Jason Rapp

    Applications to open for more #SCartists emergency relief

    SCAC announces second round of funding

    APPLICATION PERIOD: March 8-26, 2021 at 11:59 p.m. ET  

    Practicing individual artists who are South Carolina residents may apply for up to $500 of emergency relief funding from the South Carolina Arts Commission March 8 through March 26.

    These emergency grants support artists who have lost income related to their artistic practice because of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. In order to be eligible for these no-match grants, applicants must be:
    • a practicing artist in dance, music, opera, musical theatre, theatre, visual arts, design arts, crafts, photography, media arts, literature, and/or folk & traditional arts;
    • a legal resident of the U.S. and South Carolina with a permanent residence in the state for at least one year prior to the application date and throughout the grant period; and
    • 18 years of age or older at the time of application.
    Applicants may not be degree-seeking, full-time students during the grant period. Click here for complete information. The South Carolina Arts Foundation, through its S.C. Artist Relief Fund, is supporting these grants by raising funds from private corporate and individual supporters.

    Correction

    (2/25/21) Early versions of this story incorrectly stated that applications were now open for this second round of relief grants. They open Monday,  March 8.

    A note about arts organizations

    Because of limited funding, eligible South Carolina arts organizations will be invited to apply for this round of funding privately. Please review the eligibility section of the grant page for further information.

    Jason Rapp

    SCAC to honor 7 with Governor’s Awards for the Arts

    Four artists, one advocate, two organizations

    FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

    COLUMBIA, S.C. – Today, the South Carolina Arts Commission (SCAC) is announcing seven qualified recipients of South Carolina’s highest award for high achievement in practicing or supporting the arts.

    The South Carolina Governor’s Awards for the Arts are presented annually by the SCAC. The appointed members of the agency’s board of directors vote on panel recommendations for the award. For 2021, the following honorees from their respective categories are being recognized for outstanding achievement and contributions to the arts in South Carolina:
    • LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT: Tom Flowers, Greenville (posthumous)
    • ARTIST: Charlton Singleton, Charleston
    • INDIVIDUAL: Jennifer Clark Evins, Spartanburg
    • ARTS IN EDUCATION: Tayloe Harding, Columbia
    • BUSINESS: Colonial Life, Columbia
    • ORGANIZATION: ColaJazz Foundation, Columbia
    • SPECIAL AWARD: Marjory Wentworth, Mount Pleasant
    “With the Governor’s Award, we celebrate achievement and thank these accomplished recipients for enriching life and culture here in South Carolina. Recipients always represent the best of South Carolina. They are talented, successful, and dedicated. They exemplify giving of themselves to ensure everyone who wants to can benefit from access to the arts,” S.C. Arts Commission Chairwoman Dee Crawford said. A diverse committee, appointed by the S.C. Arts Commission Board of Directors and drawn from members community statewide, reviews all nominations. After a rigorous process and multiple meetings, the panel produces a recommendation from each category that is sent to the board for final approval. Serving on the panel for the 2021 awards were Flavia Harton (Greenville), Glenis Redmond (Mauldin), Bob Reeder (Columbia), Bhavna Vasudeva (Columbia), and Kim Wilson (Rock Hill). The South Carolina Governor’s Awards for the Arts and Jean Laney Harris Folk Heritage Awards are presented to recipients at the South Carolina Arts Awards ceremony, normally held in person every spring. The pandemic forced the shift of last year’s ceremony to a virtual format in July rather than May. Reaction to that was positive and it is planned once again for 2021, but instead of being held in the summer it will revert to its normal timeframe in the spring. The SCAC and its partner for the Folk Heritage Awards, McKissick Museum at the University of South Carolina, will announce a date and time later.

