Support Public Works Art Center in Summerville!

Public Works Art Center in Summerville is a forthcoming community art center in beautiful Downtown Summerville, South Carolina. Our offerings will include:

1. Affordable studio spaces for local artists and artisans, creating a culture of creativity and inspiration while facilitating the evolution of Summerville’s creative landscape.

2. Educational art classes and workshops for all ages and skill levels, covering a wide range of artistic disciplines.

3. A gallery space that will feature juried exhibitions and performances from local, regional, national, and international artists, drawing visitors to Dorchester County and benefitting its culture.

4. A unique space available for special event rentals, right in the heart of Downtown Summerville.

5. An on-site market featuring locally-made art and artisan goods, promoting the talented individuals of the Lowcountry.

Conceived by a group of like-minded, passionate Summerville citizens, Public Works Art Center is the realization of a dream that Summerville can be a hub of culture and exciting activity. Thankfully, the former tenants and owners of our dream building, The Commissioners of Public Works, believe in our mission. They have graciously offered us a lease, and we hope to eventually purchase the building from them within the next three years.  The building, which also once served as the town post office, is the perfect size and location for this venture and will encourage more foot traffic to other shops and merchants in the surrounding area. We need your help raising the funds to transform this building into the creative hub we know it can be.

Before we officially open to the public, we will need to make a number of renovations and restorations, including the following projects :

Renovate bathrooms to be handicap-accessible
Build an ADA-compliant handicap ramp into the building
Install gallery lighting
Construct studio spaces upstairs and in the basement
Convert the electrical system to support our multi-studio structure
Replace and refinish flooring
Build a serving kitchen for special events
Purchase and install an exhaust hood for a pottery kiln
Paint all interior walls
Remove drop ceilings
Create a giftshop
Renovate the old post office vault into an office
Upgrade the bathrooms
Replace ductwork
Establish a security system
...and so much more.

While we believe our first year's operating costs will be covered by our studio rentals, event rentals, class fees, and other sources of income, this money will be used to complete renovations as well as purchase furniture and storage solutions for the building. 

Thank you for supporting the arts in Summerville!