New Conway group hopes to build downtown arts scene, boost economy

When local officials talk about economic development, the discussion tends to focus on how tax breaks and other incentives can be used to entice industry.

Dennis Stevens wants to shift that conversation to the arts.

Stevens, along with Barbara and Ed Streeter, recently formed the Conway Cultural Development Corporation, an organization dedicated to spurring economic growth by creating a vibrant arts scene.

Four years after the Horry Arts and Cultural Council disbanded, the nonprofit hopes to fill that void, not just in Conway but also in Myrtle Beach and other parts of the county.