    About the 2021 S.C. Governor’s Awards for the Arts Recipients

    Washington, D.C. native TOM FLOWERS (Lifetime Achievement) came to South Carolina for football at Furman University and left with a bachelor’s in art. After earning a Master of Fine Arts at the University of Iowa and serving in the U.S. Army during the Korean War, his teaching career wound its way from Kansas and North Carolina back to Furman. He spent the next 30 years teaching arts at the school, from 1959 to 1989, and was chairman of the art department for most of his tenure. Upon completion he was named to the school’s emeritus faculty. Decorated and widely exhibited as an artist, Flowers’ works have homes in museums and collections throughout the Southeast, including the South Carolina State Art Collection. He served on several Upstate arts boards and commissions and as a state representative on the American Craft Council. Thomas Earl Flowers passed away Dec. 13, 2020 after his nomination was made in the Governor’s Award artist category. He is survived by multiple practicing artists in his family, further adding to his legacy. Over the past several years, CHARLTON SINGLETON (Artist Category) has emerged as the face of jazz performance in the Lowcountry. Because of his membership in the band Ranky Tanky, a quintet that interprets the sounds of Gullah culture, he can also be called a Grammy Award winner. Singleton studied organ, violin, cello, and trumpet throughout childhood and adolescence and earned a music performance degree from South Carolina State University. Since, he’s taught music at every level from elementary school through college. In addition to Ranky Tanky, he is previous artistic director of the Charleston Jazz Orchestra, has his own touring ensemble, is organist and choir director of St. Patrick Catholic Church in Charleston and was named inaugural artist-in-residence at the renovated Gaillard Center in Charleston. He is in demand as a speaker, composer, and arranger. As president and CEO, JENNIFER CLARK EVINS (Individual Category) leads the day-to-day operations and management of Chapman Cultural Center (CCC), Spartanburg city and county’s local arts agency. Along with her county-wide arts coordination, she has nearly 26 years as a visionary community and statewide arts leader to her credit. As a volunteer, Evins led the 10-year project and capital campaign that raised $42 million that built CCC, led another successful campaign to add Mayfair Art Studios to CCC, and led the charge to get Downtown Spartanburg named a South Carolina Cultural District. Evins was the author and director for the winning $1 million Bloomberg Philanthropies Public Art Challenge. Her Culture Counts program, which started as a local asset inventory and mapping project, is now used as a South Carolina cultural tourism tool through Ten at the Top. A winner of numerous awards for service and leadership, she serves or served on prominent Upstate boards. Evins is a strong advocate for local artists, arts organizations, and arts education, and is an active board member of the South Carolina Arts Alliance. TAYLOE HARDING (Arts in Education Category) has a belief in the power of music and the arts to transform communities and individuals that is evident in his work with local and state arts education and advocacy organizations. The dean of the University of South Carolina School of Music has participated in and led efforts as diverse as 12 years on the Arts in Basic Curriculum Project steering committee, consulting on the city of Columbia’s cultural plan and for its One Columbia for Arts & Culture office, frequent advocacy work on behalf of the South Carolina Arts Alliance, and on grant panels for the defunct Cultural Council of Richland/Lexington Counties. Harding has national exposure as past president of the College Music Society and past secretary of the National Association for Schools of Music. He remains active as a composer, earning commissions, performances, and recordings worldwide. COLONIAL LIFE (Business/Foundation Category) is a Columbia-based market leader of financial protection benefits offered through the workplace. For more than 80 years the company has demonstrated a commitment to the community through corporate giving, the employee matching gift programs and volunteerism. The company also has made significant investments each year to support educational, health, wellbeing, arts and culture state programs. Colonial Life’s mission to help America’s workers face unexpected events and challenging times makes it the extraordinary company it is today. Since its 2014 founding, COLAJAZZ FOUNDATION (Organization Category) has worked tirelessly to establish Columbia as a premier jazz destination by highlighting the accomplished jazz artists and educators active in and around the city. Successful and vibrant programming includes bringing international jazz stars, including NEA Jazz Masters and Grammy Award winners, to Columbia. Its annual season includes the ColaJazz Summer Camp; ColaJazz Fest; Great Day in Columbia; Live in the Lobby (Koger Center for the Arts) series; monthly Dinner & Jazz concerts; Jazz Appreciation Month; ColaJazz Crawl; live and virtual concerts, workshops, after-school curriculum for International Jazz Day; and Jazz for Young People concerts that bring people from across the state and beyond to enjoy the capital city. The erstwhile poet laureate of South Carolina, MARJORY WENTWORTH (Special Award) is its second-longest serving. She received her appointment to the position from Gov. Mark Sanford in 2003 and served until 2020. Wentworth is New York Times bestselling co-author of Out of Wonder, Poems Celebrating Poets and author of prize-winning children’s story Shackles. Her lengthy list of published titles includes several of her own poetry books, additional co-authored titles, and she is co-editor, with Kwame Dawes, of Seeking: Poetry and Prose Inspired by the Art of Jonathan Green. Wentworth serves on the board of advisors at The Global Social Justice Practice Academy, and she is a 2020 National Coalition Against Censorship Free Speech is for Me Advocate. She teaches courses in writing, social justice and banned books at the College of Charleston and formerly taught courses at The Citadel and Art Institute of Charleston and Charleston County School of the Arts.

