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Arts orgs: Need some last-minute funding?

Last call for Arts Project Support grants

APPLICATION DEADLINE: Monday, March 6, 2023 at 11:59 p.m. ET [caption id="attachment_52659" align="aligncenter" width="950"]A white male mini-brick figurine with black hair, a black necktie and vest sits with a grimace on his face at a mini-brick desk with computer purchased with SCAC Arts Project Support grant funding. Tell them you bought it with Arts Project Support funding![/caption]

Hey, arts orgs! Fret not!

Arts Project Support grants can support your organization’s quality arts project or program or commitment to improve. Among other things, the APS grant can be used:
  • to build and/or increase technical, online, or virtual capacity;
  • for community arts development;
  • and for career advancement and/or professional development for artists and arts administration staff.
You can also buy furniture or equipment like our friend in the banner image! Don't delay. These grants offer a simplified application, but time is running out. The deadline to apply for FY23 funding is Monday, March 6 at 11:59 p.m. ET. (Psssst: Individual artists are also eligible for arts project support grant funding.)
Image by www_slon_pics from Pixabay

Jason Rapp

Grants Roundup is back for FY23!

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*, "Grants Roundup" highlights:

  1. what grants are due that week, then what's due later (in increments) before
  2. providing a rundown on open grant opportunities and then
  3. upcoming grants coaching sessions.

*The Roundup might run on Tuesdays when state holidays occur on a Monday.

We're back for FY23!

Summer's over, folks. As of today, three rolling grant categories are now open for FY23: Accessibility, Arts Project Support, and School Arts Support. Links to guidelines, where you can learn more and begin an application, are below. Additional categories will open throughout the year for grants in FY23 and FY24. 


SCAC 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 FY23.

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

OPEN ROLLING/MONTHLY DEADLINE GRANT APPLICATIONS

These grants offer convenient deadlines, but you are advised to apply at least six weeks before your project for some. Always consult the guidelines for specific instructions.

*The deadline to apply for FY23 funding is Monday, March 6, 2023.

MORE OPEN GRANT APPLICATIONS

  • n/a (for now)

Important Notes

  • Consult the SCAC grants page for up-to-date information on all grant deadlines (subject to change) and deadlines for non-grant programs.
  • Always read the grant guidelines in full.
  • 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 and program directors! Monthly topical sessions are held the first Thursday of every month. Up next is...

  • Next call TBA

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 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and Wednesdays from 2-4:30 p.m. Advance registration required. Visit the Grants Coaching page for further information and registration links.

OPEN COACHING CALLS FOR ARTIST GRANTS

Deputy 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.

  • Next call TBA

SCAC grants experts are here to help!

Meet the experts serving you on the SCAC Grants Team. Need assistance? Send an email to grants@arts.sc.gov!

[gallery link="none" ids="49618,50805,49617"]

Jason Rapp

Grants Roundup: Deadlines for the Week of April 11

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*, "Grants Roundup" highlights:

  1. what grants are due that week and then includes what's coming later in increments before
  2. providing a rundown on open grant opportunities and then
  3. upcoming grants coaching sessions.

*The Roundup might run on Tuesdays when state holidays occur on a Monday.


Note to readers

This is the final "Grants Roundup" for FY22. After this week there will no longer be any grants in non-restricted categories open until FY23 begins on July 1. The Roundup will begin a brief hiatus and will resume updating you in July. We do hope you will continue stopping by The Hub for the latest in #SCartists and #Arts4SC news!

Image by Uwe Kern from Pixabay

SCAC 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.

NEXT WEEK

  • n/a

NEXT 30(ish) DAYS

  • n/a

OPEN ROLLING/MONTHLY DEADLINE GRANT APPLICATIONS

These grants offer convenient deadlines, but you are advised to apply at least six weeks before your project for some. Always consult the guidelines for specific instructions.

*The deadline to apply for FY22 funding is April 15, 2022.

MORE OPEN GRANT APPLICATIONS

  • Only restricted-category grants are currently open.

Important Notes

  • Consult the SCAC grants page for up-to-date information on all grant deadlines (subject to change) and deadlines for non-grant programs.
  • Always read the grant guidelines in full.
  • 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 and program directors! Monthly topical sessions are held the first Thursday of every month. Up next is...

  • Next call TBA

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 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and Wednesdays from 2-4:30 p.m. Advance registration required. Visit the Grants Coaching page for further information and registration links.

OPEN COACHING CALLS FOR ARTIST 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.

