Spartanburg Students Participate in The Place Project

The Boys & Girls Club of the Upstate is running a multidisciplinary arts and humanities project for hundreds of elementary and middle school youth from January – May 2011. “The Place Project" is a four-month after-school program that uses creative writing, photography, film, and visual arts to explore the idea of “place.” SC Humanities supported this project through a Mini Grant in December 2010.

The goal of The Place Project is to help the student participants understand Spartanburg County history and culture through arts and humanities activities, including field trips to local historical sites and presentations by scholars. 200 3rd grade students will participate in a photography and photo-editing workshop that will include a historic walking tour of downtown Spartanburg led by Brad Steinecke from the Spartanburg Historical Association. 40 students will participate in a creative writing workshop through which they will be taught techniques for writing effectively about place, such as their own local community. 100 middle school students will participate in a filmmaking workshop in which they will create films using local music and other cultural elements.

The Place Project will culminate with a “Celebration of Place” to be held at the Chapman Cultural Center in downtown Spartanburg on May 11, 2011. The students’ projects will be on display.

For more information about the Boys & Girls Club of the Upstate, please visit their website at: http://www.bgcusc.org/.

The mission of SC Humanities is to enrich the cultural and intellectual lives of all South Carolinians. SC Humanities programs and initiatives are balanced, reflecting sensitivity to the diversity of ideas, encourage open dialogue, demonstrate integrity, and are ethical in operations.