    Correction

    On Feb. 17, this copy was corrected to reflect that Charlton Singleton is a former artistic director of the Charleston Jazz Orchestra. The original copy stated he is the current artistic director and conductor.

    About the South Carolina Arts Commission

    The mission of the South Carolina Arts Commission (SCAC) is to promote equitable access to the arts and support the cultivation of creativity in South Carolina. We envision a South Carolina where the arts are valued and all people benefit from a variety of creative experiences. A state agency created by the South Carolina General Assembly in 1967, the SCAC 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 SCAC is funded by the state of South Carolina, by the federal government through the National Endowment for the Arts, and other sources. Visit SouthCarolinaArts.com or call 803.734.8696, and follow @scartscomm on social media.

    Jason Rapp

    Be S.C.’s next poet laureate

    Applications open for honorary position

    APPLICATION DEADLINE: Friday, March 19, 2021 at 11:59 p.m. ET

    The South Carolina Arts Commission (SCAC) is accepting applications through Friday, March 19, 2020 to assist Gov. Henry McMaster in appointing the state’s next poet laureate.

    Applications opened Monday, Feb. 8 on the SCAC website. To be eligible for the honorary position, applicants must be 18 or more years old, U.S. citizens, and residents of South Carolina for at least a year among other requirements. Anyone who wishes to be considered must apply by the deadline. “South Carolina has a long, storied history of gifted poets and writers,” said Gov. Henry McMaster. “I have no doubt the next poet laureate will continue this tradition of excellence and will serve as an inspiration to our next generation of artists. I look forward to reviewing the candidates and making my selection.” “The South Carolina Arts Commission is both pleased and honored to be a part of naming the state’s next poet laureate,” said David T. Platts, SCAC executive director. “Words are powerful, with the ability to tear down walls and to build bridges.  The poet laureate’s role as artistic and cultural ambassador, representing both the voice and even the conscience of the state, provides a unique opportunity and platform to inspire and unite all South Carolinians.” In FY2018, legislation passed by the General Assembly directed the SCAC to recommend poet laureate candidates to the governor. After a panel reviews the applications submitted to the SCAC, it will make recommendations from among those to the governor for consideration. He will then “name and appoint an outstanding and distinguished person of letters as poet laureate for the state of South Carolina” who will serve a four-year term. The named poet laureate will be eligible for one re-appointment. That person will be the sixth poet laureate since the first was named in 1934. The most recent was Marjory Wentworth of Mount Pleasant, who was appointed by Gov. Mark Sanford in 2003 until she stepped down this past December. Poetry is enjoying the spotlight after National Youth Poet Laureate Amanda Gorman captured the country’s attention with her high-profile appearances at the inauguration of President Joe Biden last month and the Super Bowl just days ago. She infused those moments with powerful commentary on society and culture using the power of poetry. “Artistically speaking, there is an immediacy to poetry that can offer insight, hope, and encouragement,” SCAC Program Director for Artist Services Ce Scott-Fitts said.
    About the South Carolina Arts Commission The mission of the South Carolina Arts Commission (SCAC) is to promote equitable access to the arts and support the cultivation of creativity in South Carolina. We envision a South Carolina where the arts are valued and all people benefit from a variety of creative experiences. A state agency created by the South Carolina General Assembly in 1967, the SCAC 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 SCAC is funded by the state of South Carolina, by the federal government through the National Endowment for the Arts, and other sources. Visit SouthCarolinaArts.com or call 803.734.8696, and follow @scartscomm on social media.

