SCAC leads Arts Industrial Revolution
New grants for arts leadership development, rural libraries
- Emerging Arts Leaders
- Rural Libraries Public Engagement
An Arts Industrial Revolution is in the making in South Carolina.
The SCAC jump-started an Arts Industry as an area of focus last year when La Ruchala Murphy (right) returned to the agency to lead those efforts. La Ruchala has experience in a) rural community outreach and b) helping arts organizations build capacity to greater serve their audiences. Additional funding from the state General Assembly in June was the final widget necessary to get this machine running, and now it’s cranking out grants. A full-blown revolution is underway!
It is, most assuredly, devoid of smokestacks. There are no assembly lines or dangerous conditions, either. As before, it will increase capacity and economic activity. But this time people, not products, are the focus—whether building them up or serving them where they are.
Rural libraries, this one’s for you
Our (seriously cool) new Rural Libraries Public Engagement grant is bound to get you dreaming up new ways to engage with your local communities.
This rolling grant of up to $2,500 is intended to nurture partnerships between libraries and artists of all kinds for artistic and cultural activities. With a huge array of options from festivals to performances, workshops to residencies, these grants will add sparkle to your cultural calendar.
As the name suggests, it is open only to public libraries public library authorities, network of public library authorities, or organizations managing a public library authority in select counties. It can be used to fund public engagement activities involving any of the following artforms: dance, music, opera, musical theatre, theatre, visual arts, design arts (architecture, fashion, graphic, industrial, or interior), crafts, photography, media arts, literature, playwriting/screenwriting, media productions, spoken word/slam poetry, time-based art (installation, sound, experimental film, video art, computer-based technology, or performance art), and/or folklife/traditional arts.
Visit the Rural Libraries Public Engagement grant guidelines for all eligibility details and more info. The deadline is rolling until March 6, 2023.
Building capacity at arts organizations
Yesterday, the SCAC posted guidelines for a new grant that’s goal is to strengthen and nurture emerging arts leaders and their organizations.
The Emerging Art Leaders grant is a leadership-and capacity-building initiative that will provide resources, training, and support for emerging leaders and the boards of arts nonprofits to build sustainability, capacity, equity, and partnerships in South Carolina. It will:
- support professional growth and leadership training in the arts
- strengthen the small organizations’ operational capacity
- develop and strengthen South Carolina’s Arts Industry workforce
This grant is open to non-profit organizations with a budget of $500,000 or less whose executive leader has been in any executive role for less than five (5) years. Special consideration will be given to arts organizations who have experienced ongoing hardship and have been unable to continue their professional development and to organizations in underserved communities.
Those interested in applying must first submit a letter of intent between Monday, Oct. 17 and Tuesday, Nov. 15, 2023. A full application will then be due from those invited to apply based on their letters.
Visit the Emerging Arts Leaders grant guidelines for all details.
