The Elizabeth O’Neill Verner Awards
The nomination deadline for the 2008 awards is January 15, 2008.
Instructions for Submitting a Nomination
- ARTS IN EDUCATION – open to SC individuals and/or institutions whose primary function is arts education. May include: arts educators (teachers, consultants, principals, administrators), schools, school districts, college/university arts departments, etc.
- ORGANIZATION – open to SC organizations who contribute to the advancement and/or support of the arts. May include: arts discipline organizations, arts councils, arts advocacy groups, guilds, arts departments of organizations, educational institutions, etc.
- GOVERNMENT – open to SC individuals and/or institutions generally described as a unit of state, local, county, or municipal government, elected/appointed officials.
- BUSINESS/FOUNDATION – open to SC individuals or companies/foundations whose participation, support, and/or contributions have benefited the maintenance and growth of the arts.
- INDIVIDUAL – open to SC individuals who have demonstrated exceptional achievement and statewide impact through their leadership, support, and advancement of the arts. May include: arts professionals such as managers, administrators; arts supporters such as patrons, promoters, donors, etc.
- INDIVIDUAL ARTIST – open to SC artists of exceptional talent and creativity, in any discipline, whose contribution to the arts has helped guide and influence directions, trends and aesthetic practices across the state or to national or international levels.
The SC Arts Commission may choose not to present an award in a particular category in a given year.
- Commissioners and staff of the SC Arts Commission and members of their immediate families are not eligible for nomination;
- Nominees must be living at the time of their nomination;
- Past recipients of Verner Awards are not eligible for nomination for 10 years following their award.
Required Materials
The three-page nomination form is a PDF document. How to Use PDFs
Please provide all requested information about the nominee and the person submitting the nomination. Please check the appropriate category for the nomination (see Category Definitions).
The narrative should make the case for the nominee's exemplary contributions to the arts in South Carolina. It should be no more than two (one-sided) pages, using at least 12 point type, and include the following:
If nominating a business or foundation:
- Describe the business' total arts support program. Include information about types of cash grants or contributions, employee involvement and volunteer efforts, corporate art collections, executive loan programs, in-kind services to arts organizations and artists, etc. Does the business involve the arts in marketing/promotional campaigns or any special programs or projects? Quantify when possible.
- During the last completed fiscal year,
- What is the total cash amount the business contributed to the arts?
- Indicate the cash value of each type of service or item provided.
- What percentage of the business' total philanthropic budget was spent on the arts?
- Include a list of arts organizations and/or artists helped by the nominee through cash or in-kind goods or services.
For all other categories:
- What makes the nominee superior or extraordinary?
- How does the nominee's leadership set them apart?
- What exceptional achievements/contributions has the nominee made, and what has been the impact of those contributions on the community, state or beyond?
- What honors and awards has the nominee received, which evaluate their achievements or contributions?
- How is the nominee involved in the community or field in which he/she works? (Community activities, organizations, professional organizations, etc.)
You may provide up to 10 letters supporting the nomination. Letters should reinforce statements in the narrative regarding the nominee's contributions, leadership, achievements, impact, and community involvement, and provide specific examples whenever possible. Each letter should be labeled with the nominee's name and number corresponding with the Letters of Support list in the nomination form.
4. Additional Support Materials
Support materials should reinforce and expand on the information provided in the narrative and letters of support.
Examples of support materials could include, but not necessarily be limited to:
- A scrapbook representing the nominee's body of work or accomplishments
- A book or publication by or about the nominee
- Audio or video recordings or presentations
- News clippings or magazine articles
- Photographs or slides
- Samples of an artist's work
Please do not include more than 5 pieces of support materials. For example, one scrapbook, one CD, a collection of news clippings, a photo album and a poster would be considered 5 different pieces of support materials.
Please do not provide multiples of the same type of support materials, for example: more than one scrapbook, multiple audio CDs or DVDs.
Please do not include multiple formats of the same piece of material, for example: the same images in print and on a CD.
If including a lengthy example of work, such as a book or a CD, please identify a brief excerpt that represents the nominee's best work, i.e. mark a specific page or provide a track number.
Each item of support material should be labeled with the nominee's name and number corresponding with the Support Materials List in the nomination form.
If the nominator wishes to have support materials returned, please provide a self-addressed stamped envelope capable of holding the materials, or arrange to personally pick up the items from the Arts Commission.
5. Image of nominee for publicity purposes
Please enclose an image of the nominee, in electronic (preferred) or print format, suitable for publicity use if the nominee is selected to receive an award. Electronic images may be submitted as high-resolution JPG, TIFF, or EPS files. If the nominee is an organization or business, please select an image that best represents the nominee. Examples could be a corporate logo, exterior building shot, group staff photo or other representative image.
Assembling the Nomination Packet
Please assemble your nomination packet in a 3-ring binder using plastic sleeves. Do not staple, punch or otherwise bind materials, as they will be taken apart for copying. Support materials that do not fit within a binder may be enclosed in an envelope or box accompanying the packet. Please ensure that all materials are clearly labeled.
How the Selection Process Works
The S.C. Arts Commission releases a call for Elizabeth O'Neill Verner Governor's Awards for the Arts nominations each fall. The nomination guidelines and forms are posted on the agency's Web site and are also available in print. 2008 nominations must be postmarked by January 15, 2008.
The Board of Commissioners of the S.C. Arts Commission appoints a diverse selection committee to review the nominations and make recommendations to the board for final approval. Members of the selection committee may include artists, arts professionals, educators, members of the business community, state or local government, citizens at large and others. The composition of the selection committee changes each year.
Photocopies of the nomination forms and narratives are sent to each member of the selection committee for their review in advance of the committee's meeting. Time at the selection committee meeting is spent reviewing support materials, discussing nominations and arriving at consensus on a slate of honorees. Recommendations are based solely on the information provided in the nomination packet and support materials. The committee's recommendations are sent to the Board of the Commissioners of the S.C. Arts Commission, which has final approval. Notification of award recipients should take place by March 1, 2008.
The awards ceremony and related events will take place in Columbia in early May, 2008 (date, time and place TBA).
- Please keep in mind that the selection committee sees photocopies of the application and narrative. While an attractive presentation has its merits, it is not necessary to create elaborate or highly decorated enclosures for the nomination materials. The committee makes its recommendations based on the content of the application, and may not see the original version.
- The selection committee will review many nominations during its meeting, and may not have time to look at every piece of support material in its entirety. Please make sure that support materials are of high quality, brief, and that they convey their support of the nomination in a succinct and effective way.
- Please do not submit items as support materials that are valuable, irreplaceable, or otherwise treasured. Images, reproductions, and photocopies are acceptable. The Arts Commission cannot be responsible for lost or damaged items.
The 2008 awards will be presented in a ceremony in Columbia in May 2008.