    Jason Rapp

    International touring help for performers

    USArtists grants for FY22

    APPLICATION DEADLINE: Wednesday, March 31, 2021

    USArtists International (USAI) funds U.S. performing artists, both individuals and ensembles, traveling to or performing virtually at international festivals and arts markets.

    If that sounds like you, apply for up to $15,000 to support your engagements between July 1, 2021 and June 30, 2022. The deadline to apply is March 31, 2021.

    A Fuller Picture

    WHO...is eligible?
    • Professional performing artists in dance, music, theater, multidisciplinary work, and folk/traditional arts. Ensembles and individual artists are eligible to apply.
    • at least half of the performers must be U.S. citizens or permanent residents
    • applicant must have 501(c)(3) status OR work with a fiscal sponsor
    • applicant must have invitation to perform at an international festival or arts market
    WHAT...can you actually apply for? Artists can apply for funds to support: performance fees, agents' fees related to participation in the international engagement, registration/application fees up to $250, and fiscal sponsor administration fees. If you're traveling to the performance, you can also apply for flight, housing, per diem, shipping, and visa costs. If you're performing virtually, you can apply for up to $2,500 in technology needs (hardware and software). WHEN...is the project window? Applications due on March 31, 2021 are for projects or engagements that are scheduled to occur in person or virtually between July 1, 2021 and June 30, 2022. WHERE...can you go with grant funds? Anywhere outside the U.S. and its territories! You can apply for up to three eligible international festivals—as long as you don't return to the U.S. between festivals—on a single application. HOW...can I learn more?
    • Read the full guidelines for the program
    • Check out the webinar offerings, listed below
    • If you have questions, reach out to program staff via email: Robyn Busch, Program Officer, International, at Robyn@midatlanticarts.org; Leah Harrison, Program Associate, International, at Leah@midatlanticarts.org.
    In addition to artists and engagements that demonstrate excellence and merit, USAI works to promote the range of United States performing arts by supporting America's aesthetic, geographic, gender, and racial diversity.
    • Ready? Start your application.
    • Not quite ready to apply? Future application deadlines in 2021 and 2022 will be announced this summer.

    Jason Rapp

    Third Doko Film Fest announced

    All-virtual format planned in 2021

    In the second year of the Doko Film Fest, a total of 143 entrees came from across the country, as well as from Canada, India, China and the United Kingdom. This year, no matter where you are, you can join in.

    “Whether you’re in Blythewood or Dhaka, Bangladesh, we’ll all be here together,” says festival creator Ray Smith. That’s because in its third year the whole event will happen virtually, streaming live over two days: March 20 and 21. There will be plenty to see and interact over. So far, submissions have been received from across the U.S., India, Canada, Oman, Iran, Poland and Mexico. The film competition for students aged 14 to 18 gives young filmmakers the chance to show their films to a live audience, attend master classes led by award-winning professional filmmakers, and have their work judged by industry professionals. It’s been held for the last two years in Blythewood, a small town north of Columbia. At the third festival, attendees will be able to view the selected films, attend virtual master classes and listen to a live panel of professional filmmakers providing feedback on each day’s films. All will all take place from 1-4:30 p.m. on March 20 and 21. New in 2021: It will all be free to attend. Tickets are available here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/2021-doko-virtual-film-fest-tickets-128798211919 The festival is entirely volunteer-based, so donations are requested. Any received go toward the continued mission of supporting the arts and next year’s Doko Film Fest. The climax of the event will continue to be the awards recognizing the best in each category, as judged and selected by a panel of film professionals. Those categories are:
    • short story,
    • documentary,
    • visual effects,
    • animation,
    • music video,
    • comedy,
    • and pocket video (which means a film that is made and edited completely on a smartphone).

