dressed in Halloween costumes, and serving as emotional support companions.

“The first comprehensive anthology of American dog literature, ‘In Dogs We Trust’ features stories, anecdotes and poetry from periodicals dating from the 19th to the early 20th century. By mining the vast American literary archive of this time, Rivers and Makala reveal the mystique and magic of the human-canine relationship and what they believe is one of the best connections humans have to the mysteries of the natural world.”

Rivers is the director for the Office of Veterans Services at the University of South Carolina and a teacher in the Department of English. He is the author of “Cultural Values in the Southern Sporting Narrative” and “Early Southern Sports and Sportsmen: 1830-1910.” Apart from his roles as special collections librarian and university archivist at Furman, Makala is owner of Two Terriers Press. He has written about 19th century American literature and book history in the Papers of the Bibliographical Society of America; Literature & History; Printing History; and The Oxford Companion to the Book. He is also an editor for The Society for the History of Authorship, Reading and Publishing (SHARP News).

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