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Rock Hill resident selected for Alabama juried exhibition

Patrick Faile's painting "Spring Break" was selected for the Watercolor Society of Alabama's 2020 National Juried Exhibition. This is his third acceptance to this national exhibition and qualifies him for Signature Membership within the Watercolor Society of Alabama. He is also member of numerous watercolor societies across America and this will be his fourth signature membership. He is a native and resident of Rock Hill and a working watercolor artist known for his national park paintings. More of his work may be seen on his website at https://www.patrickfaile.com/.

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Call for Artists: ACYC 29th Annual Juried Competition

The Arts Council of York County presents the 29th Annual Juried Competition at the Center for the Arts, 121 E. Main St., Rock Hill, SC, July 20 – Sept. 9, 2018. Winners will be announced at a free, public reception to be held at the Center for the Arts on Thursday, August 16, 2018 from 5:30-7:30 p.m. The Juried Competition is open internationally to artists 18 and older. Only original work, created in the last two (2) years, and not previously shown at the Center for the Arts, Dalton Gallery will be accepted. All forms of media are eligible, including video. Limit four pieces per artist. The deadline for entries is Friday, June 15, 2018 at 5 p.m. This is NOT a postmark deadline for mailed entries. Entry Fees: ACYC Members: $30 for up to two pieces, each additional piece is $10 Non-members: $40 for up to two pieces, each additional piece is $10 Complete guidelines and entry information are available now at yorkcountyarts.org. AWARDS Gerald & Barbara Schapiro Best of Show: $1,000 1st Place: $500 2nd Place: $200 3rd Place: $100 JUROR Liz Rundorff Smith, Art School Director, Greenville Center for Creative Arts

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Rock Hill’s Dalton Gallery 2019 Call for Artists

The Arts Council of York County is now accepting applications for 2019 gallery exhibitions in the Dalton Gallery at the Center for the Arts, 121 E. Main St., Rock Hill, SC 29730. The Arts Council is a non-profit organization committed to creating and supporting a thriving arts community in York County, South Carolina. The Dalton Gallery, a professional gallery appropriated for the exhibition of experienced artists and community projects, is located at the Center for the Arts. The Dalton Gallery is an 1,800-square-foot space, illuminated by adjustable track lighting. Each year the Arts Council presents six to eight exhibits. Artists wishing to be considered for one of the Arts Council's 2019 gallery exhibitions, please submit the following to Mike Gentry, Gallery Manager, by 5 p.m. Friday, April 6, 2018:

  • Written proposal for exhibition and/or artist statement
  • Artist resume
  • 10 hi-res images, submitted on CD or DVD (Mac or PC formatted discs, please)
  • Inventory lists with titles, sizes, and mediums
  • $20 application fee
Artists may submit work as a group or individually. The Arts Council's Gallery Committee will consider all submissions and notification of acceptance will be provided via e-mail. Submission packets will not be returned. Only complete proposals that adhere to the Arts Council's submission guidelines will be considered. Works that sell while on exhibit at the Center for the Arts are subject to a 40% commission fee by the Arts Council of York County.
SUBMISSION INFORMATION Mail To: Arts Council of York County ATTN: Mike Gentry, Gallery Manager PO Box 2797 Rock Hill, SC 29732 Deliver To: Center for the Arts Mike Gentry, Gallery Manager 121 E. Main St. Rock Hill, SC 29730 Email To: mgentry@yorkcountyarts.org

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Winthrop grad touts “fantastic” public arts plan for Rock Hill roundabout

From the Rock Hill Herald Article by David Thackham

[caption id="attachment_28428" align="alignleft" width="150"]brandyscholl Brandy Scholl[/caption] In truth, Brandy Scholl got her inspiration from a real-life case of #ThrowbackThursday.
Inspired by a photograph of an old buggy car and a visit to a renovated fabrics manufacturer, the recent Winthrop University graduate brainstormed and designed an intricate public arts project that may adorn the city’s new roundabout by next summer. “It’s a little surreal,” said Scholl, who designed the top concept of her class earlier this spring. “I’m still wrapping my head around the idea that I came up with this out of my head, and now it’s actually being built into this community. Being welcomed... as an artist, it’s the most gratifying thing you could possibly imagine.” Scholl, who now works as a self-employed artist in Greenville, laid out her plan in front of the Rock Hill Economic Development Corp. on Tuesday afternoon. The idea is to create what she calls a “sensory experience” by decorating the four outside edges of the roundabout circle with flowers and plants which would be adapted to each season. The effect uses the entire space and gives drivers a better visual experience as they make their way around to their exit, says Scholl. The art is funded through a portion of a $50,000 grant the city received last summer from the National Endowment for the Arts. The design drew rave reviews from David Lawrence, project manager for the Knowledge Park project, which lies close to the incoming roundabout. “I think it’s fantastic,” said Lawrence. “It’s a new gateway entering that direction, with everything heading into Knowledge Park. It’s a unique idea, and I hope it’s as colorful as her images.” Scholl’s design includes use of 10 3x3 concrete discs, carved with themes around the city, which will be placed in the ground for pedestrians to step on in between the plants. Construction on the roundabout is going smoothly, says Lawrence, and the site should be open again within the next six months. Once that starts, workers will be able to start laying in Scholl’s design. She’ll present her concept in front of the Rock Hill City Council next month for final approval. It took Scholl nearly three months to fully draw out her plans and put together her concept, which was deemed the best in her class at a board review. She was most inspired by a trip to the Springs Creative textile building on Chatham Ave., where she saw huge rolls of fabric in the warehouse. She also drew parallels from an old archive photo of a vintage Anderson motor buggy from the Rock Hill Buggy Company. “I had three posters of this traffic design hanging up all over my space alone, and I kept seeing a spinning, central part of it,” said Scholl. “That’s where the creation came from.” Although it’ll likely be about 8 to 9 months before she’s able to see the fruits of her labor, Scholl said she’s proud to see that her work has been appreciated. “The more you research, the more you know what you have,” she said. “Just getting to learn about Rock Hill’s history, that I didn’t know about, that was great.”

