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Tuesday was a big day for grant announcements

S.C. arts orgs, one artist benefit from NEA, South Arts funding

Within hours of each other yesterday, the National Endowment for the Arts and regional arts organization South Arts made their first 2023 grant announcements that will find an artist and several arts organizations in South Carolina.

The NEA went first, announcing more than $34 million in funding to support the arts nationwide. This is the first of the NEA’s two major grant announcements each fiscal year and includes grants to organizations through the NEA’s Grants for Arts Projects, Challenge America, and Research Awards categories. This announcement also includes grants to individuals for Literature Fellowships in creative writing (poetry) and translation. Evelyn Berry, a writer from Aiken, was among those latter awards, getting a creative writing fellowship of $25,000. Additional grants awarded in South Carolina include:
  • Coker University in Hartsville (Grants for Arts Projects - Presenting & Multidisciplinary Works; $10,000)
  • Colour of Music, Inc. in Mount Pleasant (Grants for Arts Projects - Music; $10,000)
  • Hub City Writers Project in Spartanburg (Grants for Arts Projects - Literary Arts; $35,000)
  • Puppetry Arts Theatre in Charleston (aka Tuffy Tiger Productions) in Ravenel (Challenge America; $10,000)
  • Spoleto Festival USA in Charleston (Grants for Arts Projects - Presenting & Multidisciplinary Works; $10,000)
  • Trustus, Inc. in Columbia (Grants for Arts Projects - Theatre; $10,000)
  • Warehouse Theatre (aka Greenville Community Warehouse Theatre) in Greenville (Challenge America; $10,000)
“Together, these grants show the NEA’s support nationwide for strengthening our arts and cultural ecosystems, providing equitable opportunities for arts participation and practice, and contributing to the health of our communities and our economy,” said NEA Chair Maria Rosario Jackson, PhD. “I encourage everyone to explore these projects and the ways they help provide inspiration, understanding, and opportunities for us to live more artful lives.” The full list of recommended grants is available in a state-by-state listing and organized by grant category/discipline. Additional information about the projects can be found using the NEA’s Grant Search.
By afternoon, it was South Arts' turn, making (rightful) hay over 16 new Cross-Sector Impact Grant recipients for 2023. These organizations are each receiving up to $15,000 to support "arts and..." projects developed by partners—one arts organization or artist, and one non-arts organization—harnessing the power of collaboration. Vaughn Newman Dance of Greenville is the lone South Carolina recipient. Cross-Sector Impact Grants are offered each year as part of South Arts' portfolio of programming to support artists, arts organizations, and communities across the south. These projects support collaborative efforts that connect the arts with non-arts aspects of local communities.
Got arts news? Remember to submit it to The Hub! Got arts events? Listings are free on the only statewide arts calendar—Arts Daily!

Jason Rapp

Coker University call for artists: 2020-2021 season

Submission deadline: Oct. 31, 2019

The Cecelia Coker Bell Gallery is reviewing applications for four solo exhibitions for the 2020/2021 season. Upload 15 images, image list, and CV to Dropbox.com and share folder with artgallery@coker.edu or send materials to: Renny Prince Coker University Art Dept. 300 East College Ave. Hartsville, SC 29550 Gallery provides $300 towards shipping and $200 for a gallery talk. Deadline is Oct. 31, 2019. E-mail notifications will be sent out by early January. [caption id="attachment_34666" align="aligncenter" width="563"] The world-famous Hub Calls for Art Megaphone.[/caption]

Submitted material

South Arts awards $27,000 among seven S.C. arts groups

South Arts, a nonprofit regional arts organization, has awarded 68 grants totaling $276,949 to arts organization throughout the South. South ArtsThese funds, made possible through partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts, support the presentation of touring performing and literary artists in public performances and readings along with educational activities throughout Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee.

“These funds represent a major step for our organization in pursuit of our newly revised mission statement and strategic plan,” said executive director Susie Surkamer (former executive director of the S.C. Arts Commission. - Ed.) “We have refocused our grantmaking guidelines to primarily support Southern artists on tour throughout our communities. The talent and artistry created within our nine states is immense, and deserves to be shared.”

