Florence County Council has selected a consortium from New York and Columbia to design the new Florence Museum of Art, Science and History.

Martha Gasque leads her Whittemore Park Middle School students in practice every day in advance of this year’s wintertime concert. Gasque says some of her students, though, can barely afford to be in band, because instruments can be so expensive. She says more than 60% of her sixth grade students use school-owned instruments.

A Kennedy Center artist is working with students at Royall Elementary School in Florence this week. Puppeteer Hobey Ford is working with fourth grade students to create shadow puppets.

Cleve Dorsey and Debra Dorsey Fling are co-owners of Crescendo Music Academy in Marion.  Cleve Dorsey was teaching music in Florence and had students driving 30-40 minutes from Marion County to take lessons from him.  Dorsey did a survey of the area and found that there were not many music teachers certified to take students to national music competitions.

A member of the West Florence High School Marching Knights will be among high school band all-stars from across the country marching in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade in New York City.

It’s been quite a while since retired U.S. Army Col. Charles P. Murray has fought in battle. He served in both World War II and Vietnam and his actions earned him the National Medal of Honor.

Fran Hawk of Mt. Pleasant, an author of children’s books visited Britton’s Neck Elementary School and Rains Centenary Early Childhood Center.

McCormick Elementary School fifth grader Ki’Yahn Leach has been accepted into the South Carolina Elementary Honors Choir. 

Folks from all over headed to Lake City on Thursday night for the first concert of the inaugural Pee Dee Blues Bash. Organizers expected crowds from across Florence County, and the musical act came all the way from Philadelphia.

After an absence of several years, the music program at Hemingway High School is beginning to show signs of life again.

This year’s Pecan Festival will feature the first Pee Dee Blues Bash, which will kick off Thursday with a concert in Lake City.

More than 80 first-graders at North Vista Elementary School had the chance this week to experience music and arts through the talents of Artist in Residence Anna Moo.

The Arts Council of Marion County sponsored a two-part Fall Arts Festival this past Friday and Saturday.  The art show featuring South Carolina artists was held at Charlin’s Shed in Marion and was hosted by Chuck and Linda Wiegert.

Members of the University of North Carolina School of Arts, Open Dream Ensemble provided free performances for students at Marion Intermediate and Johnakin Middle School during special assemblies last Thursday. 

Art’s Alive and the Pee Dee International Festival have been recognized as premier events that showcase talent. This year, these two events will merge and form one comprehensive event.
The new festival, Arts International, features the best from Art’s Alive and the Pee Dee International Festival. Arts International will take place for the first time April 24 at Francis Marion University.