    About Doko Film Fest

    Doko Film Fest gives high school-aged filmmakers from across the USA and beyond a showcase for their visual storytelling. Its mission is to develop the skills, knowledge and confidence of young filmmakers and provide them an outlet for their creativity. Doko Film Fest was created by business educator and documentary filmmaker Ray Smith. To learn more about participating, attending or becoming a sponsor—and to view some of last year’s winning films and for further information—please visit https://DokoFilmFest.com.

    Jason Rapp

    Artisphere, Ag + Art Tour announce spring plans

    In-person opportunities continue to increase

    That bright thing is back in the sky today.

    One's thoughts inevitably turn to spring on days like today. The days are zipping toward March and there's a warmer weather pattern to enliven the spirit and enhance mood. With so many people yearning for some semblance of routine to return, and time drawing nearer to outdoor events being more palatable, two South Carolina (outdoor) arts festivals announced plans to come back after joining so many on an unfortunate (but understandable) one-year hiatus.

    South Carolina Ag + Art Tour (weekends May 29-June 27)

    This is an annual crawl across several South Carolina counties that showcases things South Carolina does well. (You probably guessed what from the event's name.) Starting the final weekend in May, and every weekend in June, explore the agriculture and artistic heritage of South Carolina through the South Carolina Ag + Art Tour.  This experience is a free, self-guided tour of designated farms in South Carolina, featuring local artisans and farmer's markets. This year you can plan to make visits in these counties: Charleston, Chester, Chesterfield, Colleton, Fairfield, Kershaw, Lancaster, Lexington, Newberry and Richland + York. The festival is organized by Clemson University Cooperative Extension.

    Artisphere (May 7-9)

    Hailed as one of the country's top arts festivals, Artisphere announced yesterday that it's returning to Greenville's Main Street for its usual Mother's Day Weekend run. Like so many things, it won't quite be the same—at least not yet. Masks will be mandatory, attendance will be limited and everyone will be funneled through one of three entry points. And, just for this year they say, it will be confined to the West End Historic District on South Main. Reservations for 2.5-hour time slots will be available to the general public starting March 15 for a $5 fee that will be returned upon admission as a credit to buy art. Sign up for notification and learn more about Artisphere 2021 here. (Disclaimer: the S.C. Arts Commission provides operating support to Artisphere that is tangential to this newsworthy item.) The Hub will try to keep readers updated on additional festival announcements as they occur.
    Image by kie-ker from Pixabay

    Jason Rapp

    S.C. Arts Foundation looking for #SCartists’ work

    2021 Find Joy in Art Auction

    SUBMISSION DEADLINE:  Monday, March 29, 2021

    The South Carolina Arts Foundation (SCAF) invites South Carolina artists to participate in its 2021 online auction.

    The Art Auction is meant to serve as both a sales opportunity for South Carolina’s visual artists and as an opportunity to build and promote arts patronage. A selection committee will select artists whose work will be included in the auction. Artists will be notified of their inclusion by Friday, April 9, 2021. The auction will be held May 17-21 and May 24-28.

    General

    1. Works should be of high artistic quality.
    2. Works should have a broad appeal.
    3. Works must be original.
    4. Works offered must be framed.
    5. Works should be representative of the artist’s style.

