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.

About the Governor's Awards

• Nomination Deadline

  Nominations for the 2025 Governor’s Awards for the Arts are being accepted until Monday, November 4, 2024 at 11:59 p.m. ET.

   

• Category Descriptions

  The nine appointed commissioners of the South Carolina Arts Commission may choose not to present an award in a particular category in a given year. In addition to the categories below, the S.C. 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 2014 are eligible to be nominated for the 2024 awards.

   

  ARTS IN EDUCATION

  Open to S.C. individuals and 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 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.

  GOVERNMENT

  Open to 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. The SCAC Board of Commissioners 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.

  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

Governor's Award Recipients

• Current Recipients (2024)

  CAMPBELL FROST
  Lifetime Achievement | Columbia

  DIANE FRANKENBERGER
  Individual | Summerville

  DR. MINUETTE FLOYD
  Arts in Education | Columbia

  SOUTH CAROLINA PHILHARMONIC
  Organization | Columbia

  • Read the announcement on The Hub.
  • Read about the current recipients.

• Recent Recipients

  Information on past recipients is available here.

  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

  2021

  • Tom Flowers – Lifetime Achievement
  • Charlton Singleton – Artist
  • Jennifer Clark Evins – Individual
  • Dr. Tayloe Harding – Arts in Education
  • Colonial Life – Business/Foundation
  • ColaJazz Foundation – Organization
  • Marjory Wentworth – Special Award