  • Next call TBA

Your Grants Experts

Meet the experts serving you on the SCAC Grants Team. Need assistance? Send an email to grants@arts.sc.gov!

[gallery columns="2" link="none" ids="49618,49617"]

Jason Rapp

Money available now for artistic improvement

Quick-turn resource for #SCartists, arts orgs

Did you resolve to do something new in ’22? How about something better or bigger?

The South Carolina Arts Commission wants to start your year with a quick infusion of funds to support artistic improvement. Funding is available now to fund arts projects and programs, build capacity, or better equip artists or arts organization staff. The SCAC allocated $75,000 for its Arts Project Support (APS) Grants this fiscal year. Halfway through it, most of the money remains available. Here’s how this multi-tool of a grant can help #SCartists and arts organizations.

Uses

As their name implies, these grants can fund an artist’s or organization’s arts-based project*. Columbia fiber artist Flavia Lovatelli used hers to reach—and be honored at—the prestigious Philadephia Museum of Art Craft Show late last year. Other examples, from FY21, are here. Grant funds must be used for actual project costs, defined as consumable and non-consumable items needed to complete the proposed project (including, but not limited to):
  • Technical, online, or virtual capacity building (e.g., website development, technical support)
  • Equipment (e.g., kilns, lighting or sound equipment, musical instruments, storage)
  • Furniture (e.g., easels, music stands)
  • Professional services (e.g., performance space rental, web designer, consultant fees)
  • Professional development (e.g., conference or membership fees)
#SCartists can also use funding for workshops or residencies!

Deadline and funding

  • APS Grants feature convenient rolling deadlines. However, for FY22 funding, you must apply on or before April 15, 2022.
  • Additionally, please note applications will only accepted until funding is exhausted. Act now!
  • Up to $2,500 is available from up to two APS grant awards!

Some caveats

APS grants are designed for convenience and accessibility. The application is simpler for ease of use, and the rolling deadlines allow for faster decisions on funding. So make 2022 your year with the SCAC’s help. For questions, here’s whom to contact:

Jason Rapp

#SCartists get some Brotherly Love

Four accepted to Philadelphia Museum of Art Craft Show


Fine contemporary craft is back in Philadelphia (and, helpfully, online), just in time for the holiday season.

[caption id="attachment_48293" align="alignright" width="249"] Click flyer to enlarge.[/caption] The 45th annual Philadelphia Museum of Art Craft Show runs in-person and online Nov. 5-7, 2021 after a preview event Nov. 4. Presenting the talents of 195 juried artists, attendees will have the opportunity to shop both on-site and online. The in-person preview party will include an awards ceremony, and there will be virtual artist talks throughout the weekend. Four #SCartists are being welcomed to the show: Lovatelli received an Arts Project Support Grant from the SCAC for this exhibition among others in prior years. Lenz is also recent SCAC grantee.
If you happen to be in the area enjoying autumn in a beautiful and culturally vibrant city, or you can take off on a whim, the organizers of the PMA Craft Show are looking forward to bringing a safe and welcoming weekend to all who attend. In accordance with the latest safety guidelines, masks and proof of vaccination are required to enter the PMA Craft Show, held at the Pennsylvania Convention Center (1101 Arch St., Philadelphia, PA 19107). For those not able to attend in person, the artists will also have an online presence where attendees can shop from the comfort of their home no matter where they live across the country. Furniture makers Rob Spiece & Larissa Huff of Lohr Woodworking are getting ready. “We were thrilled to be accepted as first-time exhibitors at the online 2020 PMA Craft Show,” Spiece said. “When we won the Wharton Esherick Prize for Excellence in Wood, it was our first-ever prize and brought us immense joy during the challenging year we all faced.” Huff added, “We find inspiration in Wharton Esherick and to receive an award like this at such a prestigious event as the PMA Craft Show was an honor in every way. We’re really looking forward to bringing our work to the Convention Center and experiencing the show in person this year.” Philadelphia is highly regarded for museum-quality contemporary craft and design, and the PMA Craft Show is one of the city’s premier events. Each November, 195 fine craft artists showcase their work in categories including ceramics, furniture, jewelry, fiber, wood, metal, emerging artists, and more. Now in its 45th year, The Craft Show, presented by The Women’s Committee of the Philadelphia Museum of Art, has raised more than $13.5 million over its history. As the museum’s largest single fundraiser, funds help support museum initiatives, including education, art and fine craft acquisitions, state-of-the-art equipment, and special exhibitions. The Craft Show Committee is dedicated to helping the artists. The public is encouraged to follow Craft Show artists via their social media and websites. Follow @pmacraftshow across social media channels and search #pmacraftshow to help locate artists and their work. To learn more about the Craft Show and to purchase advance tickets for the in-person show, visit www.pmacraftshow.org.

