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    • Donate
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      • Corner Oasis Mural
      • Corner Oasis
      • Dirty Laundry
      • Haiku2019
      • Haiku2020
      • Haiku 2022
      • WAI Endless Possibilities
      • Drive the Arts Tour
      • Spotlight-Board Members
      • Shepard Fairey
      • Vernon Grant
      • 2023 Poetry Festival
    • Officers & Board Members
    • Through the Years
  • Home
  • Donate
  • Initiatives
    • Corner Oasis Mural
    • Corner Oasis
    • Dirty Laundry
    • Haiku2019
    • Haiku2020
    • Haiku 2022
    • WAI Endless Possibilities
    • Drive the Arts Tour
    • Spotlight-Board Members
    • Shepard Fairey
    • Vernon Grant
    • 2023 Poetry Festival
  • Officers & Board Members
  • Through the Years

Women's Art Initiative

Women's Art InitiativeWomen's Art InitiativeWomen's Art Initiative

Art for all

Art for allArt for all

Enhance the quality of life through public art!

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Time to Celebrate and Reflect

Cheers to Summer!

Join us for wine and a downtown art tour on May 28 at 5:00, as we continue celebrating our 10th anniversary. We will meet at Green Space Plant Company, 151 E Main Street 

our 10 year anniversary Celebrations honor our beginnings

At our first 10th anniversary celebration, we honored our earliest members, pictured above, and our Haiku initiative at 'Haikus at The Hickory Post' on Thursday, March 6th, 2025. This celebration also included a fun Haiku writing contest with prizes. 

our 10 year anniversary Celebrations Continue

WAI celebrated our 10th anniversary in style by kicking off Come See Me and marching in the parade on April 3, 2025.

Celebrating 10 years in 2025!

Walking and Reflecting on our accomplishments

WRHI Straight Talk 

Listen as Stephanie Thompkins, current president of Womens’ Art Initiative, founding president, Grazier Rhea, and past vice president, secretary, and art selection committee chairman, Caroline Rust, share WAI's upcoming 10th anniversary information on WRHI's Straight Talk with Manning Kimmel on January 13, 2025.

Launching Haiku in 2019

Walking and Reflecting on our accomplishments

Walking and Reflecting on our accomplishments

Martin and Harriet Goode add poetry to our streets in front of the Gettys Center.

Walking and Reflecting on our accomplishments

Walking and Reflecting on our accomplishments

Walking and Reflecting on our accomplishments

Thank you for joining us at the Green Space Plant Company, 151 E. Main St., on Wednesday, November 13, 2024, at 5:00 for a downtown art tour. This meet up was in conjunction with Green Space’s “Wednesday Wine Walkers”. It was a delightful evening! 

Celebrating Ten Years of WAI


    Haikus at the Hickory Post

    Early WAI members

      Wine and Downtown Art Tour

        Initiatives

        Haiku on the Sidewalks 2022

        2022 Haiku poetry winners are painted on downtown sidewalks!


        Check out previous winners at Haiku 2019 and Haiku 2020. 

        Find out more

        Corner Oasis Mural

        Take in the Corner Oasis mural painted by the Mural Ninjas April 25 - May 11, 2024.

        Find out more

        Corner Oasis: Reflect and Renew

        June 29, 2023, Fitzhugh Karol and team transformed White Street's pocket corner into an oasis for reflection and renewal with Karol's piece, "Flower and Industry".

        Find out more

        Street Artist Shepard Fairey leaves his mark on rock Hill

        Shepard Fairey's mural is installed in downtown Rock Hill. The mural is located at 153 E. White Street.


        Frank Shepard Fairey is an American contemporary street artist, graphic designer, activist, illustrator, and  founder of OBEY Clothing who emerged from the skateboarding scene.

         

        Mural Installed  Oct 15 – 19, 2021 

        Find out more

        One Word Poetry Festival April 27-30, 2023

        Amazing talent was experienced during Rock Hill's third annual One Word Poetry Festival!

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        Vernon Grant

        Women's Art Initiative funds project to commemorate artist Vernon Grant.

        Find out more

        Endless Possibilities

        Endless Possibilities

        Endless Possibilities

        On January 28, 2020, WAI presented it's latest public art project, "Communication: Endless Possibilities Past, Present, Future", designed by artist, Carrie Gault, of Floyd, Virginia, at the entry of Comporium's Telephone Museum on Elk Avenue.


        CN2 Interview - Scroll to 12:30


        Straight Talk Interview

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        About Us

        Mission

        To enhance the quality of life for the greater Rock Hill area by reflecting its cultural values and artistic vitality through public art.

        Purpose

        • To select and purchase art to be installed in designated public places.
        • To solicit donations from members and the general public.
        • To increase knowledge and a greater appreciation of public art and its importance to the quality of life.
        • To increase public awareness of public art through educational programs, publications, and tours.
        • To aid and cooperate with and participate in the activities of other organizations and individuals engaging in similar or related purposes.

        Past Initiatives

        Ann Evolving

        Our first project was the creation and installation of the inaugural public artwork, "Ann Evolving", by New York artist, Kathy Bruce, at the White Home, Rock Hill.

        Ed Lewandowski Mural

        The second project completed by WAI was the restoration and unveiling of the Ed Lewandowski Mural by Charlotte artist, Sharon Dowell, at the Center for the Arts, Rock Hill.

        Artful Bra Exhibit

        The Women's Art Initiative helped sponsor the Artful Bra Exhibit at the York County Council's Perimeter Gallery Sept.13 through Oct. 27, 2019. The project, which raised breast cancer awareness with embellished bras, included screenings at a mobile mammogram van. WAI member and artist, Caroline Rust, created a bra and was featured on CN2. She's pictured with Melanie Cooper from the Arts Council, right; and Renee O'Neil of CN2, center. https://www.yorkcountyarts.org/artfulbras  https://www.cn2.com/?s=Artful+Bra 

        Drive the arts tour

        Looking for a way to get outdoors and see local art? Take part in the “Drive the Arts Tour” with the Women Arts Initiative. Our mission is public art and our driving tour takes you past 30-plus pieces in town. Enjoy!


        1-18-21 CN2 Interview

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        Art for All Spotlight

        Airing Out the “Dirty” Laundry by Andrea Downs

        WAI partners with other organizations and individuals to enhance the quality of life through public art.

        Find out more

        Airing Out the “Dirty” Laundry by Andrea Downs

        Airing Out the “Dirty” Laundry by Andrea Downs

        The Arts Council of York County, the Women’s Art Initiative, and Winthrop University Galleries partnered to invite the York County community to engage and participate in Airing Out the “Dirty” Laundry, a community art movement. 

        Find out more

        Downloads

        membership (pdf)

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        WAI Endless Possibilities (docx)

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        DriveTheArtsTour (pdf)

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        WAIPizzaAndPoetryFlyer (pdf)

        Download

        WAI Project Application (xlsx)

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        WAI Project Application Form (pdf)

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        Contact Us

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        Women's Art Initiative

        P. O. Box 4926, Rock Hill, SC 29732

        (803) 367-6343

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