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S.C. Arts Commission announces six Emerging Artist grantees

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

COLUMBIA, S.C. – Six emerging individual #SCartists are benefitting from grants and career mentorship courtesy of the South Carolina Arts Commission’s Emerging Artist grant in FY2023, providing them valuable development as arts entrepreneurs.

The SCAC defines emerging artists as being at an early stage in their artistic career development with no basis in age. Six South Carolina artists were selected to each receive Emerging Artist grants ranging in amount from $1,500 to $1,800 from the SCAC in the current fiscal year (2023). They are:
  • Zeynep Gedikoglu of Clemson (multimedia sculpture)
  • Jordon Mack of Orangeburg (visual art)
  • Amanda Nicole of Liberty (music/composition)
  • Jessica Swank of Easley (photography/sculpture)
  • Shaquelle-Elijah Wiley of Columbia (music/performance)
  • Rolf Anthony Young of Charleson (mixed media)
In addition to financial support, artists benefit from mentorship and professional support facilitated by the SCAC and Deputy Director Ce Scott-Fitts. The combined benefits are intended to deepen artistic practice and foster artistic excellence; encourage career growth, advancement, and sustainability; and provide professional development and opportunities for collaboration.
  • “I'm so grateful ... not only for the funding but also for the community, accountability, and access that it will provide to this new group of southern artists,” Easley-based photographer and sculptor Jessica Swank
  • Charleston mixed media artist Rolf Anthony Young anticipates growth from his participation. “Receiving the grant not only fills me with more confidence in my art practice but connects me to a valuable network of grant winners who inspire me.”
  • Music artist Shaquelle-Elijah Wiley said it is overwhelming to be recognized this way. “I intend on representing the state with class and innovation,” he said.
The SCAC awards a new cohort of emerging artists each fiscal year. An online gallery of representative works by this class is available now on SouthCarolinaArts.com: https://www.southcarolinaarts.com/artist-development/programs/emerging-artists/ Individual artists who reside in South Carolina and fit the criteria of an emerging artists are encouraged to apply for the FY24 round of the Emerging Artist grant now. An applicant coaching session via Zoom is scheduled for Feb. 22, 2023 to offer advisement on the process of applying. Registration for the coaching session and full grant guidelines are available at https://www.southcarolinaarts.com/grant/emerging-artist-grants/. The deadline to apply for FY24 funding and mentorship is April 12, 2023.

About the South Carolina Arts Commission

The mission of the South Carolina Arts Commission 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. A state agency 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 artist development, arts industry, arts learning, creative placemaking, and folklife and traditional arts. Headquartered in Columbia, S.C., the SCAC is funded by the state of South Carolina, by the federal government through the National Endowment for the Arts, and other sources. Visit SouthCarolinaArts.com or call 803.734.8696, and follow @scartscomm on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter for #Arts4SC and #SCartists content.
South Carolina Arts Commission News Release, Media Contact: Jason L. Rapp, Communications Director. jrapp@arts.sc.gov or 803.734.8899

Jason Rapp

Time to enter the National Outdoor Sculpture Competition & Exhibition

APPLICATION/SUBMISSION DEADLINE: Saturday, February 25, 2023 [caption id="attachment_52158" align="aligncenter" width="947"] Click image to enlarge.[/caption]


Sculpture artists from across the nation are invited to participate in the 17th annual National Outdoor Sculpture Competition & Exhibition, a key part of the 2023 North Charleston Arts Fest.