Jason Rapp

Coastal Community Foundation of S.C. furthers SCAC grantmaking

Getting by with a little help from our friends

Coastal Community Foundation of South Carolina

"Though not the only way, grants are among the main ways the SCAC accomplishes its work."

Savvy and/or loyal Hub readers should recognize that sentence as the opening line of the weekly "Grants Roundup" feature from Monday mornings. But did you know that grants from the South Carolina Arts Commission are made possible, except in either infrequent or limited circumstances, by public funding appropriated by the state General Assembly? One exception to that is the regular generous support of the John & Susan Bennett Memorial Arts Fund of the Coastal Community Foundation of South Carolina. In FY21, which marked 17 consecutive years of awards, the fund provided $33,197 to support the SCAC's efforts in subgranting to local arts organizations throughout the state and funding arts projects by individual #SCartists in select counties. Not all of the artists and projects listed below were directly funded by the John & Susan Bennett Memorial Arts Fund, but including them all could inspire another artist with a project in mind for which they might need a little help. So let's take a look at what artists, sorted by county, were up to in recently closed FY21 thanks to the SCAC's Arts Project Support Grants, funded in part by the John & Susan Bennett Memorial Arts Fund of CCF. (Ed. note: Expect a formal wrap on FY21 to come later this month.)

Julie Hamer | Anderson County

Ceramic artist Julie Hamer upgraded her current kiln and purchased a second pottery wheel with this grant funding. The new equipment allowed her to teach more students and increased her capacity to keep producing her own work while providing facilities for students to complete their projects. During the grant period, she taught in person and online, in group classes as well as private lessons. The second wheel also allowed her to provide demonstrations and introductory throwing opportunities at art events in the area. Her students ranged in age from six to 75, including multiple people who had never had the opportunity to learn pottery and have now gotten experience throwing on a wheel and creating their own works of art. One 75-year-old woman shared that she had wanted to try art her whole life, and Hamer’s pottery class was the very first class ever; now that she has tried it, she wants to do it for the rest of her life. The artist helped multiple students find resources to continue their pottery work, from setting up their own home studios to connecting with established local studios to allowing them to fire their work in her upgraded kiln.

Terrance Washington | Barnwell County

The funding supported artist Terrance Washington’s mobile exhibition of The Lucidity Collection, eight paintings utilizing imagery to evoke thought and conversation, internally or outspoken, colored by aesthetic relevancy of our present condition. The exhibit included live performances by singers and musicians to further elicit emotion and thought along with the visual works. The Lucidity Collection traveled to five different communities (Walterboro, Columbia, Blackville, Aiken, and Hampton) and continues to travel around South Carolina. The mobility of the exhibit allows it to be shown in rural locations without galleries, often in spaces that have other functions such as church halls and conference rooms. The artist reported experiencing professional growth as an artist and inspiring thought within each community.

Bhakti Hough | Lee County

“Jazzy Poetic: The South Carolina Jazz & Poetry Connection – Music and Words for Healing the Nation” was a virtual program featuring poets sharing their thoughts about poetry and reading or reciting from their works. The poets were former SC Poet Laureate Marjory Heath Wentworth; Columbia, SC, Poet Laureate Ed Madden; Len Lawson; and Felton Eaddy. The poets shared their works and explained how they think engaging poetry as reader, listener, or writer can help to ease anxiety and provide hope during the current public health crisis. The event also featured video and audio presentations of Bhakti Larry Hough and the Bhakti Project jazz combo reciting original poetry that paid tribute to other poets, the poetry of Claude McKay, and performing jazz poetry and the music of South Carolina native John Birks "Dizzy" Gillespie. The project showcased some of the literary and musical artistry to which South Carolina lays claim, raising awareness of the kind and level of jazz and poetry performance that can be produced in local communities, some of which often “flies beneath the arts radar.”

Historic Marion Revitalization Association | Marion County

This project produced the first artistic mural in Marion, SC’s Historic District. A graphic designer was hired to create a "Greetings from Marion, SC" mural, in which photos of historic and significant places from around the area are rendered within the letters of “Marion” to look like a traditional postcard. The mural includes images of cotton fields, the Marion Museum, palmetto trees, tractors, the courthouse, and magnolia flowers. Artist Narzhio was hired to complete the mural in a little over two weeks. The project is paving the way for more art to come to Marion by inspiring further art creation and conversation within the community. The initial goal of the mural was to provide some artistic content in a town that considered itself to have “a nonexistent art scene.” The positive feedback on the project has expanded to include discussion about the mural both on site and on social media, with memories being shared of what it was like in the "good ol' days" and people talking about their favorite part of the mural. The artist has been in talks with several local business owners about more work, and the association has been approached about bringing art to other buildings downtown.

