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

Here's a summary of all comments heard from the public:

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

• Collaborations, partnerships, and networking
• Many opportunities to participate – great accessibility and inclusiveness
• Good participation
  
• Technology and innovation in communications
  
• Arts education – all levels – arts ARE basic in many schools (ABC Project)
  
• Growth and development new and exciting programs and organizations – even during recession
  
• Arts as an asset to economic development
  
• There is an expanding, more inclusive definition of arts and arts participation – traditional, YAMS, VSA, immigrant cultures, informal, in churches, etc.
  
• Arts as builder of community
  
• National recognition of artists and arts event, arts towns in S.C.
  
• Artist-driven events/ projects – crawls, guilds, collaborations
  
• New arts facilities – catalysts for downtown development/revival
  
• Heritage corridors and trails
  
• Support from many sectors
  
• Good statewide advocacy
  

What is one of the biggest challenges facing the arts?

• Making arts relevant to people’s lives/ interests
• Drawing diverse participation – including age, race, economic, social, cultural
  
• Pressures on arts education due to limited resources
  
• Urban vs. rural/ geographic challenges
  
• Limited capacity in rural areas
  
• Lack of access, awareness, inclination to participate
  
• Need more support for art as a career choice for young people
  
• Difficulty of sustaining a career as an artist in S.C.
  
• Securing funding and other support from limited resources
  
• Consolidation/ coordination of information on the arts
  
• Recognizing and engaging informal, amateur sectors as part of the larger arts “ecosystem”—there is major growth in “do-it-yourself” arts
  
• Recognizing and supporting traditional arts – individual, indigenous, immigrant
  
• Need to include for-profit arts business in our thinking and programming
  
• Image of arts in S.C.  What is our “brand”?  What artists or institutions are recognized outside S.C. and identified with S.C.?
  
• Organizational health, sustainability, and capacity
  
• Board and staff development
  
• Participation
  
• Communication/marketing/messages
  
• Articulating the value of arts and arts education
  
• No unified voice for arts
  
• Missed opportunities due to competition, lack of leadership, not being inclusive, lack of planning
  
• Lack of public policy to support arts
  
• Keeping up with technology – figuring how to harness it.  Is it the competition?
  
• So much going on – how do the arts break through (sports, other)?

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

• Use technology to our advantage
  
• Take advantage of existing resources – weather, e.g., long “outdoor” season; potential arts spaces in former mill towns
  
• Collaborations/partnerships – sharing resources, maximizing efficiencies, wise use of resources
  
• Develop partnerships with Departments of Commerce and PRT, linking arts with other “high value” efforts like business development and tourism
  
• Tell the good stories – marketing – enhance SC’s image
  
• Communicate public value/make the case – data, assessment
  
• SCAC = unified voice
  
• Take advantage of research capacity of colleges and universities
  
• Explore affiliation with Pew Charitable Trust’s Cultural Data Project
  
• Develop the next generation of arts leaders
  
• Tap capacity-building resources like SCANPO, experts from commercial sector for arts groups
  
• Two arts management programs in SC universities
  
• Pre-professional training in the business side of arts for undergrads and grad students
  
• Education for current leaders – civic, policy, (advocacy)
  
• Teach advocacy to arts orgs and artists – encourage more
  
• Make arts relevant to communities
  
• Diversity of media for artists – new methods of expression
  
• More arts education