Up to 14 sculptures will be juried into the exhibit and compete for cash prizes totaling up to $19,750. A $1250 honorarium is given to all artists accepted into the show to assist with transportation, installation, de-installation, and incidental expenses. Once all pieces are installed, the juror will award Best in Show ($1,000), Outstanding Merit ($500), and up to three Honorable Mentions ($250 each). The application is strictly available online and may be accessed via the link at NorthCharlestonArtsFest.com/apply. An application fee of $35 allows artists to submit up to four entries for consideration. Deadline for submissions is Saturday, February 25, 2023. Artists in need of assistance with any part of the application process may contact the Cultural Arts Department to schedule a one-on-one meeting, which can be conducted over the phone or in person. Organized and presented by the City of North Charleston Cultural Arts Department, this 11-month exhibition offers established and emerging artists the opportunity to display their thought provoking, extraordinary sculptures throughout the picturesque North Charleston Riverfront Park. Set on the banks of the Cooper River, Riverfront Park features 10 acres of walking paths, a boardwalk and fountain, an expansive lawn with performance pavilion, children's play areas, and picnic sites. An estimated 50,000 people visit this public park annually to enjoy the amenities located in the heart of the city’s arts community.
The juror for the 2023/2024 competition and exhibition is Vivianne Lee Carey, sculptor and instructor of art at Converse University in Spartanburg. Carey was born in Millville, New Jersey, of which Carl Sandburg wrote, ”Down in southern New Jersey they make glass. By day and by night, the fires burn on in Millville.” As a sculptor that forms metal and glass by fire, the poetic lines are an affirmation of the materials she utilizes in her work. She received her a bachelor's of fine arts from Converse in 1981, and a master's of fine arts from Winthrop University in 2016. She has been honored to have received several grants for regional public sculptures and her work has been shown in solo and group exhibitions throughout the Southeast.
The 17th Annual National Outdoor Sculpture Competition & Exhibition will be on display May 3, 2023, through March 17, 2024, at North Charleston Riverfront Park (1001 Everglades Ave. in North Charleston). A free public reception and announcement of awards will be held at the Charleston Area Convention Center on Wednesday, May 3, 2023, from 6-8 p.m. For more information about the North Charleston Arts Fest, the National Outdoor Sculpture Competition & Exhibition, or other exhibition opportunities, contact the City of North Charleston Cultural Arts Department at 843.740.5854, email culturalarts@northcharleston.org, or visit NorthCharlestonArtsFest.com.

Submitted material

Mary Whyte donates first sculpture to Charleston

New addition at Joe Riley Waterfront Park

[caption id="attachment_49901" align="aligncenter" width="800"] Mary Whyte and Lilly Jones (l-r) are all smiles in front of "Lilly." Charleston Post & Courier photo by Henry Taylor.[/caption]

Last week, Mary Whyte joined Charleston dignitaries and one special Citadel cadet in a Charleston park for a memorable gifting.

Though Whyte's normal medium is watercolor, her foray into sculpture is now a fixture in her city's Waterfront Park. Lilly depicts a young Black girl reaching to the sky. The eponymous subject of the bronze statue, Lilly Jones, is now a Citadel cadet who attended the dedication ceremony. “On behalf of our citizens, I'd like to thank Mary Whyte. This remarkable statue of Lilly is a beautiful and joyous work of art, and I can't imagine a more appropriate home for it than Waterfront Park,” Mayor John Tecklenburg said. “The statue of Lilly is not only a tribute to our African American community, but will be a joyful welcome to Waterfront Park visitors as well,” Whyte remarked. Visit Lilly at Joe Riley Waterfront Park, Vendue Range & Concord Street in Charleston.      

Jason Rapp

Great Place to Bee

APPLICATION DEADLINE: Thursday, September 30, 2021


While not in South Carolina, Gastonia, North Carolina is just a stone's throw away!

