South Carolina Cultural Districts
What is a cultural district?
A cultural district is a geographic area that has a concentration of cultural facilities, activities and assets.
It is a walkable area that is easily identifiable to visitors and residents and serves as a center of cultural, artistic and economic activity. A cultural district may contain galleries, live performance venues, theaters, artist studios, museums, arts centers, arts schools, and public art pieces. A cultural district may also contain businesses like restaurants, banks or parks whose primary purpose is not arts, but that regularly make their spaces available to artists or create opportunities for the public to encounter the arts.
Explore South Carolina’s Cultural Districts
Whether South Carolina is your destination or you’re just passing through, stop and take in our state’s cultural scene.
Several of the cultural districts are located along or near major arteries like I-20 (Camden, Congaree Vista, Florence), I-26 (Congaree Vista, Greenwood, Spartanburg Downtown), I-77 (Congaree Vista, Lancaster, Rock Hill), I-85 (Spartanburg Downtown), and I-95 (Beaufort, Bluffton, Florence). That makes them convenient places to stop and take a break, whether you are a South Carolina resident or a visitor. (Always check recent maps first!)
Click map to enlarge.
South Carolina has nine unique cultural districts that make the arts top-of-mind among residents and visitors alike while showcasing the best of South Carolina.
Legislation ratified by the South Carolina General Assembly authorizes the S.C. Arts Commission to grant official state designation to cultural districts in the Palmetto State. Not every city or town will want to be or meet the criteria of an officially designated cultural district. If yours is interested, visit the “Being a Cultural District” page for additional information and next steps!