Past Recipients
Distinguished South Carolinians recognized by the South Carolina Arts Commission for outstanding achievement and contributions to the arts in the state.
-
2023
- Ray McManus – Artist
- Carlos Agudelo – Individual
- American College of the Building Arts – Arts in Education
- Aiken Center for the Arts – Organization
- Nigel Redden
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
- Marjory Wentworth – Special Award
- Charlton Singleton – Artist
- Jennifer Clark Evins – Individual
- Dr. Tayloe Harding – Arts in Education
- Colonial Life – Business/Foundation
- ColaJazz Foundation – Organization
-
2020
- Dr. Philip Mullen – Lifetime Achievement
- Glenis Redmond – Artist
- Mary Inabinett Mack – Individual
- Cindy Riddle – Arts in Education
- United Community Bank – Business/Foundation
- Charleston Gaillard Center – Organization
2019
- Cecil Williams – Lifetime Achievement
- Town Theatre – Special Award
- Tyrone Geter – Artist
- Kathleen P. Bateson – Individual
- Simeon A. Warren – Arts in Education (Individual)
- S.C. African American Heritage Commission – Arts in Education (Organization)
- Hampton III Gallery – Business
- Florence County Museum – Government
- Gibbes Museum of Art – Organization
2018
- Tom Stanley – Artist
- Alan Ethridge – Individual
- Dr. Anne S. Richardson – Arts in Education
- Bank of America – Business
- Ballet Spartanburg – Organization
2017
- Laura Spong – Lifetime Achievement
- Dr. Leo Twiggs – Lifetime Achievement
- Quentin E. Baxter – Artist
- Betsy Teter – Individual
- Brenda P. McCutchen – Arts in Education
- The Stringer & Rainey Foundations – Business/Foundation
- The City of Beaufort/USC Beaufort Center for the Arts – Government
- South Carolina Humanities – Organization
2016
- Hootie and the Blowfish
- Nikky Finney
- Mary Edna Fraser – Artist
- Betty Plumb – Individual
- Joye in Aiken – Arts in Education
- City of Greenville – Government
- The Johnson Collection/Phifer-Johnson Foundation – Business/Foundation
- Columbia Museum of Art – Organization
2015
- Aldwyth – Artist
- Dr. Donald Portnoy – Individual
- Howe Hall Arts Infused Magnet School – Arts in Education
- City of Lancaster – Government
- Wells Fargo Bank – Business
- College of Charleston School of the Arts – Organization
- Dr. Terry K. Peterson – Lifetime Achievement
2014
- Edward Rice – Artist
- Beaufort County School District – Arts in Education
- City of Greenwood – Government
- Elliott Davis, LLC – Business
- Cynthia Boiter – Individual
2013
- Mary Whyte – Artist
- Mayo Mac Boggs – Arts in Education
- City of Anderson, SC – Government
- Charles Fox, Fox Music House – Business
- Ethel S. Brody – Individual
- Franklin G. Burroughs – Simeon B. Chapin Art Museum – Organization
- John Ashbury Zeigler, Jr. – Lifetime Achievement
- Pearl Fryar – Special Award
2012
- Robert Ariail – Artist
- R. Scot Hockman – Arts in Education
- The Self Family Foundation – Business/Foundation
- Sam Wang – Individual
- The Halsey Institute of Contemporary Art, with special recognition for Mark Sloan – Organization
- Lillian Quackenbush – Lifetime Achievement
2011
- C. Thomas (Tommy) Wyche – Lifetime Achievement
- Mary Jackson – Lifetime Achievement
- Heidi Darr-Hope – Artist
- Terry K. Hunter – Individual Artist and Educator
- Carolina First Bank – Business
- Nina Liu & Friends Gallery – Business
- Steven Rosenberg – Individual
- Carolina Youth Symphony – Organization
- Linda C. Stern – Leadership Award
-
2010
- Pat Conroy – Lifetime Achievement
- Jonathan Green – Lifetime Achievement
- Julian Wiles – Individual Artist
- Larry Barnfield – Arts in Education
- City of Rock Hill, with special recognition for its public/private partnership with Comporium – Government
- Robert (Bob) E. Howard – Individual
