North Charleston is home to a flourishing arts community, and 2025 shines with emerging and established local artists making waves in visual art, fiber art, sculpture, and performance. Several key events and exhibitions this year spotlight both new talent and widely recognized creators, offering art lovers plenty of reasons to pay attention.
North Charleston Arts Fest Highlights
The annual North Charleston Arts Fest (April 30 – May 5, 2025) features a five-day citywide celebration with exhibitions in visual arts, dance, music, and more. This year’s festival showcases local artists throughout various venues—from Park Circle Gallery to Riverfront Park—drawing significant attention to both seasoned and rising talents in the area. Notable highlights include the Judged Art Competition and outdoor sculpture exhibitions where regional artists exhibit their newest works.
African American Fiber Art and Sculpture Standouts
Curated by Torreah “Cookie” Washington, the 18th Annual African American Fiber Art Exhibition—”In Praise of the Ancestors”—spotlights fiber artists such as Dorothy Netherland, whose innovative work using everyday materials has drawn city-wide acclaim. The National Outdoor Sculpture Competition, open through March 2026, also gives a platform to both emerging and established sculptors. These exhibits attract artists from across the country and offer an excellent opportunity to watch for up-and-coming North Charleston–based talents.
Emerging Artist Resources and Opportunities
Park Circle Gallery and the North Charleston Cultural Arts Department provide continual opportunities for local artists to showcase their work, frequently rotating exhibitions and offering calls for both solo and group proposals. This ongoing support ensures new artists are visible and able to build their reputations within the community. The South Carolina Arts Commission also features a roster of grant-winning emerging artists, some of whom hail from North Charleston, suggesting the area’s growing importance as a regional creative hub.
Young Artists and Musical Talent
This year also brings dedicated events for young artists, such as the “Young Artists in Concert: A String Quartet Exploration” at the Park Circle Community Building, broadening the city’s scope of local talent beyond the visual arts.
2025 is a dynamic year for the North Charleston art scene, with community festivals, thematic exhibitions, and dedicated platforms—like Park Circle Gallery—ensuring the region’s artists, both emerging and established, get the exposure and recognition they deserve.
SOURCES
[1](https://www.northcharlestoncoliseumpac.com/events/detail/north-charleston-arts-fest-2025)
[2](https://www.scartshub.com/park-circle-gallery-opens-call-for-2025-2026-exhibitions/)
[3](https://www.northcharlestonartsfest.com)
[4](https://www.northcharlestonartsfest.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/AF_JudgedArtProspectus25.pdf)
[5](https://www.northcharlestonartsfest.com/competitions-exhibitions/)
