$20 million partnership to expand S.C. arts learning initiatives
SCAC, S.C. Dept. of Education make landmark announcement
An Arts in Basic Curriculum Project site classroom. SCAC file photo.
For Immediate Release
A $20 million partnership announced today by the South Carolina Department of Education and South Carolina Arts Commission will help public schools throughout the state address pandemic related learning loss with proven, arts-based learning initiatives.
The American Rescue Plan, passed by the U.S. Congress and signed into law March 11, 2021 by President Biden, included $121.9 billion in Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief funds (ARP ESSER), that has been administered through the U.S. Department of Education to state educational agencies.
The South Carolina Department of Education (SCDE) is set to receive $2.1 billion in ARP ESSER funds to help South Carolina’s public schools address the impact that COVID-19 has and continues to have on students, families, educators, and school communities. Ninety percent of these funds will flow through to school districts with amounts determined in proportion to the amount of Title I, Part A funds they received in Summer 2020 from funds under the Every Student Succeeds Act. The remaining funds, which amount to $211,205,148 are to be used for state-level activities to address learning loss, summer enrichment programs, and comprehensive after school programs.
The SCDE solicited public input on the use of these funds and the needs that the state should address in its ARP ESSER plan which was submitted to the U.S. Department of Education on June 18, 2021. Leadership from the South Carolina Arts Commission (SCAC) proposed to SCDE a creative pathway—rooted in innovation and evidence-based practices—that the arts are equipped to provide. Funding was requested to allow the SCAC’s team of professionals and network of partners to:
- help schools and teachers fill learning loss gaps in the arts,
- use arts integration to remediate core subject areas,
- and provide summer and afterschool learning opportunities that leverage the arts in schools throughout the state.
The SCDE approved $20 million for the SCAC to implement its plan over the course of the next three years.
“As a longtime music teacher, I have seen firsthand the impact that arts education can have on students,” said State Superintendent of Education Molly Spearman. “The arts have a unique ability to engage students of diverse backgrounds across all subject areas which makes this initiative well suited for the receipt of these funds.”
“The South Carolina Arts Commission is confident in its ability to put this funding to use right away to equitably impact learning using the arts,” SCAC Executive Director David Platts said. “Our team of professionals manages existing programs, partnerships, and grant-making infrastructure for this work, which includes federal and state reporting for accountability. ARP ESSER funding from the SCDE will enable expedient and effective scaling with various arts education partners on the local, state, and national levels.”
Programmatic focus areas of the SCAC’s plan include:
- Arts integration
- Arts in early childhood
- Arts industry certification credentials for high school students, building on existing vocational training programs
To realize its classroom-based goals, the SCAC will rely on its partners at the Arts in Basic Curriculum (ABC) Project, which currently serves about 44,000 students in 74 schools and has been cooperatively led for more than 30 years by the SCAC, SCDE, and Winthrop University. The ARP ESSER funding will facilitate scaling the program to:
- increase access to quality arts education (targeting underserved communities)
- develop arts-rich learning environments
- build, restore, expand, and support infrastructure for arts learning at the district level
- research and develop new and innovative instructional practices.
“We have a couple of years’ worth of recent Gallup Organization research looking at South Carolina’s arts-rich schools. It repeatedly shows a link between arts-rich learning and student hope and engagement. We have dreamed about having the kind of funding that would enable expansion to all communities throughout the state,” SCAC Board Chairwoman Dee Crawford said.
In addition to building on the work of the ABC Project, the Arts Commission will expand existing pilot projects with the South Carolina Governor’s School for Arts & Humanities in Greenville and Engaging Creative Minds in Charleston, and will offer grant and programming opportunities for arts education providers across the state.
“Arts and creativity are critical to achieving the knowledge, skills, and characteristics outlined by the Profile of the South Carolina Graduate. We are excited to work with grantees, statewide partners in arts education, and other arts providers to ensure equitable access to learning in and through the arts,” Platts said. “This partnership fully supports our mission to promote equitable access to the arts and support the cultivation of creativity in South Carolina.”
The SCAC is working now to release information on grant guidelines, research to support evidence-based practices, partnership and professional learning opportunities, and more in coming weeks. Starting in July, these resources will be available at www.abcprojectsc.com.
NEA opens ARP relief funding to arts orgs
And encourages new applicants
The National Endowment for the Arts is encouraging arts organizations not previously funded by it (along with those who have) to apply for direct American Rescue Plan (ARP) funding.
In a statement, a spokesperson said, “The Arts Endowment is committed to encouraging organizations that have not applied to the agency before to do so through ARP and other programs. We have created a new web page with more and better information about registering with [SAM.gov] and grants.gov.”
