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Jason Rapp

Tuning Up: COVID claims S.C. shag master + awards + more

Good morning!  "Tuning Up" is a morning post series where The Hub delivers curated, quick-hit arts stories of interest to readers. Sometimes there will be one story, sometimes there will be several. Get in tune now, and have a masterpiece of a day. And now, in no particular order...

Columbia Film Society welcomes Dr. Thaddeus Jones

From a CFS email:

Meet Thaddeus Jones, our new CFS Director of Programming! Dr. Jones will direct film programming for the Nick and lead the Indie Grits Fellowship and media education programs. He has 15 years experience in filmmaking, media instruction and writing and for the last ten years, has managed his own media production company, fanatikproductions. He has been connected to CFS as a film curator and Indie Grits Fellow.

Jeppy McDowell dies at 76

Jeptha Joseph McDowell, better known as “Jeppy,” made North Myrtle Beach home and worked his way into being a legend in the local shag dancing scene. (Confused? You see, the shag is South Carolina's state dance.) The State reports "McDowell died due to complications from COVID-19 on Oct. 17. He was 76. COVID-19 is hitting the Grand Strand shag community hard. More on his passing from The State:

McDowell’s passing comes as others in the North Myrtle Beach shag community have fallen ill and died. In late September, several North Myrtle Beach clubs and restaurants participated in an unofficial Shaggin’ On Main event. In the days and weeks that followed, at least 14 people tested positive for COVID-19, the illness caused by the novel coronavirus.

Two others connected to the shag community have also died, though, like McDowell, it remains unclear if their deaths are related to the events. According to data from the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control, 210 people in the North Myrtle Beach zip code tested positive for COVID-19 in the two weeks following the events.

Read the full story from The State here (subscription possibly required).

Two weeks' notice

This is your two-weeks' notice that nomination time is coming to a close for the South Carolina Governor's Awards for the Arts and the Jean Laney Harris Folk Heritage Award. Nominations for both are due by 11:59 p.m. ET Friday, Nov. 6.

Jason Rapp

More on the Governor’s Award name change

Further explanation for constituents

Official Statement from the S.C. Arts Commission

In policy and in practice, the South Carolina Arts Commission remains committed to setting a tone and fostering an atmosphere of diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility. In that spirit, much care and thoughtful consideration went into the decision, going forward, to call the state’s highest award in the arts the “South Carolina Governor’s Awards for the Arts.” We believe this change moves us further in that direction by providing us the opportunity to endow artists and arts organizations with the honor and prestige that all recipients deserve. “Going forward” was (and is) the underlying philosophy for this change. The arts are simultaneously diverse and inclusive. Because the Governor’s Awards for the Arts reflect the values and beliefs of our organization, we desire that the awards focus on recognizing and honoring the accomplishments and contributions of all South Carolinians rather than any differences which might exist. The use of the term “Governor’s Awards”—an office which belongs to all South Carolinians, as opposed to having the awards connected to any one individual—allows us to continue celebrating creativity and perspectives by artists, and direction by organizations, throughout the Palmetto State.

Jason Rapp

Nominations being taken to honor S.C.’s arts luminaries

Governor’s Awards for the Arts recognize arts achievement, influence, and support

Nomination window closes Friday, Nov. 6, 2020
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

COLUMBIA, S.C. – The South Carolina Arts Commission is once again seeking to honor persons or organizations in South Carolina who exhibit the highest levels of achievement, influence or support of the arts.

Eligible persons fitting that description can now be nominated for the South Carolina Governor’s Award for the Arts, which recognizes South Carolinians who exhibit outstanding achievement or support of the arts. The Governor’s Awards use a simple, online nomination process, and all it takes to make a nomination is one letter. The nomination letters are due Friday, Nov. 6, 2020 at 11:59 p.m. ET. Nomination letters for the Governor’s Awards should describe the nominee's exemplary contributions to the arts in South Carolina and should address any characteristics included in the category descriptions. The letter should answer these questions:
  • What makes the nominee superior or extraordinary?
  • How has the nominee demonstrated leadership in the arts?
  • What exceptional achievements or contributions has the nominee made, and what has been their impact on the community, state or beyond?
  • What other information about the nominee is important to know as they are considered for the state's highest award in the arts?
Governor’s Award nominations can be made in the following categories:
  • Arts in Education
  • Organization
  • Government
  • Business/Foundation
  • Individual
  • Artist
For complete nomination guidelines or more information about the South Carolina Governor's Awards for the Arts, visit SouthCarolinaArts.com or contact Senior Deputy Director Milly Hough: mhough@arts.sc.gov or 803.734.8698. The Governor’s Awards, along with the Jean Laney Harris Folk Heritage Award, will be presented at the 2021 South Carolina Arts Awards ceremony in the spring. This year, the COVID-19 pandemic resulted in the first virtual South Carolina Arts Awards ceremony, which occurred in July rather than May. A decision on how and when the 2021 South Carolina Arts Awards will be presented is to be announced at a later date.

About the South Carolina Arts Commission

With a commitment to excellence across the spectrum of our state’s cultures and forms of expression, the South Carolina Arts Commission pursues its public charge to develop a thriving arts environment, which is essential to quality of life, education, and economic vitality for all South Carolinians. Created by the South Carolina General Assembly in 1967, the Arts Commission 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

Weekend assignment: Nominate an arts superstar

Nominations are open for the 2021 South Carolina Governor's Awards for the Arts

Your weekend assignment is posted.

Starting today, you can nominate your local arts superstar for the 2021 South Carolina Governor's Awards for the Arts. Assignments are due Nominations are open until Friday, Nov. 6, 2020 at 11:59 p.m. All it takes to make a nomination is one letter! Get all the details and begin your nomination(s) here. We can't wait to see which deserving individuals and organizations get one of these statues next spring at the South Carolina Arts Awards.

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