Collard Green Memories
February 11, 2026
By Tom Poland Being the chap I was, collard greens’ smell and similarity to the stringy dark-green algae in fish ponds repulsed me. Mom would cook up a mess…
Read MorePosted in: lowcountrybizsc, midlandsbiz, georgetown-sc-gazette, golden-strip-news, upstatebizsc, laurenscountybuzz Category: life, on-the-move, the-arts
S.C. Arts Commission announces leadership transition
February 5, 2026
David Platts to retire from distinguished public service After 33 years serving as a teacher, school administrator and arts administrator, South Carolina Arts Commission Executive Director David Platts will retire…
Read MorePosted in: lowcountrybizsc, midlandsbiz, georgetown-sc-gazette, golden-strip-news, upstatebizsc, laurenscountybuzz Category: on-the-move, the-arts
MOJA Arts Festival celebrates Black History Month with February performances at Dock Street Theatre
February 5, 2026
As part of its 41st anniversary season, the MOJA Arts Festival will honor Black History Month with two powerful February events at the Dock Street Theatre, celebrating Black artistry, cultural legacy,…
Read MorePosted in: lowcountrybizsc Category: government, the-arts
Cast Iron Cornbread
February 5, 2026
By Tom Poland Born of fire, master of fire, and survivor of fire, my vintage cast iron cornbread mold fed many a soul. Best I figure it came to…
Read MorePosted in: lowcountrybizsc, midlandsbiz, georgetown-sc-gazette, golden-strip-news, upstatebizsc, laurenscountybuzz Category: life, on-the-move, the-arts
The Sweetest Smoke A Man Was Ever To Smell
February 2, 2026
By Tom Poland To some, the smokehouse remains a symbol of the impoverished, rural South. Not me. I see it as a rustic savior, and I thank the late…
Read MorePosted in: lowcountrybizsc, midlandsbiz, georgetown-sc-gazette, golden-strip-news, upstatebizsc, laurenscountybuzz Category: life, on-the-move, the-arts
My Lost Geisha
January 28, 2026
By Tom Poland It was the photograph in my father’s war album. Her white kimono. Hair black as onyx. Pale, serene face. Perfect bone structure. Gloss, a sheen upon her…
Read MorePosted in: lowcountrybizsc, midlandsbiz, georgetown-sc-gazette, upstatebizsc Category: life, on-the-move, the-arts
“Fragments” brings Charleston dance companies together Feb. 15
January 26, 2026
On Sunday, February 15, 2026, Collective SC and NousPointe will present Fragments, an evening of contemporary dance featuring three Charleston-based companies—Collective SC, NousPointe, and Impermanent Gallery—at the Cannon Street Arts…
Read MorePosted in: lowcountrybizsc Category: on-the-move, the-arts
Red Clay
January 21, 2026
By Tom Poland Drizzle drifted and spritzed as if it were January except it was October. Mists coated my camera. In its viewfinder red mud glistened in rain that…
Read MorePosted in: lowcountrybizsc, midlandsbiz, georgetown-sc-gazette, golden-strip-news, upstatebizsc, laurenscountybuzz Category: life, on-the-move, the-arts
Stage Door Arts Academy opens January 19, bringing dance, theater, and creative confidence to Charleston families
January 19, 2026
MOUNT PLEASANT, SC – Stage Door Arts Academy officially opens its doors on Monday, January 19, offering a new performing arts home for children and teens throughout the Charleston area.…
Read MorePosted in: lowcountrybizsc Category: conversations, education, entrepreneurship, life, music, on-the-move, teens-and-young-adult, the-arts
Spoleto Festival USA announces 2026 season
January 15, 2026
A Landmark Year Framed by Freedom of Expression and America’s 250th Anniversary Spoleto Festival USA announced its 2026 season, running May 22–June 7, 2026, featuring more than 110 performances across opera,…
Read MorePosted in: lowcountrybizsc Category: on-the-move, the-arts
The Last Open Door
January 14, 2026
By Tom Poland For the first time in my life I was alone in my church. The old Regulator wall clock ticked away as I ticked away the families…
Read MorePosted in: lowcountrybizsc, midlandsbiz, georgetown-sc-gazette, upstatebizsc Category: life, on-the-move, the-arts
Sardis Road
January 7, 2026
By Tom Poland Back roads never disappoint me. Such was the case with a road, paved just a tad, but deliciously dirt the rest of the way. As I…
Read MorePosted in: lowcountrybizsc, midlandsbiz, georgetown-sc-gazette, upstatebizsc Category: life, on-the-move, the-arts
Youth organization hosts fashion and talent showcase for non-profits to compete for funds
January 7, 2026
