Spoleto Festival USA

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Charleston, SC
Spoleto Festival USA

America's premier performing arts festival.
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For 17 days and nights each spring, Spoleto Festival USA fills Charleston, South Carolina’s historic theaters, churches and outdoor spaces with performances by renowned artists as well as emerging performers in opera, theater, dance, and chamber, symphonic, choral, jazz, and folk music. Now approaching its 48th season, Spoleto Festival USA is internationally recognized as America’s premier performing arts festival.

09/04/2026

Since 1977, Charleston has served as the backdrop for Spoleto Festival USA.

Its scent of jasmine, charming cobblestone streets, historic homes with colorful doors, and storied venues have embraced the energy of a 17-day performing arts Festival.

Each spring, artists and audiences come together across the city—in historic theaters, churches, public spaces, and unexpected places—creating a sense of connection that is uniquely Spoleto.

Gian Carlo Menotti chose Charleston as the Festival’s American home in 1977, and nearly 50 years later, we remain grateful to be part of the fabric of this incredible city.

09/01/2026

Applications for the Spoleto Festival USA Chorus and Orchestra are now open.

Apply today to join one of the leading choral and orchestral ensembles in the country. Open to singers and musicians from a wide range of backgrounds—including professional, collegiate, and emerging performers—the Festival Chorus and Orchestra offer the opportunity to perform across Spoleto’s 17-day season in opera, dance, concerts, and multidisciplinary productions alongside exceptional artists.

The Festival Chorus is led by Dr. Amanda Quist. Applications close September 15, 2026.

The Festival Orchestra is led by Timothy Myers. Applications close December 15, 2026.

For more information and to apply, visit the link in our bio.

08/26/2026

Applications are now open for the 2027 Festival Orchestra Fellowship.

Following a spectacular season under the direction of Timothy Myers, the Festival Orchestra continues its legacy as we look ahead to Spoleto’s 50th Anniversary Festival.

Each year, exceptional early-career musicians come together in Charleston to form a new ensemble. Orchestra Fellows perform in symphonic concerts, opera, dance, and multidisciplinary productions while collaborating with internationally acclaimed artists across the Festival.

The result is an all-star orchestra shaped by artistic excellence, curiosity, and the shared experience of making music at the highest level.
We welcome emerging classical musicians from a wide range of backgrounds to audition for the 2027 Festival Orchestra.

Apply today at the link in our bio.

08/23/2026

As a new school year begins, bring the arts into the classroom with Lowcountry South Carolina Wolf Trap!

Spoleto’s year-round Early Childhood Arts Integration program connects certified teaching artists with educators to weave music, movement, and drama into everyday lessons. Through customized classroom residencies, professional development, and family engagement workshops, Wolf Trap gives educators creative tools to support children’s learning and growth.

Interested in bringing Wolf Trap to your school or organization this year? Email [email protected] to learn more.

This project is funded in part by the S.C. Arts Commission, which receives support from the National Endowment for the Arts.

Spoleto Festival USA’s 2026 Education and Community Engagement programs are made possible with major lead support from Suzan D. Boyd and M. Edward Sellers. Additional generous support is provided by Bank of America and Carol H. Fishman. Support is also provided by Ted and Susan Soderlund and the Henry & Sylvia Yaschik Foundation.

08/18/2026

Help Tell the Story of Spoleto’s First 50 Years!

For five decades, Spoleto Festival USA has inspired unforgettable performances, lifelong traditions, and cherished memories. As we prepare to celebrate our 50th Anniversary Festival in 2027, we’re inviting the community to help preserve this remarkable history.

Every ticket, photograph, program, costume, and memory tells part of the story. Whether you have a treasured keepsake or a favorite Festival memory, your piece of Spoleto can help complete the story.

Help us preserve Spoleto’s history for generations to come. Submit your memories and materials in person or online at spoletousa.org/stories, or email [email protected] to share your story.

08/14/2026

For Charles E. and Andrea L. Volpe Director of Chamber Music Paul Wiancko, the 2026 Festival was filled with the kind of musical connection that makes the Bank of America Chamber Music series so special.

Across the season, artists brought their own histories, perspectives, and musical worlds to the Dock Street stage—creating performances rooted in trust, discovery, and the joy of making music together.

From intimate performances at Dock Street to sharing music with Charleston’s youngest audiences, the 2026 season reflected what Paul values most about Spoleto: the direct connection between artists, audiences, and the community.

As we look toward 2027, that spirit of curiosity and connection continues.

08/11/2026

For Timothy Myers, the 2026 Festival was defined by connection—between the musicians, the music, and the audiences in the room.

“I don’t know if I have ever experienced so many performances, so close together, where everything simply clicked,” he shared. “The musicians were deeply connected to one another, the audience was part of that exchange, and the energy in the room felt electric.”

That connection came through in performances across the season, from the Orchestra’s American music program at St. Matthew’s Lutheran Church to a final program featuring new works by Paola Prestini and Paul Wiancko alongside Mahler’s Titan Symphony.

Throughout the Festival, the ensemble continued to grow closer, communicate more instinctively, and become what Tim described as “the organism that an orchestra becomes at its best.”

As Spoleto looks toward its 50th Anniversary Festival in 2027, that spirit of collaboration and discovery continues.

08/07/2026

Spoleto Festival USA mourns the passing of Martha Rivers Ingram, one of the Festival’s great champions and the first woman to chair its Board of Directors.

For decades, Martha helped shape Spoleto’s future through her leadership, conviction, and extraordinary generosity. She co-chaired the Festival’s landmark 25th Anniversary Campaign, helping establish the endowment, secure ownership of our home on George Street, and strengthen Spoleto as a permanent cultural institution.

Her impact extended across Charleston as well. Martha played a pivotal role in the creation of the Charleston Gaillard Center, helping bring to life a world-class performing arts venue for both the Festival and the community.

As Mena Mark Hanna shared, “Martha was one of the Festival’s great champions and the first woman to chair the board of directors of Spoleto Festival USA. She believed the arts are essential to the life of a community, and she acted on that belief with her time, her judgment, and her extraordinary generosity.”

We are deeply grateful for Martha’s lifelong belief in Spoleto and for the legacy she leaves behind.

Image courtesy of the Post and Courier

Address

14 George Street
Charleston, SC
29401

Telephone

+18435793100

Website

https://spoletousa.org/

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