Tuning Up: Arts funding update + Google grants opportunity for Midlands

Good morning! 

“Tuning Up” is a morning post series where The Hub delivers 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…

Increases possible for federal, state arts funding. No, really. Yesterday in Washington, a Senate committee concurred with the House that the NEA should be funded at $155 million for FY19. That’s a $2 million increase from FY18. The Senate Appropriations Committee should vote on the measure Thursday. Across the street from us at the State House, a conference committee is to reconvene next week to reconcile differences between House and Senate budget versions. Both bodies already approved a $350,000 funding increase for the S.C. Arts Commission, but an additional $100,000 in Education Improvement Act funds recommended by the Senate will need conference committee approval to progress to Gov. McMaster’s desk.

Midlands arts nonprofits: want a $50,000 grant? Four nonprofits from Calhoun, Fairfield, Kershaw, Lexington, Orangeburg, Richland, Saluda and Sumter counties will receive $50,000 in grant funding and training from Google thanks to Google Impact Challenge Columbia. All nonprofits are invited to submit proposals for their creative and innovative ideas to grow economic opportunity in their communities. A local panel will select four winners, and then the public votes on which of those will receive an additional $50,000. The SCAC can’t urge you strongly enough to make a run at getting one of these. Be one of the… top dogs! The deadline is July 11. See a story from WIS here. Best of luck!