About the SCAC

How We Serve

Vision

We envision a South Carolina where the arts are valued and all people benefit from a variety of creative experiences.

Mission

The mission of the South Carolina Arts Commission is to promote equitable access to the arts and support the cultivation of creativity in South Carolina.

Values

Five core values inform our vision and how we set about accomplishing it through our work every day.

Accountability

We are committed to transparency, honesty, and integrity.

Courage

We are committed to and call for courageous leadership that advances equitable access to the arts through policy and practice.

Creativity

We value innovation, creative expression, and a commitment to quality in artistic experiences.

Learning

We believe education is a right that must be accessible to all. Learning in and through the arts should be integral to a continuum of lifelong growth.

Relationships

We believe building connections in communities and working in partnership deepen impact and advance the arts.

Where We Began

On June 7, 1967, Governor Robert E. McNair signed legislation that established the South Carolina Arts Commission, an autonomous state agency charged with guiding the development of the arts.

Where We Are

For more than 50 years, the agency has worked to build a thriving arts environment that benefits all South Carolinians, regardless of their circumstances or where they live.

We help artists and arts providers offer unique arts experiences to residents and visitors. From free poetry readings and gallery crawls to sweetgrass basketry workshops and ticketed dance, music, or theatre performances, they create an environment that contributes to quality of life from three “corner” counties of Oconee, Horry, and Beaufort to the 43 arranged inside.

Since 1967, the SCAC has awarded more than $114 million in grants to artists, arts organizations, school districts, schools, and teachers!

• Read about our statewide impact in FY2023, the most recently completed year.
• Visit the Government Links page for official state accountability and budget transparency documents.

Funding

The Arts Commission’s primary source of funding is state tax dollars appropriated by the state General Assembly. Grants from the federal government through the National Endowment for the Arts comprise the Commission’s secondary source of funding. Additional support for Arts Commission projects is provided by private foundations and community sponsors.

Initiatives

The South Carolina Arts Commission has produced nationally recognized initiatives in:

• arts curriculum reform
• rural arts development
• dance touring and audience development
• community design
• electronic communications
• media arts
• traditional arts infrastructure development