Winthrop University students’ art featured at new credit union headquarters

From Charlotte Business Journal Article by Ken Elkins, photos by James Sneed

[caption id="attachment_21818" align="alignright" width="250"]Christopher Smalls installs his work, "Transition in Blue," which depicts Rock Hill's transformation from a textile to technology town. Christopher Smalls installs his work, "Transition in Blue," which depicts Rock Hill's transformation from a textile to technology town.[/caption] Lee Gardner believes Family Trust Federal Credit Union may help kindle some careers in the art world by including five students’ work at its new headquarters in Rock Hill. “By working with students from Winthrop University, we not only got meaningful, impactful pieces, but we provided them with a real-world experience that will help launch their art careers,” says the CEO of Family Trust. The credit union opened the doors of the 36,000-square-foot building this week to show off those art installations to members of the media. The headquarters, which will eventually house 60 Family Trust employees, including its administrative team, opens later this year. “We wanted art in our new building to show Family Trust’s ties to textiles and to illustrate our core values and community service,” Gardner adds. “We are so pleased with the results.” Tom Stanley, chair of Winthrop's fine arts department, and Shaun Cassidy, professor of fine arts at the school, are leading the students in the project. [caption id="attachment_21820" align="alignright" width="225"]Nicole Davenport's work, "Shifting Shadows, Constant Care." Nicole Davenport's work, "Shifting Shadows, Constant Care."[/caption] The student artists include:
  • Chelsea Arthur of Greenville is a senior pursuing a bachelor of fine arts in general studio, with emphases in sculpture and jewelry and metals.
  • Nicole Davenport of Anderson is a junior pursuing a degree in general studio, with emphases in sculpture and printmaking.
  • Samantha Oliver of Rock Hill graduated in December with an art degree in ceramics. She is now a non-degree graduate student at Winthrop.
  • Christopher Smalls of Beaufort is a senior pursuing an art degree in jewelry and metals at Winthrop.
  • Kaitlyn Walters of Greenville graduated in December with a BFA in general studio, with emphases in photography and sculpture.
The builder of the Family Trust project is J.M. Cope Construction of Rock Hill. Designers and architects are 505 Design, BB&M Architects and LandDesign, all of Charlotte. Image above: Kaitlyn Walters, with her work "Renew and Restore," made with railroad ties and wood used to build mills. Photo by Stephanie Garrett, FTFCU

City of Rock Hill named first cultural district in S.C.

The South Carolina Arts Commission has named Rock Hill’s downtown as the first state-recognized cultural district in South Carolina. A cultural district is an easily identifiable geographic area with a concentration of arts facilities and assets that support cultural, artistic and economic activity. Rock Hill was the first city to apply for the new cultural district designation, which was created by the S.C. General Assembly and Gov. Nikki Haley in 2014. City officials will use the cultural district designation to attract visitors and residents to downtown and promote the area as a hub of arts and culture. City of Rock Hill Mayor Doug Echols commented, “Rock Hill’s cultural initiatives thrive because of successful partnerships among local government, community organizations, the business community and patrons of the arts. We are confident this designation will lead to increased notoriety and economic development opportunities. I’m proud that the South Carolina Arts Commission honored us with this title, once again proving that Rock Hill is always on!” The Arts Council of York County coordinated the application process, working with local leaders and Arts Commission staff to develop a map of cultural assets and a strategic plan for the district. “The cultural district recognition will enhance what is already a vibrant arts scene,” said Arts Council Executive Director Debra Heintz. “Promoting our downtown as a cultural district will increase support for existing businesses and attract new ones. Being identified with a cultural center is a plus for artistic organizations and other organizations, such as banks and restaurants that support the arts.” Those non-arts businesses are important pieces of a cultural district, says Ken May, S.C. Arts Commission executive director. “A successful cultural district attracts creative enterprises, such as galleries and theatres, whose patrons want to dine out and shop, so nearby retail and other businesses benefit from that increased economic activity.” The S.C. Arts Commission staff will assist communities in developing a brand and marketing their cultural districts. “The cultural districts legislation is a vibrant new initiative for the S.C. Arts Commission that entwines the value of the arts with the benefits of economic growth to promote a thriving local arts environment,” said Arts Commissioner and Rock Hill resident Dr. Sarah Lynn Hayes. “This program was developed after reviewing successful cultural district designations in other states and gathering input from key S.C. stakeholders, including representatives from economic development, tourism, local government and the arts. Naturally I am thrilled that Rock Hill is the first community to embrace this concept and that other communities have begun the work to achieve this designation. The Arts Commission is excited and ready to support others wishing to join Rock Hill.” Other states with similar cultural district programs include Massachusetts, Kentucky, Texas and Colorado. For complete guidelines, visit www.SouthCarolinaArts.com or contact Rusty Sox, (803) 734-8899 or rsox@arts.sc.gov.  

