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The Setting
What
Happened Next
Making the Most
of Opportunities
Results
The Arts Council of Rock Hill and York County: ChristmasVille
The Setting
The purpose of the Arts Council of Rock Hill and York County is to promote the arts as a crucial factor in the quality of life through education and performing arts. The arts council is known for hosting events that unite tourism, economic development, downtown revitalization, and the arts. One such event is known as ChristmasVille, an annual holiday festival in downtown Rock Hill, South Carolina, from November 30th through December 31st.
 With the involvement of major partners and sponsors, ChristmasVille increases in-state and out-of-state cultural tourism through targeted marketing in the Southeast. This festival encourages group-tour travel while creating a destination for tourists and families to enjoy. It showcases the arts, uses the arts as an economic development strategy, brings life to Rock Hill’s downtown area, generates business for shop owners and restaurants, and establishes Rock Hill as a destination for cultural tourists.
The festival exhibits the art and imagery of the late Vernon Grant, a renowned illustrator who lived in Rock Hill. Grant—also known as America’s favorite children’s artist—was a nationally known illustrator whose works graced over 200 magazine covers. He is perhaps best known as the artist for Kellogg’s Rice Krispies “Snap, Crackle, and Pop!”™ After he married, he moved to Rock Hill, where he cofounded the community’s annual spring festival, Come-See-Me, and created its mascot, Glen the Frog. Over the years, Grant also created a magical collection of illustrations depicting a quaint village filled with festive holiday goers along with Santa Claus and delightful gnomes. Over 80 holiday images in the Vernon Grant collection are housed at the Museum of York County.
Key partners in this cultural tourism project include the Arts Council of Rock Hill and York County; Mainstreets of Old Town; Rock Hill Economic Development Corporation; York County Culture and Heritage Commission; Vernon Grant Collection of Art; City of Rock Hill; South Carolina Parks, Recreation, and Tourism Department; Old English District Commission; Rock Hill and York County Convention and Visitors Bureau; the York County Library; and Winthrop University. What Happened Next
Located in downtown Rock Hill, South Carolina, the arts council provides regional marketing for Upstate South Carolina and actively promotes the state’s cultural tourism products. The council has three full-time staff, one part-time gallery employee, and one part time administrative employee.
One impetus for ChristmasVille was related to downtown redevelopment. As the economic development director commented, “There was not enough down here [downtown Rock Hill] to attract people in the evenings…there was just not enough critical mass.” With this challenge in mind, the ChristmasVille concept arose from an idea gained from a conference in Alexandra, Virginia, about how arts organizations can work with downtown development organizations to generate economic development. This conference was attended by members of the York County arts council and the economic development commission. The conference planted a seed with these officials about how to utilize a local cultural resource, artist Vernon Grant. Around the same time of the conference, there was an effort to brand downtown  Rock Hill. City officials considered how to work Vernon Grant’s arts into the branding and marketing of the downtown “Old Town” district of Rock Hill. As these ideas unfolded, it was suggested to place some of Grant’s artwork on banners that could be placed in the Old Town area. Consequently, the idea of a festival built around Grant’s art began to take shape. It took nearly two years to plan and execute the festival. Understanding the need to consolidate efforts, community leaders folded the existing Christmas Parade and local church events into the ChristmasVille celebration. The initial festival was held in December 2006 and occurred in the streets of Old Town Rock Hill, about five city blocks.
The council began many months prior to the event with 30 images from Grant’s museum collection, most of them to be displayed as part of a downtown walking exhibit. One challenge encountered was how to print Grant’s artwork onto banners. Despite this and other challenges, the council believed strongly that cultural tourists would be interested in attending a festival that featured Grant’s original holiday artwork.
One reason that the idea of involving Grant’s work was so popular was that he was more than an artist in the community—he was also a public servant and visionary, at one time serving as director of the Chamber of Commerce and Housing Authority for Rock Hill. Officials of ChristmasVille believed it important to expose visitors to Grant’s enjoyable holiday art and to preserve his legacy as someone who committed time, energy, and resources to the Rock Hill and York County community.
