A Long Range Plan for the Arts in South Carolina,
2011-2020

Monday, March 29

North Charleston City Hall

Here's what we heard at the North Charleston Canvas forum:

What is one thing that is working in the arts, either in your community, the state or elsewhere?

• Piccolo/Spoleto
• North Charleston – artists in classroom, residencies, lessons
• Teacher training through Spoleto/arts integration (annual Creative Institute for teachers)
• Chamber music in Charleston - interaction between the artists and the audience. This cultivates new ambassadors.
• VSA artists working with students with disabilities.
• Arts organizations, education and artists: there are many opportunities to network and get engaged in the arts
• North Charleston Cultural Arts makes arts accessible to large area. Opened up art to those who might not have access; includes various artists (affordable)
• North Charleston Cultural Arts – library participates in Arts Festival by hosting the event. This increases access.
• Great musicians and artists.
• Colleges provide arts opportunities to students in Title 1 schools
• Arts magnet schools/schools for the arts
• Plans call for arts-centered schools in every zone in Charleston
• Is Charleston top 3 in arts education?
• Artists/teachers also benefit from student interaction during arts education
• Charleston Fine Arts Dealer Association (exhibits art); fine arts programs in schools
• Arts Daily
• Radio promotes others areas and generate ideas
  

What is one of the biggest challenges facing the arts?

• Making arts sustainable amid cutbacks
• Individual artists being able to sustain/make living
• Lack of direction/multiple directions/agendas - organizations need to work in unity
• Public doesn’t know about/doesn’t participate
• Lack of access for public – make public understand the relevancy of art.
• Need to pool resources instead of competing.
• Put art/artists on tour
• Arts organization management/board leadership. Board member at different levels of interests. Need to take advantage of training opportunities. Need clarity in what a board needs to do.
• Need to collaborate with school district grants policies; schools’ priority might not be the arts’ priority
• “More with less” – there is a breaking point
• Lacking a MFA program in Charleston; lack of higher education opportunities for those who want to teach art.  They have to go elsewhere for the education and usually don’t return to the area - arts “brain drain”
• New forms of media/compete with classic forms (different effects for audience; keep live art relevant)
• Artists having difficulty making a living – need incentives/assistance to support artists - Subsidized housing, e.g.
• Live/work spaces: safe, affordable housing for multiple artists from multiple disciplines to work together and interact
• Artists need to collaborate and “DIY”
• Separation between nonprofits and for-profit – commercial art businesses should be able to apply for funding and participate as equal partner in planning, etc.
• Commercial galleries go out of business but that doesn’t make the news. They are not eligible for funding, but they are always giving.
• How to get more participation in statewide planning process
• Artists feel like they are the “bottom of the barrel”; they are at the end of funding line. Need guidance and leadership.
• Arts education is also at the bottom of the funding line. It is the first to get cut
• “Broad thinkers” are supposed to “just appear” without having been exposed to the benefits of arts education.

What is a great opportunity for the arts in our state?

• Grow the arts “pie” by educating children; they then engage their family. Next generation of arts supporters are not being exposed to arts in education.
• Charleston Road Show to recapture 30s (young professionals) to grow participation/break down barriers
• Expand use of new media. Expose arts education success stories through You Tube and other social media outlets.
• Take arts to the public by placing it in nontraditional spaces (e.g., banks, town halls, etc.).
• Encourage nontraditional “expressions of arts” and expose students to a wider spectrum of arts. Encourage teachers to not be afraid to actively encourage other forms of arts as well.
• CharlestonCulture.com is free. Artists can post their profiles, events, etc. It’s an interactive place where artists can get the info out to the media, blogs, etc.
• Expand on outlets for adults/children with disabilities. The arts provides safety.
• Getting resources to people who need it.
• Face-to-face interaction: be your own ambassadors. Believe, imagine and tell everyone what you do. “Six degrees” of separation in the arts.