LATEST ANNOUNCEMENTS
Halsey Institute Receives Verner Award
May 8, 2012
In South Carolina, there is no greater award in the arts than the Elizabeth O’Neill Verner Governor’s Award. This year, the Halsey Institute of Contemporary Art won one for arts organization, with a special nod to director and senior curator Mark Sloan.
MESSAGE FROM THE DIRECTOR
Dear friends,
Thank you for your interest in the Halsey Institute of Contemporary Art. We are in one of the most momentous stages in our history, and we would very much enjoy having you join us for what is sure to be a memorable voyage. We moved into our fantastic new facilities in the fall of 2009. The new galleries, reference library, media room, storage and prep areas, and administrative spaces have all been custom tailored to meet our diverse needs.
We enjoy healthy support from the College of Charleston, and greatly needed financial assistance from the Gaylord and Dorothy Donnelley Foundation. Recently, we received a major program support grant from the Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts, along with project grants from the Harpo Foundation and the National Lunar Science Institute. Our programming has been exceptionally well received, and we have developed many new strategic partnerships.
While we are delighted by the continued support that we have received from various foundations and grants, we cannot possibly sustain our dynamic programming without the encouragement and support of our Members and Community Partners – those who keep the mighty Halsey afloat.
Your participation in this program is vital to the stability and growth of the Halsey Institute. We hope you will join us by becoming a HICA member. After all, our Members are the lifeblood of our daily operations.
See you around the galleries,
Mark Sloan
THE GALLERIES
In The Marion and Wayland H. Cato Jr. Center for the Arts, the Halsey Institute has a much-expanded space on the first floor of this five-story building. The Halsey occupies two interlinked gallery spaces, a dedicated media room, and a library/resource area.
TOURS
Looking to See guided group tours of Halsey Institute exhibitions are an extension of the Institute’s education and outreach initiative. The free tours are led by knowledgeable volunteers and can be tailored to different lengths and group sizes. The program is open to all elementary, middle, and high schools, church groups and other area organizations. When scheduling a Looking to See tour, first determine the possible dates and times for your visit as well as the estimated number of attendees. For more information and scheduling please contact the Education & Outreach Coordinator, Lizz Biswell, or by calling 843-953-HICA(4422).
MISSION
The Halsey Institute of Contemporary Art is administered by the School of the Arts at the College of Charleston and exists to advocate, exhibit and interpret visual art, with an emphasis on contemporary art. The Institute is committed to providing a direct experience with works of art in all media within an environment that fosters creativity, individuality, innovation and education. In addition to producing exhibitions, lectures, film series, publications, and a comprehensive website, the Institute serves as an extension of the undergraduate curricula at the College and as a cultural resource for the region.
HISTORY
The Halsey Institute was originally named the Halsey Gallery for the artist William Halsey, an accomplished Charleston native whose modernist works were exhibited at the Museum of Modern Art, the Whitney Museum of American Art, the Art Institute of Chicago, and the Metropolitan Museum of Art, to note a few. Halsey was the first individual to teach a studio art course at the College of Charleston beginning in 1964, and continuing to teach here for twenty years. Upon his retirement in 1984, the Studio Art faculty voted to name the art gallery after him to honor his contribution to the arts in Charleston. Mr. Halsey died in 1999.
Since 1984, the gallery bearing the Halsey name has presented hundreds of exhibitions by regional, national, and international artists. In 2005, the gallery changed its name to the Halsey Institute of Contemporary Art to more accurately reflect the range of programming produced. Conceived as a non-collecting contemporary art facility, the Halsey Institute remains a vital cultural resource for the City of Charleston, the State of South Carolina and the region.
The Halsey Institute hosts between five and seven exhibitions per year, highlighting adventurous contemporary art by emerging and mid-career artists of national stature. All exhibitions are accompanied by extensive educational programming. In addition, the Halsey Institute has maintained a strong international component over the years, bringing in artists from all over the world for residencies, lectures, and exhibitions.
In 2012, the South Carolina Arts Commission presented the Halsey Institute the Elizabeth O’Neill Verner Award with special recognition to director Mark Sloan. This is the highest honor the state gives in the arts.
PROGRAMS
EXHIBITIONS - LECTURES - SPECIAL EVENTS - FILM SCREENINGS - PUBLICATIONS - COMPREHENSIVE WEBSITE - ARTIST-IN-RESIDENCIES
ART*O*MAT
Artists in Cellophane (A.I.C.), the sponsoring organization of Art*o*mat® is based on the concept of taking art and “repackaging” it to make it part of our daily lives. The mission of A.I.C. is to encourage art consumption by combining the worlds of art and commerce in an innovative form. A.I.C believes that art should be progressive, yet personal and approachable. What better way to do this, than with a heavy cold steel machine? There are around 400 contributing artists from 10 different countries currently involved in the Art*o*mat project.
Wouldn’t you like to see your own work in our machine? Visit artomat.org.
