Jason Rapp

    COVID-19 and the arts in South Carolina

    A response resource for S.C.'s creative communities

    Artists and arts organizations in South Carolina will be affected by the worldwide outbreak of COVID-19, the 2019 Novel Coronavirus. Beyond reminding you to wash your hands (see more about that flier by an #SCartists below), the S.C. Arts Commission is going to leave the science to scientists and public health practitioners, but we can be a resource for the creative communities we serve. Our goal is to provide information that can enable our constituents to be ready for “What if…?” And let’s face it—there’s a lot of that right now. Ed. note; 13 March 2020, 16:00 ET The SCAC apologizes for the extra click, but because of the significant need for this content to be "living," we are now directing you to the COVID-19 resources page on SouthCarolinaArts.com which we are updating frequently.

    Click here to access updated resources for creative communities compiled by the SCAC.

    Jason Rapp

    New residents introduced by Richland Library

    Artist, entrepreneur selected for short-term residencies

    With the New Year underway, Richland Library is thrilled to announce two new additions to the residency program: Tammaka Staley as the artist-in-residence (AiR) and Kevin Williams as the entrepreneur-in-residence (EiR).

    Headshots of Tammaka Staley (left) and Kevin Williams (right) Tammaka Staley (left) and Kevin Williams (right) A native of Columbia, Staley runs a performance art and speaking brand called Talks with Tammaka, and she’s the founder and executive director of Youth Affirming Sex Education (YASÉ), LLC. She hosts writing workshops to teach youth and young adults how to construct poems and improve stage performance. Staley also facilitates dialogues in public and online spaces about various gender, racial and sexuality inequities. Founder of Cognizant Leadership, LLC and owner of Escapology Columbia, Williams combines visual learning tools, escape room experiences, and team retrospectives to help individuals and groups learn more about themselves and create lasting change. He has more than 25 years of business experience in a variety of technical and leadership positions both nationally and abroad. During their residencies, Staley and Williams plan to:
    • serve as liaisons to the artistic and entrepreneurial communities
    • work with our staff to offer online programs, which are free and open to the public
    • host online office hours or virtual appointments to interact with local residents and answer their questions
    • curate digital content to highlight and share their expertise
    Williams’ residency extends through May 2021, and Staley’s residency continues through June 2021. The library’s residency program aims to connect the community directly with local working artists, entrepreneurs and writers. Learn more here: https://www.richlandlibrary.com/residents.

    About Richland Library

    Awarded the National Medal in 2017 by the Institute of Museum and Library Services, Richland Library is a vibrant, contemporary organization that provides resources and information that advance the Midlands. Offering state-of-the-art technology, a variety of literary and cultural programs and 13 bustling facilities located throughout the county, Richland Library provides a truly customizable, modern library experience for residents and visitors alike.

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    $550.00 Innovate Grants — Call for Artists + Photographers

    Submissions open for Winter '21 cycle

    SUBMISSION DEADLINE: March 18, 2021

    Innovate Grant awards (2) $550.00 grants each quarter, to one visual artist and one photographer.

    In addition to receiving a grant award, winners will be featured and recognized on our website and join a growing community of vibrant and talented artists. Click here for more information and to apply. Innovate Grant supports artists and photographers through quarterly grants. We've simplified the grant process, so that artists and photographers can focus on making their innovative work. The work should speak for itself and our application reflects that.

    How to apply

    Visual artists and photographers 18 years and older, from all around the world, are eligible to apply. All media and genres are accepted. All applicants retain the right to the work they submit. Apply today at https://innovateartistgrants.org.

