Supporting our Community
Over the years, you have hopefully attended an event or show hosted inside the Chapman Cultural Center theater. Or maybe you have visited one of the independent museums, galleries, or cultural organizations located inside the facility. However, Chapman Cultural Center is more than an entertainment destination. Our organization's mission serves a much broader scope as the "cog" that moves Spartanburg County's arts and cultural sector forward.
As the county's leading Local Arts Agency, we serve as an advocate for the arts to ensure they are relevant and supported in the public and private sector.
A large part of our impact comes from our grantmaking, which awards more than $500,000 in annual General Operating Support grants to arts, science, and humanities-based non-profit organizations. Our GOS Grants are funded through the Chapman Cultural Center United Arts Annual Fund and support the following organizations and their missions.
Artists Collective's mission is to create a community of artists where members and mentors support one another. In addition, our goal is to provide affordable studio, display, and performance spaces to established and emerging artists living in and around Spartanburg, South Carolina. Since the formation of Artists Collective, the organization has strived to provide the public with opportunities to view original art and to interact with the artists. The Artists Collective is the only studio art co-op in Spartanburg County at the former West Main Baptist Church.
Learn more about Artists Collective at artistscollectivespartanburg.org
Through the years, Artists' Guild has grown from a handful of artists to one of the original partners of the Chapman Cultural Center, located in downtown Spartanburg. Their gallery is currently housed in the Chapman Cultural Center and features 12 shows throughout the year, which highlight the talents of local artists of all ages and backgrounds. In following with their mission to cultivate, nurture, and grow the visual arts in our community by supporting local artists and education, the Artists' Guild host an annual juried show for students in March to provide supplies for local art teachers and students through the angel tree program, and facilitate smaller shows at venues throughout the county for local artists. They also support local artists by providing thousands of dollars in prize money each year to the winning submissions in our adult and youth juried shows.
Learn more about Artists' Guild Spartanburg at artistsguildspartanburg.org
Ballet Spartanburg is funded in part by Chapman Cultural Center, its donors, the County and City of Spartanburg, and the South Carolina Arts Commission, which receives support from the National Endowment for the arts and the John and Susan Bennett Memorial Arts Fund of the Coastal Community Foundation of SC. The Company, the only resident professional Company in the Upstate, performs in professional events which currently reach over 27,235 individuals and their impact is growing each year. The organization has created one of the most successful Arts in Education programs, providing the highest quality of dance instruction, reaching over 1,500 individuals each year.
Learn more about Ballet Spartanburg at balletspartanburg.org
Hatcher Garden and Woodland Preserve, Inc. exists to provide a place where the public can come for inspiration, enjoyment, and education through the study of nature. The not-for-profit organization operates on an annual budget that is raised every year from donations, grants, sponsorships, events, and educational programs. The botanical garden aspires to be recognized regionally and nationally as a model and premier source of environmental education for children and adults, and a haven of peace and beauty for the community and tourists alike. Hatcher Garden has been named "One of Ten Best Botanical Gardens in South Carolina" and #2 of "Things to Do in Spartanburg" on Trip Advisor.
Learn more about Hatcher Gardens at hatchergarden.org
Hub City Writers Project has become the South's premier literary organization through its independent press, community bookshop, and diverse literary programming. Based in Spartanburg, South Carolina, Hub City champions support Southern writers at every level and seeks to bring stories of Southern experience to a national audience. Hub City also provides educational scholarships, a national residency program, a book drive that places 4,000 books in low-income local homes, and hosts about 100 readings, workshops and other public events each year. Many of these events take place in the Hub City Bookshop, opened in 2010 and was recently named by Southern Living as "One of the South's Best Bookstores."
Learn more about Hub City Writers Project at hubcity.org
Our Mission: LGBTQIA+ Advocacy through the Arts
The mission of the Proud Mary Theatre Company, a 501 (c) 3 non-profit and non-professional theatre, is to present LGBTQ+ voices and stories in Spartanburg and the entire Upstate region through theatrical plays: compelling dramas, rib-tickling comedies, campy musicals, and local original works and avant-garde pieces that celebrate diversity and acceptance.
Proud Mary Theatre Company was founded in 2017 and has won several awards from the South Carolina Theatre Association and the Southeastern Theatre Conference including Best Production, Best Actor and Best Director.
Learn more about Proud Mary Theatre at proudmarytheatre.com
Spartanburg Art Museum is a regional museum promoting contemporary visual arts by inspiring and engaging people of all ages through exhibitions and education. Under the leadership of Elizabeth Goddard, SAM shifted its mission to reflect the original ideal of exhibiting the art of the current era, supporting living and working contemporary artists. SAM's exhibition boasts a diverse range of contemporary exhibitions and offers a wide variety of educational and community programs for all ages and demographics.
Learn more about Spartanburg Art Museum at spartanburgartmuseum.org
As part of its mission, the Spartanburg County Historical Association manages three historical sites: Walnut Grove Plantation, the Historic Price House, and the Seay House. Each property recounts a unique portion of Spartanburg County history and offers tours, events, and educational programming throughout the year. The founders of the organization stated its purpose is to promote interest in the history of the county, to bring about a closer relationship among persons in the county who are interested in its history, and to encourage the preservation of historical sites, materials, and records of the area. While the Historical Association has since developed a mission statement that reflects its current programs and goals for the 21st century, this original purpose lies at the heart of our mission and who we are.
Learn more about the Spartanburg County History Association at spartanburghistory.org
The Spartanburg Little Theatre is a performing arts nonprofit organization that hosts an incredibly diverse production schedule that features classic and contemporary favorites for adults, appealing to the widest range of ages and demographics possible. All of our performers and production staff are local artists, theatre professionals, and volunteers. The SLT fulfills its mission to "activate, cultivate and educate our community through quality theatrical experiences" with the charitable support of generous friends and donors.
The organization also includes innovative children's programming in the Spartanburg Youth Theatre that enriches the lives of upstate youth and families through high-quality "by youth, for youth" theatrical productions, innovative educational programming, and community outreach to engage and inspire the child in all of us. The cast and backstage crew are made up entirely of youth in the 3rd-12th grade who not only learn valuable tools to become better performers and artists, but also the immeasurable power of teamwork and self-expression!
Learn more about Spartanburg Little Theatre at spartanburglittletheatre.com and Spartanburg Youth Theatre at spartanburgyouththeatre.com
Recognized as a pillar of creativity, inspiration, and entertainment, the Spartanburg Philharmonic is a 65-member modern orchestra that is almost a century old. Spartanburg Philharmonic is a jewel in the crown of South Carolina's arts scene, presenting popular masterworks, contemporary pieces, chamber music, bluegrass, and rarely performed works. Their concerts attract music lovers throughout the Greater Spartanburg area and from around the region to their performances held in Twitchell Auditorium in Zimmerli Performance Center at Converse College and at the Chapman Cultural Center's Theater.
Learn more about Spartanburg Philharmonic at spartanburgphilharmonic.org
The John F. Green Spartanburg Science Center provides science education and enrichment for the students and adults of Spartanburg County through interactive educational programs, hands-on exhibits, and community outreach. Our small, hands-on science center offers guests of all ages more than 23 exhibits, a live animal room featuring an assortment of reptiles, amphibians, and fish, and a museum room with a collection of fossils, bones, skulls, rocks, minerals, and other educational displays. The Spartanburg Science Center inspires excitement for science through interactive exhibits, live animals and programs that excite, engage, and educate.
Learn more about the Spartanburg Science Center at spartanburgsciencecenter.org