Growing pool of creative talent with attractive lifestyle amenities, a flourishing arts scene and year-round filming capabilities drawing talented designers, writers and production crews plus software engineers and other digital media professionals.

Supportive business environment, with Charleston’s business climate ranked second among mid-sized cities by Entrepreneur magazine and among the top 15 by Inc. magazine. Greater Charleston also is cited among the top art destinations in the nation by American Style and as one of the most "exquisitely livable" areas in the country by Outside.

Strategically located, affordable real estate with Charleston’s technology corridors featuring beautiful campus environments, state-of-the-art telecom infrastructure, and quick access to the airport and Interstate. The Charleston Digital Corridor provides knowledge-based companies located in certain geographic areas an array of business and governmental resources.

Top film incentives, with one of the nation’s best state incentive packages for the film industry offering direct cash rebates and tax exemptions (for details, visit the South Carolina Film Office). The state also provides incentives for South Carolina taxpayers who invest in the development or production of a movie made in the state, or invests in the construction of a production or post-production facility.

The Art Institute of Charleston, established in 2007, offers degrees in graphic design, interactive media design and photographic imaging.

Trident Technical College, Department of Radio, Television & Films prepares students for entry-level positions in film, broadcasting, graphic design, computer graphics, digital media, photography, website design, printing, multimedia and animation. Trident is the only two-year college in the country training students on 35 mm film equipment.

Clemson University Department of Digital Production Arts prepares master-level students for the growing electronic arts industry, particularly special effects within the entertainment and commercial video, film, and gaming industries.

College of Charleston School of the Arts offers around 500 different majors in art history, music (classical and jazz), studio art (painting, drawing, sculpture, printmaking and photography), theater (including dance) and arts management.

University of South Carolina Department of Art offers an interdisciplinary media arts program focused on film and video production, photography, audio, media writing and new media.

Charleston County School of the Arts, a county-wide magnet school for grades 6 through 12, blends intensive artistic instruction with a strong academic program (2006 average SAT score 1,623). Areas of concentration: creative writing, dance, instrumental band, string orchestra, vocal music, piano, theater and visual art.

Carolina Film Alliance works to stimulate the area’s film, television and print industries by raising awareness of the economic advantages of filming in South Carolina and providing a forum for the exchange of creative ideas and information.

South Carolina Film Consortium, a collaboration among the South Carolina Film Commission, the University of South Carolina, Clemson University and Trident Technical College, provides funding to independent producers, writers and other professionals in entertainment and motion picture-related fields through the South Carolina Film Production Fund.

South Carolina Film Office provides information and support for all aspects of the film industry through a state-wide network of committed professionals. Also provides comprehensive location and support service directories.

Southeast Film Guide provides the production industry with comprehensive information about filming locations and local support services.

Advertising Federation of Charleston supports and promotes the advertising profession through educational programs, awards and recognition events and networking opportunities for advertising, marketing and creative professionals in the area.

Other Resources:

Southern Arts Federation
South Carolina Arts Commission
South Carolina Arts Alliance
City of North Charleston Cultural Arts Program
City of Charleston Office of Cultural Affairs

Who’s Here

Software Design & Services

Automated Trading Desk
A pioneer of automated, electronic stock-trading. Acquired by Citigroup as part of its global equities business in 2007.

Benefitfocus
The leading provider of employee benefits software and services offering secure, online access to benefits and human resource information.

Blackbaud
The world's leading provider of software and related services specifically tailored to meet the needs of nonprofit organizations. Publicly traded on NASDAQ under the symbol BLKB.

Infoarch
Custom software development and consulting firm with international offices in Canada and South America.

Digital Media & Publishing

Arcadia Publishing
Leading local history publisher in the United States, with a catalog of more than 3,000 titles in print and hundreds of new titles released every year.

BookSurge
A print-on-demand company affiliated with Amazon.com. Offers self-publishing services for authors and on-demand book manufacturing services for both authors and publishers.

Charleston Magazine
Publishes a growing number of glossy, four-color magazines including their flagship publication plus Charleston Home, Charleston Weddings and WNC.

Digital Lifestyle Outfitters
Designs and produces computer and digital music player accessories sold around the world. Acquired as a business unit of Philips’ Consumer Electronics in 2007.

Garden & Gun
Bi-monthly magazine dedicated to the sporting life and all things indigenous to the South and the Caribbean.

Skirt!
A monthly magazine for women with print editions available in a growing number of US markets including Charleston, Atlanta, Charlotte, Savannah, Memphis, Houston, Boston and others.

Digital Design

Advertising Service Agency
Blue Ion
Bosworth Group
Cognetix
Gil Shuler Graphic Design
Rawle Murdy
Slicker

Film Production Services

Go To Team
Location Carolina
IVS Video