    Recent recipients

    Explore the work of past Innovate Grant recipients and read their interviews at https://innovateartistgrants.org. Yannick Lowery Philadelphia, Pennsylvania • Fall Grant Recipient – Art Giulia Parlato Palermo, Italy • Fall Grant Recipient – Photography Bianca Barandun London + Zurich • Summer Grant Recipient – Art Torrance Hall Baltimore, Maryland • Summer Grant Recipient – Photography Kylie Lockwood Detroit, Michigan • Spring Grant Recipient – Art Lindsey Kennedy Santa Fe, New Mexico • Spring Grant Recipient – Photography Lynnea Holland Weiss Cleveland, Ohio • Winter Grant Recipient – Art Dylan Hausthor New Haven, Connecticut • Winter Grant Recipient – Photography

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    $500 for tiny art: fiction, nonfiction, poetry, and visual art

    Authors & artists eligible for Geminga

    SUBMISSION DEADLINE: Wednesday, March 31, 2021

    Geminga is a neutron star so small it was difficult to detect. It was named, in part, for a transcription of gh’è minga, meaning “it’s not there.”

    For 2021, Sunspot Lit is launching Geminga: $500 for tiny fiction, nonfiction, poetry, or visual art to honor the power of the small. No restrictions on theme or category.

    Author restrictions

    • Word limit is 100 for fiction and nonfiction.
    • Micropoetry is limited to 140 characters. Characters include spaces, punctuation, numbers, and letters of the alphabet.
    • Titles are not included in the word count.
    • Compound words separated by hyphens, numbers, and letters of the alphabet are counted as a single word.

    Artist restrictions

    Visual art entries should be paintings, drawings, or sketches no larger than 25 inches square. Sculptural forms should be no larger than 25 inches in any dimension (length, height, or width).

    Details

    • Open: January 1, 2021
    • Close: March 31, 2021
    • Entry fee: $6
    • Prize: $500 cash, publication for the winner, publication offered to runners-up and finalists.

    Submit entries to: https://sunspotlit.submittable.com/submit

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    Mary Anne Carter, NEA chair, steps down

    From National Endowment for the Arts Public Affairs.  

    As the Biden administration prepares to take the reins of government, National Endowment for the Arts Chairman Mary Anne Carter is stepping down from her position leading the National Endowment for the Arts effective today.

    In a note to staff she said, “A new team should have a new leader. I will leave with warm feelings towards all of you and pride in our work.” She outlined four goals that guided her throughout her tenure and noted her belief that those goals were not only met but often exceeded. Protecting and Strengthening the Agency
    • The agency saw modest budget increases for the past four years. The current agency budget is the seventh largest budget in its history.
    • When an amendment came up in the House of Representatives to cut the agency’s funding, it received the least number of votes in a decade.
    • The “wasteful public spending” list compiled and distributed by Senator Rand Paul has not included any agency grants or projects for the past two years, notable since the agency was regularly featured.
    • Chairman Carter’s prioritized regular agency communication with members of Congress.
    Messaging Chairman Carter made a strategic decision to change the way the Arts Endowment talked about the arts. Two specific changes included highlighting the arts as:
    • Economic engines for state and local communities. The creation of individual state fact sheets emphasized the arts in economic terms and have been downloaded and quoted numerous times by the field, communities, and elected officials.
    • A part of health/well-being/healing. The Arts Endowment expanded into this growing area of interest in the arts via the launch of the Sound Health Network and the agency’s first report on arts in opioid recovery, among other examples.
    Outreach Chairman Carter regularly spoke about the importance that all Americans have access to the arts. During her tenure, the agency emphasized reaching out to typically underserved communities, making them aware of federal culture resources. These include:
    • Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). The agency developed an outreach plan that included events, work opportunities, and targeted information. To date, more than half the nation’s HBCUs have been contacted by the Arts Endowment’s HBCU team.
    • Native Americans. The Arts Endowment was the catalyst for the first-ever convening of Native Americans, Alaskan Natives, and Native Hawaiians, called Native Arts and Culture: Resilience, Reclamation, and Relevance. The gathering allowed participants representing more than 40 tribes and nations a chance to discuss issues affecting Native arts and culture today.
    • Folklife/Traditional Artists. The National Folklife Network initiated in 2020 is the first stand-alone initiative in the Arts Endowment’s support of the folk and traditional arts in more than 30 years.
    Building the Bench Another priority for Chairman Carter was educating people outside the arts field, such as elected officials at the state and local levels, on the importance of the arts. This effort included:
    • S. Conference of Mayors (UCM). Expanded the existing relationship such that the agency was featured in their annual conference and as a partner in UCM’s City Song Project.
    • Speakers of the House in the states. This was an influential group to engage with regarding the importance of funding the arts at the state level.
    • Chambers of Commerce. Uniting Chambers of Commerce with their local arts organizations further builds upon economic development for their communities.
    • Health/medical field. Working with neurologists, oncologists, medical colleges, etc. through the Arts Endowment’s Office of Research & Analysis helped build movement for integrating the arts into our health and well-being.
    Additionally, the agency expanded its relationships with other federal government agencies such as:
    • Departments of Defense and Veterans Affairs. The agency expanded the number of Creative Forces clinical sites, supported community-based arts programs around these sites, and provided telehealth services as part of the network.
    • Department of State (DoS). Projects that engaged DoS include the United States/Japan Creative Artists Program that worked towards events during the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, co-hosting an event in Malaysia with the International Federation of Arts Councils and Culture Agencies, and hosting the 2020 Americas Cultural Summit that is being rescheduled.
    • Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). For the first time, the agency deployed staff after a natural disaster to Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. This led to the request for the agency to join FEMA’s disaster and economic recovery teams.
    • Department of Education (DoE). The agency committed more funding to the Arts Education Partnership, encouraging the DoE to do the same and resulting in the largest single year increase.
    Other unique accomplishments include sponsoring a children’s booth at the National Book Festival in 2019 and publishing Creativity and Persistence, Art that Fueled the Fight for Women’s Suffrage to celebrate the passage of the 19th Amendment. Chairman Carter concludes, “Lastly, I am most proud and humbled by something I never saw coming—the pandemic. This team’s response to the crisis situation swells my heart with pride. All of us shifted overnight to at-home offices, continued operation excellence, and maintaining the confidence of those we serve. Nothing mentioned above compares to that. Thank you.”

