Today we’d like to introduce you to Greg Colleton.
Hi Greg, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
Growing up in McClellanville, South Carolina, I developed a passion for the arts early on. Attending Charleston County School of the Arts helped shape not only my creativity as a visual artist but also my understanding of how powerful the arts can be in building confidence and community. From there, I attended Winston-Salem State University, where I earned a BA in Studio Arts with a concentration in sculpture. During college, I became deeply involved in curatorial and gallery work, serving as a regional student representative and curator for spaces such as the 4D Gallery, the Dada Center of the Arts, and the University Gallery. Those experiences expanded my perspective beyond making art and into creating opportunities for other artists.
After graduating, I returned to Charleston determined to pursue a career in arts management and community engagement. I co-founded Gris Galerie, a pop-up concept created to highlight the “gray areas” of art in Charleston and provide spaces for emerging/experimental artists. Over the years, I’ve had the opportunity to curate exhibitions such as the 2016 Piccolo Spoleto at City Gallery, the Clemson University Art Department’s CSA exhibition, and the Exchange Club of Charleston Coastal Carolina Fair, helping showcase and celebrate the creativity of young artists across the region. In addition, I’ve served as a juror for organizations and festivals across the state, including Greenville Artisphere, the North Charleston Arts Fest, the Charleston Parks Conservancy, and the Coastal Community Foundation’s Lowcountry Artist of the Year program.
A major part of my journey was spending six years as Director of Operations at Redux Contemporary Art Center, where I learned the day-to-day realities of sustaining arts organizations and supporting artists at every stage of their careers. For the past seven years, I’ve served as Executive Director of Yo Art INC, where my focus has been on using the arts as a tool for youth development, education, and community empowerment. What started as a personal passion for art has evolved into a lifelong commitment to creating access and opportunities for young people across South Carolina.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
It definitely hasn’t been a smooth road. Working in the arts, especially within small nonprofit organizations in Charleston, means constantly balancing passion with sustainability. Many arts organizations operate with limited resources, so there’s always the challenge of securing funding, building partnerships, and ensuring programs that can continue serving the community year after year. There have been moments where keeping programs afloat required creativity, persistence, and simply believing in the importance of the work, even when resources were stretched thin.
One of the biggest struggles has been advocating for equitable access to arts education, especially in Title I schools. Many students who could benefit the most from creative opportunities often attend schools where arts programming is underfunded or treated as secondary to other subjects. Over the years, we’ve also seen funding cuts to the arts at local and national levels, which directly impact students, teachers, and community organizations trying to fill those gaps.
Another major challenge has been the digital divide. During and after the pandemic, it became even clearer that many students lacked access to reliable technology, internet, or creative digital tools. As arts education continues to evolve with technology, that divide can leave students behind creatively and academically. At Yo Art INC, we’ve worked hard to bridge those gaps by creating accessible programming and opportunities, but it’s an ongoing challenge that many communities across South Carolina still face.
At the same time, those struggles have reinforced why this work matters. Seeing young people discover confidence, creativity, and new possibilities through the arts makes the challenges worth pushing through. The obstacles have really strengthened my commitment to making sure arts education remains accessible, relevant, and community-centered.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
As Executive Director of Yo Art INC, my work centers on using the arts to support youth development, education, and community engagement. I specialize in arts administration, creative programming, and building partnerships that connect young people, especially those in underserved communities, to meaningful artistic opportunities. Over the years, I’ve worked across many areas of the arts, from curating exhibitions and supporting emerging artists to developing educational programs that blend visual arts, digital media, and mentorship.
A large part of what I’m known for is creating spaces and opportunities that make the arts feel accessible and relevant to young people. Through Yo Art INC, we’ve focused on providing students in Title I schools and rural communities with exposure to arts education, technology, and creative career pathways that they might not otherwise have access to. Whether it’s through workshops, public art projects, exhibitions, or youth-centered programming, the goal has always been to empower students to see themselves as creatives and leaders.
One of the things I’m most proud of is helping sustain and grow arts opportunities for youth across South Carolina despite the many challenges facing arts education today. I’m proud of the relationships we’ve built with schools, artists, community organizations, and families, and of seeing former students continue their creative journeys into college, careers, and entrepreneurship. I’m also proud to have helped elevate youth voices through initiatives like the Youth Art Exchange at the Charleston Coastal Carolina Fair, where young artists are celebrated on a larger public platform.
What sets me apart is that I approach the arts from both the creative and community side. As someone with a background as a practicing artist, curator, and arts administrator, I understand both the artistic process and the importance of building sustainable systems that support people in the long term. I’ve always believed the arts should not feel exclusive—they should be a bridge that connects communities, creates opportunities, and helps young people imagine bigger possibilities for themselves.
We love surprises, fun facts and unexpected stories. Is there something you can share that might surprise us?
Something that might surprise people is that, outside the arts world, I’ve always had this ongoing dream of becoming a world-traveling foodie influencer. A lot of that comes from growing up around my family’s restaurant and catering businesses, Buckshot’s Restaurant and Joe’s Catering. Food has always been a huge part of my life and family culture. My dad is honestly a culinary genius in my eyes, and watching him create meals that brought people together really shaped how I think about creativity, culture, and community.
Most of my family can cook exceptionally well, so there’s always been this unofficial pressure and desire for me to keep that tradition going. I like to think I inherited some artistic creativity in the kitchen, too, even if I’m still chasing their level. I’m constantly exploring new restaurants, studying food cultures, and planning trips around what I want to eat next. I can easily go from talking about arts education and nonprofit work to passionately debating the best seafood spots in the Lowcountry or where to find the best street food abroad.
Honestly, if I ever took a break from arts administration, there’s a good chance I’d try to reinvent myself as a travel and food content creator. The passion is definitely there, and so is the camera roll full of food photos.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://yoartinc.org/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yoartinc/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/yoartinc
- LinkedIn: https://share.google/LLMqgtS2tge4aAzXb