Organizations applied for consideration, making cases for the artistic merit of the proposed artists and the ability to develop audiences. An external panel of arts professionals reviewed each application for funding consideration. The grants must be matched at least dollar for dollar by the recipient organization. These grants represent multiple initiatives by South Arts. Performing Arts Touring grants support engagements of guest Southern artists (theatre, music, opera, musical theatre, and dance) from outside of the presenter’s state. Literary Arts Touring grants support engagements of guest Southern writers (fiction, creative nonfiction, and poetry) from outside the presenter’s state. Launchpad grants are part of a year-long professional development program for presenters new to the field, and include the opportunity to present artists from an adjudicated roster. Dance Touring Initiative funds are part of an ongoing capacity-building program developing audiences for modern dance and contemporary ballet throughout the region. “We are so proud to support tours of diverse, talented artists representing the breadth of our region,” continued Surkamer. “Some of the highlights this year include Ranky Tanky, based in coastal South Carolina, blending their Gullah heritage with influences of jazz and funk. Rosie Herrera Dance Theater of Miami is one of the nation’s leading contemporary ballet companies, effortlessly working across genres including hip hop, dance theater, and cabaret. Poet Jericho Brown, an associate professor Emory University in Atlanta, is a leading voice with verses exploring race, masculinity, and community.” Applications for South Arts touring grants for nonprofit and governmental organizations in the nine-state region open in the fall each year with deadlines in March and May. Additional information and a full listing of grant recipients is available at www.southarts.org.

About South Arts

South Arts advances Southern vitality through the arts. The nonprofit regional arts organization was founded in 1975 to build on the South’s unique heritage and enhance the public value of the arts. South Arts’ work responds to the arts environment and cultural trends with a regional perspective. South Arts offers an annual portfolio of activities designed to support the success of artists and arts providers in the South, address the needs of Southern communities through impactful arts-based programs, and celebrate the excellence, innovation, value and power of the arts of the South. For more information, visit www.southarts.org.

South Carolina's recipients

  • City of Charleston Office of Cultural Affairs (Charleston) received a $5,800 grant as part of the Dance Touring Initiative.
  • City of Charleston Office of Cultural Affairs (Charleston) received a $2,354 Literary Arts Touring grant to present P. Scott Cunningham in October 2018.
  • Midlands Technical College (Columbia) received a $5,800 grant as part of the Dance Touring Initiative.
  • Southern Guitar Festival and Competition (Columbia) received a $878 Performing Arts Touring grant to present Jay Kacherski in June 2019.
  • Coker College (Hartsville) received a $5,800 grant as part of the Dance Touring Initiative.
  • Arts Center of Coastal Carolina (Hilton Head) received a $5,569 Performing Arts Touring grant to present Ballet Memphis in January 2019.
  • Wits End Poetry (Greenville) received a $890 Literary Arts Touring grant to present Asia Samson & Daryl Funn in September 2018.

Submitted material

Coker College’s Cecelia Coker Bell Gallery call for artists

The Cecelia Coker Bell Gallery on Coker College's campus in Hartsville, S.C., is reviewing applications for five solo exhibitions for the 2017/18 season. Coker College uses the Cecelia Coker Bell Gallery to broaden students’ exposure to artists with regional, national, and international reputations. Interest in the exhibition program extends beyond the college community and public participation is encouraged for all exhibitions and artists’ presentations. Artists from France, Australia, Canada, Germany, Japan, the Netherlands, Peru, Portugal, South Africa, and all regions of the United States have exhibited in the gallery. Coker’s exhibition review committee selects thought-provoking art that challenges and inspires. With this in mind, the review committee looks for innovative works of art by artists who desire exposure in an academic setting. The gallery provides $300 towards shipping and $200 for a gallery talk. Deadline to apply is Oct. 31, 2016. E-mail notifications will be sent out by mid-December. Find how to apply online. Via: Coker College      

