Engaging Creative Minds: 2025 S.C. Arts Awards Spotlight Series
Governor’s Award: Arts in Education Category
As the day nears for the 2025 South Carolina Arts Awards, The Hub is shining the spotlight on this year’s six recipients, introducing them to you in greater detail.
This is the schedule:
- Governor’s Award for the Arts
- April 29: Dr. Gail V. Barnes (Individual Category)
- May 1: Koger Center for the Arts (Government Category)
- May 6: Wade Sellers (Artist Category)
- Today: Engaging Creative Minds (Arts in Education Category)
- May 13: Sumter County Gallery of Art (Organization Categoy)
- Jean Laney Harris Folk Heritage Award
- May 15: Caroleen Sanders (Artist Category)
Engaging Creative Minds
The mission of Engaging Creative Minds is to spark creativity and curiosity in all learners through innovative and experiential learning.
Engaging Creative Minds (ECM) was established in 2012 as a private-public partnership resulting from a community planning process led by Charleston County School District (CCSD); the College of Charleston; the cities of Charleston, Mt. Pleasant, and North Charleston; the Charleston Regional Alliance for the Arts; the Youth Endowment for the Arts; and Crystal-Barkley Corporation. This collaboration sought to address educational challenges and equity gaps by integrating the arts into academic learning to better serve area youth and help them achieve the knowledge and skills outlined in the Profile of a South Carolina Graduate. In 2021, ECM merged with YEScarolina to expand its entrepreneurial programming and create a K-12 pipeline.
ECM’s mission focuses on three key goals:
- Engage Students: Provide students with dynamic, arts-integrated learning experiences by connecting them with local artists and cultural organizations.
- Build Artist Capacity: Train artists and cultural organizations to deliver impactful programming aligned with academic standards.
- Empower Educators: Offer professional development for teachers and school leaders to foster arts-integrated teaching strategies.
Launched with initial funding from CCSD, Boeing, and other funders, ECM quickly gained traction by addressing workforce and educational concerns through innovative teaching strategies that foster creativity, communication, and critical thinking. Led by Robin Berlinsky, ECM’s founding executive director, the organization established itself as a model of excellence, earning recognition both locally and nationally.
Since its inception, ECM has provided transformative arts integration programs during the school day, afterschool, and in summer camps, particularly in high-poverty communities. These efforts have reached thousands of students and educators across South Carolina, fostering creativity, engagement, and a sense of belonging. ECM collaborates with local artists, STEM professionals, and cultural organizations to ensure programming meets academic standards while inspiring innovation.
By blending creativity, academic excellence, and workforce readiness, ECM has emerged as a pioneering model in education, equipping students and educators with the tools to succeed in school and life.
Watch the South Carolina Arts Awards Sunday, May 18, 2025 at 7 p.m. EDT.
The SCAC is excited to present a streaming presentation of the awards in 2025!
Viewers can access it via the SCAC YouTube Channel, and it will also be streamed through the SCAC Facebook page. Internet-connected smart TV’s or streaming devices with the YouTube app may be used for a more broadcast-style experience.