Rock Hill Economic Development Corporation, in partnership with the arts council, is the primary organization in charge of the year-old festival. Building upon Grant’s artistic legacy, a mascot was created from one of Grant’s gnome cartoons, called simply “The Gnome.” The event, which includes the 12 days of ChristmasVille, is billed as a fine-arts and crafts festival, replete with vendors in full Victorian-era costumes and an outdoor walking event. The celebration makes reference to all the cultures of the world, via participation of international groups and school districts, and staging of fashion shows.
The festival also features a musical gnome parade and a coloring book distributed to children called Getting to Know Gnomes. With an eye toward marketing, RHEDC has branded the gnome cartoon and names associated with the festival. The festival also features theater, dance, and music. For example, a Salvation Army Band and the York County Ballet perform “The Nutcracker” and display costumes right out of Charles Dickens. Finally, there is the lightening of the village ceremony led by the mayor on opening night of the festival.
According to the arts council director, the festival includes elements of many different Christmas themes, appealing to many different types of visitors. However, the underlying themes are hope and happiness. In reference to some of Grant’s Depression-era holiday work, the director of the Vernon Grant museum noted that, “Grant painted happiness where there should have been sadness.” Similarly, some of Grant’s World War Two-era holiday work features “hope where there should
have been fear.”
Artists like Grant and Norman Rockwell illustrated classic Americana, and both gave to their respective communities. Grant grew up on the Dakota prairie where individuals had to pull together to survive, a theme that is exhibited in his life and work, and a lesson he imparted to the Rock Hill and York community. As one organizer noted,
“Vernon Grant was about community giving back to one another, and that’s what ChristmasVille is all about.”
In addition, in a contemporary era when artists can be quite proprietary with their art, Grant was known for his generosity and would have readily approved of a community emphasizing hope and solidarity.
The festival is funded by several different sources. Some funding is supplied by the Rock Hill Accommodations Tax and Hospitality Tax provided through the tourism commission. The event also enjoys financial support through “Festival of Trees,” a Christmas tree fundraising sale involving 30 non-profit organizations, sponsored by the local medical society. Thirty non-profit organizations decorated themed trees which were placed in storefronts along Main Street. The Christmas trees were placed on Ebay on a virtual sales site. Some featured limited-edition ornaments showcasing the art of Vernon Grant, some included unique hand-made ornaments designed and made by local artists, others with designer décor by local designers. Finally, the Rock Hill Economic Development Corporation, made vacant buildings available to showcase the festival’s art and retail outlets.
The partnership among the arts council, economic development commission, local business and many other community organizations demonstrate that working together toward common goals can successfully unite economic development, downtown redevelopment, and the arts. However, perhaps more importantly, this partnership has resulted in a cultural tourism celebration that confirms and bolsters the community sense of identity through the work of an adopted son. According to the council’s director,
“Main Street becomes a destination place not only for the community to celebrate, but also for cultural tourists.”
The festival retains the spirit of a good, old-fashioned community Christmas celebration, with an eye toward using the arts to attract cultural tourism, and subsequently, encourage economic development downtown. In addition, the event fits the master plan goals for Old Town, fulfills the economic development commission’s mandate for growth and development, and exemplifies the council’s vision to use its activities to attract cultural tourists.
The fine details put into the festival create a fantastical environment that pleases both the young and the young-at-heart. Selected images, digitized onto banners, hang from lampposts on Main Street during a month-long, guided walking tour showcasing Grant’s art. Cut-outs and sculptures peer from the corners of buildings or branches of trees. Elsewhere, mischievous three-dimensional gnomes dance along Dave Lyle Boulevard, leading visitors to the entrance of this self-guided walking holiday festival in historic Old Town.
The York County Museum has created an exhibit of Vernon Grant’s work, which is showcased in the Center for the Arts throughout December. To broaden the event’s regional tourism appeal, a four-day weekend festival takes place from November 30th to December 3rd as part of ChristmasVille.
On opening night, the village imagery in Grant’s work is celebrated during the Lighting of the Village where the flick of the switch magically outlines the roof tops along Main Street in white lights at the same time the downtown churches fill the night air with the sound of ringing bells. Other entertainment on the opening night includes “Deck the Halls,” a program featuring holiday crafts and puppet shows organized by the York County Library, topped off with old-fashioned food provided by vendors, hand-bell choirs, and Dickensian-clad carolers.
