Platts outlines SCAC’s FY21 budget request

South Carolina Arts Commission Executive Director David Platts welcomed arts advocates from across the state and members of the General Assembly to the South Carolina Arts Summit breakfast on Thursday, Feb. 13. He used the opportunity to outline the agency’s state appropriations request for fiscal year 2021 (which begins July 1, 2020).

Here’s a bullet-point summary:

• Total ask of recurring funding is $5.4 million.
• The governor’s budget, released in December, called for no increase.
• Seeking to get to $0.85 per capita from $0.69.
• Seeking one-time funding of $3.8 million for arts facilities upgrades that would be awarded via competitive grant application and review.

The budget process is underway with subcommittees of the House Ways and Means Committee, which will send the bill to the full committee for approval before the full House takes up deliberations in March. The Senate will have its turn starting with subcommittees of the Senate Finance Committee before moving to the full committee and then the Senate floor for their own deliberations.

There is more to that story, but The Hub is stopping here before getting into full geek-out mode and just check back in periodically because we’re here to update you.

The South Carolina Arts Summit is presented by the South Carolina Arts Alliance and welcomes arts advocates to Columbia for two days of learning, networking, and advocacy to legislators.