Kiawah Island Arts Council Announces 2025-2026 Season

Presented by the Town of Kiawah Island Arts and Cultural Events Council

The Town of Kiawah Island Arts and Cultural Events Council is pleased to present its exciting

season of performing arts events on Kiawah Island. The Town of Kiawah Arts and Cultural

Events Council works to enhance community appreciation and involvement in the performing

arts within the Town of Kiawah Island and its environs by providing a diversity of planned

programs. All events are open to the public, and tickets are available online via our virtual box

office https://www.tickettailor.com/events/townofkiawahisland.

“We are thrilled to launch a season that reflects our artistic ambition and commitment to our

community by drawing on local and global talent,” Caroline Wall, Town of Kiawah Island Arts

and Cultural Events Program Manager, states. “This season celebrates the connection between

artists and audiences, local voices and global perspectives. I’m thrilled to present a program that

welcomes back our loyal audiences and piques the interest of newcomers.”

From audience favorites like Quentin Baxter, Liquid Pleasure, and Andrew Armstrong, to mustsee

acts like Axon Orkestra and Deana Carter, this season offers a dynamic lineup of events that

appeals to a wide range of tastes and interests.

Kiawah Arts Season Preview

The season kicks off with a free concert by The Will Thompson Band at Freshfields Village

Green on Friday, August 1st, 6 PM–9 PM—no tickets are needed, bring a chair and your favorite

snack! Soon after, we settle into an exciting stretch at the West Beach Conference Center,

featuring the Charleston Jazz Orchestra, beloved storyteller Sean of the South, and vintage pop

sensation, The Black Market Trust.

In October, we welcome back the Grammy-winning Ranky Tanky, followed in November by

Andy & Friends, the first in Andrew Armstrong’s Chamber Series at the Seabrook Island

Clubhouse, and country star Deana Carter on Veterans Day in a true celebration of Americana.

The season continues with Axon Orkestra’s global rhythms, a holiday concert by The Sound of

Charleston, and Liquid Pleasure ringing in the New Year. Spring brings Quentin E. Baxter’s jazz

series, the Charleston Symphony Youth Orchestra, and a special no-cost performance by

acclaimed soprano Lyubov Petrova. In April, the 20th anniversary of Blues by the Sea will draw

national crowds, and the season closes in May with a showcase of local talent at our Piccolo

Preview, in partnership with the City of Charleston’s Office of Cultural Affairs. From August to

May, Kiawah Arts invites you to be inspired.

 

2025-2026 Season Lineup:

 

Charleston Jazz Orchestra: Love Supreme

Sunday, August 17th, 2025 at West Beach Conference Center

Doors 7:00 PM | Show 7:30 PM

 

Join the Charleston Jazz Orchestra on Kiawah Island for an evening of timeless classics as they

present Love Supreme, a wonderful program arranged in the full splendor of the Big Band

sound! The show will highlight music from the Motown, Swing, Bossa Nova, and Big Band eras,

including favorites by Stevie Wonder, Burt Bacharach, George Gershwin, Esperanza Spalding,

John Coltrane, and Al Green.

Love Supreme will feature the 18-member Charleston Jazz Orchestra, with its rich musical

heritage of South Carolina, and the outstanding vocal talents of Heather Rice and Tommy

Brown Jr. `

Tickets are available for purchase online only at:

https://www.tickettailor.com/events/townofkiawahisland/1714138

 

Sean of the South

Thursday, September 4th, 2025 at West Beach Conference Center

Doors 6:30 PM | Show 7:30 PM

 

Join us for a night of music, stories, and laughter. Sean Dietrich is a columnist, humorist, multiinstrumentalist,

and stand-up storyteller known for his commentary on life in the American

South. His work has appeared in Newsweek, Southern Living, Reader’s Digest, Garden and

Gun, and his column appears weekly in newspapers throughout the U.S. He has authored

eighteen books and over four thousand columns. He makes appearances on the Grand Ole

Opry, his work has been featured on the Today Show, and he’s a really nice guy.

Sean will be doing a meet and greet before the show where he’ll be hugging necks, signing books,

and taking photos. Books and merch will be available before and after the show.

