State appropriates additional funds to SCAC for FY24
Recurring, non-recurring funding included
Official Statement from the S.C. Arts Commission
“With this year’s budget, state leaders in the executive and legislative branches are once again signaling that they support arts and creativity in South Carolina as vehicles of progress. The South Carolina Arts Commission’s portion of the state budget will serve residents young and old, in schools, in downtowns, in suburbs, and—critically—in rural areas. We are thankful for their support of our mission and work.”
Executive Director David T. Platts
Today, Governor Henry McMaster signed the state budget approved last week by the House and Senate.
The FY24 budget’s journey includes trips through the House, the Senate, a conference committee, the House again, the Senate again, and finally the governor’s desk.
Because of legislative support, $1 million in new money will come to the South Carolina Arts Commission primarily for arts learning grantmaking efforts across the state for a total of around $13 million in state appropriations. When joined with federal appropriations by way of the National Endowment for the Arts and ARP/ESSER funding, and some other funding, the SCAC’s FY24 operating budget will be around $27 million.
The new funding includes:
- $1 million increase in recurring funds for arts learning grants and programs
- $1.5 million of one-time funding for grants and programs
- $250,000 in one-time funding to grow and upgrade the SCAC’s physical space as it prepares to open the Spearman Center for Arts Innovation.
The new fiscal year begins July 1, and the SCAC’s grantmaking operations will resume soon thereafter to promote equitable access to the arts and support the cultivation of creativity in South Carolina. As grant categories open, count on The Hub and SCAC social media channels (@scartscomm) to keep you up-to-date.
RECURRING FUNDS
The SCAC is receiving $1 million in new recurring funds to grow and sustain critical arts learning programs.
In FY22, the SCAC began a three-year partnership with the Department of Education that resulted in the Arts Grow SC partnership. Through ARP/ESSER III (Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief) funding, this $20 million partnership creates programming, using the arts, to focus on: learning loss, after-school learning, and summer learning.
“In the years following the COVID-19 pandemic, ARP/ESSER funds have been used to support arts learning strategies in schools and districts throughout the state. Arts Grow SC, which follows a collective impact model to achieve its goals, was developed to provide an infrastructure to this important work. These additional state funds are a vital component of Arts Grow SC’s sustainability moving forward,” SCAC Deputy Director and Arts Grow SC Executive Director Ashley Brown said.
Looking ahead to FY2024: With two of three years of funding complete, a recurring funding increase will allow SCAC and Arts Grow SC to work toward sustainability of:
- needed grants to teachers, schools/districts, early childhood education providers, and community organizations;
- direct programming from local, regional, and statewide partners to teachers, administrators, students, and families;
- and staff service that provides professional development, statewide communication, and a statewide educator resource network.
ONE-TIME (NON-RECURRING) FUNDS
- The SCAC is receiving $1.5 million in non-recurring funds to augment statewide arts services like grants and agency programs to serve residents.
- Further, the SCAC is receiving its initial request of $250,000 in nonrecurring funds to outfit a newly-renovated space that, when opened, will be called the Spearman Center for Arts Innovation and house Arts Grow SC.
Arts Grow SC-fueled growth led to staff expansion to manage new programming. SCAC retained additional office space for new staff and to offer Arts Grow SC workshops and programming. Named for former music teacher and state Superintendent of Education Molly Spearman, the Spearman Center will provide space for:
- direct programs
- professional learning
- events
- resource distribution
- exhibitions
The South Carolina Arts Commission is the only state organization charged with supporting and providing leadership for the arts statewide.
It works to ensure that all South Carolina citizens and visitors benefit from diverse opportunities for rewarding arts experiences, with emphasis on rural, high poverty and minority communities.
In FY22, the SCAC awarded $11.9 million through 550 grants to support community arts activities, artists and school-based arts programs, and emergency relief around the state.
- Arts Emergency Relief Grants: $2.8 million of CARES Act funding through 103 grants
- Annual Grants: $9.15 million through 447 grants
Click map to enlarge
While some SCAC funding comes from the federal government by way of a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts, the bulk of it comes from state appropriations in the annual state budget.
