The Gibbes Museum of Art will host Art Charleston, a five-day festival aiming to innovate, elevate, and cultivate Charleston’s thriving arts culture beginning Wednesday, April 24, through Sunday, April 28.
The festival will include signature events, experiences, artist lectures, panel discussions, gallery walks, professional workshops, and exhibition tours led by experts.
Here’s a snapshot of some of the events:
Special Exhibition
Rory McEwen: A New Perspective on Nature | Now through Sunday, April 28, times vary | $0-$12 | This exhibition focuses on Rory McEwen’s hyper-realistic watercolor paintings of plants.
Programming
Wednesday Evenings at the Gibbes | Today, April, 17 + Wednesday, April 24, 5-8 p.m. | Free | The Gibbes will offer free access to the museum.
For Which it Stands: Art and Public Planning | Wednesday, April 24, 6-7 p.m. | Free; attendees must register | Join the museum to discuss questions like “How can artists help us reimagine our cities?” and “What is the role of the arts in city planning?” Artists, city officials, and design experts will consider a vision of the future in how the visual arts can contribute.
Make Your Own Oil Paints Workshop with Katelyn Chapman | Saturday, April 27, 10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. | $125-$150 | Attendees will learn the recipes to make oil paints and the step-by-step process of how to break down natural materials into powdered pigment. Each guest will leave with five tubes of their own hand-made oil paint.
Artistic Visionaries: Paul Tschinkel, Art Documentary Pioneer | Saturday, April 27, 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m. | $10-$15 | Guests can join for a special screening of one of Tschinkel’s rare artist interviews followed by a discussion about how the emergence of new media, from television to Instagram, has changed our expectations of artists.
Closer Look: Bees and Blooms | Sunday, April 28, 2-3 p.m. | Free with admission | Local beekeeper and apiary expert Tom Knaust will lead a conversational tour of Rory McEwen: A New Perspective on Nature. Knaust’s local business, Queen and Comb, helps people manage bees on their property throughout the Lowcountry.
Gibbes on the Street, Thursday, April 25, 8–10:30 p.m. | $175-$200 | This street fair will stretch across one block of Meeting Street in front of the museum, and feature an open bar, live music and over 15 of Charleston’s top chefs serving sweet and savory dishes.
Walk and Talk Charleston Tour | Friday, April 26, 2-4 p.m. | $35-$40 | Explore the art scene in the French Quarter. Attendees will visit a series of Charleston fine arts galleries and shops and learn about architectural and social history.
Artisan Fair | Sunday, April 28, 1-5 p.m. | Free | To conclude the week of celebrating the arts, you can attend this Artisan Fair to shop a curated selection of up to 40 artist vendors.
See the full lineup of events.