- Newberry Opera House Foundation – Organization
- Williams & Fudge, Inc. – Business
2009
The Verner Awards were not awarded in 2009 due to state budget reductions
2008
- Dr. Roy Fluhrer – Arts in Education
- Arts Council of Greenwood County – Arts Organization
- Solicitor Jay Hodge – Government
- Kwame Dawes – Individual
- Jill Eathorne Bahr – Individual Artist
- First Citizens Bank – Business
- John Jakes – Lifetime Achievement
2007
- Annette Francis – Arts in Education
- The Arts Partnership of Greater Spartanburg – Arts Organization
- The Clemson University for the Lillian and Robert Utsey Chamber Music Series – Government
- Kimberly Spears – Individual
- Marlena Smalls – Individual Artist
- The Palmetto Bank – Business
2006
- Christine Sides Fisher – Arts in Education
- Arts Center of Coastal Carolina – Arts Organization
- The SC Department of Mental Health: The Art of Recovery – Government
- Marvin-Joe Merck – Individual
- Bob Doster – Individual Artist
- Charles Wadsworth – Special Award
- David C. Sennema – Lifetime Achievement
2005
- Florence Little Theatre – Organization
- Richland County Public Library – Government
- Deborah S. Hoffman – Arts in Education
- Scott Shanklin-Peterson – Individual
- Jarvis Brothers Quintet – Individual Artist
- Time Warner Cable SC Division – Business/Foundation
- Carl R. Blair – Lifetime Achievement
2004
- The Emrys Foundation – Organization
- Sumter County Cultural Commission – Government
- S.C. Alliance for Arts Education – Arts in Education
- Bingham Lafayette Vick, Jr. – Individual
- Christian Thee – Individual Artist
- Jeanet Steckler Dreskin – Lifetime Achievement
2003
- The Peace Center for the Performing Arts – Arts Organization
- City of Charleston Office of Cultural Affairs – Government
- BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina – Business
- Liz Smith-Cox – Individual in Arts Education
- Thales Thomas “Skipp” Pearson – Individual Artist
- Dottie Ashley – Individual’
- Corrie McCallum – Lifetime Achievement in the Arts
2002
- Hub City Writers Project – Arts Organization
- Boyd Saunders – Individual in Arts Education
- Wyche, Burgess, Freeman & Parham, P.A. – Business
- William Light Kinney, Jr. – Individual in Business
- Isabel Hill – Individual in Government
- Lillian (“Mickey”) Harder – Individual
- William Starrett – Individual Artist
- Homer L. (“Pappy”) Sherrill (posthumous) – Lifetime Achievement in the Arts
2001
- Marlboro Civic Center Foundation – Arts Organization
- Chernoff/Silver & Associates – Business
- McKissick Museum – Government
- Shari Hutchinson – Individual
- Gordon (Dick) Goodwin – Individual Artist
- Barry Goldsmith – Individual in Arts Education
- S.C. Governor’s School for the Arts – Arts Education Organization
- Philip Simmons – Lifetime Achievement
-
2000
- Trident Regional Arts Collaborative Endeavor (TRACE) – Arts Education Organization
- Trustus Theatre – Arts Organization
- Beaufort Art Supply – Business
- North Charleston Cultural Arts Program – Government
- John Whitehead – Individual
- Beryl Dakers – Individual in Arts Education
1999
- Richland County School District One – Arts in Education
- Arts Council of Beaufort County – Arts Organization
- Newberry Federal Savings Bank – Business
- South Carolina State Museum – Government
- Toni Marcus Elkins – Individual
- William Melton Halsey – Lifetime Achievement
1998
- School District Five of Richland and Lexington Counties – Arts in Education
- Burroughs & Chapin Company, Inc. – Arts Organization
- Fine Arts Center of Kershaw County – Arts Organization
- John Acorn – Individual
1997
- McClellanville Arts Council – Arts Organization
- Nations Bank, N.A. – Business
- Piggly Wiggly Carolina Company, Inc. – Business
- Stephen R. McCrae, Sr. – Individual
