SC Arts Commission Press Releases
National Initiative to Help SC Arts Commission Improve Conditions for SC Artists
August 10, 2007
Contact: Milly Hough
(803) 734-8698
mhough@arts.sc.gov
COLUMBIA, S.C. - South Carolina has been selected as one of two states to be part of a national initiative known as Leveraging Investments in Creativity. The SC Arts Commission has received support through LINC’s Creative Communities program to conduct a planning process to identify key concerns for SC artists and to develop practical strategies that address those issues.
The Arts Commission will then have an opportunity to apply for a $100,000, two-year project grant to put the proposed strategies into action. Most of the Creative Community sites selected so far have been major cities with high concentrations of artists, such as Boston, Chicago, San Francisco, and Philadelphia. South Carolina and Montana are the first participants to take the initiative statewide.
“We were very excited to be notified of our selection for this major national initiative,” said SC Arts Commission Executive Director Suzette Surkamer. “This is a great opportunity to bring new resources to the development of South Carolina's creative economy.
“We also feel fortunate to be one of only two whole states to be included, and we look forward to bringing the state and regional perspective of our artists to this national dialogue,” said Surkamer.
A crucial part of the planning process is a convening of artists to discuss and identify key issues. The meeting will take place from 10 a.m. – 3 p.m. on Aug. 28 at the Olympia Learning Center, located at 621 Bluff Road in Columbia. Artists will have the opportunity to share their ideas with other artists and other invited "listeners,” including arts and civic leaders, public officials and others. Registration is free, but space is limited. Pre-registration is required no later than August 20. To register, visit www.SouthCarolinaArts.com/linc.
LINC is a ten-year project, based in New York, with major funding from the Ford Foundation and others, which works to improve conditions for artists working in all disciplines, so that artists can more readily do their creative work and contribute to community life. For more details, visit www.lincnet.net. For more information about the SC Arts Commission’s involvement in the program, call Ken May at (803) 734-8689.
About SCAC
The South Carolina Arts Commission is the state agency charged with creating a thriving arts environment that benefits all South Carolinians, regardless of their location or circumstances. Created by the South Carolina General Assembly in 1967, the Arts Commission focuses on increasing public participation in the arts by providing services, grants and leadership initiatives in three areas: arts education, community arts development and artist development. Headquartered in Columbia, S.C., the Arts Commission is funded by the state of South Carolina and by the federal government through the National Endowment for the Arts. For more information, visit www.SouthCarolinaArts.com or call (803) 734-8696.
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