More on the Governor’s Award name change
Further explanation for constituents
Official Statement from the S.C. Arts Commission
In policy and in practice, the South Carolina Arts Commission remains committed to setting a tone and fostering an atmosphere of diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility. In that spirit, much care and thoughtful consideration went into the decision, going forward, to call the state’s highest award in the arts the “South Carolina Governor’s Awards for the Arts.” We believe this change moves us further in that direction by providing us the opportunity to endow artists and arts organizations with the honor and prestige that all recipients deserve.
“Going forward” was (and is) the underlying philosophy for this change. The arts are simultaneously diverse and inclusive. Because the Governor’s Awards for the Arts reflect the values and beliefs of our organization, we desire that the awards focus on recognizing and honoring the accomplishments and contributions of all South Carolinians rather than any differences which might exist. The use of the term “Governor’s Awards”—an office which belongs to all South Carolinians, as opposed to having the awards connected to any one individual—allows us to continue celebrating creativity and perspectives by artists, and direction by organizations, throughout the Palmetto State.