Keep Gastonia Beautiful’s art committee seeks to commission artwork for the downtown area of Gastonia, North Carolina titled “Great Place to Bee” and include interactive smaller art pieces that will weave/waggle their way through Main Street to a larger art piece. The artwork will be sited in a prominent location at a Gateway to the new FUSE Baseball Stadium. We are currently looking for an artist who could fabricate unique 3-D bees as a creative way for Keep Gastonia Beautiful to showcase its Bee City USA affiliation by educating our community about the importance of bees and pollinators through public art. This project, titled “Great Place to Bee,” has the potential to create a buzz of excitement and interest for the entire downtown. Custom metal bees will “waggle” (a waggle is a movement performed by a honeybee at the hive or nest, to indicate to other bees the direction and distance of a source of food) through downtown as part of a scavenger/honey hunt. At each stop of the scavenger/honey hunt we would include fun facts about bees, and depending on the location, the historical significance. We envision groups “buzzing” around downtown searching for these bees. The “end” of the hunt will lead groups to a new art installation, envisioned as a kinetic piece where bees will be “swarming” around a hive near the baseball stadium, home of the Honey Hunters. We are looking for around 8-12 bees to start with the potential to grow, at least 3 inches in length but we are open for interpretation and the ending sculpture should connect and coordinate the bees to their final location. Metal bees should be able to be moved over time to different locations. We believe it’s important to recognize where we came from in order to see where we are headed and encourage you to use the nectar of your imagination when creating this project. View the RFP here (PDF). The deadline to submit materials is Thursday, Sept. 30, 2021.
Photo by Antonella Pal from Pexels

Submitted material

Sculptors sought for Alabama sports project

Mobile, Alabama Hall of Fame Courtyard

SUBMISSION DEADLINE: Friday, July 23, 2021

The city of Mobile, Alabama and the Mobile Arts Council are calling for submissions of early concepts for a project that will commemorate Mobile’s local sports icons.

Earlier this year, Mobile Mayor Stimpson announced plans to establish a “Hall of Fame Courtyard” near the Mobile Convention Center and Cooper Riverside Park to honor the five Mobilians inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame as well as other sports legends from the Port City. The initial concept will include life-sized bronze statues of Hall of Famers Henry “Hank” Aaron, Satchel Paige, Billy Williams, Ozzie Smith and Willie Lee McCovey. It would also include former Houston Oiler and National Football League Hall of Famer Robert Lorenzo Brazile Jr. Eventually, the courtyard will expand to include other members from Mobile’s Sports Hall of Fame. Special consideration will be given to artists working and residing within the state of Alabama. A link to the RFQ application with more information about the project can be found here: www.mobilearts.org/halloffame

Submitted material

Charleston art call for wall-mounted, outdoor sculpture

Help brighten up new retirement community

SUBMISSION DEADLINE: Monday, July 19, 2021
Art Expressions invites artists to submit work for consideration for a retirement community located in the Charleston area that offers independent living, assisted living, skilled/nursing care, and memory care. Please review the guidelines and submission instructions below. The following types of artwork will be considered:

Media

  • Wall-mounted sculpture (ceramic, acrylic, wood, metal, glass) - cannot project off wall more than 4”
  • Outdoor sculpture – freestanding something that is suitable for a courtyard.

Subject Matter

  • Reflective of the local vernacular including the low country, coastal, and marsh environments
  • Avoid cliché/touristy beach themed pieces
  • Nature-based abstraction
  • Non-figurative and figurative will be considered
  • Conveys positivity
  • Joyful & uplifting
  • Community oriented
  • Avoid red and black in concentrated amounts

Submission Requirements

  • Artists must include their current location or hometown. This is a local sculptural open call for indoor and outdoor artworks. We are seeking artists within the states of South Carolina, North Carolina, Georgia, and Florida.
  • Artist must be able to ship or deliver the artwork. We will discuss logistics once we have selected the art with our client.
  • All art will be reviewed by Art Expressions for project suitability, and we reserve the right to accept or reject any submission at our discretion.
  • Please include a brief written description for each piece submitted.
  • If an artist does not currently have a piece that fits the size of these locations, they can provide examples of their work and state that they are available for commission requests.
  • Project install for indoor sculpture estimated for December 2021, outdoor sculpture estimated for an early spring 2022 install.

