North Charleston expands and renovates Pepperhill Park

North Charleston Mayor R. Keith Summey and City Council Members will hold a rededication for the completed expansion and renovations at Pepperhill Park, located at 7695 Brandywine Road, on Wednesday, April 3, 2013 at 1:00pm.

Pepperhill Park hosts an array of youth athletic programs throughout the year and serves thousands of residents in the Ashley Phosphate corridor. The expansion encompasses the addition of a new football and soccer field to complement the existing three baseball/softball fields. In addition, the recently completed renovations included a new core building, with a new press box, concession stand, restrooms, and a meeting room. The parking lot was also expanded to meet the facility’s needs.

The first major event at the park will be the Opening Day Jamboree for the 2013 Youth Baseball/Softball season on Saturday, April 6, 2013, beginning at 9:00am.

Annual North Charleston Arts Festival Set for May 3-11

 Nine-day celebration of the arts offers something for everyone

The annual North Charleston Arts Festival is just one month away, set to kick off on May 3 and conclude on May 11. Now in its 31st year, the nine day event has matured into one of the most comprehensive arts festival in the state, drawing thousands of residents and visitors to experience the talents of national, regional, and local artists and performers in the areas of Dance, Music, Theatre, Visual Arts, Crafts, Photography, Media Arts, and Literature. Nearly 100 festival offerings are scheduled to take place in a variety of venues throughout North Charleston and the surrounding area, including libraries, community centers, schools, civic auditoriums, and parks.

Recognized by the Southeast Tourism Society as a Top 20 Event, the North Charleston Arts Festival offers something for everyone. The City of North Charleston Cultural Arts Department organizes and presents the event each year, striving to maintain the spirit of a public celebration with the mission of presenting a broad, multidiscipline event schedule that provides a wide range of performances, exhibitions, and activities for people of all ages and backgrounds. Many of the offerings are free, and those that are ticketed are moderately priced.

“The variety of Arts Festival offerings and the inclusiveness of the event have really become a point of pride for the City of North Charleston,” says North Charleston Mayor, Keith Summey. “The event provides both our residents and visitors from throughout the Southeast a myriad of opportunities to experience high quality programming in every arts discipline in a variety of traditional and non-traditional settings.”

The Arts Festival Main Event, held on Saturday, May 4, and Sunday, May 5, at the North Charleston Performing Arts Center and Charleston Area Convention Center, offers free admission and parking to over forty performances on four themed stages: General Audience, Cultural Heritage, Youth Entertainment, and Bands.  Other features include judged fine art and photography exhibits; the 12th annual South Carolina Palmetto Hands Fine Craft Exhibit; youth art from Charleston, Berkeley and Dorchester county students; the Lowcountry Gem & Mineral Society show and sale; the Village Antiques & Collectibles show; children's activities at Box City and Creation Stations; art & craft vendors, a food court, and much more. 

Individual events take place throughout the nine days of the festival at various locations.  An exciting array of free and ticketed offerings include concerts, street dances, theatre presentations, film screenings, art workshops and demonstrations, an art walk, children’s programs, and a Grand Finale at the beautiful
North Charleston Riverfront Park. Examples of visual art exhibitions on view during the festival include a group display of contemporary works by artists from Pinar del Rio, Cuba; the 8th annual National Outdoor Sculpture Exhibition; an Art & Fine Craft CoOp Gallery & Sale; the 7th Annual African American Fiber Art Exhibition; a Wearable Art Exhibit and Pop Up Shop; and The PODS Project, featuring interactive installations created within portable storage units. This year’s Grand Finale on May 11 features a Tri-County school showcase, music and dance performances, a slam poetry show, children’s activities, food trucks, and an evening concert by Rivers & Company. The event concludes with a fantastic fireworks display over the Cooper River.
 
Applications are now being accepted for participation in the Festival’s Art Walk and Opening Processional. Entry instructions for the Festival’s Judged Fine Art Exhibition, Judged Photography Exhibition, and Tri-County Youth Art Exhibition, as well as Volunteer sign-up forms are also available. Applications can be found at NorthCharlestonArtsFest.com/apply.