    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.

    Jason Rapp

    Grants Roundup: Deadlines for the Week of Jan. 18

    SCAC Deadlines and Coaching Opportunities

    Though far from the only thing, 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 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.

    • n/a

    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, Feb. 4, 11 a.m.: The Panel Process

    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.

    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.

    Jason Rapp

    SCAC commitments to DEI, rural aided by grant from Coastal Community Foundation of S.C.

    $14,339 grant expands agency work in Lowcountry

    For Immediate Release

    COLUMBIA, S.C. – A grant awarded to the South Carolina Arts Commission (SCAC) by Coastal Community Foundation of South Carolina (CCF) supported commitments to expanding diversity, equity, and inclusion and reaching rural communities.

    Visit the Coastal Community Foundation of South Carolina's website at https://coastalcommunityfoundation.org/That perfectly complements the SCAC’s new strategic plan, released in late 2020, which calls for it to “promote equitable access to the arts” through a renewed focus on diversity, equity, and inclusion. Additionally, the agency has a commitment to expanding arts opportunities in rural communities through such initiatives as its nationally recognized program The Art of Community: Rural SC. Extenuating circumstances in FY19 led to $500 from that year’s Expansion Arts Fund award being held over to FY20, bringing that year’s funding to $14,839. This is how the funds were distributed by the SCAC:
    • Aldwyth, an individual artist in Beaufort County, was granted $2,500 to support the creation of works for Pictures of Nothing or Mr. Varnedoe, Why Abstraction?, a multi-disciplinary exhibition focused on Kirk Varnedoe’s book, Pictures of Nothing: Abstract Art Since Pollock. Pandemic restrictions continue to postpone the public display of the works created by Aldwyth and an assistant.
    • Fletcher Williams, an individual artist in Charleston County, was granted $2,500. He worked with a local fabricator and a team of assistants to create the mobile walls for his Picket Fence – Promiseland Consisting of sculpture and large-scale paper art, the installation encouraged visitors to imagine and observe the Aiken-Rhett House as possibly seen through different eyes, times, and sets of experiences. Though delayed, the project opened and was used as a tool to address current events, serving both artistic and social-awareness goals while engaging new patrons who may have previously been unaware of or disinterested in the arts.
    • Marlanda Dekine, an individual artist in Georgetown County, received $2,500 for research related to the experiences of the artist as a Gullah-Geechee descendant living in South Carolina “with a rootedness in Africana & Caribbean being and creolization.” Written and recorded interviews, community engagement, and tours of local museums and plantations assisted in the completion of written-word poetry. The culmination of this work is to be a serial poem offered through spoken word as a site-specific soundscape, or aural architecture, as well as in live performances for the community, with discourse and audience interaction as part of the final product. In this context, Dekine acts as a conduit and witness of present, past, and future.
    • Community arts organization Colleton Museum, Farmers Market and Commercial Kitchen in Colleton County received $7,339 from the Expansion Arts Fund to support the development of WHAM!, Walterboro History, Art, & Music, a new public festival. They’ve used an indefinite delay to reexamine how they implement content for the rural community they serve. By reconceptualizing the initial project, they’ve seen increased interest from artists representing a broader segment of the community and now have a more flexible framework that can be used and reused at any time.

