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ABOUT THE ARTS

Reasons for Rock Hill, SC

I. Thriving & Growing Arts Community


  • Organized and founded by former Winthrop University Students who were inspired during Tribeca Summer Arts Project with us in 2006 +.
    Affiliate of International Arts Movement.
    Being a part of Friday Arts Project will go a long way in helping us speak into the Art world.
  • Arts Council of York County
    Thriving presence for the arts in this the 4th largest city in South Carolina, the Arts Council is committed to building York County as an arts destination.
  • Cultural Development District
    In 2015, Rock Hill was named as the first state-recognized cultural district in the state of South Carolina. A cultural district is a geographic area that has a concentration of cultural facilities, activities and assets. It is an area that is easily identifiable to visitors and residents and serves as a center of cultural, artistic and economic activity. Legislation ratified by the South Carolina General Assembly and signed by Governor Nikki Haley specifies the goals of this program:
    • attract artists, creative entrepreneurs and cultural enterprises to communities
    • encourage economic development
    • foster local cultural development
    • provide a focal point for celebrating and strengthening local cultural identity

II. Hill City Church

  • Hill City church meets weekly in an old court room at the Gettys Art Center (formerly a Federal courthouse) in downtown Rock Hill. They are an Associate Reformed Presbyterian church. Their mission statement is: “We exist to display the Truth, Goodness, and Beauty of Jesus for the flourishing of Rock Hill.”
    Being a part of Hill City Church will go a long way in helping us speak into the broader ecumenical Church on behalf of the arts. 

III. New Challenges & Opportunities for Growth

  • Kirk will be able to bring to bear his years of seminary study in a practical way. Also, since we will be living close to Reformed Theological Seminary in Charlotte, Kirk will be switching from pursuing his Masters in Theological Studies to a Masters in Divinity. This will take a few more years of study part time but will be worth it in the long run.
  • Sarah will be able to not only continue to use her graphic design talents but most importantly will be able to dive into her painting—something she has only been doing minimally. This will give her greater integrity to speak into the art world.

IV. Location, Location, Location

  • Easily accessible airport
    Charlotte-Douglas International Airport is a mere 30 minutes away from Rock Hill and is a central travel hub.
    As a part of the Transform team—which will have sites in Kansas City and New York City—we will still be involved in the arts beyond the bounds of Rock Hill.  The Big Apple continues to figure prominently in our ministry. Our director—to whom we report—lives there, and we will also spend summers there when possible as part of the summer arts project. This also figured into our decision to minister out of Rock Hill.
  • Urban Presence Nearby
    In order to have as deep and broad impact as we wanted we wished to be near a larger urban center that valued the arts.
    Charlotte, North Carolina has recently expanded its appreciation in the arts. Two years ago the Bechtler Museum of Modern Art was built in downtown Charlotte—a museum of the same quality of the MoMa and the Guggenheim. Additionally, the local “arts area” of Charlotte called NoDa (meaning “North of Davidson Street”) has become a significant arts center in the region and is growing. We are looking forward to participating in these influential communities when we settle in.
  • University
    Winthrop University with its 6,000 Grad and Undergrad students is just down the road from “Center City”—downtown Rock Hill.

Read more about Rock Hill, SC on their Official Website.