Robert Matheson | Newberry County/Bamberg County

Newberry-based artist Robert Matheson is creating “A Different View of Bamberg County,” a short film designed to introduce viewers to the beauty and assets found in the four largest cities of Bamberg County: Denmark, Bamberg, Olar, and Erhardt. Matheson worked with Bamberg artist James Wilson to collect still photography and drone video footage showcasing community assets found throughout the county. The final product will include voice and music. The video will be distributed via YouTube and social media channels, and the work will be shared with local media outlets and statewide art networks.

Dr. Eunjung Choi | Orangeburg County

With the support of this grant funding, musician Eunjung Choi recorded Celebrating Women Composers, a CD of classical music for piano. The project highlighted classical women composers and their musical influences and impact on Dr. Choi’s professional artistry. The featured composers included Cécile Chaminade, Teresa Carreño, Fanny Mendelssohn, and Amy Beach. This project provided Dr. Choi an opportunity to grow as a professional artist through the exploration of women composers’ piano music. The completed CD can enhance the listeners’ knowledge of classical piano music of women composers with diverse cultural backgrounds.

Stephen Winkler | Orangeburg County

Stephen Winkler, graphic artist and CEO of 75 Flavas, showcased vinyl printing to children of all ages at Garden Oasis: Spring Seedling Day 2021 in Denmark, SC. After a demonstration to learn about heat transfers and t-shirt making, Parents and children produced their own unique shirts starting with the creation of their own vinyl design. Children also decorated raised garden beds in the park with precut vinyl numbers, letters, and flowers provided by the artist. The activities inspired the children to ask questions about starting their own graphic design businesses, and the artist was able to connect with a new community through the arts.

Bullets and Bandaids | Richland County

Bullets and Bandaids is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to further a living anthology of veterans, writers, and artists to celebrate our common humanity through a traveling art project spanning North and South Carolina. By giving veterans a platform to speak their truth, as well as an opportunity for civilians to take an active listening role, the program helps alleviate problems on an individual as well as communal level, covering issues like domestic violence, drug abuse, and suicidal ideation. The program also provides a venue for local artists, writers, and businesses to join in the celebration of their own potential in all the communities they impact. With this funding, the organization was able to set up workshops through Veterans Affairs in Columbia to teach creative nonfiction to veterans from multiple demographics; set up workshops through the Arken Media Group to teach veterans photography therapy; and collect stories from across the Carolinas through online linking through the VAs, as well as independent organizations like Brothers and Sisters Like These, the Charlotte Art League, and local VFWs. The organization continues to collect work by artists from South Carolina, create and edit voiceovers for veterans’ stories, create merchandise designs from veterans and artists, and connect with local writers to amplify veterans’ stories. In addition, this project resulted in three-time presidential advisor Henry Lozano joining the organization’s Board of Directors, providing greater connections within the veteran community and guidance and resources to a degree that was beyond their expectation at this point in their development.

Jason Rapp

Grants Roundup: Deadlines for the Week of March 1

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.

ICYMI: Arts Emergency Relief Grants from the SCAC reopen (for individual artists) on March 8


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 FY21.

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.

NEXT WEEK

  • n/a

NEXT 30(ish) DAYS

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.

These S.C. Arts Commission rolling deadline grant programs are temporarily suspended to focus our efforts on supporting grantees during the COVID-19 pandemic.

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, March 4, 11 a.m.: (change) Operating Support Final Payments
  • Thursday, April 1, 11 a.m.: Filing Final Reports

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.

  • Arts in Basic Curriculum Grants Final Reports/Applicant Coaching: Thursday, April 1, 3;30 p.m. The Grants Team will be joined by our Specialist for Arts Organizations & Education for an overview of the ABC Advancement Grant FY21 Final Report and FY22 grant application. Includes Q&A. Register for Zoom session by clicking here

Jason Rapp

Grants Roundup: Deadlines for the Week of February 22

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 FY21.

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

NEXT 30(ish) DAYS

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.

These S.C. Arts Commission rolling deadline grant programs are temporarily suspended to focus our efforts on supporting grantees during the COVID-19 pandemic.