    Size, Shipping and/or Delivery, Insurance

    There are no restrictions on size of artwork. However, the cost of shipping and/or delivery to the buyer should be considered by the artist. While shipping and/or delivery of artwork to the buyer is the responsibility of the artist, the South Carolina Arts Foundation will help facilitate deliveries when possible. Additionally, sold works being shipped must be insured.

    Application Process and Submission Requirements

    Minimum Bids

    The South Carolina Arts Foundation will handle the sale with the agreed upon split of the minimum. The artist’s stated price will be listed as the minimum bid. Anything over and above the minimum bid will also go to the South Carolina Arts Foundation. Example: Artwork price established by artist is $100. This price is where the bidding begins. Based on the available share options (artist/SCAF) 75/25%; 0/100% or other which cannot be less than 25% for the Foundation, the artist receives his/her percentage share. Proceeds above the artist’s stated price will be retained by the Foundation to support the programs and services of the S.C. Arts Commission.
    If you have any questions, please contact Harriett Green at the South Carolina Arts Commission (hgreen@arts.sc.gov | 803.734-8762).

    Jason Rapp

    Grants Roundup: Deadlines for the Week of February 22

    SCAC Deadlines and Coaching Opportunities

    Though not the only way, grants are among the main ways the SCAC accomplishes its work.

    Because of their importance to that, and what they mean to so many of you, The Hub wants to help keep Arts Commission grants top-of-mind and reduce the number of times we hear people say, "If only we'd known about (X or Y) grant!"

    We can't reach everybody, but we can try. On Mondays* with deadlines on the horizon, "Grants Roundup" highlights first what grants are due that week and then includes what's coming later in increments.

    *The Roundup might run on Tuesdays when state holidays occur on a Monday.

    Grant Deadlines

    The state of South Carolina and South Carolina Arts Commission fiscal year runs July 1-June 30 each year. We are currently in FY21.

    THIS WEEK

    These are to serve mainly as final reminders to finish in-progress applications. Most grant applications simply cannot be undertaken well in this short a time frame. Consult an appropriate member of our team with questions.

    • n/a

    NEXT WEEK

    NEXT 30(ish) DAYS

    ROLLING-DEADLINE GRANTS

    These grants offer convenient, rolling deadlines, but you are advised to apply at least six weeks before your project for some. Check guidelines for specific instructions.

    These S.C. Arts Commission rolling deadline grant programs are temporarily suspended to focus our efforts on supporting grantees during the COVID-19 pandemic.

    Important Notes

    • You are encouraged to also consult the SCAC grants page for up-to-date information on all grant deadlines (subject to change) and deadlines for non-grant programs.
    • For next steps, grant guidance, and more information, consult the appropriate member of our team if you are an artist or represent local organizations, an educational institution, or a non-arts business or organization offering arts programming.

    Grants Coaching

    Learn the ins and outs of the South Carolina Arts Commission grant application process and how to manage one of our grants from the professionals on the Grants Team! Grants Coaching topical sessions are held the first Thursday of every month.

    • Thursday, March 4, 11 a.m.: (change) Operating Support Final Payments
    • Thursday, April 1, 11 a.m.: Filing Final Reports

    The free topical discussion is held via Zoom. Registration is required. Need to get some assistance with something else? Try a one-on-one call. The Grants Team is available to answer your questions about the grants process with 15- or 30-minute sessions, Tuesdays from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and Wednesdays from 2 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. Visit the Grants Coaching page for further information and registration links.

    OPEN COACHING CALLS FOR ARTIST DEVELOPMENT GRANTS

    Artist Services Director Ce Scott-Fitts and the SCAC Grants Team are using Zoom to host open coaching calls on artist development grants to better enable artists to make competitive applications for our competitive grants. The sessions are free, but you must register in advance.

    • Next call TBA

    APPLICANT COACHING CALLS

    SCAC program directors are hosts of periodic informational sessions using Zoom about currently-available grant opportunities. Each session reviews a grant's guidelines and application and includes a Q&A session. Sessions are free, but you must register in advance by visiting the link below to a grant's guidelines page.

