S.C. Arts Awards postponed because of COVID-19 concerns

Official Statement from the S.C. Arts Commission

The South Carolina Arts Awards scheduled for May 5-6, 2020 are being POSTPONED until further notice.

This postponement includes the May 5 McKissick Mixer with Folk Heritage Award recipients and the May 6 South Carolina Arts Awards luncheon and public ceremony.

With the ongoing uncertainty surrounding COVID-19 and all the associated closings, leadership from the South Carolina Arts Commission and University of South Carolina McKissick Museum decided together that now is the time to postpone. Even in a best-case scenario regarding virus transmission, the work necessary to prepare for the awards festivities will be hampered by current schedule alterations and those that might still come. Further, absent a firm idea of when the festivities could realistically take place, the best thing to do is remove this uncertainty to focus instead on health and safety.

The S.C. Arts Commission and UofSC McKissick Museum will work to find more suitable dates and times to honor and thank the recipients of the Elizabeth O’Neill Verner Governor’s Award for the Arts and the Jean Laney Harris Folk Heritage Awards for their achievements and contributions to arts and culture in South Carolina.


About the South Carolina Arts Commission

With a commitment to excellence across the spectrum of our state’s cultures and forms of expression, the South Carolina Arts Commission pursues its public charge to develop a thriving arts environment, which is essential to quality of life, education, and economic vitality for all South Carolinians.

Created by the South Carolina General Assembly in 1967, the Arts Commission works to increase public participation in the arts by providing grants, direct programs, staff assistance and partnerships in three key areas:

  • arts education,
  • community arts development,
  • and artist development.

Headquartered in Columbia, S.C., the Arts Commission is funded by the state of South Carolina, by the federal government through the National Endowment for the Arts and other sources. For more information, visit SouthCarolinaArts.com or call 803.734.8696.


About McKissick Museum

The University of South Carolina’s McKissick Museum tells the story of southern life: community, culture, and the environment. The Museum is located on the University of South Carolina’s historic Horseshoe with available parking in the garage at the corner of Pendleton and Bull streets. All exhibitions are free and open to the public. The Museum is open from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturdays. The Museum is closed Sundays and University holidays. For more information, please call at 803.777.7251 or visit sc.edu/mckissickmuseum.