Discover Your Arts Center
A Letter from Cultural Arts & Events Director
Lisa Everidge
Hi, I’m Lisa Everidge, and I’m the Cultural Arts & Events Director for the City of Simpsonville, which gives me the distinct honor of overseeing the Simpsonville Arts Center. First and foremost, I could not be more excited for the bright future of our Arts Center! After two successful years of becoming the place to be for the visual and performing arts in the Upstate, the Arts Center will continue to grow and realize its potential.
My family and I moved to Simpsonville in 1999 and immediately fell in love with the area. As an example of life coming full circle, my daughter joined the Children’s Theatre not long after we moved. Now I will have the pleasure of working with amazing theatre companies, for whom I have much respect because as the parent of a child involved in theater, you see firsthand how much time, effort and money go into a production.My time with the City of Simpsonville began when I joined the Parks & Recreation Department in 2009.
In 2013 I became the City’s Special Events Coordinator, which plans, manages and oversees the City’s special events as well as oversees events by members and organizations of the public. Events planned and managed by the Special Events Coordinator include the Daddy Daughter Dance, Memorial Day Ceremony, The Great EggVenture, Halloween at Heritage Park and Breakfast with Santa, to name a few.
The Special Events Coordinator position has prepared me for my new one by understanding the logistics of event planning but more importantly working with people, which is what I love most about working for the City of Simpsonville. I love the free events that we host, and I love to see the joy in families. The adage, “If you do something you love, then you’ll never work a day in your life” is certainly true.After starting the position of Cultural Arts & Events Director in March, I am even more confident than before that the Simpsonville Arts Center will thrive as a place for the public to enjoy visual and performing arts, fantastic programming by artists and the City and spaces for public use, including the historic gymnasium for which renovation work is happening now! Whether a musical, art exhibition or private event by a family or business, the Simpsonville Arts Center has much to offer members of the public.
When I am not working, I enjoy spending time with family. I have three sweet grandchildren whom I love spoiling! I love to read, travel and of course shopping!
Thank you for your support of the Simpsonville Arts Center and Parks & Recreation programming. We could not do it without you.
Shaping the future
A Community Built Around Creativity
The Simpsonville Arts Center exists to inspire, educate, and connect our community through the transformative power of the arts. Housed in a beautifully restored historic school building, the Center serves as a vibrant cultural anchor in Simpsonville, welcoming residents, visitors, and artists from across the Upstate and beyond. Every corner of the building—from its classrooms and hallways to its performance and gallery spaces—tells a story, blending history with contemporary creativity.
Our mission is simple, yet powerful:
To support artists, enrich lives, and strengthen community through accessible arts programming.
Through exhibitions, performances, educational programs, and hands-on experiences, we provide opportunities for people of all ages and backgrounds to engage with the arts, connect with one another, and explore their own creativity. The Simpsonville Arts Center is more than a venue—it is a place where creativity thrives, communities come together, and a lasting cultural legacy is built for generations to enjoy.
OUR HISTORY
From Classroom to Cultural Landmark
Built in 1939, the former Simpsonville Elementary School has been thoughtfully preserved and transformed into a dynamic arts space. Original architectural details remain, offering a tangible connection to the building’s past while housing new forms of creative expression.The former Simpsonville Elementary School, a landmark built in 1939, has undergone a meticulous and thoughtful preservation, emerging anew as a vibrant and dynamic center for the arts. This transformation respects the building’s rich history, ensuring that the original architectural details are not only retained but celebrated.
Visitors can experience a tangible connection to the building’s past, appreciating the craftsmanship and design of the mid-20th century. Simultaneously, this historic shell now houses and nurtures diverse and new forms of creative expression, serving as a hub for visual, performing, and literary arts within the community. The careful blend of historical reverence and forward-looking creativity defines the character of the newly minted Simpsonville Arts Center.
This vital community hub operates as a nexus where:
Our Role in the Community
The Simpsonville Arts Center exists to inspire, educate, and connect our community through the transformative power of the arts. Housed in a beautifully restored historic school building, the Center serves as a vibrant cultural anchor in Simpsonville, welcoming residents, visitors, and artists from across the Upstate and beyond. Every corner of the building—from its classrooms and hallways to its performance and gallery spaces—tells a story, blending history with contemporary creativity.
Our mission is simple, yet powerful:
To support artists, enrich lives, and strengthen community through accessible arts programming.
Through exhibitions, performances, educational programs, and hands-on experiences, we provide opportunities for people of all ages and backgrounds to engage with the arts, connect with one another, and explore their own creativity. The Simpsonville Arts Center is more than a venue—it is a place where creativity thrives, communities come together, and a lasting cultural legacy is built for generations to enjoy.