    • Arts in Basic Curriculum Grants Final Reports/Applicant Coaching: Thursday, April 1, 3;30 p.m.
      The Grants Team will be joined by our Specialist for Arts Organizations & Education for an overview of the ABC Advancement Grant FY21 Final Report and FY22 grant application. Includes Q&A. Register for Zoom session by clicking here. 

    Jason Rapp

    Grants Roundup: Deadlines for the Week of Feb. 15

    SCAC Deadlines and Coaching Opportunities

    Though not the only way, grants are among the main ways the SCAC accomplishes its work.

    Because of their importance to that, and what they mean to so many of you, The Hub wants to help keep Arts Commission grants top-of-mind and reduce the number of times we hear people say, "If only we'd known about (X or Y) grant!"

    We can't reach everybody, but we can try. On Mondays* with deadlines on the horizon, "Grants Roundup" highlights first what grants are due that week and then includes what's coming later in increments.

    *The Roundup might run on Tuesdays when state holidays occur on a Monday.

    Grant Deadlines

    THIS WEEK

    These are to serve mainly as final reminders to finish in-progress applications. Most grant applications simply cannot be undertaken well in this short a time frame. Consult an appropriate member of our team with questions.

    NEXT WEEK

    • n/a

    NEXT 30(ish) DAYS

    ROLLING-DEADLINE GRANTS

    These grants offer convenient, rolling deadlines, but you are advised to apply at least six weeks before your project for some. Check guidelines for specific instructions.

    These S.C. Arts Commission rolling deadline grant programs are temporarily suspended to focus our efforts on supporting grantees during the COVID-19 pandemic.

    Important Notes

    • You are encouraged to also consult the SCAC grants page for up-to-date information on all grant deadlines (subject to change) and deadlines for non-grant programs.
    • For next steps, grant guidance, and more information, consult the appropriate member of our team if you are an artist or represent local organizations, an educational institution, or a non-arts business or organization offering arts programming.

    Grants Coaching

    Learn the ins and outs of the South Carolina Arts Commission grant application process and how to manage one of our grants from the professionals on the Grants Team! Grants Coaching topical sessions are held the first Thursday of every month.

    • Thursday, March 4, 11 a.m.: Filing Final Reports

    The free topical discussion is held via Zoom. Registration is required. Need to get some assistance with something else? Try a one-on-one call. The Grants Team is available to answer your questions about the grants process with 15- or 30-minute sessions, Tuesdays from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and Wednesdays from 2 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. Visit the Grants Coaching page for further information and registration links.

    OPEN COACHING CALLS FOR ARTIST DEVELOPMENT GRANTS

    Artist Services Director Ce Scott-Fitts and the SCAC Grants Team are using Zoom to host open coaching calls on artist development grants to better enable artists to make competitive applications for our competitive grants. The sessions are free, but you must register in advance.

    • Next call TBA

    APPLICANT COACHING CALLS

    SCAC program directors are hosts of periodic informational sessions using Zoom about currently-available grant opportunities. Each session reviews a grant's guidelines and application and includes a Q&A session. Sessions are free, but you must register in advance by visiting the link below to a grant's guidelines page.

    • Next call TBA
    Text promo image for South Carolina Arts Advocacy Week 2021, presented as always by the South Carolina Arts Alliance. Click for information. South Carolina Arts Advocacy Week 2021, presented as always by the South Carolina Arts Alliance. Click for information.

    Submitted material

    Columbia dancers awarded NEA grant

    Wideman Davis Dance of Columbia was approved for a $20,000 grant Arts Projects award from the National Endowment for the Arts to support the dance company's immersive and interactive Migratuse Ataraxia.

