Annual Gospel Fest and Heritage Tea Planned at the Fine Arts Center of Kershaw County | Arts & Culture

Camden—The Multi-Cultural Committee of the Fine Arts Center of Kershaw County (FAC) is pleased to announce two annual events celebrating Black History Month. The eighth annual Gospel Fest takes place February 16, followed by the Heritage Tea Celebration on February 17. This dedicated committee has put together these special programs celebrating the spirit of community with a special emphasis on Black History at the Fine Arts Center of Kershaw County (FAC.)  Sponsorship of this weekend's celebration is provided by the Piggly Wiggly of Camden and Kohn-Springs Group, Merrill Lynch Wealth Management.

About the Eighth Annual Gospel Fest

The Gospel Fest will celebrate "community unity" with the singing of local gospel choirs. The Gospel Fest will be held at the FAC in the Wood Auditorium.  The doors will open at 6:00 p.m. for ticket sales and the performances will begin at 7:00 p.m.  All tickets are $8.  The event is co-chaired by Mary Jones and Mollye Robinson. The Gospel Fest and Heritage Tea are dedicated to Mr. Pearl Fryar and the late Thomas "Daddy Mack" McLester.

Participating choirs include: Christian Musicians’ Guild, Gospel Cavaliers, Camden First United Methodist, Bethel Worship Center, Union Baptist, Abundant Life and Catoe’s Chapel Church of God in Christ. The choirs will sing various genres of gospel music representing many styles. At the end of the evening, the audience will be encouraged to participate in a group singing with the choirs. The Master of Ceremonies will be Billy Shepherd.

About the Heritage Tea and Performances, Sunday, February 17, 3:00 pm

For more than 20 years, the Fine Arts Center's Multi-Cultural Committee has hosted an annual “Heritage Tea” to celebrate diversity and showcase the myriad talents of local residents and county youth. In addition to performances on stage, prizes and awards will also be presented to students whose art projects are on display in the Douglas-Reed House.  Entertainment for the day will be provided by The Chorus Kids of Camden Elementary (Regina McDonald, Director,) the Rockin' Cardinal Chorus from Wateree Elementary (Deborah Rowell, Director) and Shiryl Morgan. Performances begin at 3:00 pm on Sunday, February 17 in the Wood Auditorium.  A reception with refreshments will be held in the Douglas-Reed House immediately following the performance.      

About the Student Work on Display

For much of the last month, students in Kershaw County's grades three through eight have worked on projects that focus on Africans or African Americans, past or present, who have made an impact on culture and history.  Each school has selected the winning pieces to be displayed in the historic Douglas-Reed House at the Fine Arts Center during this special weekend.  Awards for first through third place in grades 3-8 will be awarded. Past projects have ranged from reports with paintings, to portfolios, mobiles, hand sculptures, and PowerPoint presentations. All Kershaw County schools are invited to be a part of this celebration.

For more information or to purchase advance tickets call 803-425-7676, extension 300, or visit the FAC website at www.fineartscenter.org.  The Fine Arts Center of Kershaw County is located at 810 Lyttleton Street in Camden. Office hours are Monday through Wednesday and Friday, 10:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m., and Thursday 10:00 a.m.-6:00 p.m.

The Fine Arts Center is funded in part by the Frederick S. Upton Foundation and the South Carolina Arts Commission, which receives support from the National Endowment for the Arts. Additional funding provided by the City of Camden, Kershaw County, and BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina along with donations from businesses and individuals.