Art festival attracts new investment, spirit to Lake City

In its third year, ArtFields has enlivened Lake City, producing at least $12.5 million in construction, attracting a handful of independent retailers downtown and generating a “can-do” attitude, townspeople say.

Four months ago, Main Street got its first boutique hotel, The Inn at the Crossroads. Like many changes coming to this town of 7,000 people or so — changes that include a Smithsonian-qualified art gallery, high-end restaurant and restoration of the historic bean market into a civic center — hometown financier Darla Moore had a hand in it.

Multiple nonprofit corporations in which Moore and her husband Richard Rainwater are involved backed the investments, which not only benefit the town’s cultural life but help overextended families pay utility bills, for example, and bed colorful flowers at downtown street corners.

“She’s doing this for the right reason,” said Larry Hawkins, a former classmate of Moore’s who sells mattresses across Main Street from the 57-bed hotel. “She wants her town to flourish again.”

This year, ArtFields — an art competition beginning April 24 involving 400 artists working in any medium and coming from across the Southeast — has attracted more attention than ever, director Ray McBride said. Submissions were up by 35 percent, meaning 661 artists who wanted to exhibit in Lake City were not selected by jurors.

The festival has added a barbecue cookoff, craft beer, music and a finale with fireworks. It expects to draw 20,000 visitors over the 10 days of the event.

Retailers, many of whom rearrange merchandise to accommodate artwork, count on the art lovers to spend. Or to return to Lake City another time.

“It’s a good showcase,” said Elizabeth Heath, who opened the So-Lace boutique, salon and spa a year ago.

Two or three new shops opened the first year of the festival; another two or three followed in 2014, said Karen Fowler, the founding manager of ArtFields who stepped aside to concentrate on her antique business, The Elegant Bee. A couple of new businesses didn’t make it, as she acknowledged.

Fowler said exposure to art naturally broadens one’s world and, in Lake City, she credits ArtFields with inspiring young entrepreneurs to take risks and creating a general willingness to be more progressive.

The new hotel is the big addition to this year’s festival.

The Inn at the Crossroads opened in November and is catering to artists with discount rates, said Seth Kines, director of sales and marketing. The two weekends of ArtFields, it’s nearly booked up. Its upscale restaurant is transitioning from breakfast to three meals a day. The bar, where painters were putting on finishing touches this week, is open on weekends.

Kines said while the hotel will benefit from ArtFields, it is corporate business that has been filling the reservation books.

“The hotel is brand new — it was a new build — but adjacent to the hotel is an old livery stable and it’s been renovated; we use it for our banquet hall. Every Saturday night is booked through the middle of June,” he said.

Typical bookings are Sweet 16 parties, church functions, wedding receptions and family reunions.

Now people don’t have to drive the 30 minutes to Florence. They can stay in Lake City.

“At one point, there were a lot of naysayers,” said Ava Baker, director of the Greater Lake City Chamber of Commerce. “One of the wonderful things ArtFields has brought about is just a belief in the long-term vision of Lake City.”

This story was originally published March 28, 2015 at 5:43 PM with the headline "Art festival attracts new investment, spirit to Lake City."