Halsey Institute of Contemporary Art at the College of Charleston

Halsey Institute of Contemporary Art at the College of Charleston is a university in Charleston, SC, located at 161 Calhoun Street. Housed within the School of the Arts at the College of Charleston, the institute operates two interlinked exhibition spaces totaling 3,200 square feet, the Joanna Foundation Video Cavern, a reference library, and an archive. It serves as a site of experiential learning for College of Charleston students and a center for ongoing learning for the wider community. The institute hosts between three and five exhibitions per year, highlighting adventurous contemporary art by emerging and mid-career artists of national stature. All exhibitions are accompanied by extensive educational programming, including lectures, panels, symposia, screenings, and discussions. The institute also originates a variety of exhibitions that travel nationally.

The Halsey Institute was originally named the Halsey Gallery for William Halsey, a Charleston native who taught the first studio art course at the College of Charleston beginning in 1964 and continued for twenty years. Upon his retirement in 1984, the Studio Art faculty voted to name the gallery after him to honor his contributions to the arts in Charleston. The gallery changed its name to the Halsey Institute of Contemporary Art in 2005 to reflect its range of programming. Conceived as a non-collecting contemporary art facility, it has presented hundreds of exhibitions by regional, national, and international artists since 1984. The institute works with faculty and international colleagues as guest curators, consultants, or advisors, interweaving the intellectual capital of the surrounding area into its ongoing programming.

The institute hosts a year-round schedule of special events, including the Meet the Maker series, which allows members at the Catalyst level and above to meet artists and learn about their creative processes in intimate settings. Members are invited to bring a bottle of wine and an open mind to these quarterly get-togethers. The Halsey Institute has produced many award-winning publications, winning top honors from the American Alliance of Museums, the American Art Libraries Association, the Southeastern Museums Conference, Graphis, Communication Arts, The Alice Award, and the American Institute of Graphic Arts. Catalogues are available for purchase in the galleries and online. Additionally, the institute offers internships for students and recent graduates, providing experience in visitor services, exhibition research, writing, installation, and promotion.

Gallery hours during exhibitions are Monday through Saturday from 11am to 4pm, with extended hours on Thursdays until 7pm. The institute can be reached at 843.953.4422.

The Halsey Institute of Contemporary Art at the College of Charleston stands as a vital cultural resource for the City of Charleston, the State of SC, and the region, combining its historic roots in local art education with a robust, forward-looking contemporary art program.

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