From Carolina Morning News, 11 October 1999
Town has big plans for showtime on the green
By William Dean
"If you entertain them, they will come," could be a new motto for the Arts Council of Beaufort County this month.
The view of Beaufort River and antebellum homes that lure tourists to Beaufort year-round also are serving as a backdrop for art events planned to draw Lowcountry residents to the downtown area.
Through its Arts in the Park program, the council is offering an array of shows and performances at Waterfront Park.
"Other than the playground and the beautiful view we want to give people a reason to come downtown at night and have dinner," Arts in the Park Coordinator Joni Kost said.
Kost was hired by the council in August to plan and organize cultural events that also will get people to the park on weekends and during the lunch-hour on weekdays.
"We hope eventually that this will become an economic development tool," said Eric Vaughn Holowacz, Arts Council of Beaufort County executive director.
He said the need always has been there, but park use in the past was limited to the Water Festival, which takes place during two weeks every summer, and the shrimp and wine festivals.
"That's not enough to keep the park active," Holowacz said.
The arts council decided to host more park events earlier this year, after Linda McKinney, who owns an art supplies store with husband Scott McKinney in Beaufort, proposed the council take over programming.
"She realized she couldn't continue to do all the arts in the park planning and operate a small business," Holowacz said.
Until then, the responsibility of advertising events, networking with arts and getting sponsorships was McKinney's. She even got Beaufort City Council to waive fees for using the park for artistic events, Holowacz said.
Now Arts in the Park is in the hands of Kost, who occupies an office on Bay Street. On Friday, Kost launched the fall series with a production of "Trapped: A Whale of a Tale." Attendees sat in chairs or on blankets in the park and watched as a Canadian production company staged a play aboard a 90-foot, three-mast sailing ship.
Holowacz said events, which are free to the public, are intended to be family-oriented and a showplace for local and touring artists. The next park event will be 7:30 p.m. Friday, when Beaufort Countians are treated to bluegrass music by the Sea Island Ramblers.
Future events include a musical review by Beaufort performers entitled, "Showtime: The Magic of Mercer," storytelling and singing by Gullah artist Anita Singleton Prather and music from the U.S. Air Force Clarinet Quartet in November.
Starting in November during the noon hour, Kost has planned for guitarists and other artists to perform, Holowacz said. "It's all very fun and really exciting," he said.
The program is moving ahead as planned, with its only deterrent being the delay in printing the full season brochures, Holowacz said. The Hurricane Floyd evacuation delayed the printing, he said.
The council hosted a couple of Arts in the Park events that were successful. An annual pops concert by the Beaufort Chamber Orchestra and a concert by the Hallelujah Singers each drew about 1,000 people to the park, Holowacz said.
By William Dean
"If you entertain them, they will come," could be a new motto for the Arts Council of Beaufort County this month.
The view of Beaufort River and antebellum homes that lure tourists to Beaufort year-round also are serving as a backdrop for art events planned to draw Lowcountry residents to the downtown area.
Through its Arts in the Park program, the council is offering an array of shows and performances at Waterfront Park.
"Other than the playground and the beautiful view we want to give people a reason to come downtown at night and have dinner," Arts in the Park Coordinator Joni Kost said.
Kost was hired by the council in August to plan and organize cultural events that also will get people to the park on weekends and during the lunch-hour on weekdays.
"We hope eventually that this will become an economic development tool," said Eric Vaughn Holowacz, Arts Council of Beaufort County executive director.
He said the need always has been there, but park use in the past was limited to the Water Festival, which takes place during two weeks every summer, and the shrimp and wine festivals.
"That's not enough to keep the park active," Holowacz said.
The arts council decided to host more park events earlier this year, after Linda McKinney, who owns an art supplies store with husband Scott McKinney in Beaufort, proposed the council take over programming.
"She realized she couldn't continue to do all the arts in the park planning and operate a small business," Holowacz said.
Until then, the responsibility of advertising events, networking with arts and getting sponsorships was McKinney's. She even got Beaufort City Council to waive fees for using the park for artistic events, Holowacz said.
Now Arts in the Park is in the hands of Kost, who occupies an office on Bay Street. On Friday, Kost launched the fall series with a production of "Trapped: A Whale of a Tale." Attendees sat in chairs or on blankets in the park and watched as a Canadian production company staged a play aboard a 90-foot, three-mast sailing ship.
Holowacz said events, which are free to the public, are intended to be family-oriented and a showplace for local and touring artists. The next park event will be 7:30 p.m. Friday, when Beaufort Countians are treated to bluegrass music by the Sea Island Ramblers.
Future events include a musical review by Beaufort performers entitled, "Showtime: The Magic of Mercer," storytelling and singing by Gullah artist Anita Singleton Prather and music from the U.S. Air Force Clarinet Quartet in November.
Starting in November during the noon hour, Kost has planned for guitarists and other artists to perform, Holowacz said. "It's all very fun and really exciting," he said.
The program is moving ahead as planned, with its only deterrent being the delay in printing the full season brochures, Holowacz said. The Hurricane Floyd evacuation delayed the printing, he said.
The council hosted a couple of Arts in the Park events that were successful. An annual pops concert by the Beaufort Chamber Orchestra and a concert by the Hallelujah Singers each drew about 1,000 people to the park, Holowacz said.