ArtFields

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ArtFields is an annual arts festival in Lake City, South Carolina. It is the largest art competition in the southeastern United States. [1]

Contents

History

It was founded by Darla Moore in her hometown of Lake City, South Carolina. [2] The town had previously been a major producer of agricultural products like tobacco, green beans and strawberries. The town experienced a decline after it lost its agricultural prominence [3] and was bypassed by the interstate highways. [4] Moore created the festival to reinvent the town as a cultural hub. [5]

The festival holds an art competition offering over $100,000 in cash prizes, [6] including a $50,000 grand prize as well as various juried and people's choice awards. [7] Art from the competition is exhibited in local venues like restaurants, barbershops, and warehouses throughout the city during the festival. [8] [9]

Competitors must reside in the southeastern United States, specifically Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia and West Virginia. The festival was first held in the spring of 2013. [10] It has since become a 17-day festival that occurs every April. [11]

The first festival had an estimated 10,000 attendees. [12] A study found that the first festival had an estimated $5 million impact on the surrounding community through tourism, employment, and construction. [13]

References

  1. ↑ Cooper, Alexis (2025-04-24). "Largest art contest in southeast brings business boom to Lake City". WPDE. Retrieved 2025-12-15.
  2. ↑ "The Southern Art City You've Probably Never Heard Of—But Should Visit ASAP". Southern Living. Retrieved 2025-12-15.
  3. ↑ Poland, Tom (2019). Last Sunday Drive, The: Vanishing Traditions in Georgia and the Carolinas. Arcadia Publishing. p. 176. ISBN   978-1-4671-4310-3.
  4. ↑ Wilkinson, Jeff (2025-04-01). "SC's tiny Lake City blooms with ArtFields festival". South Carolina Living. Retrieved 2025-12-15.
  5. ↑ Poland, Tom (2019). Last Sunday Drive, The: Vanishing Traditions in Georgia and the Carolinas. Arcadia Publishing. p. 179. ISBN   978-1-4671-4310-3.
  6. ↑ Writer, Staff. "Artfully done: 4th year of ArtFields in rural South Carolina". Bluffton Today. Retrieved 2025-12-15.
  7. ↑ Claussen, Keith. "The Artside: Local artists have entered works in ArtFields competition". The Augusta Chronicle. Retrieved 2025-12-15.
  8. ↑ "Small Town, Big Art". Grand Strand Magazine. Retrieved 2025-12-15.
  9. ↑ Hogan, Maura (2023-04-21). "ArtFields transforms Lake City into a sprawling citywide gallery". Post and Courier. Retrieved 2025-12-15.
  10. ↑ "Feature: Jamie". Grand Strand Magazine. Retrieved 2025-12-15.
  11. ↑ ArtFields (2024-09-17). "ArtFields Offers Over $100,000 in Prizes to Southeastern US Artists". Hyperallergic. Retrieved 2025-12-15.
  12. ↑ Ramsey, Abby Ann (2025-04-28). "Come for the paintings, stay for the food. Here's how an art festival revived a rural SC town". Post and Courier. Archived from the original on 2025-04-29. Retrieved 2025-12-15.
  13. ↑ Brown, Tonya (2016-04-22). "ArtFields kicks off in Lake City". WPDE. Retrieved 2025-12-15.
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