Governor’s Awards

• An iconic statue

  The symbol of the awards is a hand-crafted bronze statue (above) designed by Columbia-based artist Jean McWhorter and presented to each recipient. The South Carolina Arts Foundation supports the awards program by sponsoring the annual creation and procurement of these iconic statues.

• A 50+-year legacy

  To mark 50 years of the Governor’s Awards for the Arts in 2022, the SCAC initiated a video documentation project with Renderhouse Films telling the story of award recipients. The result was nine vignettes that look at South Carolina arts, culture, and history through the eyes of living, high-profile South Carolina artists who have received the award through the past 50 years:

  • John Acorn
  • Wilfred Delphin
  • Mary Jackson
  • Glenis Redmond
  • Tom Stanley
  • William Starrett
  • Leo Twiggs
  • Sam Wang
  • Cecil Williams

  Their stories cross diverse lines—racial, ethnic, gender, and artistic disciplines—and are individual works of art themselves, notable for their high production quality.

  South Carolina ETV wove them together and premiered the feature with host Jackie Adams on Jan. 5, 2023. You can watch it here on SCETV.org.

Governor's Award Recipients

• Current Recipients (2025)

  WADE SELLERS
  Artist | Columbia

  DR. GAIL V. BARNES
  Individual | Columbia

  ENGAGING CREATIVE MINDS
  Arts in Education (Organization) | Charleston

  KOGER CENTER FOR THE ARTS
  Government | Columbia

  SUMTER COUNTY GALLERY OF ART
  Organization | Sumter

  • Current recipient bios.
  • Read the announcement (The Hub).

• Recent Recipients

  Information on past recipients is available here.

  2024

  • Campbell Frost – Lifetime Achievement
  • Diane Frankenberger – Individual
  • Dr. Minuette Floyd – Arts in Education
  • South Carolina Philharmonic – Organization

  2023

  • Ray McManus – Artist
  • Carlos Agudelo – Individual
  • American College of the Building Arts – Arts in Education
  • Aiken Center for the Arts – Organization
  • Nigel Redden – Special Award

  2022

  • Darion McCloud – Artist
  • Ed Madden – Individual
  • Carrie Ann Power – Arts in Education
  • One Columbia for Arts and Culture – Organization

About the Governor's Awards

• Nomination Deadline

  The nomination window for the 2026 Governor’s Awards for the Arts will open Tuesday, Sept. 2, 2025.

   

• Category Descriptions

  In addition to the categories below, the nine appointed commissioners of the South Carolina Arts Commission may choose to give special awards for achievements falling outside the defined categories.

  Restrictions

  • Commissioners and staff of the S.C. 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 the Governor’s Awards are not eligible for nomination for 10 years following their award. Recipients who received a Governor’s Award prior to 2016 are eligible to be nominated for the 2026 awards.

  The commissioners may choose not to present an award in a particular category in a given year.

  ARTS IN EDUCATION – INDIVIDUAL

  Open to S.C. individuals whose primary function is arts education. May include arts educators—teachers, consultants, principals, or administrators.

  • Arts in Education was one category before the 2026 cycle.

  ARTS IN EDUCATION – ORGANIZATION

  Open to S.C. institutions whose primary function is arts education. May include schools, school districts, college/university arts departments, etc.

  • Arts in Education was one category before the 2026 cycle.

  ORGANIZATION

  Open to S.C. 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.

  ACCESSIBILITY (New for 2026)

  Open to S.C. organizations that receive S.C. Arts Commission operating support funding and that have demonstrated a commitment to improving or providing access for individuals with disabilities to the arts in South Carolina.

  GOVERNMENT

  Open to S.C. agencies and institutions generally described as units of state, county or municipal governments that have served their communities in outstanding ways through the arts, OR elected or appointed officials who, in their official capacities, have demonstrated notable support for the arts through leadership and public policy.

  BUSINESS/FOUNDATION

  Open to S.C. individuals, or companies and foundations whose participation, support, and/or contributions have benefited the maintenance and growth of the arts.

  INDIVIDUAL

  Open to S.C. 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 S.C. 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.

• How the Selection Process Works

  The S.C. Arts Commission annually releases a call for the South Carolina Governor’s Awards for the Arts nominations. A panel comprised of individuals representing the arts and arts education reviews all nominations and makes 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.

  Round One

  Copies of nomination letters received are sent to each member of the selection committee for their review in advance of the committee’s first meeting. After initial review of all the nominations received, the selection committee will narrow the selections in each category.

  Round Two

  The committee will request additional information and/or materials in support of the nominations in each category advanced to round two. Types of additional materials may include resumes, letters of support, work samples, media materials, publications or images. These materials should only be submitted if requested by the committee. The committee will meet again to review support materials and make final selections to recommend to the SCAC Board of the Commissioners, which has final approval. Notification of award recipients and those not selected should take place by March.

• How to Make a Nomination

  Letter of Nomination

  The nomination process begins with a nomination letter uploaded through the Submittable platform. The nomination letter should describe the nominee’s exemplary contributions to the arts in South Carolina. It should be no more than three typed pages, using 12-point type, and should address any characteristics included in the category descriptions. It should include specific examples and relevant data wherever possible. The letter should be structured to answer the following questions:

  • What makes the nominee superior or extraordinary?
  • How has the nominee demonstrated leadership in the arts?
  • What exceptional achievements or contributions has the nominee made, and what has been their impact on the community, state or beyond?
  • What other information about the nominee is important to know as they are considered for the state’s highest award in the arts?

  DO NOT MAIL OR EMAIL YOUR LETTER. You must submit through the Submittable platform through the link below (which appears when the nomination window is open).

  Nomination Steps

  You may begin an online nomination and save it for later by logging in with your user name and password.

  1. Click the link button below (“Make a nomination,” active only during the nomination window).
  2. Create your account.
  3. Check the nomination category.
  4. Provide information about the nominee and the nominator.
  5. Upload a letter of nomination.
  6. Submit.