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.
Five core values inform our vision and how we set about accomplishing it through our work every day.
We are committed to transparency, honesty, and integrity.
We are committed to and call for courageous leadership that advances equitable access to the arts through policy and practice.
We value innovation, creative expression, and a commitment to quality in artistic experiences.
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.
We believe building connections in communities and working in partnership deepen impact and advance the arts.
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.
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!
to establish the arts as an integral part of South Carolina’s educational systems and the lifelong learning process of our citizens.
to encourage, nurture and support the artistic growth and the personal and economic well-being of South Carolina’s artists.
to stimulate the development of South Carolina’s culturally diverse arts resources and organizations and promote creative partnerships to improve the quality of lives, preserve cultural heritage, and enhance economic growth.
Cash awards with matching and reporting requirements, designed to support and advance the state’s long-range and strategic goals for the arts, delivered through an accountable and transparent application and review process.
The SCAC’s staff of experienced arts professionals consult with and assist local organizations, governments, schools, artists, citizens and others. These services are delivered via direct interaction between staff and constituents.
Programs, exhibitions, conferences, awards and other events wholly produced and presented by the SCAC, usually targeted to a statewide audience.
Building strong programmatic and financial relationships with strategically aligned organizations to maximize productivity, cost effectiveness, statewide reach and inclusiveness for a variety of statewide programs.
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.
The South Carolina Arts Commission has produced nationally recognized initiatives in: