Nominations open for S.C.’s best in arts, folklife

Time to recognize arts achievement, influence, and support!

NOMINATION DEADLINES: Friday, November 5, 2021 at 11:59 p.m. ET


Nominations are now open to honor persons or organizations in South Carolina who exhibit the highest levels of achievement, influence or support of arts and folklife with the South Carolina Arts Awards.

South Carolina Governor’s Awards for the Arts

The South Carolina Arts Commission (SCAC) is accepting nominations for the South Carolina Governor’s Award for the Arts, which recognizes persons or organizations in South Carolina who exhibit outstanding achievement or support of the arts. The Governor’s Awards use a simple, online nomination process, and all it takes to make a nomination is one letter, which should describe the nominee’s exemplary contributions to the arts in South Carolina in these categories: Artist, Individual, Arts in Education, Government, Business/Foundation, and Organization. A nomination letter should address any characteristics included in the category descriptions. The nomination letters are due Friday, Nov. 5, 2021 at 11:59 p.m. ET.

For complete nomination guidelines or more information about the South Carolina Governor’s Awards for the Arts, visit SouthCarolinaArts.com or contact Senior Deputy Director Milly Hough: mhough@arts.sc.gov or 803.734.8698.


Jean Laney Harris Folk Heritage Awards

The SCAC, with McKissick Museum at the University of South Carolina, honors the state’s exceptional folklife and traditional arts practitioners and advocates with the Jean Laney Harris Folk Heritage Awards. The South Carolina General Assembly created the awards in 1987 to recognize lifetime achievement in the traditional arts and presents them annually to honor the work of stewarding and furthering the traditional arts significant to communities throughout the state.

McKissick Museum is collecting nominations until Friday, Nov. 5, 2021 at 11:59 p.m. ET. For additional information and advisement, contact museum Executive Director Jane Przybysz: jprzybys@mailbox.sc.edu or 803.777.7251.


The South Carolina Governor’s Awards for the Arts and Jean Laney Harris Folk Heritage Awards are presented at the South Carolina Arts Awards ceremony in the spring. Nine distinguished recipients were recognized in May 2021 for exceptional achievements in, support of, or advocacy for the arts at a professional produced virtual ceremony. Details about the 2022 South Carolina Arts Awards will be announced later.