Changes coming to SCAC Artist Roster
A new roster is coming. And you’re going to love it.
In 2016, the S.C. Arts Commission facilitated an extensive survey of artists, teaching artists, arts organizations, and schools who utilize the Roster of Approved Artists. The results were as follows:
- Roster artists overwhelmingly stated the two primary benefits of the current roster are marketing and the prestige of a juried process.
- Arts organizations stated the biggest benefits are marketing and networking.
- Schools stated the importance of a juried process that speaks to the quality of work and teaching ability of teaching artists.
With that in mind, the roster of Approved Artists is being reinvented and turning into the new Arts Directory and Teaching Artist Certification to address all those things, all coinciding with a modern, new website for the Arts Commission that’s expecting to launch by the new year. (We’re self-aware enough to know it’s getting time…[1])
Continue reading below for explanations of the Arts Directory and Teaching Artist Certification. Many questions might be answered within the text. But if not, directory guru Ashley Brown prepared an FAQ that we linked at the bottom of this post that you can get to … after you read the explanations [2]!
Sample of Arts Directory
Arts Directory
The online Arts Directory will be searchable by geographic availability, artistic area, accessibility, and will be connected to a google map. It will serve as a connector for the network of artists and arts organizations throughout South Carolina and will be a beneficial marketing tool for members. Members of the Arts Directory will be able to offer group lectures, demonstrations, and performances for SCAC Arts in Education grant recipients (ABC Advancement, Arts Education Projects, and Teacher Standards Implementation). Additionally, members of the Arts Directory will have access to online professional learning and digital networking offered by the South Carolina Arts Commission. Sound good?
Each artist, teaching artist, or arts organization on the Directory will have the following listed:
- Name (and alias)
- Photo
- County
- Contact Info
- Tags (geography available, artistic area, accessibility, Teaching Artist certification)
- Overview of work
Placement on the Arts Directory will involve a juried process, with panels meeting twice a year to adjudicate new applicants (winter and summer). Membership on the directory is renewable every three (3) years.
The application to apply* for the Arts Directory will be online and available Monday, Sept. 24. The application will include the following:
- Basic contact information
- Resume
- (2) Letters of support
- Work samples
- Narrative
*Please note: Current Roster artists will be granted courtesy extensions into the new Arts Directory for one cycle, but still must apply. These artists will not be required to submit resumes, work samples, or letters of support for this year’s application. After the one cycle courtesy extension, ALL current Roster artists will be expected to submit a full application.
Teaching Artist Certification
The Teaching Artist Certification will serve as a next level to the Arts Directory. Certified teaching artists will be identified on the Arts Directory with a gold star and will be one of the searchable tags. In addition to the basic information listed on the Arts Directory, each certified teaching artist will have their own page with detailed teaching artist information, as well as a school review section.
Teaching artist certification will include a juried process, with panels meeting twice a year to adjudicate new applicants (winter, summer). In addition to lectures, demonstrations, or performances, certified teaching artists will be able to offer classroom residencies and short-term teaching for SCAC grant recipients (ABC Advancement, Arts Education Projects, and Teacher Standards Implementation). Additionally, certified teaching artists will have access to online and in-person professional learning for teaching artists offered by the South Carolina Arts Commission. Certification is renewable every three (3) years.
The application to apply for Teaching Artist Certification will be online and available September 24. The application will include the following:
- Basic contact information
- Resume
- (2) Letters of support
- Recorded observation of work in classroom OR work sample along with letter of support from cooperating teacher
- (2) Lesson plan samples
- (3) Additional references
- Narrative
Additionally, those who are approved by the panel are required to complete the following before receiving certification:
- SLED background check
- Complete webinar and quiz: S.C. Department of Education 2017 South Carolina College-and-Career-Ready Standards for Visual and Performing Arts Proficiency
- Complete webinar and quiz: Teaching Artistry
[1] That’s a joke. It is way, way past time. We can even joke about it: “1996 wants its website back,” etc.
[2] You wouldn’t skip ahead, would you? Of course not. Thanks for reading! Go here for the FAQ in PDF format.