How to Submit

Please visit https://artist.callforentry.org/festivals_unique_info.php?ID=7856 to apply

Jason Rapp

Art exhibit spreads wings in the Upstate

'Wings of the City' on display in Greenville

[caption id="attachment_46737" align="aligncenter" width="600"]A man in a red shirt poses with giant bronze wings displayed in an outdoor art exhibition 'Wings of the City' on display in San Antonio, Texas.[/caption]

It's no secret that Greenville has really taken off...

As further evidence, the city is first East Coast landing spot of a famed art exhibit called Wings of the City. The traveling exhibition of Mexican sculptor Jorge Marin's work has giant bronze wings outdoors in Falls Park and on the Peace Center campus. His "Alas de Mexico" sculpture, shown above, is part of the fun and obviously 'gram-worthy if you're so inclined. The Hispanic Alliance of Greenville, a partner of the S.C. Arts Commission, helped make the exhibition a reality. Bank of America, a Governor's Award recipient in 2018, is sponsor. Read more about this from Fox Carolina.

Jason Rapp

New Augusta Sculpture Trail issues national call for art

10 works to be exhibited for two years


Cross-river Augusta, Georgia is joining a national array of cities that bring new art into public spaces through the temporary lease of outdoor sculptures.

Local artists and artists from across the country are invited to submit images and physical specifications for their ready-to-install, original sculptures. As the public art agency for the city of Augusta, the Greater Augusta Arts Council is seeking 10 leasable, pre-existing, outdoor sculptures to be installed for a duration of two years in Downtown Augusta as part of the new Augusta Sculpture Trail. These sculptures will be placed at intervals downtown that will create a fun and easy outdoor walking trail. The 10 selected locations use city of Augusta sidewalks for access, making them fully accessible for everyone to enjoy. The Arts Council will produce a digital walking tour that can be accessed from any mobile device which will help visitors learn specifics about each work of art and artist while they explore the Sculpture Trail. There will also be fun monthly Sculpture Trail events tied to the public artwork locations.

About the call for art

All sculpture sites will have a 4’x4’ concrete base and are spaced in a manner to promote walking from one sculpture to another, creating a trail to follow. Some basic requirements include that the work must be structurally sound and must be of a scale large enough to be clearly visible from a distance. It also must be capable of withstanding adverse weather conditions common to the Augusta River region. The work must be safe for public display and not include sharp or easily scalable parts. Selected artists will receive a stipend of $3,000 for the 2-year lease of their work ($1,500 upon installation, $1,500 upon de-installation). One piece of art will be purchased at the end of the installation to add to the city's permanent art collection. The call for entries is open now through Oct. 8, 2020. Selected artists will be notified by Oct. 30 and installations will begin January 15-30, 2021. Artists may apply up to three (3) times with separate works. For questions regarding applications email pax@augustaarts.com. The application is online at https://artist.callforentry.org/festivals_unique_info.php?ID=8041. The Augusta Sculpture Trail is part of a larger Public Art Master Plan for the City of Augusta. It is intended to create a walkable art trail designed for promotion to attract local and regional visitors to the Downtown Augusta area.

Jason Rapp

The man of steel: Lancaster artist shaping heavy metal and young artistic minds

Caldwell Arts Council (N.C.) seeks sculpture for outdoor sales gallery

[caption id="attachment_28645" align="alignright" width="200"]Raymond Giddens (Simpsonville), Cage Spinner Raymond Giddens (Simpsonville), Cage Spinner[/caption] The Caldwell Arts Council and the City of Lenoir, North Carolina, seek sculptors interested in participating in the outdoor sculpture sales gallery located on pedestals throughout downtown Lenoir. Tucker’s Gallery is a public/private partnership project between the city and the arts council. This is an ongoing call; sculptures are placed in the gallery for one year. Details and the application are available online, along with photos and prices of current sculptures. To learn more about the Caldwell Arts Council, call 828-754-2486, email info@caldwellarts.com or visit www.caldwellarts.com. Image above: David Q. Sheldon (Asheville, NC), Arcane Mechanism