Picture this: It was the weekend of April 22-April 24, 2005 and Greenville had a new festival downtown. It was two years after the River Place Arts Festival ended in 2003, and the inaugural Artisphere: The International Arts Festival of Greenville — later to become just Artisphere — featured artists, performances, and a children’s craft tent.
By the numbers
In honor of this year’s 20-year milestone festival, we’re rolling back the clock to compare Artisphere then + now.
Artists and applicants | In 2005, 282 artists applied to participate in the first festival with 100 selected. This year, 140 artists were selected from ~1,100 applicants, which makes Artisphere one of the country’s top, and most selective, art festivals.
Patrons | Talk about growth — in the second year of Artisphere, 45,000 attendees visited the festival compared to 92,500 in 2023.
Stages | Three stages hosted performances across the first festival, including “Celebration-Congo” — a group that traveled from Africa. This year, there will be five stages showcasing local, regional, and national talent.
The date | After several years where rain affected the festival, Artisphere conducted weather studies and moved the annual festival from April to the second weekend in May. We love it when a plan comes together.
Know before you go
As you prepare for this year’s festival, bookmark our guide + follow us on social media so you don’t miss what’s new at the 20th annual Artisphere festival.