For more 2013 North Charleston Arts Festival information, including event details and venue information, visit NorthCharlestonArtsFest.com or contact the North Charleston Cultural Arts Department office at (843) 740-5854.

North Charleston girls bring home State Basketball Championship

The North Charleston 11-12 year old girls all-star basketball team won the 2013 SCAP Basketball State Championship, going undefeated through district play to advance to the State Championship tournament in Liberty, SC.

After a convincing semi-final win, the team, led by Coach Mike Balcer, won the championship game to take home the crown.

The team is made up of girls from all over the city of North Charleston.

Half-Moon Outfitters and City partner in mural competition - seeking submissions

Half-Moon Outfitters is partnering with the City of North Charleston Cultural Arts Department to host a public mural competition. Lowcountry visual artists age 18 and up are invited to submit proposals for a public art piece to be installed on the exterior of Half-Moon Outfitters’ new building addition, the Half-Moon Annex, located on the corner of East Montague and Jenkins Avenues in the Olde Village area of North Charleston. Up to three artists will be selected. Selected artists will be given a materials stipend to create an 8’x8’ mural and have an opportunity to compete for 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place prizes. Deadline for proposals is 5:00pm on Friday, April 19.

To apply, artists must provide sketches of the proposed mural, a written description of the piece including information on medium, inspiration, and execution methods, a resume, and contact information. Application materials should be submitted by the deadline to City of North Charleston Arts Coordinator, AnneTrabue W. Nelson, via email, post, or hand-delivery to: 

Email:

anelson@northcharleston.org 

Post: 

City of North Charleston Cultural Arts Department 

PO Box 190016
North Charleston, SC 29419-9016

Hand-delivery: 

Cultural Arts Dept. Office
North Charleston City Hall, 2nd Floor
2500 City Hall Lane
North Charleston, SC 29406 

There is no theme for the mural competition; however, mural concepts must be family-friendly and appropriate for public display. Half-Moon Outfitters will furnish an 8’x8’ wooden panel and a $100 materials stipend for each selected artist. Any additional materials expenses must be covered by the artist. Artists will be notified of selections by Friday, April 26. Murals must be complete and ready for installation by Tuesday, May 7. A free public reception will be held in honor of the mural artists during the 2013 North Charleston Arts Festival Art Walk on Wednesday, May 8, from 5:00-8:00pm. During the event, the public will be invited to vote on their favorite mural. Results of the vote will determine 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place prizes, which are Half-Moon Outfitters gift cards in the amounts of $300, $200, and $100, respectively. 

For more information about the Half-Moon Outfitters public mural competition, contact AnneTrabue W. Nelson at 843-740-5852 or anelson@northcharleston.org. For more information about Half-Moon Outfitters, visit www.halfmoonoutfitters.com. To learn more about other programs and artist opportunities offered by the City of North Charleston Cultural Arts Department, visit http://bit.ly/culturalarts. 

About Half-Moon Outfitters 

Half-Moon Outfitters, founded in 1993 and based in Charleston, SC, features clothing and gear for adventure and travel. Offering lines that include Patagonia, The North Face, Chaco, Black Diamond and Mountain Hardwear, experienced staff members guide customers through equipment selection with safety, comfort and fun in mind. Half-Moon employees share a love of the outdoors with a commitment to the environment. Half-Moon Outfitters has eight stores in South Carolina and Georgia and also a Web-based store. For more information, visit www.halfmoonoutfitters.com.

2013 North Charleston Arts Festival Gala Set for April 26

Spring is in the air and the 2013 North Charleston Arts Festival is preparing to bloom! In anticipation and celebration of the annual event, the City of North Charleston will host the Arts Festival Gala on Friday, April 26, from 6:00pm to midnight at Montague Terrace at the North Charleston Coliseum. Tickets for the black-tie optional affair are $75 and can be purchased until Tuesday, April 23, by calling Pam Smith at 843-740-5847.