Learn Earn, Earn Learn (L.E.E.L.) will host its Fashion & Talent Showcase: Non-Profits Compete! Fundraiser on Sunday, January 18, 2026 from 2-5 PM at Burke High School (244 President Street,…
Read MorePosted in: lowcountrybizsc Category: education, entertainment, entrepreneurship, non-profit, on-the-move, the-arts
SCRA announces new leadership promotions
December 18, 2025
South Carolina Research Authority has announced two recent promotions. Patti Mack is now director of finance and administration. Teresa Hinson is now the director of governance, risk, and compliance. “Patti…
Read MorePosted in: lowcountrybizsc, midlandsbiz, upstatebizsc Category: education, on-the-move, the-arts
S.C. Arts Commission designates state’s 13th cultural district in Summerville
December 11, 2025
The South Carolina Arts Commission announced that a downtown portion of Summerville was designated by its board of commissioners as the 13th South Carolina Cultural District The proposal for the…
Read MorePosted in: lowcountrybizsc, midlandsbiz, upstatebizsc Category: on-the-move, the-arts
Entrepreneur Minute – Brad Moranz, The Charleston Christmas Special
December 8, 2025
The LowcountryBizSC, Entrepreneur Minute is an interview in support of the impact that entrepreneurs have on our communities. We will be highlighting diverse group of entrepreneurs, including some incredible innovators…
Read MorePosted in: lowcountrybizsc Category: entrepreneurship, on-the-move, podcast, the-arts
My Fried Chicken History
December 3, 2025
By Tom Poland As evening shadows fell, I made my way home through woods. Overpowering the peppery smell of autumn leaves, the chicken frying in Mom’s cast iron skillet…
Read MorePosted in: lowcountrybizsc, midlandsbiz, georgetown-sc-gazette, upstatebizsc Category: life, on-the-move, the-arts
Amazon announces Best Books of 2025
December 3, 2025
Each year, I like to publish Amazon’s Best Books of the Year and buy my wife the No. 1 book as a Christmas present. Looks like Buckeye, by Patrick Ryan,…
Read MorePosted in: lowcountrybizsc, midlandsbiz, upstatebizsc Category: on-the-move, the-arts
Highway Song, Part II
November 25, 2025
By Tom Poland A Sunday Drive Highways 321 and 301 meet my criteria for back roads. Little traffic. Lots of abandonment. Old stuff getting older. Those 1950 snowbirds heading…
Read MorePosted in: lowcountrybizsc, midlandsbiz, georgetown-sc-gazette, upstatebizsc Category: life, on-the-move, the-arts
Where The Dead Live On
November 12, 2025
By Tom Poland On a sultry August Sunday I drove up on Shady Grove Methodist Church. Seeing it resurrected James Agee’s “Shady Grove, Alabama, July 1936,” his description of…
Read MorePosted in: lowcountrybizsc, midlandsbiz, georgetown-sc-gazette, upstatebizsc Category: life, on-the-move, the-arts
Dick Harpootlian launches Dig Me a Grave book tour
November 9, 2025
Tour begins Dec. 16 in Columbia, SC, the city where Donald “Pee Wee” Gaskins, South Carolina’s most prolific killer and the book’s protagonist, was put to death nearly 35 years…
Read MorePosted in: lowcountrybizsc, midlandsbiz, georgetown-sc-gazette, upstatebizsc, laurenscountybuzz Category: law, on-the-move, the-arts
Winter’s Rainy Windows
November 5, 2025
By Tom Poland I have long admired the work of a fighter pilot turned writer. He wrote under the pen name James Salter. James Arnold Horowitz volunteered for combat duty…
Read MorePosted in: lowcountrybizsc, midlandsbiz, georgetown-sc-gazette, upstatebizsc Category: life, on-the-move, the-arts
Freshfields Village celebrates the season with festive events and family fun
October 30, 2025
Embrace the holidays and enjoy favorite traditions with a Thanksgiving farmers market, outdoor movies, letters to Santa and more Freshfields Village, the premier shopping and dining destination 30 minutes from…
Read MorePosted in: lowcountrybizsc Category: entertainment, music, on-the-move, retail, social-scene, the-arts
Return To Pawleys
October 28, 2025
By Tom Poland Sunday lunch at the Sea View Inn. Forty-five years it had been since my daughters and I were together at Pawleys. While eating I thought about our…
Read MorePosted in: lowcountrybizsc, midlandsbiz, georgetown-sc-gazette, upstatebizsc Category: life, on-the-move, the-arts
2025 MOJA Juried Art Exhibition
October 28, 2025
On view at City Gallery The City of Charleston Office of Cultural Affairs presents the 2025 MOJA Juried Art Exhibition, on view at City Gallery November 14 through February 2, 2026…
Read MorePosted in: lowcountrybizsc Category: government, on-the-move, the-arts