The NEA received $135 million in the American Rescue Plan Act, representing a strong commitment from President Biden and Congress to the arts, and a recognition of the value of the arts and culture sector to the nation’s economy.
On April 29th, the NEA announced that it was directing 40 percent of that allocation to 62 state, jurisdictional, and regional arts organizations. The NEA will award the remaining 60 percent of the funding in competitive grants to support jobs in the arts and culture sector and keep the doors open to nonprofit organizations and local arts agencies nationwide.
ARP emergency relief funding is coming from many sources, and S.C. Arts Commission (SCAC) constituents can count on the agency and The Hub to help you keep it straight.
ARP funding from the NEA
There are two avenues for funding from the NEA’s $135 million. The Hub can’t stress enough that reading the guidelines is critical to know for what arts organizations or individual artists are eligible. We will post those as they arrive.
- Direct to arts organizations (60%). Not limited to previous NEA grantees! Also new is that recipients may use funding awarded to cover general operating costs, which speaks to the “tremendous need in the sector,” according to the NEA. Guidelines are live and available here.
- Direct to state and regional organizations (40%). The SCAC is receiving an $818,700 allotment from which it will award grants. The anticipated timing of this process is mid-summer 2021. Announcements will be made via The Hub, social media, and other SCAC outlets to ensure you’re informed when guidelines go live.
State-level relief funding
Details are thin right now but yes, there will be relief funding coming from the state. Most of those details are being sorted out, to include how much and from where it will me made available. Again, count on SCAC team members and The Hub to help you keep it straight in coming weeks.
Inaugural Southern Studies fellows announced
Visual artist, writer selected
Chapman Cultural Center and Hub City Writers Project are pleased to announce the selection of writer Morgan Thomas and visual artist Ben Winans as recipients of the first Southern Studies Fellowship in Arts and Letters.
The pair will begin their nine-month residency in Spartanburg this September and will collaborate on a joint project addressing the culture of the American South.
The Southern Studies Fellowship in Arts and Letters is a three-year initiative jointly hosted by Chapman Cultural Center and Hub City Writers Project and funded through a three-year $150,000 grant from the Watson-Brown Foundation.
Morgan Thomas
Morgan Thomas (they/them) is a writer from Gulf Breeze, Florida. Their work has appeared in The Atlantic Monthly, Electric Literature, them., the Kenyon Review Online, and Storyquarterly. They’ve received support from the Bread Loaf Work-Study Program and the Fulbright Foundation. Manywhere, their debut story collection, is forthcoming from publisher Farrar, Straus & Giroux’s MCD imprint in January 2022.
Morgan earned a bachelor’s in English and a bachelor’s in zoology from the University of Florida in 2014 and a master of fine arts in fiction from the University of Oregon in 2016. In addition to their work as a writer, they has advocated for Two Spirit and LGBTQ+ communities for three years.
Ben Winans
Ben Winans (he/him) of Raleigh is an interdisciplinary artist who engages in old and new media to tell stories regarding his upbringing in Southern evangelical Christianity. Through his multimedia works, Ben offers a broad discussion on Christian nationalism, a mediation of cultural and national identity informed by his family’s missionary work in Africa and Japan, and the assertion that what we believe matters.
Ben has earned a Bachelor in Fine Arts from Virginia Commonwealth University in 2018 and a Masters in Fine Arts from the University of Michigan in 2021. His work began in 2014 as an artist assistant for Ben Sloat and at a gallery in Richmond, Virginia. Ben is currently an exhibitions assistant for Stamps Gallery and was a graduate student instructor for several art classes at Stamps School of Art & Design. Winan’s hard work has been recognized throughout the years through the John Roos Memorial Scholarship for Artists Working in the Humanities in 2017, the Smucker-Wagstaff Grant in 2019 and 2020, and the Jean-Paul Slasser Award for recognition of excellence, M.F.A. Thesis Project.
“We are so pleased to offer this unique opportunity to Morgan and Ben,” said Hub City Writers Project Executing Director Anne Waters. “Of all the outstanding candidates we interviewed for the Southern Studies Fellowships they were the most compelling. To have two such gifted individuals come to Spartanburg to create a project and share their talent with our community feels momentous.”
“I’m thrilled about this selection of creative minds. We had dozens of talented and passionate people apply for this opportunity and it was a long and difficult task to bring together the two creative spirits we felt were on similar wavelengths. Ben and Morgan will need to work closely together and collaborate every step of the way. It’s going to be fascinating to see what evolves with these two deep thinkers and I can’t wait to experience the finished product,” said Chapman Cultural Center Community Impact and Outreach Director Melissa Earley.