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, March 4, 11 a.m.: (change) Operating Support Final Payments
  • Thursday, April 1, 11 a.m.: Filing Final Reports

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.

  • Arts in Basic Curriculum Grants Final Reports/Applicant Coaching: Thursday, April 1, 3;30 p.m.
    The Grants Team will be joined by our Specialist for Arts Organizations & Education for an overview of the ABC Advancement Grant FY21 Final Report and FY22 grant application. Includes Q&A. Register for Zoom session by clicking here

Jason Rapp

S.C. Arts Commission grants eclipsed $5.5 million in FY20

Emergency relief assisted 346 artists and arts organizations

Grants distributed in 44 counties


For Immediate Release

COLUMBIA, S.C. – In recently completed FY2020, South Carolina Arts Commission grants totaling $5.59 million went out into state communities to assist 835 artists and providers of arts and arts education.

While this represents a rise of more than $1.1 million and 377 grants over FY2019, it is important to note that extenuating circumstances render comparisons difficult. Fourth-quarter Arts Emergency Relief grants in 2020 pushed its overall numbers up. Additional funding from the state general assembly nudged the non-relief grant totals higher than FY2019 by just less than $685,000 with 489 grants awards versus 458. A new impact map available on the South Carolina Arts Commission (SCAC) website provides visual representation of the statewide impact of agency grants (and their related programs).

Arts Emergency Relief was a factor

Arts Emergency Relief grants, announced in April, added $506,736 to FY2020 totals. Those provided support funding to arts organizations and artists who could prove losses from shutdowns caused by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. A portion of CARES Act funding was granted to the National Endowment for the Arts for distribution in part to state arts agencies like the SCAC. The subgranted funding was designated solely to provide relief to arts organizations. The SCAC made 177 grants totaling $381,636 to South Carolina arts organizations as a result, helping those groups to offset losses and help keep them operating. Additional relief funding was provided by the South Carolina Arts Foundation. A separate entity that supports the SCAC, the foundation raised money through a spring fundraising drive that contributed around $50,000 of the $125,100 the SCAC spread among 168 individual artists. Both arts organizations and individual artists continue to suffer losses because of the pandemic’s prolonged effects and find themselves in need of additional relief. A recent Brookings Institution study estimated losses in South Carolina’s arts and creative sectors of $1.2 billion.

It was still a big year

The SCAC’s normal grant categories experienced a big year. Grants that provided funding support to the SCAC’s three service areas of arts education, artist development, and community arts development increased to nearly $5.1 million in FY2020. Grants were made in 44 of 46 counties, and one out-of-state grant covered programmatic obligations to South Arts, a regional arts organization and frequent partner in the SCAC’s work. One big factor was the January introduction of School Art Materials grants. This new grant provided one-time money for arts teachers to purchase supplies and other needed materials to assist them in providing quality arts education. There were 63 grants awarded totaling $396,000. The largest single grant category remained General Operating Support, which enable arts organizations across the state to provide arts experiences to residents and visitors alike. $1.9 million was distributed among 129 such organizations. Another $112,000 was awarded in operating support to smaller arts organizations. While the majority of the SCAC’s funding comes from state appropriations, it is grateful for additional generous funding support from the Coastal Community Foundation (CCF) and the John and Susan Bennett Memorial Arts Fund of CCF. Funding from those sources is applied to two SCAC grant categories: Subgranting and Arts Project Support.
  • Partnering arts agencies in South Carolina receive grants they may subgrant to artists and arts organizations in the communities they serve. CCF support helped seven awards in the category total $70,000 in FY2020.
  • A grant from the John & Susan Bennett Memorial Arts Fund of CCF helped the SCAC fund arts projects for artists (14) and arts organization (18) in 12 counties totaling around $30,000.
As of the start of FY2021 on July 1, 2020, the state is operating under a continuing resolution that holds its budget at FY2020 levels until January, when lawmakers expect to have a clearer picture of the effect of the pandemic on the state’s finances. The SCAC is working to ensure that state lawmakers are aware of losses suffered by arts providers and practitioners while we wait for the budget to be resolved.
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. 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, S.C., the Arts Commission is funded by the state of South Carolina, by the federal government through the National Endowment for the Arts and other sources. For more information, visit SouthCarolinaArts.com or call 803.734.8696.

Jason Rapp

Grants Roundup: Deadlines for the Week of Dec. 30

Though far from the only thing, grants are among the main things we do here. Because of their importance in our work, 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 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.


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)

Rolling Deadlines

Important Notes