ANN UA L R E P O RT 2021-2022
Blues & Jazz Festival
Old Town Night Market
Competitive Portrait Drawing
It is our vision to create a THRIVING, DIVERSE, & VIBRANT ar ts community in Yor k County. The Arts Council of York County enriches the lives of residents, students, and visitors as we promote a strong sense of community and provide economic and cultural growth. Like many arts and culture organizations throughout the country, the pandemic continued to greatly impact the Arts Council and all arts activity in York County. We are deeply grateful to federal and state funding resources that kept us afloat these past two years, along with individuals and businesses who continue their donations and sponsorships. After more than a year without an executive director, the Arts Council was pleased to welcome Lori Robishaw in November 2021 and pays tribute to the board leaders, former staff member Reba Bowens, and current staff Melanie Cooper, Jesslyn Armstrong, and Mike Gentry for their extraordinary efforts in maintaining our work during the worst of the pandemic. Going forward as we rebuild our resources, we look to new and reimagined programming that brings our region back to life. Despite concern with inflation and a fluctuating stock market, we still anticipate further growth in the county that makes it essential to provide the tools to increase access and connections to the arts.
2019-2021 E VE NT ATTE NDANCE
P EO PLE 2019: 128,144 2020: 12,866 2021: 40,465
COUNTRI ES 2019: 5 2020: 1 2021: 6
STATES 2019: 34 2020: 4 2021: 27
CIT I E S 2019:176 2020: 35 2021: 110
Events produced or funded by ACYC in 2019, 2020, and 2021.
A N ATI O N A L ECO N O M I C I M PAC T STU DY O F N O N PRO F IT A RT S A N D C U LT U R E O RG A N I Z ATI O N S A N D TH E I R AU D I E N C E S N ATI O N A L I M PAC T: This coming year, the Arts Council of York County will participate in Arts and Economic Prosperity 6, the next national economic impact study conducted in partnership with Washington, DC-based Americans for the Arts, which manages this project every five years (this sixth study has been delayed by two years due to the pandemic). Working with economists at Georgia Tech, this study—the largest and most comprehensive of its kind—measures direct spending by arts and cultural organizations and their audiences. Results from past studies, including the most recent which showed the entire sector generated $166 billion of economic activity throughout the country, have moved the U.S. Congress to increase annual funding of the federal cultural agencies such as the National Endowment for the Arts, National Endowment for the Humanities, and the Institute of Museum and Library Services. LO C A L I M PAC T: The most recent study we participated in, released in 2017, showed that arts organizations throughout York County and their audiences contributed to a $27 million economic impact. The study was done in partnership with the Arts Council and 15 other arts organizations where 800 surveys were collected, and financial reports of 12 arts organizations were examined. Some 26% of all attendees were from outside York County, demonstrating the tourism draw of our community’s arts and cultural sector. This study illustrates the economic value of the arts and can help build the case for increased public funding at the city, county, and state level.
2 0 2 0-2021 I N CO ME
2020- 2021 E XPE NSE S
Artist Studio & Facility Rentals $ 89,290 Annual Campaign $ 54,855 Accommodations Tax Grants $ 43,215 Grants $ 34,548 Ticket Sales/Fees/Sponsorships $ 28,259 Endowment Interest $ 12,239 Miscellaneous $ 11,319 Pandemic-Related Funding SC Cares Act Grant $ 49,788 PPP Loan (Forgiven) $ 38,300 $361,813
Programming $115,283 Administration $ 82,748 Operations $ 64,879 Marketing $ 23,437 Feasibility Study $ 20,000 Small Grants $ 16,995 Facility $ 9,310 $332,652* *does not include $35,903 in depreciation
During this past 2021 – 2022 fiscal year (July 1 – June 30), the Arts Council remained active in the York County arts scene, especially in the latter part of the year, even as COVID developed new variants. We hosted the annual Blues & Jazz Festival in March (postponed from October) for more than 1,200 people and brought back our Annual Gala to help raise much needed funds. Our annual Ag + Art Tour, held the first two weekends of June, featured two dozen farm, food, and art sites and more than 80 artisans who attracted some 5,000 visitors throughout York County. We presented an array of visual artists in exhibitions at the Center for the Arts, and we implemented the new Old Town Night Markets monthly on the fourth Fridays that feature art and music throughout venues in downtown Rock Hill. In 2015, Rock Hill became the first state-designated Cultural District in South Carolina, a designation that was renewed in 2022. More than 30 artists maintain affordable studio space in two properties managed by the Arts Council within the district. In addition to arts programming, the Arts Council continued to distribute Small Grants to individual artists and organizations engaged in arts and cultural programming throughout the broader community.
2 021-2 02 2 E X EC U TI V E CO M M IT TE E Priscilla Nealy, President, Photographer Erica Smith, Vice President, Rock Hill Symphony Orchestra Melanie E. Jones, Immediate Past President, Arts Advocate Hali Christopher, Treasurer, Westminster Catawba Christian School Michael B. Smith, Secretary, Morton & Gettys 2 021-2 02 2 BOA R D M E M B E R S Josiah Blevins, RevenFlo Kirk H. Irwin, Friday Arts Project Rebecca Bridges, House of Drennan Dr. John Jones, Jr., Rock Hill Schools Stephen Crotts, Independent Artist Gerry King, Independent Artist Michelle DiEduardo, Community Volunteer Martin Lane, City of Rock Hill Matthew L. Dosch, Comporium Alison Mallard, Culture & Heritage Museums Eric D. Eaddy, Atrium Health Dr. Brad Sabelli, Arts Advocate, Educator, Artist Dr. Wanda K. W. Ebright, Winthrop University Gale Y. Teaster, Community Volunteer Jessica Helen Edwards, Old Town Theatre Company Robert Wildman, Winthrop University Erika Hogan, New Attitude Performing Arts Center Suzie Wright, Community Volunteer
Ag + Art Tour of York County
Dalton Gallery Exhibits
Slow Play Brewing Collaboration Arts Advocacy Week 2022
ACYC STAFF Lori Robishaw, Executive Director Melanie Cooper, Director of Programming & Marketing Jesslyn Armstrong, Administrative Manager & Graphic Designer Mike Gentry, Gallery & Facilities Manager Brenda Floyd, Bookkeeper CENTER FOR THE ARTS 121 East Main Street | Rock Hill, SC 29730 TOM S. GETTYS CENTER 201 East Main Street | Rock Hill, SC 29730
Edmund D. Lewandowski Mural on Rear of Center for the Arts
PHONE (803) 328-2787 YORKCOUNTYARTS.ORG
