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

Thursday, March 11

Technical College of the Lowcountry, New River Campus

Here's what we heard at the Beaufort-area Canvas forum:

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

• Successful commercial arts. Consider including commercial enterprises as partners: framing, galleries, other for profits
• The way arts groups work with education system in S.C.
• Leveraging Investments in Creativity (LINC) initiative – links to commercial sector (artist ventures)
• Realtors making space available
• Vibrant community includes producing and presenting groups
• Funders interested in Lowcountry art
• Good advocacy efforts/ network – Betty Plumb
• Wide range of opportunities for citizens
• The level of corporate and foundation support for arts education (statewide)
• Recognizing folk/ traditional artists – Folk Heritage awards, community scholars, etc
• General feeling – arts are important; tourism, awareness, character
• Beaufort #12 arts destination – American Style Magazine
• Art is being stolen!
• Arts/culture driving economies – make communities desirable, driving tourism, making healthy communities, places to live, work, play
• Definition of art is broadening – we explain it better, people value it more and understand that there are all kinds of ways to participate in the arts.
• Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD) – model of ART/ED in community
• Cultural/ arts exchanges with other countries.
  

What is one of the biggest challenges facing the arts where you live?

• Funding diminishing – SCAC, foundations, individual donors, A-tax, corporate giving
• Sale of art is down
• Providing art in a place/way that people like it and feel comfortable
• Getting artists to participate in this public meeting process
• Lack of venues/facilities – galleries, performance, etc. (in Jasper County)
• Using school facilities effectively
• Packaging arts experiences for visitors to be marketed with lodging partners
• Getting accommodations tax (a-tax) used properly
• Fair/educated committee distributing a-tax funds
• Keeping a-tax focused on intended uses at state level
• We react rather than envision
• Keep momentum even in tough times – use opportunity to advance for policy
• Building awareness/value of traditional art forms
• Defining the arts/arts community and talking articulately about them
• We don’t value individuals who are artists like we value others with more traditional educations. We’re not encouraging arts careers; artists are not valued as much as athletes
• Brightest/best not going into the arts
• Fully explaining/proving value of arts to elected officials
• Arts organizations are city/government agencies – political agendas, no room for other ideas, state funding should go to independent agencies
• Government organizations control facilities, access, etc.; compete with independent organizations. Some counties do not have independent arts councils; there is no room for other ideas because the arts entities are government entities with agendas and will do what’s best for politicians. Everything is filtered through the voting community
• Urban has too much, rural too little
• Need to communicate to patrons the importance of being advocates
• No one speaks for arts community, fractured leadership (to legislature, arts community, public)
• Keeping momentum of Arts in Education moving fund
• Overcoming acceptance/tolerance issues – making better environment for artists/ creatives

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

• Overcoming negative image issues related to S.C. Perhaps the mayor of Charleston winning a national award will help.
• In small rural communities “it's never been done before” – can only go up!
• Culture/heritage has been preserved, particularly gullah, indigenous cultures
• Technology = new connections possible; access to the world
• Group state cultural agencies together – use arts as cultural attraction to tourists, save money, make more $ available (examples NC, WV)
• Put artists to work (Americorps, WPA, etc.)
• Help artists take advantage of opportunities
• Lots of people with lots of money
• Bill Gates is buying digital rights to great art. Be ready to tap into national models/digital world/ digital rights/arts ed. Programs in future.
• Arts organizations look at business structures – look to entrepreneurship models
• Create new models for funding – increasing SCAC operating support for small/mid size organizations
• Communicate economic value of the arts
• Corporations who give to the arts want a return on the dollar
• Getting the message out (challenge) decline of traditional media
• Embrace new media/social media/technology to over ride traditional media
• Partnerships
• Digital world makes national resources possible
• Assessment/ review of prior plans

What did you like or not like about this forum?

Likes:

• Time limit
• Relaxed, comfortable
• Three questions; simple, inclusive

Dislikes

• Need hand out on Ken’s info about the state survey
• Rainy weather
• No snacks
• Did not include results of prior canvas
• What are the needs?