Hartsville’s Coker College to offer state’s only BFA program for dance

Coker College in Hartsville, S.C., will launch a new Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in dance for Fall 2014.  The new degree, which will be offered in addition to the current Bachelor of Arts program and dance minor, will make Coker the only school in South Carolina with a BFA program for dance. “The establishment of a BFA in dance at Coker affords us the opportunity to leverage the rigor already in our program, along with the talents and skills of our faculty, to provide an exceptional course of study for current and future students,” said Coker College Provost Tracy Parkinson. With nearly twice the amount of required credit hours, the BFA will be a more rigorous degree than the BA. Three specialized degree tracks will help students hone and polish their raw skills, while personalized, professional training will give BFA students even more opportunities to choreograph and perform—all while fostering close ties with faculty and other students. “I am very excited that Coker is now offering this degree,” said Angela M. Gallo, associate professor of dance and coordinator of the dance program.  “This will give our students a tremendous opportunity. We are also happy to be starting the K-12 certification in dance, as it will fill a void in this area of the state.” Approved by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, Coker’s program will offer three specialized degree tracks: Performance and Choreography, Dance/Movement Therapies and Dance Education (with K-12 certification to begin Fall 2015). The selection of an emphasis area allows the dance major to tailor the BFA program to his or her personal career goals. Students are required to audition for the BFA program and can apply online at coker.edu/apply-now. For more information, contact Angela M. Gallo at (843) 383-8381 or agallo@coker.edu. Images: Coker College The dance major at Coker College offers students a broad range of courses that prepare them for several career options in dance and provides opportunities for students to enter into advanced professional dance training.  The mission of the dance program, within the context of a liberal arts degree program, ensures graduates are prepared both for performance-related work and for additional study at the graduate level. Via: Coker College

Cecelia Coker Bell Gallery accepting entries for solo exhibitions

Coker College’s Cecelia Coker Bell Gallery in Hartsville, S.C., is welcoming entries for its annual review for solo exhibitions. The review committee seeks art in all media that is both visually and intellectually compelling. Regional, national and international entries are accepted. The review committee will choose five artists for solo exhibitions for the 2014/2015-season. There are no fees for entry, and some compensation will be provided for shipping, plus an honorarium for gallery talks. Entry deadline is October 25. The complete prospectus is online at www.ceceliacokerbellgallery.com. Jin Man Jo The Cecelia Coker Bell Gallery has been exhibiting visiting artists, student, and faculty shows since 1983 and is located in Gladys C. Fort Art Building, on the Coker College Campus, at 300 East College Ave., in Hartsville, S.C. Images: work by Laura Carpenter Truitt, top, and Jin Man Jo, above. Via: Cecelia Coker Bell Gallery  

Artist Jean Grosser’s work in new exhibition at Freedom Rides Museum

Six pieces in Coker College art professor and department chair Jean Grosser's "Transforming Hate: Freedom Riders" series will be included in a new exhibit that opens this month at the Freedom Rides Museum in Montgomery, Ala.
The new exhibit, "The Road to Equality, 2013," pairs freedom riders' 1961 mug shots with recent photographs and memories and includes a number of photographs of freedom riders taken by Eric Etheridge as part of his book, "Breach of Peace." Jean Grosser, Joseph Carter, Age 22"When I decided to include these mug shots in my artwork, I was so struck by how young these students were and what an impact they had on the future of our country," said Grosser.  "It made me think of my own students, who have the same potential to affect change in society. As a teacher, I want to nurture my students' desire to change the world for the better." The opening this month coincides with the 52nd anniversary of the arrival of freedom riders to the Montgomery Greyhound bus station.  Project organizers, the Alabama Historical Commission and the Alabama State Council on the Arts, intend for the exhibit to extend the award-winning work already completed on the building's exterior to both tell the story and convey importance of the 1961 freedom rides. On May 20, 1961, 21 students arrived at Montgomery's Greyhound bus station in hopes of compelling the government to enforce U.S. Supreme Court decisions outlawing segregated transportation seating and facilities. Mob violence met the interracial student group and led the Kennedy administration to issue a sweeping ruling that effectively ended segregation in interstate bus, train and air transportation. To this day the freedom rides represent, for many, a turning point in our national history and highlight the power of nonviolent protests. Grosser was one of 15 artists selected from many who responded to a national call to create artworks for the Freedom Rides Museum opening. Each of Grosser's six pieces is a "book" that opens and shuts and features the Mississippi mug shot of a freedom rider who passed through Montgomery.  Racist and hate language cut from books published in the 1970s is laminated on the exterior.  Inside, a frontal mug shot shows the young rider and on the opposing page is a solid black silhouette of the side shot. The set includes male and female and black and white riders.  Each of these riders came through Montgomery in May or June of 1961, either through the Greyhound or Trailways station. They knew they were heading to jail in Mississippi. In addition to the works Grosser has created about health care inequities in the U.S. and racial tension in the American South, she is developing a series of pieces about being Jewish and coming to terms with ethnic and racial hatred spawned by the American Neo-Nazi movement. Grosser earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in history from Barnard College, a Bachelor of Fine Arts in sculpture from Alfred State College of Ceramics and a Master of Fine Arts in sculpture from Ohio University.  Grosser was awarded the Individual Artist's Fellowship from the South Carolina Arts Commission and was a finalist for the Southern Arts Federation/National Endowment for the Arts Regional Fellowships in Sculpture.  Her piece, "Fragments of Hate #6," was honored at the Pee Dee Regional Art Competition in 2011.
image: Joseph Carter, age 22 Via: WBTW News 13