A Gingerbread House Contest is coordinated in partnership with Habitat for Humanity, York County Applied Technology and Johnson and Wales University and displayed at the Center for the Arts. In addition to the competition entries, the Center classroom gallery is transformed into a winter wonderland. Visitors wind their way through life-sized replicas of snow-capped gingerbread houses, lolli-pops and gumdrops. A model train exhibit in a Main Street storefront recalls age-old childhood memories.
Another downtown attraction entails 30 designer-decorated Christmas trees staged in various storefronts along the Main Street of Old Town. The Christmas tree silent auction is organized by the York County Medical Alliance in partnership with ChristmasVille. Local artist and designers work with non-profit organizations to decorate themed trees. Ten thousand maps direct holiday goers to the various storefronts where dozens of trees are displayed. The fundraising event is open to county-wide nonprofits. Throughout the four-days, visitors find various retail outlets, including a Holiday Market Place that sells upscale gift items (Black Lion home accessories) and Santa’s Toy Shop. Gallery 5 sponsors the Old Town Holiday Art Market, a juried fine-arts and crafts show patterned after traditional European Christmas markets and features North Carolina and South Carolina artisans. The Old Holiday Market awards prizes to ensure attracting the highest level of arts to this festival.
In addition, the Arts Council of Rock Hill and York County sponsors’ four scholarships for Winthrop University students selected to exhibit in the art market. Exhibitors and vendors receive participation discounts if they dress in Dickens-era costumes. In addition to the Art Market, the council hosts an Olde World Santa workshop and spotlights Vernon Grant’s works at the Center for the Arts. On Saturday and Sunday, horse-drawn carriage rides jingle past the historic White Home, where a guide recounts the history of Rock Hill and York County. Saturday also features a breakfast with Santa and a gnome-led tour of all the Cultures of the World. This program features displays of different holiday customs from around the globe, including Kwanza and Hanukah, made by area school children. The York Public Library offers a Secret Santa to help children select gifts for their parents, and there are also collection stations for Toys of Happiness, a program that provides holiday toys to underprivileged children.
Up and down Main Street, vignettes of a Charles Dickens’ ChristmasVille Carol are performed by various theater groups, while inside at McHale’s Irish Pub costumed waiters serve hot toddies and lead old fashioned sing-alongs. Visitors also can visit Polar Bear Park where children roller-skate beside a picturesque Christmas tree lot.
The primary challenge for ChristmasVille has been to demonstrate its value as an economic development strategy to old-guard economic developers who still think in terms of “bricks-and-mortar.” Because of its unique combination of economic development, downtown revitalization, and the arts, ChristmasVille is on its way to doing so.
Other challenges to the program include (1) a wait-and-see attitude, (2) having to sell the festival all of the time, and (3) scheduling. For all cultural tourism organizations, funding is a constant challenge. The council managed to have a successful initial festival in 2006 with only $55,000 of grant funding. Future events expect to take advantage of private-sector benefactors and contributors.
Making the Most of Opportunities
 Collaborate: The Arts Council of Rock Hill and York County, South Carolina is known for hosting events that unite tourism, economic development, downtown revitalization and the arts. ChristmasVille, an annual holiday festival, brings together numerous partners including the Arts Council, Main Street, the economic development corporation, culture and heritage commission, local government, the convention and visitors bureau, local library and university and the state’s Parks, Recreation and Tourism Department.
 Find
the Fit Between the Community and Tourism: One reason that local organizers decided to plan ChristmasVille was to stimulate downtown redevelopment. Organizers wanted to create activities that would bring people – residents and tourists – downtown in the evenings. Organizers are pleased that the festival has made Main Street a destination place for the community to celebrate in addition to welcoming tourists.
 Make
Sites and Programs Come Alive: ChristmasVille makes downtown Rock Hill come alive through many activities for all ages. The festival is centered around showcasing the art and imagery of the late Vernon Grant, a renowned illustrator of children’s art who lived in Rock Hill. The 12-day event includes a fine-arts and crafts festival, a musical gnome parade, guided walking tours, special exhibits at the York County Museum, a Lighting of the Village ceremony, performances by local choirs, 30 decorated Christmas trees, horse-drawn carriage rides and lots of old-fashioned food.
