Mission and Brand

The Cultural Council of Richland/Lexington Counties is the centralized resource for the Arts Community, providing leadership, funding and business expertise to artists and arts organizations, and offering a single source of arts-related information to patrons and media. The Cultural Council contributes to economic development and quality of life in the Riverbanks Region by promoting the Arts as the foundation of the knowledge-based economy.

The "Elevator Speech"

The Cultural Council serves as a combination united way for the arts (The Arts Fund) and a chamber of commerce for artists and arts organizations through grants, technical assistance and professional development, information resources, arts education, and advocacy.

How we do it.

Each year the Cultural Council’s grants program awards over $250,000 in annual and quarterly grants to more than 50 arts organizations, artists, and schools. These grants range from as little as $250 to support a classroom arts project to over $30,000 to support operating costs of the region’s largest cultural institutions. The Grants Program offers corporate, individual, and foundation donors the ability to support multiple arts projects with one annual gift. The Council’s rigorous review process ensures accountability and stewardship of these donations.

The Cultural Council offers additional arts support through a broad ranging Technical Assistance and Professional Development program designed to enhance administrative and artistic development, increase participation in the arts from all parts of the community, and increase the ability of arts organizations to fairly compete in the national and international arts and culture arena. The Council also presents and produces programs in public art, projects that highlight emerging and culturally diverse organizations, and provides opportunities for artist and arts groups to fill a needed cultural niche.

Participation in the Americans for the Arts, Arts and Economic Prosperity III National Economic Impact Study revealed that Greater Columbia generates $56 million in annual economic impact, provides more than 2,000 full time equivalent jobs, and attracts over 1.7 million people to arts and cultural events including over 341,000 visitors from outside Richland and Lexington Counties.

Through its arts advocacy program, the Cultural Council promotes public and private sector investment in the arts industry to grow the creative and knowledge based economy so important to the future of Greater Columbia and South Carolina.


Professional Memberships

Americans for the Arts http://www.artsusa.org/
South Carolina Arts Alliance http://www.scartsalliance.net/
Greater Columbia Chamber of Commerce http://www.columbiachamber.com/
Lexington Chamber of Commerce http://www.lexingtonsc.org/
South Carolina Association of Non-Profit Organizations http://www.scanpo.org/