IMAGINE…
A Cultural Arts Center in Pawleys Island
Our goal is to create a Cultural Arts Center in Pawleys Island that enriches the quality of life and fuels economic growth in Georgetown County and is a home to the Pawleys Island Festival of Music & Art (PIFMA). A place that brings a diverse community together, where young and old can enjoy:
Concerts • Festivals • Art Shows • Classes Movie Nights • Dances • Special Occasions PIFMA is spearheading a movement to build such a place and is actively seeking support and innovative partnerships in the public, private, nonprofit and academia sectors. PIFMA VISION To enable coastal South Carolina to become a mecca for the arts. PIFMA MISSION Pawleys Island Festival of Music & Art (PIFMA) is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to provide diverse music, arts and educational events and programs that create cultural experiences that educate, entertain and inspire. PIFMA VALUES We believe in the value of the arts as an essential part of civilization and in its role of preserving accomplishments of humanity. We believe that everyone deserves an equal opportunity to be exposed to the arts and that PIFMA plays a significant role in delivering this special gift to our community. Through music and art we connect people and enhance our area’s quality of life. INTENTIONS PIFMA intends to secure land and raise capital to build a permanent venue, in phases over several years. Our aim is to hold festival events in an economically and environmentally sustainable way with built-in capacity to meet future growth needs. We intend to collaborate with government, organizations and individuals to accomplish this economic development goal and to further support the arts in our community. BACKGROUND PIFMA has been in existence since 1991 as a community organization promoting music and art in the Pawleys Island area and became a 501(c)3 nonprofit in 1998. Its founder, Dr. Lee Minton, started the organization with one concert event. It has grown to presenting nine concerts in the fall and two in the winter. Monies raised provide outreach programs, college scholarships and financial aid for schools promoting the arts. In 2009 Strand Media Group (SMG) took over management of the organization, led by former board member, Delores Blount. In the 12 years since SMG took over, the organization has grown exponentially in size, as well as our impact on the community.
STUDENT + COMMUNITY OUTREACH Since 2009 PIFMA has reached approximately 10,000 students through outreach programs, financial support, scholarships and opportunities to attend concerts. Outreach programs are held in the schools and led by world class musicians with each series of our concerts, bringing the arts to some of our county’s lowest-wealth children and citizens. Hundreds of PIFMA event tickets are donated to low-wealth families, all K-12 students, and to seniors at assisted living facilities each year. Here are some examples of our impact: Scholarships for Georgetown County high school seniors majoring in visual or graphic arts Donated clarinets for Carvers Bay High School Band Donated 20 keyboards and choral binders to Waccamaw High School Donated band equipment to Browns’ Ferry Elementary School Sponsored the production of “Hairspray” at Waccamaw High School Sponsored McDonald Elementary School students to participate in the South Carolina State Honors Choir Sponsored Georgetown County BEACH music students to attend a play in Charleston, SC
In 2019 alone, PIFMA infused $10,000 into cultural arts experiences for the youth of Georgetown County.
INCREASING TOURISM PIFMA not only brings our community together, but every year attracts more and more visitors from out-of-market– putting “heads in beds” in Georgetown County. Visitors from Charlotte, Raleigh, Charleston, Greenville, and as far away as Alaska spend on accommodations, food, entertainment and shopping while attending PIFMA events. 2019 Total Estimated Attendance 11,250 Total Number of Tourists 1,800 Projected Number of Room Nights 1-2 Estimated Tourism Spend *$469,602
2021 11,500 1,900 1-2 *$495,697
*Based on SCPRT’s SC Statewide Average Room Rate in Georgetown County 1 nights stay @ $110.89 per night Fiscal responsibility and hard work have resulted in record numbers of PIFMA memberships, corporate sponsors and grants to help fund our various programs. These efforts have led the organization to present more and better artists, attracting more attendees and supporters.
CURRENT GRANTORS & PARTNERSHIPS • South Arts in partnership with National Endowment for the Arts • South Carolina Arts Commission • Frances P. Bunnelle Foundation • Waccamaw Community Foundation • Donnelly Foundation • Georgetown County School District • South Carolina’s Hammock Coast
After moving the festival to different sites over the years, concerts are currently held under a tent at The Reserve Golf Club in Pawleys Island in the fall and in The Abbey Church in January and February. Our current venue is at maximum capacity and PIFMA cannot grow without a change in venue. An in-depth exploration of community spaces found no existing facilities available that would accommodate our growing needs.
In 2019 the PIFMA board of directors met to update our three-year Strategic Plan. One main goal (GOAL #2) was to find and/or create a permanent home for PIFMA. An Ad Hoc Venue Taskforce was formed to further explore PIFMA’s options and plan for a venue site that would accommodate us well into the future. Since then the Venue Taskforce and SMG have been conducting research, interviewing and visiting music and arts venues in towns and cities in the northeast and southeast.
We have identified some specifications in this preliminary planning phase that we feel are necessary for PIFMA specifically: 10 - 12 acres of property Minimum parking for 650 cars 27,000 square feet of stage and covered seating Accommodate approximately 2,000 spectators for live events The more we meet and share our vision with other organizations and individuals, the more we are convinced we are helping address a vital community need. We are driven to forge strong alliances that will turn “imagination into reality” by establishing a cultural arts center that makes our community even more distinctive and special.
PLEASE JOIN US
PO Box 1975 • Pawleys Island, SC 29585 • 843-626-8911 • www.pawleysmusic.com • info@pawleysmusic.com