The fellowship is a nine-month residency of research, creativity, teaching, and travel to collaborate on a project informed by the region. The fellows will live and have studio space in Spartanburg and are tasked with immersing themselves in the culture of the American South, along with participating in community service for educational purposes. A key component of this unique fellowship is the opportunity to interact with leading scholars, artists, and writers throughout the Southeast and to conduct research at prominent cultural and educational institutions. This research will inform their work and will be critical in the development of their collaborative project to expand their understanding of the modern South.
Great Place to Bee
APPLICATION DEADLINE: Thursday, September 30, 2021
While not in South Carolina, Gastonia, North Carolina is just a stone’s throw away!
Keep Gastonia Beautiful’s art committee seeks to commission artwork for the downtown area of Gastonia, North Carolina titled “Great Place to Bee” and include interactive smaller art pieces that will weave/waggle their way through Main Street to a larger art piece. The artwork will be sited in a prominent location at a Gateway to the new FUSE Baseball Stadium.
We are currently looking for an artist who could fabricate unique 3-D bees as a creative way for Keep Gastonia Beautiful to showcase its Bee City USA affiliation by educating our community about the importance of bees and pollinators through public art.
This project, titled “Great Place to Bee,” has the potential to create a buzz of excitement and interest for the entire downtown. Custom metal bees will “waggle” (a waggle is a movement performed by a honeybee at the hive or nest, to indicate to other bees the direction and distance of a source of food) through downtown as part of a scavenger/honey hunt. At each stop of the scavenger/honey hunt we would include fun facts about bees, and depending on the location, the historical significance. We envision groups “buzzing” around downtown searching for these bees. The “end” of the hunt will lead groups to a new art installation, envisioned as a kinetic piece where bees will be “swarming” around a hive near the baseball stadium, home of the Honey Hunters.
We are looking for around 8-12 bees to start with the potential to grow, at least 3 inches in length but we are open for interpretation and the ending sculpture should connect and coordinate the bees to their final location. Metal bees should be able to be moved over time to different locations. We believe it’s important to recognize where we came from in order to see where we are headed and encourage you to use the nectar of your imagination when creating this project.
View the RFP here (PDF). The deadline to submit materials is Thursday, Sept. 30, 2021.
Photo by Antonella Pal from Pexels
SC Philharmonic accepting applications for two openings
Marketing/Communications + Education/Community Engagement positions open
APPLICATION DEADLINE: Friday, August 20, 2021
The SC Philharmonic is accepting applications for two full-time positions on its administrative staff.
The Columbia-based orchestra has been recognized lately for its leadership in incorporating virtual presentations (see #9) to stay connected to audiences during the pandemic. Just after performing a sold-out concert on a baseball diamond this month, they renewed Music Director Morihiko Nakahara’s contract through the 2024/2025 season. – Ed.
Marketing & Communications Director
The South Carolina Philharmonic seeks an experienced arts marketing and communications professional to continue the momentum achieved with recent advances in its communication strategies, with a goal to make symphonic music fresh and relevant to a broad, contemporary audience. The person who holds this post will work collaboratively with the music director and staff to advance the artistic vision of the organization.
Qualifications, Skills, and Attributes
- 5+ years’ experience in marketing at another non-profit organization, preferably in the arts-and-culture sector, demonstrating proficiency and success in managing subscription and single-ticket campaigns and organizational communications
- Bachelor’s degree in related field or equivalent
- Excellent verbal presentation and written communication skills
- Ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously, and to respond thoughtfully, calmly and with excellent judgment to shifting priorities and urgent situations
- Comfortable in a fast-paced, team-driven, results-oriented environment
- Commitment to providing world-class, patron-centric customer service in all patron interactions
- Proficiency in Microsoft Office suite, e-newsletter programs such as Mailchimp, and graphic design software such as InDesign and Illustrator
- Respect for and ability to maintain confidentiality of sensitive information
- Availability to work evenings and weekends as driven by events
- Click here to apply: https://www.scphilharmonic.com/meet-our-family/employment-opportunities/
Education & Community Engagement Director
The South Carolina Philharmonic seeks an experienced arts and education professional to lead its work in education, community outreach and lifelong learning to ensure meaningful and effective engagement in Columbia and throughout the Midlands. The orchestra is dedicated to expanding its work in these areas as part of its strategic plan and looks to reach and inspire audiences of all ages, and through a greater level of equity, diversity and inclusion. The person who holds this post will work collaboratively with the music director and staff to ensure that education and engagement programs are following the artistic vision of the organization.”