Entrepreneur Minute – David Platts, SC Arts Commission
October 27, 2025
The Who’s on the Move, Entrepreneur Minute is an interview in support of the undeniable impact that entrepreneurs have on our communities. In this series you will see a diverse group…
Read MorePosted in: lowcountrybizsc, midlandsbiz, georgetown-sc-gazette, upstatebizsc Category: entrepreneurship, on-the-move, podcast, the-arts
Anita Zucker, CSU produce original theatrical production
October 23, 2025
Charleston Southern University presents the debut of On the Other Side, an original theatrical production running October 23–26 in Lightsey Chapel Auditorium on CSU’s campus. The play explores the powerful…
Read MorePosted in: lowcountrybizsc Category: education, on-the-move, the-arts
S.C. Arts Commission, David Platts, executive director elected to national leadership role
October 23, 2025
The National Assembly of State Arts Agencies (NASAA) announced the election of a new chair and nine members to its board of directors. As part of a rigorous national nomination…
Read MorePosted in: lowcountrybizsc, midlandsbiz, upstatebizsc, laurenscountybuzz Category: on-the-move, the-arts
Local music legends to be honored at the 10th Annual Lowcountry Music Hall of Fame ceremony this Sunday, October 26
October 23, 2025
Celebration to Honor Contributors to Charleston’s Rich Musical Heritage The Lowcountry Music Hall of Fame announced the inductees for the Class of 2025, honoring individuals and bands who have left…
Read MorePosted in: lowcountrybizsc Category: on-the-move, the-arts
Southern Exposure—The Fly Swatter
October 9, 2025
By Tom Poland Grandmothers’ Weapon Of Choice The New Oxford American Dictionary defines “fly swatter” as “an implement used for swatting insects, typically a square of plastic mesh attached…
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Autumn Leaves: an evening with Chad LB – Charleston Jazz Orchestra
October 9, 2025
Every once in a while, a performance comes along that reminds you why you fell in love with music in the first place. On Saturday, October 18, the Charleston Jazz Orchestra joins forces…
Read MorePosted in: lowcountrybizsc Category: on-the-move, the-arts
Call for submissions for The Message is Clear: a mentored photography exhibition at City Gallery
October 7, 2025
The City of Charleston’s Office of Cultural Affairs announces a Call for Submissions for The Message is Clear: A Mentored Photography Exhibition This unique opportunity pairs juried exhibition with mentorship from internationally acclaimed photographer…
Read MorePosted in: lowcountrybizsc Category: government, on-the-move, the-arts
SC Governor’s School for the Arts and Humanities accepting applications for 2026-2027
October 1, 2025
The South Carolina Governor’s School for the Arts and Humanities, a top-ranked public, residential high school for artistically talented students, is now accepting applications for the 2026-2027 school year and…
Read MorePosted in: lowcountrybizsc, midlandsbiz, upstatebizsc Category: education, music, on-the-move, the-arts
Primal Fear
September 30, 2025
By Tom Poland Stumbling Onto A Corpse Besides the solitary confinement of writing, I cut myself off from the world in two places. Hard-to-reach wilderness areas and forgotten churches where…
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New numbers: SC Arts Commission grantmaking, services impacted all 46 counties in FY25
September 25, 2025
Communities receive $12.5 million through 676 grants Artmaking and learning in and through the arts received support in all 46 South Carolina counties in FY25 thanks to $12.5 million in…
Read MorePosted in: lowcountrybizsc, midlandsbiz, upstatebizsc Category: on-the-move, the-arts
The Southeastern Wildlife Exposition announces artist Henry von Genk III from Jacksonville, Florida, as its 2026 featured artist
September 25, 2025
The Southeastern Wildlife Exposition (SEWE) – a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that celebrates wildlife and the great outdoors through fine art, live entertainment and special events – announced Florida-based artist Henry Von…
Read MorePosted in: lowcountrybizsc Category: non-profit, on-the-move, the-arts
Beacon of the Lowcountry sheds in-depth light on the art and legacy of artist Jim Booth
September 23, 2025
Through his daughter’s eyes and the artist’s own words, the book delves into the place that shaped him and his love of the Lowcountry Tracey Booth Owens, founder of Jim…