 Focus
on Quality and Authenticity: By using Grant’s work as the centerpiece, organizers have built the festival around the artist’s high quality of work and the fact that he was a resident of Rock Hill. Organizers have created a mascot from one of Grant’s gnome cartoons which is used in banners, cut-outs and sculptures found throughout the downtown.
 Preserve
and Protect Resources: Christmasville has resulted in preserving and protecting two important parts of Rock Hill’s past – the legacy of a renowned artists and the revitalization of downtown through increased visitation to local restaurants and retail businesses.
Results
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To measure festival impact and growth, they track results through toll-free numbers, Web site inquiries, statistics, e-mail inquiries, silent auction registration, parade registration, group tours booked, hotel room nights booked, surveys for promotional package drawing a three-day South Carolina vacation provided by Olde English District, and post-evaluation by vendors, artists, shop owners, and restaurants.
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The council plans to continue the walking art tour and four-day festival to keep attendees downtown and attract additional cultural tourists from target cities for holiday travel. Conservatively, they project a 10 percent conversion for out-of-town visitors, which would equate to 2,500 each year. The conversion research was conducted informally to the questions of how many inquirers from travel ads converted to visitors and what were the visitors travel behaviors, including length of stay, destination activities and expenditures.
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Specifically, restaurant owners reported huge numbers of out-of-town visitors thru cash and credit card sales and that their business increased 20- 40% during the festival. Festival/ parking management asked where folks were from - again noting large numbers from out of town. Local families with family members visiting for the holidays were part of the documented attendees. Since the festival had a 53% increase in visitors from the first year to the second year and increased hotel room nights by 20%, the festival organizers felt comfortable estimating 10% of projected attendees were from out of town for 2007.
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According to the South Carolina Parks, Recreation, and Tourism Department research from Travel Scope, a national trend survey coordinated by the U.S. Travel Data Center in 2004, overnight trips for a party of two equate to $466.81 per party. This figure includes hotel rooms at $62.05 per night. Using this figure, 1,667 overnight visitors (833 parties of two) would impact the local economy by $388,853. Officials expect an increase in sales for shop owners and restaurants and business for vendors and artists as well, although this impact has not been formally measured.
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The regional market campaign reflects the findings of the 2005 Randall Tourism study paid for by the city and county to determine the event’s target market. Research indicated that its primary audience was along the I-77 corridor from Ohio to Florida. Also included were Columbia, Charlotte, and Lancaster markets for day trips. A three-hour drive time in family-oriented market places was also targeted. Charleston, South Carolina, and Carey, North Carolina, were selected for those two test markets. Although there is a short-term economic impact over four days, longer-lasting impact is accrued through establishment of new businesses related to hospitality, tourism, retail, and of course, the arts. During an economic development planning retreat, community leaders discussed a need to create incentives and marketing programs. Through the creation of a formal business incentive and retention program, the table is set for economic development through the festival. Successes include (1) the creation of strong local and regional partnerships, showcasing the art of Vernon Grant, and (2) good public relations for downtown Rock Hill, using the arts as catalyst for new economic development, such as business enterprises.
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The council will continue to improve research, marketing, and development. They use giveaways to collect zip codes so that it can track visitation, and asks hotels to provide discounts to increase visitation to the festival. According to the council’s director,
“We are in the business of creating events to have people come downtown, and cultural tourism is a major part of that strategy.”
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Meanwhile, RHEDC and its partners continue to seek sponsors for festival banners and they also actively pursue group tours of people to come to Rock Hill to enjoy ChristmasVille, mainly by contacting and working with regional tour operators.
- The second year of ChristmasVille saw growth with over 30,000 people attending the event from 60 cities in 5 states with economic impact of $105,525. This data was gathered from surveys, registrations and police estimations. Additionally, the event garnered recognition from its peers at the SC Festival and Events Conference, SCFEA. ChristmasVille won 4 Excellence Awards including Event of the Year! It also won for Best Brochure, Best Print Media and Best Merchandise. The council’s director says,
“It just shows how many talented people we have in Rock Hill."
Website: www.christmasvillerockhill.com
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The Setting
What Happened Next
Making the Most of Opportunities
Results
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