Coker College professor receives dance award

Congratulations to Coker College Associate Professor of Dance Angela M. Gallo for receiving the South Carolina Dance Association’s Honor Award, the highest award given by the South Carolina Alliance for Health Physical Education, Recreation and Dance. “The Honor Award was given to Angela, in large part, because she serves as such an outstanding role model for students, clients and the professionals of the Association through her 10 years of membership,” said Katy Dallas, who chairs the Honors and Awards Committee for the South Carolina Dance Association. Read the complete news article. Via: Coker College and SCNow

Cecelia Coker Bell Gallery issues 30th annual call for artists

If you make art that is both innovative and inspiring, the Cecelia Coker Bell Gallery at Coker College in Hartsville wants to see your work. The gallery will choose five artists for one-person shows during the 2013-2014 season. Application deadline is Oct. 25 and artists will be notified by the end of December.

Since 1983, Coker College's Cecelia Coker Bell Gallery has exhibited the work of more 145 artists, ranging from emerging to late career and from locations as close as Charleston, Columbia, and Spartanburg and as far away as Peru, Australia and the Kingdom of Lesotho, Africa. The gallery is also the primary venue for faculty shows and student shows and competitions. Artist presentations, receptions and exhibitions are free, and the public is invited to attend. Gallery hours are 10 a.m. until 4 p.m. Monday through Friday when classes are in session.

For information on how to apply and to view examples of current and past exhibits, visit the gallery's website.

Photo above: Agnieszka Sosnowska, Self Portrait (detail)

Via: Cecelia Coker Bell Gallery

[caption id="attachment_1417" align="aligncenter" width="400"]Under Color Of Matthew Litteken, Under Color Of (detail)[/caption]  

Milly

Hartsville community invited to dance with Urban Bush Women

Coker College Dance invites members of the Hartsville community to participate in "Are We Democracy?," a residency program by Urban Bush Women being presented the week of Sept. 24. UBW uses dance to bring attention to the stories and experiences of disenfranchised people. The Brooklyn-based dance company has developed numerous institutes, workshops and residency programs to promote social justice and encourage civic engagement. Participants with or without dance training are encouraged to join in. “UBW’s residency here will not only build community, it will encourage everyone to get involved and be an active part of the democratic process,” said Associate Professor of Dance Angela Gallo. “We really want a lot of people to participate in the project – from all walks of life—old, young, in between, all cultural and ethnic backgrounds." The residency will culminate in a public presentation Sept. 29. For more information, read the complete article or contact Gallo at (843) 383-8381 or agallo@coker.edu. Via: Coker College Photo: Urban Bush Women in "Hair Stories." Photo by Jennifer Lester.   Related article: The performance and residency of the Urban Bush Women is funded, in part, by a grant from South Arts in partnership with the National Endowment of the Arts. Coker College was one of seven S.C. presenting organizations to receive fee support to present artists from other states.

Milly

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