Beaufort Art Gallery Crawls - The Place to See and Be
Art and culture lovers searching for where to retire in South Carolina would be wise to take note of all that is available in Beaufort, named Happiest Seaside Town in America by Coastal Living Magazine. This charming seaside village is home to 9 art galleries, 5 museums, 4 major art festivals and 2 excellent art class venues! With so many galleries, so much art, and so many art-centered activities, it’s no wonder that this charming seaside village is one of the best art towns in South Carolina. Residents of nearby Beaufort SC neighborhoods are among the luckiest in the state to have such enriching culture! Strolling through downtown, art lovers can spy galleries that exhibit every variety of art from from historic to contemporary, from landscapes to abstracts, from fine art to crafts. Paintings, photographs, ceramics, wood, textiles, basketry, glass, and sculpture are all part of the art scene in Beaufort.
Leading the way is The Gallery, a premier art gallery displaying “one of the largest collections of contemporary art in the Southeast.” Every conceivable form of contemporary art is practically packed to the rafters at The Gallery; sculptures, paintings, pottery and more. There is an abundance of interesting, colorful, and varied art at The Gallery on display for all visitors. With a decidedly unassuming home page on their site, the Charles Street Gallery is a welcoming and trendy gallery with polished wood floors, tall windows, and a variety of artists displaying bright and pleasing pieces of art for all to enjoy in the Happiest Seaside Town in America. The Beaufort Art Association is a nonprofit organization created to support the burgeoning number of artists in the area. Their gallery is filled with wondrous pieces of colorful, aesthetically pleasing landscapes, still lifes, and contemporary offerings. Everything on display in the gallery is available to be purchased so bring your cards and cash. The I. Pinckney Simons Gallery features very traditional art as well as more abstract art in a breathtaking display. Their collection combines original, even award-winning, fine art collected from around the world by their clients. Last but not least is the LyBensons Gallery and Studio. LyBensons specializes in carved Veridite from Zimbabwe which is known colloquially as “Africa’s Green Gold” and considered a true investment. The gallery also exhibits important African-American, native Gullah, and Lowcountry art.
Beaufort, one of the best art towns in South Carolina, also supports the artistic endeavors of visitors and friends from the nearby Beaufort SC neighborhoods. ARTworks is the all-around art center of Beaufort. They not only sponsor art in many forms, it presents classes and workshops where everyone is welcome. They teach a variety of classes on popular art forms such as collages, calligraphy, clay and pottery, and textiles. They also hold classes for kids for children of all ages; there are preschool, after school, and homeschool art classes offered routinely. In October, the South Carolina Art Education Association is meeting in Beaufort and inviting the public to participate in a variety of workshops and to learn from featured speakers. In addition they are hosting a Gallery Art Crawl through Beaufort. It promises to be a very engaging and urbane event.
Performance art is also hot in Beaufort! At the Black Box Theatre, local storyteller Natalie Daise, known throughout the US for her performance on Nick,Jr.’s Gullah, Gullah Island, will be performing her one-woman show Becoming Harriet Tubman which she wrote and brings to life. It has received rave reviews and coincides with the anniversary of Tubman’s death. It’s a must-see. In addition, the University of South Carolina Beaufort’s Theatre Company will be presenting 8-Track The Sounds of the ’70‘s in September which promises a toe-tapping trip down memory lane. They are also presenting a 75th Anniversary Tribute to Benny Goodman’s 1938 jazz concert at Carnegie Hall.
As if all of this was not enough, Beaufort is known for its fun and compelling annual festivals. Probably most unique is The Gullah Festival. Since 1986 it has brought the arts and talents of the Gullah heritage to visitors. Highlighting traditional storytelling, local choirs and symphonic music, and traditional arts and crafts. It has grown each year, most recently hosting more than 70,000 people from all over the United States and several different countries. The Beaufort Shrimp Festival features local restaurants serving up their special shrimp recipes, a golf tournament, a 5K run/walk and the all-important blessing of the fleet. This is a true celebration of the beautifully breathtaking coastline, its rich history, and shrimp. The Taste of Beaufort is a three day long festival showcasing “tasting menus”, wine tastings, free concerts, and various contests. It’s a real favorite among the local Beaufort, SC neighborhoods. Last, the Beaufort Water Festival is a lowcountry tradition thrilling visitors with water and air events scheduled throughout the festival along with nightly entertainment and athletic events.
If you are a lover of arts and culture, one of the best art towns in South Carolina is the place for you to call home. Write us, if you'd like to receive a free Beaufort South Carolina Relocation Package.
