Jason Rapp

    Take a creative journey to the foothills with ‘Communal Pen’ series

    Two-part writing workshop 'visits' Westminster

    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, March 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, the city of Westminster 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, March 20
    • 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. Saturday, March 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 in Westminster Train Depot (129 E. Main St.) from March 6 through April 17.
    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

    South Arts introduces new presentation grant

    Supporting Southern artist engagements

    • Informational Webinar: March 30, 2021 at 11 a.m. ET
    • APPLICATION DEADLINE: May 3, 2021

    Our partners South Arts are introducing a new grant today for presenting a Southern artist in a performing arts, literary arts, visual arts, or film engagement.

    South Arts Presentation Grants provide up to $7,500 and replace the former Performing and Literary arts touring grants promoted regularly by The Hub. (For the legions who are regular watchers of The Hub's post tags, we are hereby retiring those.) The new grants are an opportunity for organizations in South Arts’ nine-state region (Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee) to receive artist fee support of up to $7,500 to present Southern guest filmmakers, visual and performing artists, or writers from inside or outside of the presenter’s state. Projects must include both a public presentation (film screening, performance, reading or exhibition) and an educational component. Because of COVID-19, eligible projects can include virtual activities by the guest artist and/or projects that engage local artists. Projects must take place between Sept. 1, 2021 and June 30, 2022. Want to learn more? Review the guidelines and join an informational webinar Tuesday, March 30, 2021 at 11 a.m. ET. Discussion is to include the goals of the program, its guidelines and application process, and some frequently asked questions. Can't attend? Don't worry, the recorded webinar will be available on South Arts' website within 48 hours. The deadline to submit a Presentation Grants application is May 3, 2021.

    Jason Rapp

    #SCartists making rounds in the media

    Keeping our eyes on you

    Sculpture of a man peering through binoculars set in a wooded space

    Listen, don't get creeped out, but we've got our eyes on #SCartists.

    If the SCAC sees you getting into the news, whatever the medium, The Hub is here to amplify the message. Here is a recent story for our readers to enjoy:
    • Dr. Leo Twiggs is about as accomplished as it gets. He's a decorated artist, being awarded the Governor's Award for the Arts for  lifetime achievement (2017) and the prestigious 1858 Prize for Southern Contemporary Art (2018). He and fellow Orangeburg resident and art historian and philosopher Dr. Frank Martin recently sat for a conversation on American art and the African American aesthetic for Black Art In America.
    Image by Oliver Kepka from Pixabay

    Jason Rapp

    Grants Roundup: Deadlines for the Week of March 1

    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.

    ICYMI: Arts Emergency Relief Grants from the SCAC reopen (for individual artists) on March 8

    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.

    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.: (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

    2021 Folk Heritage Awards recipients announced

    Proving S.C. traditions 'long-lived and ever-evolving'

    FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

    COLUMBIA, S.C. – In 2021, the Jean Laney Harris Folk Heritage Awards will be presented by the General Assembly to two recipients being honored for work keeping the state’s traditional art forms alive.

