Arts & Culture

Charleston has a long-standing romance with culture and the arts that dates back to its origins. The country’s oldest operating theater is here, along with dozens of other theaters and theater troupes offering a vast array of performances. The Galliard Center, located downtown, recently underwent a $142 million makeover and is now home to dance, music and theatrical performances from artists from around the country, along with performances by the Charleston Symphony Orchestra.

A center for visual arts in Charleston is the Gibbes Museum of Art, located downtown. Other visual art destinations include the Halsey Gallery for Contemporary Art, Redux Art Center and countless art galleries representing artists and media of all kinds.

The Charleston region is also home to several arts-oriented annual events, including the world-famous Spoleto Festival USA, a three-week festival of the fine and performing arts that takes place each spring and features acclaimed artists and performers from around the world performing in the city’s theaters, churches, parks and public spaces.