The Lancaster County Council for the Arts will implement a multi-faceted series of programs that will connect the arts and humanities to public audiences in Lancaster County. Events include the historical exhibition Icons and Visionaries opening on April 1, pop-up exhibits around town, panel discussions, and walking tours. SC Humanities helped support this programming with a Major Grant.
Each activity in the “Linking Lancaster” project is rooted in a desire to better capture, understand, and share the local art history of Lancaster County such that students, families, scholars, and civic leaders might engage more deeply with the area’s rich past. By focusing on local art history and under-told stories, the project is designed to stimulate increased cultural engagement among community members.
The Icons and Visionaries: Uncovering the Cultural Arts History of Lancaster County exhibit will be on display in the Historic Springs House gallery (201 W. Gay Street, Lancaster, SC) from April 1 – May 23, 2025. The exhibit features paintings by historical Lancaster artists, a curated collection of Catawba art, Robert Mills’ 1800’s architectural drawings, notable film and music selections, art of Springs Industries, and more! An opening reception will take place on Sunday, April 6, 3:00 – 4:30 p.m. Additionally, interactive pop-up exhibits about the rich cultural arts history of Lancaster will be on display across the county. A list of locations will be released soon.
Three panel discussions with local artists and arts professionals about the history of Lancaster and two guided walking tours are planned. All programs are free and open to the public.
Sunday, April 13 | 2:00 – 2:45 p.m.
Walking Tour – Architectural History
Downtown Lancaster
Sunday, April 13th | 3:00 – 4:00 p.m.
Panel: Artists of Lancaster County
Hear directly from local artists as they share about their experiences working and creating here in Lancaster.
Location: Cultural Arts Center, 309 W. Gay Street, Lancaster, SC 29720
Sunday, May 4 | 2:00 – 2:45 p.m.
Walking Tour – Public Art in Lancaster
Downtown Lancaster
Sunday, May 4th | 3:00 – 4:00 p.m.
Panel: LCCA Executive Directors
Join the LCCA’s executive directors, past and present, as they explore how the arts in Lancaster have changed over the last five decades
Location: Cultural Arts Center, 309 W. Gay Street, Lancaster, SC 29720
Sunday, May 18th | 3:00 – 4:00 p.m.
Panel: Icons & Visionaries Capstone Discussion
Learn from Lancaster historians about the research that went into this show and the discoveries that were made along the way.
Location: Cultural Arts Center, 309 W. Gay Street, Lancaster, SC 29720
The mission of the Lancaster County Council of the Arts is to enrich the quality of life in Lancaster County by building vibrant and inclusive communities connecting arts, culture, education, and economic vitality. Learn more: https://www.artslancaster.com/.
The mission of SC Humanities is to enrich the cultural and intellectual lives of all South Carolinians. Established in 1973, this 501(c)3 organization is governed by a volunteer Board of Directors comprised of community leaders from throughout the state. It presents and supports literary initiatives, lectures, exhibits, festivals, publications, oral history projects, videos, and other humanities-based experiences that directly or indirectly reach more than 250,000 citizens annually. South Carolina Humanities receives funding from the National Endowment for the Humanities as well as corporate, foundation and individual donors. The National Endowment for the Humanities: Democracy demands wisdom.
Image: Waldrop Tile Mosaic, courtesy of Lancaster County Council of the Arts
