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A haven for traveling actors during the colonial days, Charleston became the undisputed center of artist activity of the age. Over the years, the city has held fast to a tradition of providing the finest in art, dance, opera, music and theater, and all of these art forms thrive in the Trident area today. Charleston is home to some of the country's oldest cultural treasurers, including The Charleston Museum, founded in 1773 and generally considered the oldest collection in the United States, and the Dock Street Theater, the first theater built in this country for theatrical production. Other important cultural institutions and organizations in the area include the Gibbes Museum of art, The Charleston Civic Ballet, the Charleston Symphony Orchestra, several theatre groups and an endless array of art galleries.
The crowning glory of the Charleston art scene, however, is Spoleto Festival U.S.A., founded in 1977 by the world-famous composer Gian Carlo Menotti. The festival, held each year in late June, has become an internationally-acclaimed festival of the visual and performing arts that attracts thousands of visitors each year.
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