    One practicing artist and one arts advocate are to be recognized as ambassadors of traditions significant to communities throughout the state. Their traditions embody folklife’s dynamic, multigenerational nature and its fusion of artistic and utilitarian ideals. The 2021 recipients are:
    • Jugnu Verma (Lexington): Traditional Indian folk arts
    • Robert Hill, III (Plantersville): Advocacy, American long rifles and accoutrements
    The Jean Laney Harris Folk Heritage Award is named for the late State Rep. Jean Laney Harris of Cheraw, respected as an outspoken advocate and ardent supporter of the arts and cultural resources of the state. Up to four artists or organizations and one advocate may receive awards each year. The program is managed jointly by the South Carolina Arts Commission and the University of South Carolina McKissick Museum. Community members make nominations to recognize exemplary artistic achievement/advocacy. An independent advisory panel appointed by the lieutenant governor and president of the Senate select the recipients, who must be living and practicing in the state. “From a gun-making tradition that hearkens back to colonial America, when Carolinians commonly used rifles for hunting, to the art of rangoli—a patterned ground decoration created with colored rice and flower petals that community members have more recently brought with them from India and introduced to South Carolina—the state’s folklife is both long-lived and ever-evolving,” observes McKissick Museum Executive Director Jane Przybysz. “By their very definition, folk arts illustrate both the rich heritage and broad diversity of who we, as South Carolinians, are as a people,” South Carolina Arts Commission Executive Director David Platts said. “It is sometimes said that we are a state where change and changelessness co-exist, and this year’s award recipients reflect something of this balance between preserving South Carolina’s traditions and opening ourselves to new and exciting art forms and experiences from around the world. Both artists do exceptional work on our behalf, and we are all grateful for what they do.” The Jean Laney Harris Folk Heritage Awards and South Carolina Governor’s Awards for the Arts and are presented at the South Carolina Arts Awards ceremony. The pandemic forced the shift of last year’s ceremony to a virtual format in July rather than May. A virtual ceremony is planned once again for 2021, but it will revert to its normal timeframe in the spring. The SCAC and UofSC McKissick Museum will announce a date and time later.

    About the 2021 South Carolina Governor’s Awards for the Arts Recipients

    Jugnu Verma | Lexington | Traditional Indian Folk Arts Growing up in the Indian state of Bihar, Jugnu Verma found herself surrounded by Madhubani artists, whose painting was characterized by distinctive geometric patterns and depicted people, nature, and scenes featuring Hindu deities. An early interest led to learning the art form from neighbors in the community, as well as rangoli from the neighbor’s grandmother. From her mother, Verma learned the art of Henna, an integral part of Indian weddings and festivals where a plant-based dye is used to create temporary designs on the body. Verma is eager and enthusiastic about sharing her artistic traditions at various venues, which include her work as a Diwali (Indian Festival of Lights) Kick-off Party Organizer, workshops, and exhibitions at the Columbia Museum of Art, the rangoli educator at Overdue: Curated for the Creative, Richland Library Main Branch, and as a lead artist at Artista Vista in Columbia. She has served as Artist in Residence at Lexington District One’s New Providence Elementary, River Bluff High and White Knoll elementary school where she taught students Madhubani and other art forms. Verma feels it is important for South Carolinians to know about India and its culture and she serves as a cultural ambassador through her work throughout the state. Robert W. Hill, III | Plantersville | Advocacy: American Long Rifles and Accoutrements From Plantersville, Robert W. Hill III grew up an avid outdoorsman eager to learn the skills to support his passion for decoy carving, forging knives, and carving gun stocks. His paternal grandfather had been an accomplished blacksmith, woodcarver, and gun stocker who, unfortunately, did not live long enough to teach Hill his skills. But he was nonetheless an inspiration to Hill pursuing his passion. Hill had the opportunity to watch and learn from master engraver Jack Spain and developed a relationship with master gunsmith Frank Burton. After a year of studying and experimenting, Hill completed his first rifle. He recognized the need to preserve the craft and continued his training by studying historic firearms from the Carolinas. Today, he is recognized by gunsmiths across the region as both an exemplary artist and an advocate. In 1994, he co-founded the South Carolina Artist Blacksmith Association, later to become the Phillip Simmons Artists Blacksmith Guild of South Carolina. Through demonstrations and lectures, he has educated people about gun makers from South Carolina to recognize and preserve the artists of the state’s past. Hill passes his skills onto others, including his son and grandson, assuring a legacy of continued preservation, study, and celebration of the traditional craft of gunsmithing.

    About the University of South Carolina 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.

    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

    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

    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. Ed. note: Clarifying language was added to the general information below on Feb. 26.

    General

    1. Open to artists working in 2-D and 3-D.
    2. Works should be of high artistic quality.
    3. Works should have a broad appeal.
    4. Works must be original.
    5. 2-D works must be framed.
    6. 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).

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