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SCETV celebrates Hispanic Heritage Month with special programming available on-air and online
September 16, 2025
South Carolina ETV and Public Radio (SCETV) recognizes Hispanic Heritage Month held Sept.15 – Oct. 15. This celebration of tradition, history, art and achievement spotlights Hispanic culture through featured programs…
Read MorePosted in: lowcountrybizsc, midlandsbiz, upstatebizsc, laurenscountybuzz Category: education, entertainment, media, on-the-move, the-arts
Arts Commission grant, program supports three S.C. artist-entrepreneurs
September 11, 2025
Grant, program supports three S.C. artist-entrepreneurs The South Carolina Arts Commission is supporting the business initiatives of three South Carolina artist entrepreneurs (#SCartists) through a program and grant designed to…
Read MorePosted in: lowcountrybizsc, midlandsbiz, upstatebizsc Category: on-the-move, the-arts
The Hometown Weekly
September 3, 2025
By Tom Poland In my youth we had a daily newspaper, The Augusta Chronicle. What we didn’t get every day was local news. That’s what made The Lincoln Journal…
Read MorePosted in: lowcountrybizsc, midlandsbiz, upstatebizsc Category: life, on-the-move, the-arts
MOJA Arts Festival returns September 15 – October 5 with can’t miss events
September 3, 2025
The MOJA Arts Festival is back, bringing 11 days of music, art, dance, food, and community to Charleston from September 25 through October 5, 2025. Now in its 41st year,…
Read MorePosted in: lowcountrybizsc Category: on-the-move, the-arts
Caffeine
August 29, 2025
By Tom Poland “Cocaine,” JJ Cale wrote it. Eric Clapton sung it. Clapton described the song as anti-cocaine and that seems to be the case, if you read between…
Read MorePosted in: lowcountrybizsc, midlandsbiz, upstatebizsc Category: life, on-the-move, the-arts
Latin American Festival set for Oct. 5 at Wannamaker County Park
August 29, 2025
Experience the tastes and traditions of Charleston’s Latin American community Celebrate Charleston’s vibrant Latin and Caribbean cultures at the Latin American Festival, Sunday, Oct. 5 at Wannamaker County Park, from…
Read MorePosted in: lowcountrybizsc Category: on-the-move, the-arts
S.C. Arts Commission names seven new ‘emerging artists’
August 26, 2025
New cohort receives project funding, mentoring Seven artists establishing themselves in their artistic pursuits will benefit from the South Carolina Arts Commission Emerging Artists program, receiving a project-based grant and…
Read MorePosted in: lowcountrybizsc, midlandsbiz, upstatebizsc Category: on-the-move, the-arts
Freshfields Village welcomes autumn with free, family events
August 21, 2025
From Labor Day to late October, enjoy a special fall movie, a new seasonal art show and pup-friendly fun on The Village Green KIAWAH ISLAND, SC – Freshfields Village, the…
Read MorePosted in: lowcountrybizsc Category: entertainment, food, hospitality, music, on-the-move, restaurant, retail, social-scene, the-arts
Grandma’s Petunias
August 13, 2025
By Tom Poland A Short and Sweet, Fragrant Memory Vintage petunias, those flowers my grandma loved, I saw them in youth. As I sort through my memory album they…
Read MorePosted in: lowcountrybizsc, midlandsbiz, upstatebizsc Category: life, on-the-move, the-arts
Queen Of The Shoals
August 7, 2025
By Tom Poland Her May-June reign approaches. The rocky shoals spider lily, Hymenocallis coronaria, will soon flaunt her crown of white, green, and gold. Exquisite, ephemeral, and periled. Much…
Read MorePosted in: lowcountrybizsc, midlandsbiz, upstatebizsc Category: life, on-the-move, the-arts
Highway 13, Cemetery Road
July 30, 2025
By Tom Poland Pot holes pockmarked the old road. She promised a bumpy ride, but rivulets of tar stitched her together, and that was good enough for me. I…
Read MorePosted in: lowcountrybizsc, midlandsbiz, upstatebizsc, laurenscountybuzz Category: life, on-the-move, the-arts
My Love Affair With Miss Zebco
July 24, 2025
By Tom Poland I fished many a farm pond as a boy. When I left my red-varnished cane pole for Miss Zebco, I fell in love. I filled my…
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Moonlight Mixers are back at the Folly Beach Pier
July 17, 2025
Three more nights of dancing on the pier this summer The Folly Beach Pier continues its Moonlight Mixers series in July! The next event will feature music from Dave Landeo…
Read MorePosted in: lowcountrybizsc Category: entertainment, government, on-the-move, the-arts