    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

    ‘Communal Pen’ returns to Lowcountry in February

    Two-part writing workshop 'visits' McClellanville

    Medlock Bridge Park
    Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area
    Communal Pen, a creative writing workshop presented by the S.C. Arts Commission and South Carolina Humanities, is back for starting Saturday, Feb. 20 to help you write to celebrate memories, stories, and traditions of place... continuing its reimagined virtual format with a brand-new theme! SC HumanitiesWhat are the memories, stories and traditions that make your community home? What landmarks, customs, sights and sounds connect us with family, friends and neighbors, while highlighting our unique experience and identity? Sometimes, you’ve just got to write it down!
    Facilitator EBONI RAMM will lead the virtual workshop as you write to celebrate and explore connections to place and community. Often, it is in our written words that memory lives. The writing process can itself help us to awaken and preserve thoughts and traditions, offering insight, understanding and respect to present and future generations. In conjunction with the traveling exhibit Water/Ways, McClellanville Arts Council is co-host of this two-part writing workshop, which will be conducted over two Saturday mornings next month:
    • 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 20
    • 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 27
    Space is limited; registration is on a first-come, first-served basis online or call 803.734.8680. The new format does not support walk-ins as previous workshops have. Share it with your friends on Facebook! NOTE: marking yourself as "Going" on Facebook DOES NOT register you for Communal Pen. No previous experience necessary! Although Communal Pen is a virtual program, the Water/Ways exhibit will be on display at the McClellanville Arts Council from Jan. 18 through March 1.
    The Communal Pen writing workshop draws inspiration from the new Smithsonian exhibit, Water/Ways, which is touring South Carolina with the Smithsonian Institution’s Museum on Main Street (MoMS) Traveling Exhibition Service from June 2020-April 2021. MoMS provides access to the Smithsonian for small-town America through museum exhibitions, research, educational resources, and programming. Exhibit themes and images are a springboard for igniting our own stories, giving voice to our shared and individual experience of place. Communal Pen is developed through the S.C. Arts Commission’s place-based initiative, "Art of Community: Rural SC," a new framework for engagement, learning, and action in rural communities. The writing workshops are coordinated through the SCAC’s Folklife & Traditional Arts and Community Arts Development programs, with generous support from South Carolina Humanities.
    Deeply rooted in South Carolina, "Communal Pen" writing workshop creator and facilitator Eboni Ramm fell in love with the arts at a very young age and was encouraged throughout her youth to express herself. Today, an accomplished poet and jazz singer, she invites audiences of all ages to share her passion for combining these art forms, highlighting her belief in the powerful influence of jazz on the American literary experience and aesthetic. She has taught her unique Jazz Poetry Salon at residencies with the Richland County Public Library, Arts Access South Carolina, Youth Corps, Fairfield Middle School, McKissick Museum, and ColaJazz’s partnership with Jazz at Lincoln Center, among others. Other selected accomplishments include her publication, Within His Star: The Story of Levi Pearson, celebrating Eboni’s ancestor who added strength to the unprecedented Brown vs. The Board of Education case, and the release of her poetry CD, Passion, and her jazz CD, The Look of Love. Learn more about Eboni at www.EboniRamm.com. "Communal Pen: Water/Ways" coordinator Laura Marcus Green is program specialist for community arts & folklife at the S.C. Arts Commission, where she provides statewide outreach and project coordination through the Art of Community: Rural SC initiative and other projects, while managing folklife grant and award programs. She holds a Ph.D. in folklore from Indiana University and an M.A. in folklore/anthropology from the University of Texas at Austin. Selected prior positions include folklife & traditional arts program director at McKissick Museum, community engagement coordinator for the Museum of International Folk Art’s Gallery of Conscience, and work as a folklife fieldworker and researcher, writer, curator and consultant for various arts and culture agencies nationwide. Having attended, coordinated, and facilitated diverse workshops, she is a devoted believer in the power of community writing.