Rock Hill plans for first state-recognized cultural district

From the Rock Hill Herald: Story by Anna Douglas

Rock Hill may soon become the first city in South Carolina to have a state-recognized cultural district in its downtown area. The Arts Council of York County has been working with local and state leaders the past several months to apply for cultural district designation through the South Carolina Arts Commission. The initiative was approved by state lawmakers late last year. Gaining recognition for downtown Rock Hill as a cultural district should attract visitors, businesses and foot traffic to the area, said Debra Heintz, Arts Council executive director. The application for the designation is backed by the Rock Hill City Council, but the Arts Council will manage the district and its marketing efforts. Heintz said the establishment of a downtown cultural district fits into other efforts underway in the area and in the neighboring textile corridor along West White Street. There, city officials and a private developer have plans to build a high-tech business park, called “Knowledge Park,” along with residential, entertainment and retail buildings. Recent downtown development – which includes a new park, four-story office building, street upgrades and a proposed apartment building – and the future Knowledge Park aim to attract the “creative class” to Rock Hill, Heintz said. The term creative class generally refers to young people or young families who have creative or high-tech jobs, are college-educated and seek to be engaged with activities in their home city. “These kinds of folks look for lively entertainment options” like films, festivals, live music and art, Heintz said. Already, she said, downtown Rock Hill has a diverse art and culture scene. With a new state cultural district distinction, she said, the Arts Council will help brand, market and promote the downtown area as a hub for creative activity. Potential benefits of the new district classification, Heintz said, include attracting more businesses to downtown and increasing the city’s chances when applying for grant money to support local art and cultural activities. The goal is for downtown Rock Hill to be “the center of cultural, artistic and economic activity.” The district’s downtown boundaries, if approved by the state, are Elizabeth Lane to Dave Lyle Boulevard, running along Main, White and Black streets. This week, the City Council signed off on the cultural district plan, with several council members expressing excitement and support for the Arts Council’s goals. Heintz said the city has not been asked to spend any money on the district. At some point, she said, money for marketing or public arts may be available from the state, but not yet. Rock Hill is an early adopter and will serve as a “pilot site” for the new state designation, said Rusty Sox of the South Carolina Arts Commission. Sox is the program director for the new cultural designation initiative. Four cities or towns, including Rock Hill, are working on applying for the designation. Next month, Sox said, the state commission’s board could meet and approve Rock Hill’s application, making it the first city in the state to earn the designation. Less than 15 states nationwide have a program for establishing cultural districts in cities and towns, Sox said. South Carolina has started its program at a time when “there’s not a lot of money to put behind it,” he said. For now, the main goal of the district designation is “all about image and identity,” he said. In the future, Sox hopes the Arts Commission will be able to partner with other state agencies to provide funding or other support for local cultural districts. The various goals of designated cultural districts include attracting artists and creative entrepreneurs to South Carolina communities. Proponents of the program say cultural districts encourage economic development, foster local cultural identities, and attract tourists and promote contributions to public art. In preparing Rock Hill’s application for the district designation, the Arts Council made a “cultural inventory” of facilities and programs in downtown. Major sites on the list include the Arts Council’s Center for the Arts and its Community Performance Arts Center; the York County Culture and Heritage Museum’s Children’s Museum on Main Street; the outdoor amphitheater on Black Street; and the new Fountain Park on Elizabeth Lane. In total, more than a dozen buildings or programs were listed on the inventory. As part of the application process, officials with the state Arts Commission visited Rock Hill last month to evaluate arts and cultural sites. If approved, Rock Hill’s cultural district designation would be in effect for five years, with the Arts Council and others tracking investments and growth in the area. Cities with cultural districts will be asked to track the number of visitors to the area, the building occupancy rate, tourism activity, sales tax collections, employment figures, and the volume of art-based industries.