Gardens, theaters, museums, universities and performing arts centers are among the cultural venues that attendees convening in South Carolina’s meetings-friendly destinations are encouraged to visit.
Following are 10 such venues from the state’s impressive and lengthy lineup, most of which also accommodate memorable off-site group gatherings.
Dock Street Theatre, Charleston
www.charlestonstage.com
Charleston’s outdoors is as impressive as its lineup of cultural venues that groups can either visit or gather in when meeting in town.
“The lush Lowcountry landscape provides inspiration for many artists whose work appears at dozens of area galleries,” says Suzanne Wallace, director of sales at the Charleston Area CVB, adding that the old beautifully mingles with the new throughout Charleston’s facilities. “The old would be the Dock Street Theatre, the first building in America built exclusively to be used for theatrical performances.”
From its first performance in 1736 to now in 2011, 275 years later and after a three-year, $19 million renovation, according to Wallace, the history and culture continues.
“I always wonder who sat here in 1736,” she says, adding that the theater is available for rental when not being used for the annual Spoleto Festival or Charleston Stage company performances. “When you rent the building you have several different areas to use, such as the theater lobby, courtyard, art gallery and conference room. You can pick and choose the rooms and have a nice flow to the reception.”
The Dock Street Theatre will accommodate up to 400 people.
North Charleston Coliseum Performing Arts Center (PAC), North Charleston
www.northcharlestoncoliseumpac.com
In North Charleston on the campus of the Charleston Area Convention Center is the PAC, which entered the scene in recent years and represents newer area venues. Host to a full calendar of performing arts, including a recent evening with Jerry Seinfeld and an upcoming production of Wicked, there isn’t a bad seat in the house.
“And it’s a perfect location for a large auditorium-style meeting,” Wallace says, adding that the 2,300-seat venue has three breakout rooms and can accommodate a reception for up to 550 people and a banquet for up to 300 people.
The PAC, according to spokesperson Ed Riggs, is well appointed and a main draw for planners is that sound and lights are in place.
“It is great for general sessions for associations, and corporations use it for product launches,” he says.
Coastal Discovery Museum at Honey Horn, Hilton Head Island
www.coastaldiscovery.org
Hilton Head Island is typically known as a world-class beach and golf destination, but many don’t realize it also has a wealth of arts and cultural opportunities that enhance the overall visitor experience and appeal, according to Jack Reed, director of sales at the Hilton Head Island Visitor and Convention Bureau.
One of the most culturally rich venues on the island, he says, is the Coastal Discovery Museum at Honey Horn. The last working plantation on the island, it now serves as a large event grounds and museum of cultural and natural history.
“The museum’s natural setting is characterized by majestic live oak trees with Spanish moss, wide open fields, a renovated plantation farm house that is the museum’s centerpiece and a lush coastal marsh backdrop with sunset views,” Reed says.
Set on 68 acres, the property can host small or large groups for indoor and outdoor gatherings throughout much of the year, as Hilton Head Island’s fall and winter months are mild enough for groups to comfortably convene outside.
Brookgreen Gardens, Murrells Inlet
www.brookgreen.com
When you reach the borders of the Myrtle Beach area, locally known as the Grand Strand, the entertainment options explode, according to Kimberly Miles, spokesperson for the Myrtle Beach Area CVB.
“Unlike many other beach destinations, the Myrtle Beach area offers nationally acclaimed live entertainment venues where performers light up the stage with music, dance, comedy and more,” she says.
For entertainment of the more visual variety, groups might visit Brookgreen Gardens, founded in 1931 and located between Myrtle Beach and Pawleys Island on 6,000 acres, with 1,200 pieces of American figurative sculpture displayed in beautiful garden settings and indoor galleries.
“Brookgreen is the perfect addition to a group itinerary because of its diversity,” says Molly Mercer, sales and marketing associate at Brookgreen Gardens. “We customize each group’s visit and may include a sculpture garden guided tour, creek excursion along former plantation rice fields, Gullah programs from the Lowcountry and perhaps a visit to the Whispering Wings Butterfly House.”
Sally Gomez, Brookgreen’s manager of private events, adds indoor meetings, cocktail receptions and dinners in the gardens, and team-building events like garden scavenger hunts are often facilitated here.
Columbia Museum of Art, Columbia
www.columbiamuseum.org
Centrally located in the heart of the Palmetto State, Columbia boasts a robust art scene with 25 art galleries and exhibitors, according to Kim Jamieson, spokesperson for the Columbia Metropolitan CVB.
“The Columbia region holds many workshops, events and festivities focused on the arts,” she says, citing Artista Vista, which is held in the fall and provides visitors the opportunity to gallery hop along the streets of the Congaree Vista district.
When convening here, attendees appreciate visiting or gathering at the Columbia Museum of Art, where groups can create their own cultural experience via personalized tours with trained docents, according to Allison Horne, spokesperson for the museum.
“We’re one of the only venues in Columbia to offer the option to have open galleries during meetings and events,” she says.
Founded in 1950, South Carolina’s premier international art museum boasts extraordinary collections of European and American art that span centuries, as well as meeting and reception spaces that can accommodate as few as 10 or as many as 1,000 people. The museum also includes a catering kitchen and a 150-seat auditorium.
City Art Gallery, Columbia
www.cityartonline.com
Also located in Columbia is City Art Gallery, a circa-1916 converted warehouse gallery that provides a contemporary and intimate setting for special events.
“There are three distinct gallery settings within one building,” says Wendyth Wells, spokesperson for City Art Gallery. “Art is everywhere, inspiring all of the senses—less decoration is needed here than in other venues. And Canadian maple plank flooring provides the best dance floor in town.”
Located in the heart of the bustling historic Congaree Vista district, the gallery’s capacity for seated dinners is 150 people and for receptions is up to 250 people.
“We will do gallery tours and talks or demonstrations of art materials for a group,” Wells says. “We can bring in a teacher to do a workshop, and concerts or dance programs could be presented.”
BMW Performance Center, Greer
www.bmwusa.com/performancecenter
Situated at the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains, Greenville has changed tremendously during the past two decades, according to Todd Bertka, vice president of sales at the Greenville CVB.
“This city, once home to little more than textiles, has become an international sensation, a destination for businesses, artists, foodies, outdoor lovers and more,” he says.
Not to mention car enthusiasts.
Nearby in Greer is the BMW Performance Center, where groups can meet or partake in an exhilarating team-building event, according to spokesperson Dan Gubitosa.
“Primarily just getting everyone to experience a driving program together often breaks down barriers,” he says, citing games that test technique, speed and precision, such as avoiding obstacles, “stop in a box” and relays. “Everyone these days drives a car and when compared to other activities, such as golf, everyone can participate.”
Gubitosa adds the center also sports versatile modern meeting and conference facilities for groups of nearly any size.
“From the moment you enter the building, you are immersed in our brand and unique culture,” he says. “There is plenty to touch and see; we have virtually every BMW automobile model on-site, including BMW motorcycles.”
Clemson University, Clemson
www.clemson.edu
Clemson’s cultural offerings are tied in large part to Clemson University, which opened in July 1893 with an enrollment of 446 students.
More than a century later, Clemson provides diverse educational opportunities for thousands of students from both South Carolina and beyond. And the campus is also home to exciting sporting, arts and entertainment possibilities, as well as facilities for group events.
Among them is Carillon Garden; the Clemson Conference Center and Inn, a 17,000-square-foot facility that includes an 18-hole championship golf course and an 89-room inn; and Outdoor Laboratory, located five miles from campus amid the 17,500-acre Clemson Forest, with accommodations for conferences or retreats.
Catawba Indian Cultural Center, Rock Hill
www.ccppcrafts.com
The Rock Hill/York County area is a diverse community comprising Native American and African American cultures and Revolutionary War history, according to Margaret Wallace, director of sales at the Rock Hill/York County CVB.
“The Catawba Indian Nation has inhabited this area for over 4,500 years,” she says, adding the tribe is well known for its pottery, which has been created the same way for as many years and is on display at the Catawba Indian Cultural Center.
The average group size for visits to the center is about 50 to 60 people, and Wallace adds that attendees thoroughly enjoy the authenticity of Catawba presentations.
“The Catawbas do a wonderful presentation on their culture, which includes drumming and dancing, a pottery demonstration, storytelling and serving authentic Native American meals,” she says.
Chapman Cultural Center, Spartanburg
www.chapmanculturalcenter.org
Spartanburg is a culture-loving city with a strong arts community, including performing arts such as dance, music and theater.
“The Chapman Cultural Center was developed to accommodate and bring together the vast array of performances, exhibits and special programs that are presented in Spartanburg,” says Steve Wong, the center’s spokesperson.
The three-building cultural campus hosts group events—sit-down meals, cocktail parties, concerts—in its 500-seat theater, which also has a large lobby and outdoor plaza. The center also has smaller spaces, such as meeting rooms, halls and galleries.
“Because the Chapman Cultural Center is partnered with nine local cultural organizations, some of our events are off the main campus,” Wong says. “We have historic locations throughout the county that can be rented.”