    Jason Rapp

    Midlands school’s dance team receives honors

    Brings home 8 awards from international competition

    From ColaDaily.com:

    Dancers from East Point Academy competed in the virtual Taoli World Dance Competition in December, earning a total of eight awards. East Point competed against more than 600 nationwide performers in the competition.

    “I feel their performances were outstanding," said dance teacher, Yihao Chen. "I am proud to teach them.”

    In addition to winning eight awards, the team also earned the opportunity to compete in the final round of the competition in California in the upcoming summer.

    Read more and see a list of dancers receiving awards in Meera Bohnslé's ColaDaily.com story here.

    Jason Rapp

    Craft artists: apply for ACC’s Craft Week

    American Craft Council makes call for art

    APPLICATION DEADLINE: Monday, February 8, 2021 Text based promotional image for Baltimore Craft Week, Online April 12-17, 2021

    Craft artists are invited to sell work and tell their stories in the American Craft Council's latest online marketplace.

    Baltimore Craft Week is a juried, online marketplace event designed to connect American makers to a national audience of craft enthusiasts while celebrating local craft culture. Regionally inspired partnerships and programming will help create an engaging platform, with more than 100 diverse artists from across the country selling work through our ecommerce site. The event is open to artists from across the country who are creating work that reflects the diversity of contemporary craft. It's designed to be an immersive platform where people can discover who you are and what goes into your work.
    • Have your work seen by our engaged craft audience of 56K email contacts and over 82K followers on social media.
    • Our previous two events have brought in $207K in artists sales.
    • Curated shopping experiences and artist storytelling will be a main feature of the event.
    • Programming will highlight regional community partners and reinforce the importance of craft in our lives.
    • We offer artist onboarding and support through our easy-to-use platform.
    ACC featured more than 200 artists in  past online events Craft Bash and San Francisco Bay Area Craft Week. Learn more and apply here.

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    Federal resources for creative community development

    You're invited to a free webinar Feb. 9

    Are you looking for funding to support a community development or creative placekeeping initiative in your neighborhood?

    If so, tune in on Tuesday, February 9, to Federal Resources for Creative Community Development—a free web seminar designed to help you access federal funds and harness the power of the arts and culture for community development. This seminar features a new Creative Placemaking Public Resources Guide that offers:
    • a curated selection of federal funding sources that you can use to advance equitable community development,
    • examples of initiatives that have transformed community development through creative partnerships, and
    • practical tips on accessing federal grant programs.
    A live demonstration of the guide's powerful search functions will reveal often-overlooked federal resources for equitable community development, creative placemaking and the arts. You’ll also hear from practitioners who have successfully leveraged public funding opportunities for creative placemaking. Complete session details and registration information are available at http://bit.ly/2LdRvDc. This one-hour session is designed for arts nonprofits, community development groups, state and local government agencies, arts advocates, cultural district managers, and creative placemaking practitioners. All organizations that are pursuing arts based community development initiatives are welcome to participate. This one-time event is offered through a partnership between the National Assembly of State Arts Agencies, the National Alliance of Community Economic Development Associations and Metris Arts Consulting.

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