From staff reports
March has been a big month for Beaufort’s Freedman Arts District.
The District announced earlier this month that it has received a significant anonymous monetary donation, which will be used to fund the creation of a museum and cultural arts center within the District.
Then, Saturday and Sunday, March 23 and 24, the District’s inaugural Chalk It Up! Festival was a rousing success. The weather was perfect, and the crowds were impressed and inspired.
Brittany Williams, of Buford, Ga., was the first-place winner, claiming the $500 top prize.
The runner-up was Princess Smith, and Mary Ward won the People’s Choice award.
The grant – $100,000 – provides the seed funding necessary to conduct planning and feasibility studies to launch an arts museum and center in Beaufort. This museum will celebrate distinguished, local artists and inform residents and visitors about the rich artistic heritage of the area.
“The Board of Directors and I are very grateful for this generous gift. This transformative donation will propel the creation of our center, while fostering the mission of the Freedman Arts District, which includes providing arts and cultural experiences, education, and programming,” Executive Director Angela Dore said in a news release. “It will inspire art enthusiasts and creatives to be part of the celebration of the people, the culture, the history, and the environment that make Beaufort a truly special place. I am thrilled that this donation will advance the fulfillment of our vision of an arts museum to anchor a culturally rich, artistically diverse, exciting arts district.”
For more information on the Freedman Arts District, visit freedmanartsdistrict.org.