Tickets are available for purchase online only at:

https://www.tickettailor.com/events/townofkiawahisland/1725875

 

The Black Market Trust

Sunday, October 19th, at West Beach Conference Center

Doors 7:00 PM | Show 7:30 PM

 

The Black Market Trust is an American Traditional Pop/Vocal Jazz group from Los Angeles

that combines the sounds of the legendary American crooners and vocal groups with the fire and

energy of jazz guitarist Django Reinhardt. Consisting of five world-class musicians who have

traveled the globe recording and performing on the world’s biggest stages and with music’s most

renowned artists, The Black Market Trust capitalizes on their experience and pedigree to deliver

a high-energy, crowd-pleasing performance filled with some of the best songs ever written.

Tickets are available for purchase online only at:

https://www.tickettailor.com/events/townofkiawahisland/1726158

 

Ranky Tanky

Sunday, October 26th, at West Beach Conference Center

Doors 7:00 PM | Show 7:30 PM

 

This Grammy Award-winning, Charleston, SC-based quintet performs timeless music born from

the Gullah culture of the southeastern Sea Islands. Their debut album was featured on NPR’s

Fresh Air with Terry Gross and the TODAY show. It also soared to the #1 position on the

Billboard, Amazon, and iTunes Jazz Charts. Playful game songs, ecstatic shouts, and

heartbreaking spirituals can all be found on their latest release, Good Time, which also offers the

group’s first original songs inspired by Gullah tradition.

Tickets are available for purchase online only at:

https://www.tickettailor.com/events/townofkiawahisland/1726161

 

I. Andy & Friends Chamber Series

Tuesday, November 4th, at Seabrook Island Clubhouse

Doors 7:00 PM | Show 7:30 PM

 

Join celebrated pianist Andy Armstrong for his new chamber series: ANDY & FRIENDS. Not

only does Andy bring some of his internationally acclaimed musician friends together, but you'll

likely feel like one of Andy's friends by the end of each performance!

Tickets are available for purchase online only at:

https://www.tickettailor.com/events/townofkiawahisland/1726175

 

Deana Carter

Tuesday, November 11th, at Seabrook Island Clubhouse

Doors 7:00 PM | Show 7:30 PM

 

Drenched in sun-kissed natural beauty both inside and out, Nashville native Deana Carter didn’t

take a seemingly easy route to stardom but instead chose to defy the conventional expectations of

the typical Nashville artist blueprint and make her own mark. And she did, undeniably taking the

industry and fans by storm with her wildly successful multi-platinum international debut “Did I

Shave My Legs for This?” more than two decades ago. Anchored by the dreamy super hit

“Strawberry Wine”, Carter showcased her own blend of country and retro-rock sprinkled with

the folksy singer/songwriter qualities that have garnered Deana Carter well-deserved respect and

wild acclaim.

Tickets are available for purchase online only at:

https://www.tickettailor.com/events/townofkiawahisland/1726168

 

The Sound of Charleston

Tuesday, December 9th, at Seabrook Island Clubhouse

Doors 7:00 PM | Show 7:30 PM

 

Hear history come to life through music performed by our finest professional musicians. Our

shows entertain, educate, and evoke emotion through gospel spirituals, Civil War songs,

Gershwin’s “Porgy & Bess” and “Rhapsody in Blue”, jazz, and light classics of the St. Cecelia

Society.

Tickets are available for purchase online only at:

https://www.tickettailor.com/events/townofkiawahisland/1740998

 

Axon Orkestra

Tuesday, December 16th, at Turtle Point Clubhouse

Doors 7:00 PM | Show 7:30 PM

 

Axon Orkestra > nomadic chamber punk < a sonic boom of ripping grooves and soaring strings,

rooted in its members’ musical journeys and adventures around the world. Sonic stories and

sonorities collide in this eclectic off-the-beaten-path musical mix, merging urban and village

music styles, percussive strings, and irresistible rhythms into both original music and reworkings

of regional classics.

At its core is a trio of violin, guitar, and bass, combining decades of deeply rooted experience in

musical communities across Romania, Hungary, Serbia, Turkey, Lebanon, Egypt, Ethiopia, and

France

Tickets are available for purchase online only at:

https://www.tickettailor.com/events/townofkiawahisland/1726194

 

Liquid Pleasure

Friday, January 9th, at West Beach Conference Center

Doors 7:00 PM | Show 7:30 PM

 

Get down and boogie as Liquid Pleasure ignites the night with various tunes, from B.B. King to

today's most popular hits. Liquid Pleasure has been delighting audiences for more than two

decades, committing its profession to bringing music to an array of audiences with a Motown big

band feeling. After touring with major acts like Hootie and the Blowfish and REM, the

multicultural icon now performs all over the nation. They've held shows for multiple presidents,

the Carolina Panthers, and the Charlotte Hornets, and performed during the 2000 Super Bowl!