Qualifications, Skills, and Attributes
- 5+ years’ experience in arts education teaching and/or administration
- Strong knowledge of how to navigate the public school system
- Bachelor’s degree in related field or equivalent
- Excellent verbal presentation and written communication skills
- Ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously, and to respond thoughtfully, calmly and with excellent judgment to shifting priorities and urgent situations
- Comfortable in a fast-paced, results-oriented environment
- Proficiency in Microsoft Office suite and comfort with database software
- Respect for and ability to maintain confidentiality of sensitive information
- Availability to work evenings and weekends as driven by events
- Enthusiastic and Engaging personality with a knowledge and passion for music
- Click here to apply: https://www.scphilharmonic.com/meet-our-family/employment-opportunities/
Both positions have an application deadline of Friday, August 20, 2021
Three new positions open at SCAC
Arts learning, grants, and something new
APPLICATION DEADLINE: Friday, August 13, 2021 at 11:59 p.m. (all three)
The S.C. Arts Commission is hiring.
By now you have probably heard that South Carolina is making a massive investment in arts learning. With that will come increased demand for S.C. Arts Commission grants and other services. To ensure constituent service remains at a high level, applications are now being accepted for two positions serving grants and arts learning.
K12 Arts Education Coordinator
Coordinates and implements activities, research, and administrative duties for the Arts Commission’s K-12 initiatives including grants and direct programs. Working under supervision of the arts learning director, they play a vital role in working with constituents, grantees, schools, organizations, and partner entities. Provides consulting and technical assistance to constituents within assigned programmatic areas.
Assistant Grants Coordinator
Ensures accurate and efficient processing of grants from application to final report in a cloud-based grants management system. Serves as the initial point of contact for requests for grants information and customer service. Working under supervision of the deputy director, they serve as a member of the Arts Commission’s grants team and play a vital role in working with constituents, grantees, schools, organizations, and partner entities. Duties include grants office administration and grants processing.
Select works from the State Art Collection adorn the walls at the South Carolina Arts Commission.
Introducing Arts Industry
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.
Soon, arts industry will be added as a fourth key area.
Arts Industry Director
The agency envisions its first arts industry director as someone who designs, manages, and implements statewide programs for arts organizations, including local arts councils, nonprofits, businesses, and non-arts organizations serving as arts providers.
Working under supervision of the deputy director, they play a vital role in working with constituents, grantees, organizations, and partner agencies. Provide consulting and technical assistance to arts organizations, arts providers, and arts businesses within assigned programmatic areas. Chair the State Art Collection committee and manages the State Art Collection coordinator.
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, 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.
Grants Roundup: Deadlines for the Week of July 26
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.
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 FY22.
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.
- n/a
NEXT WEEK
- n/a
NEXT 30(ish) DAYS
- n/a
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.
- Accessibility Grants (apps to open for FY22 funding in July)
- Arts Project Support Grants (apps to open for FY22 funding in July)
- Arts Teacher Support Grants (formerly Teacher Standards Implementation Grants … apps to open for FY22 funding in August)
OPEN GRANT APPLICATIONS
- General Operating Support Grants – guidelines posted; new applicants’ applications accepted from Nov. 1, 2021*
- Operating Support for Small Organizations Grants – guidelines posted; new applicants’ applications accepted from Nov. 1, 2021*
*Only current operating support grantees are eligible for FY22 funding because of limited funding. Guidelines for FY23 funding will be available for new grantees at varying times; “Grants Roundup” will have the latest information.
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, Aug. 5, 11 a.m.: “What comes next after you have been awarded? Contract packets!”
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.
- Late October/Early November 2021: Operating Support New Applicants (registration TBA)
From The State: Sweetgrass basketry fighting for survival
A tradition in peril
Sweetgrass basketry intertwines with South Carolina heritage in the same way that the grasses come together to form the renowned finished product.
But for how much longer will it be part of the present?
Today, Caitlin Byrd of The State tries to get a grasp on the situation (subscription possibly required):
Also driving up the price of baskets is the increased development in the coastal region, which continues to cut off access to the very plants Black families use to make sweetgrass baskets. And then there’s the concern about time itself, as a generation of sewers worry that this craft, which can trace its origins to the 17th century, will not be carried on in the way it once was.
This traditional art form is no stranger to The Hub or the South Carolina Arts Commission.
- Sweetgrass basketmakers have been Jean Laney Harris Folk Heritage Award recipients many times since the first in 1990, and the most recent was in 2018. (The Folk Heritage Award is presented annually by the SCAC and its partner the University of South Carolina McKissick Museum.)
- A basket by Mary Jackson, one of the most decorated artisans, is included in the State Art Collection and is included in The State’s story.
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