    This project will fund a three-month residency, followed by four public performative installations. Wideman Davis Dance will use the residency and performative installations to develop and test a community-oriented residency curriculum that introduces, integrates, and expands the themes of “Migratuse Ataraxia.” Wideman Davis Dance’s project is among 1,073 projects across America totaling nearly $25 million that were selected during this first round of fiscal year 2021 funding in the Grants for Arts Projects funding category. “The National Endowment for the Arts is proud to support this project from Wideman Davis Dance,” said Arts Endowment Acting Chairman Ann Eilers. “Wideman Davis Dance is among the arts organizations across the country that have demonstrated creativity, excellence, and resilience during this very challenging year.” “The National Endowment for the Arts Grant not only supports a performative experience of “Migrartuse Ataraxia, but also residency activities and facilitated sessions with community groups, including students from Allen University and Benedict College and seniors from the Columbia Housing Authority residential programs. We are excited to receive NEA support to assist us in our art making and our efforts to engage the Columbia, SC community,” co-director, Tanya Wideman-Davis and Thaddeus Davis said in a statement.

    Project Description

    The original performance, which was workshopped at Columbia’s Hampton-Preston Mansion and Gardens in April of 2019, centered on the humanity of enslaved Africans in antebellum homes despite the oppressive bondage under which they lived. In 2021 Migratuse Ataraxia intentionally shifts, exploring the journey from spaces of enslavement to those of Black liberation and empowerment through a mobile performative intervention that moves from the antebellum Hampton-Preston site to the former home of Modjeska Monteith Simkins, South Carolina’s most notable civil and human rights activist. Participants will travel a route where they will encounter the artists’ responses to historic structures through large scale projections, sonic environments, and live performances that speak to Black futurity. By focusing the energy on this temporal and physical migration, WDD reclaims the representation of Black bodies and narratives, creating new visual, emotional, and intellectual entry points in an immersive, interactive setting. In addition, the spatial shift will allow the artists to redirect the focus from the interior architecture of an antebellum site to an expanded exterior magnification of the physical labor of Black bodies – centering these performative practices on a celebration of radical Black female space. For more information on projects included in the Arts Endowment grant announcement, visit arts.gov/news.

    Jason Rapp

    NEA taking nominations for National Medal of Arts

    The National Endowment for the Arts is pleased to announce that nominations for the 2021 National Medal of Arts are now being accepted on the Arts Endowment website. Any member of the public may submit a nomination by using this form and following the posted guidelines.

    The National Medal of Arts, round and gold in color with embossed design and a purple ribbon. The National Medal of Arts The deadline for receipt of nominations is March 15, 2021 at 11:59 p.m. ET. The National Medal of Arts is a White House program administered in part by the National Endowment for the Arts and is the highest award given to artists and arts patrons by the United States government. It is awarded by the president to individuals or groups who "...are deserving of special recognition by reason of their outstanding contributions to the excellence, growth, support and availability of the arts in the United States." “The National Medal of Arts and its award ceremony present an opportunity to celebrate Americans who have contributed to the creative life of our country through their artistic achievements,” said Acting Chairman Ann Eilers. “In these very challenging pandemic times, the Arts Endowment is actively working with the Biden-Harris Administration to shape how the arts in general, and the Arts Endowment specifically, can best serve the nation’s recovery. The National Medal of Arts is a small but important part of that effort.” After the public submits nominations, the National Council on the Arts will consider nominations at a future meeting and compile a slate of recommendations to send to the president. The president makes the final decision on recipients for the award, and the agency works with the White House to hold a ceremony to award the medals. For a complete list of medal recipients, please go to https://www.arts.gov/honors/medals.
    About the National Endowment for the Arts Established by Congress in 1965, the National Endowment for the Arts is the independent federal agency whose funding and support gives Americans the opportunity to participate in the arts, exercise their imaginations, and develop their creative capacities. Through partnerships with state arts agencies, local leaders, other federal agencies, and the philanthropic sector, the Arts Endowment supports arts learning, affirms and celebrates America’s rich and diverse cultural heritage, and extends its work to promote equal access to the arts in every community across America. Visit arts.gov to learn more.

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