Arts Learning

• Deputy Director
• Arts Grow SC Executive Director

Putting her theatre background to good use, Ashley Brown serves a dual role at the agency.

In addition to her leadership with Arts Grow SC, she serves as the SCAC deputy director over grants and arts learning. Ashley has worked throughout the Southeast as a nonprofit and higher education administrator, public school teacher, stage manager, and teaching artist. She received her Bachelor of Arts in theatre from Winthrop University and her Master of Fine Art in theatre management from Florida State University.

Contact Ashley

• cabrown@arts.sc.gov
• 803.734.8630 (office)

• Arts Learning & Accessibility Director

In Amanda’s role she is dedicated to SCAC’s mission of promoting access to the arts.

Amanda has a background as an art therapist and holds a bachelor’s in fine art and psychology from Hope College and a master’s in art therapy from the School of Visual Arts. Before joining the SCAC, Amanda served as a disability resource coordinator at the University of South Carolina. In Amanda’s dual role at the agency:

• She guides the team through a continuum of learning in and through the arts— from enrichment with very young learners through creative aging experiences.
• She works closely with educators and arts organizations to increase accessibility in the arts sector and arts education.

Contact Amanda

• anoyes@arts.sc.gov
• 803.734.8675 (office)

• Instructional Specialist

Maria collaborates with Arts Grow SC partners across the state to strengthen teaching practices and student engagement. Her work centers on connecting arts-based approaches to broader educational initiatives, ensuring that the arts remain a vital part of student learning.

Maria has over 15 years of experience teaching at the early childhood and elementary levels. She holds a bachelor’s in early childhood education and a master’s in curriculum and instruction from Western Governors University. Maria is certified in early childhood education, elementary education, and STEAM and arts integration and is a certified South Carolina Teacher Evaluator. She is a two-time school-level teacher of the year (College Park Elementary School, 2018; Howe Hall Arts Infused Magnet School, 2023) and Palmetto State Arts Education awarded her the Ray Doughty Arts Integration Award in 2023.

Contact Maria

• mearl@arts.sc.gov
• 803.734.4445 (office)

• Arts Learning Coordinator
• Arts Directory Coordinator

As both the arts learning coordinator and arts directory coordinator, Mikayla brings a wealth of arts administration experience to her role.

 She joins the SCAC right after graduating from Indiana University with a master’s degree in arts administration and a master’s degree in public affairs. She received her bachelor’s degree in arts management from The Ohio State University. Before joining the team, she worked in the marketing department for several performing arts organizations in Indiana, Ohio, Kentucky, and Pennsylvania. In her role at the agency, she manages the S.C. Arts Directory and provides administrative support for many arts learning initiatives.

Contact Mikayla

• mdmoore@arts.sc.gov
• 803.734.8495 (office)

Arts Grow SC began as a landmark three-year, $20 million partnership between the SCAC and S.C. Department of Education to help public schools throughout the state address pandemic related learning loss with proven, arts-based learning initiatives.

In that time, it proved itself to be a new framework for engaging local, state, regional, and even national partners to provide access to learning in and through the arts for South Carolina students.

• Learn more about Arts Grow SC (external site)

Presenting “Poetry Out Loud: National Recitation Contest” to South Carolina high school students in schools and individually. In partnership nationally with the National Endowment for the Arts and Poetry Foundation and locally with Richland Library.

• Learn more about Poetry Out Loud

A connector for the network of artists and arts organizations throughout South Carolina.

• Go to the S.C. Arts Directory