North Charleston POPS (photo by Robert McDaniel)

The 2013 Arts Festival Gala begins with an outdoor reception “under the oaks” from 6:00-7:30pm featuring light refreshments, musical entertainment by the Leonard School of Music Jazz Ensemble, and a live plein air painting demonstration by local artist Deborah Meyer. The garden party will move indoors to Montague Terrace at 7:30pm for dinner service and an unforgettable evening concert by the North Charleston POPS. This full-scale professional orchestra performs a variety of upbeat musical selections that include light classical, film music, Broadway, rock 'n roll, country, and more. Following the concert, guests can dance the night away to music by the 17 South Band. With three horn arrangements, the group delivers a huge and classy sound ranging from Motown and R&B covers to classic beach music and Top 40 hits. The evening’s line-up is sure to entertain and makes for an exciting kick-off to the nine days of arts and cultural programs and activities offered during the 2013 North Charleston Arts Festival, taking place May 3-11.

Montague Terrace at the North Charleston Coliseum is located at 5001 Coliseum Drive in North Charleston. Ticket price includes parking. For more information about the Arts Festival Gala, contact Sheri Pearson at 843-740-2538. For more information about the 2013 North Charleston Arts Festival, including the full schedule of events, visit NorthCharlestonArtsFest.com.

North Charleston Police Department Again Receives National Accreditation

On Saturday, March 23, 2013 the City of North Charleston Police Department was awarded re-accreditation from the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies (C.A.L.E.A) during the organization’s spring conference in North Charleston, South Carolina. 

Police Chief Eddie Driggers, along with members of his staff appeared before the commission to complete the re-accreditation process. The accreditation program requires the Police Department to comply with 446 state-of-the-art standards in four basic areas: policies and procedures, administration, operations, and support services. North Charleston Police Department received initial accreditation in 2007 and was reaccredited in 2010. 

During the re-accreditation process, members of the commission praised the Police department for its commitment to completing the extensive process; and strengthening community relations while at the same time reducing crime. 

National Accreditation strengthens crime prevention and control capabilities; formalizes essential management procedures; establishes fair and nondiscriminatory personnel practices; improves service delivery; solidifies interagency cooperation and coordination; and increases community and staff confidence in the agency. 

Chief Eddie Driggers said, “This is a proud moment for the employees of our agency and citizens of North Charleston. It proves that we continue to make tremendous strides in building trust with our citizens while improving our delivery of service. If citizens trust law enforcement they will work with us, and this is what we work at everyday developing trust in the community. 

Mayor Keith Summey said, “Once again, this is a defining moment not only for the hard working men and women of the police department, but for our entire City and residents. “Receiving re-accreditation ensures our citizens that they are receiving the best public safety service from a professional agency.”

Annual Art & Fine Craft CoOp Gallery in North Charleston set to open April 5

The City of North Charleston’s Cultural Arts Department will host its annual Art and Fine Craft CoOp Gallery and Sale at the Meeting Place each Friday and Saturday from April 5 through June 1, 2013. The temporary, artist-run gallery is presented as a component of the 2013 North Charleston Arts Festival, taking place May 3-11.

The Art & Fine Craft CoOp Gallery is dedicated to presenting works by Lowcountry artists of varied backgrounds in a diverse array of media and styles, from representational to contemporary. All pieces on display will be available for sale. Artwork ranges from original oils, watercolors, and mixed media, to photography, prints, note cards, and more. Participating artists include Sherri Bardsley, Olga Bixby, Andrea Cochran-Pastel, Jan Dalton, Daryle Halbert, James Christopher Hill, Angela Hiott, Muriel Lanciault, Barbara B. Sawyer, Pat Singletary, and Francina Smalls-Joyner. The artists will host a free public reception at The Meeting Place on Wednesday, May 8, from 5:00-8:00pm during the North Charleston Arts Festival Art Walk.

The Meeting Place is located at 1077 East Montague Avenue in the revitalized Olde Village area of North Charleston. Parking is free. CoOp gallery hours are Fridays and Saturdays, 11:00am-7:00pm. For information on the 2013 North Charleston Arts Festival, visit NorthCharlestonArtsFest.com. For information on other exhibits and programs presented by the City of North Charleston Cultural Arts Department, call 843-740-5854 or visit http://bit.ly/culturalarts.