Don't miss your opportunity for a night of great music from Liquid Pleasure. Sit back and relax

or hit the dance floor with your favorite partner to groove the night away!

Tickets are available for purchase online only at:

https://www.tickettailor.com/events/townofkiawahisland/1741004

 

I. Quentin E. Baxter Presents…

Sunday, February 8th, at Turtle Point Clubhouse

Doors 3:30 PM | Show 4:00 PM

 

Quentin E. Baxter Presents... is returning to Kiawah Island for a two-part concert series!

Enjoy an evening with some of Charleston's best musicians--hand-selected for us by the

legendary Quentin Baxter himself.

Program TBA

Tickets are available for purchase online only beginning November 1st.

https://www.tickettailor.com/events/townofkiawahisland/1746463

 

Young Artist Series: Charleston Symphony Youth Orchestra

Sunday, February 15th, at Church of Our Saviour

Doors 3:30 PM | Show 4:00 PM

 

The Young Artists Series features emerging artists in the area. CSYO is a full symphonic

experience comprised of highly skilled middle and high school musicians led by Ryo Hasegawa.

Program TBA

Tickets are no cost but required. Reserve yours online at:

https://www.tickettailor.com/events/townofkiawahisland/1746486

 

II. Andy & Friends Chamber Series

Tuesday, March 3rd, at Seabrook Island Clubhouse

Doors 7:00 PM | Show 7:30 PM

 

Join celebrated pianist Andy Armstrong for his new chamber series: ANDY & FRIENDS. Not

only does Andy bring some of his internationally acclaimed musician friends together, but you'll

likely feel like one of Andy's friends by the end of each performance!

Tickets are available for purchase online only at:

https://www.tickettailor.com/events/townofkiawahisland/1746472

 

II. Quentin E. Baxter Presents…

Sunday, March 8th, at Turtle Point Clubhouse

Doors 3:30 PM | Show 4:00 PM

 

Quentin E. Baxter Presents... is returning to Kiawah Island for a two-part concert series!

Enjoy an evening with some of Charleston's best musicians--hand-selected for us by the

legendary Quentin Baxter himself.

Program TBA

Tickets are available for purchase online beginning November 1st at:

https://www.tickettailor.com/events/townofkiawahisland/1746476

 

Lyubov Petrova

Sunday, March 22nd, at Church of Our Savior

Doors 3:30 PM | Show 4:00 PM

 

Step into a world of vocal brilliance and emotional depth with internationally acclaimed soprano

Lyubov Petrova---hailed as a “soprano of ravishing, changeable beauty, blazing high notes and magnetic stage

presence” (Opera News). A radiant force on the world’s greatest stages—from the Metropolitan

Opera to the Bolshoi Theatre, Teatro Real, and beyond—Lyubov Petrova has dazzled audiences

in opera houses, concert halls, and festivals around the globe. One of opera’s most captivating

stars, Lyubov Petrova, made a scintillating turn on the silver screen as the Queen of the Night in

the film The Magic Flute, a cinematic reimagining of Mozart’s masterpieces, directed by Kenneth

Branagh. Accompanied by a masterful pianist, this intimate evening of song is a rare chance to

experience Lyubov Petrova’s luminous artistry up close.

Tickets are no cost but required. Reserve yours online at

https://www.tickettailor.com/events/townofkiawahisland/1746506

 

20th Annual Blues by the Sea Festival

Sunday, April 19th, at Freshfields Village Green

3-7 PM

 

Guests are encouraged to bring coolers, chairs, and blankets. The event will take place rain or shine

shine under the tent on the Village Green.

This event is no cost and open to the public; no tickets required.

 

Piccolo Preview

Sunday, May 3rd, at Holy Spirit Catholic Church

Doors 3:30 PM | Show 4:00 PM

 

Each year, in anticipation of the Piccolo Spoleto Festival, the Kiawah Arts Council collaborates

with the City of Charleston Office of Cultural Affairs to coordinate a "sneak-peek" concert that

gives Sea Islands residents a taste of what Piccolo Spoleto has to offer!

Tickets are no cost but required. Reserve yours online at

https://www.tickettailor.com/events/townofkiawahisland/1746490