- Ray Doughty – Individual in Arts Education
- Representative Jean Laney Harris – Special Award
1996
- Redcliffe Elementary School – Arts Education
- South Carolina Arts Alliance – Arts Organization
- David Stahl – Individual
- Ava Hughes – Individual in Arts Education
- Ben C. Boozer – Individual in Business
1995
- Richland School District Two – Arts Education
- Horry Cultural Arts Council – Arts Organization
- Charleston Post and Courier – Business
- Calhoun County Museum & Cultural Center – Government
- Elaine Taylor Freeman – Individual
1994
- Fine Arts Center of the School District of Greenville County – Arts in Education
- Spoleto Festival USA – Arts Organization
- Carolina First Bank – Business
- Sun, Incorporated – Business
- The Arts Education Reform Initiatives of the South Carolina State Department of Education – Government
- Samuel L. Tenenbaum – Individual
1993
- School District of Oconee County – Arts in Education
- The Guild of the Greenville Symphony – Arts Organization
- South Carolina National Bank – Business
- Spectrum South, Inc., Koonce Group – Business
- The Outreach Program of the South Carolina Governor’s School for the Arts and Humanities – Government
- Sylvia U. Wood – Individual
- Ansley Crawford – Individual in Arts in Education
1992
- University of South Carolina String Project – Arts in Education
- Rock Hill Arts Council – Arts Organization
- SCANA Corporation – Business
- Lancaster County Council and Lancaster City Council – Government
- Clark Ellefson – Individual
1991
- Tri-District Arts Consortium – Arts in Education
- AT&T – Business
- Elliott, Davis & Company – Business
- Winthrop College – Government
- Chopstick Theater – Arts Organization
-
1990
- Cultural Council of Richland & Lexington Counties, with Special Recognition to Dot Ryall – Arts Organization
- Fluor Daniel, Inc. – Business
- LS3P Architects, Ltd. – Business
- Charles S. Way, Jr. – Individual
- Mac Arthur Goodwin – Individual in Arts in Education
- Henry J. Cauthen – Individual in Government
- Catharine Rembert – Lifetime Achievement in the Arts
1989
- McCormick Arts Council at the Keturah – Arts Organization
- NCNB of South Carolina – Business
- Byrne Miller – Individual
- Betty Bramlett – Individual in Arts in Education
- Joint Legislative Committee on Cultural Affairs – Government
1988
- Ashley River Creative Arts Elementary School – Arts in Education
- Columbia City Ballet, with Special Recognition to Ann Brodie – Arts Organization
- Southern Bell – Business
- City of Rock Hill – Government
- Wilfred Delphin and Edwin Romain – Individual
- Peter Rickett – Special Award for Lifetime Achievement
1987
- Spring Valley High School, with Special Commendation to Marianne Holland – Arts in Education
- Robert Ivey Ballet – Arts Organization
- Sumter County Council – Government
- O. Stanley Smith, Jr. – Individual
- Thomas N. McLean – Individual in Business
- South Carolina Governor’s School for the Arts and Humanities – Special Award
1986
- Island School Council for the Arts – Arts in Education
- Marlboro Area Arts Council – Arts Organization
- Carol Saunders – Individual
- Robert E. Marvin – Individual in Business
- William D. Hay – Individual in Government
- Charleston Symphony Orchestra – Richard W. Riley Award
- Governor Richard W. Riley – Special Award
1984
- Anderson County Arts Council – Arts Organization
- South Carolina National Bank – Business
- South Carolina Department of Parks, Recreation & Tourism – Government
- Columbia College – Arts in Education
- Spartanburg High School – Special Award
- Arpad Darazs – Individual
- Mayor Kirkman Finlay – Special Award
1983
- Lancaster County Council of the Arts – Arts Organization
- National Bank of South Carolina, Sumter – Business
- South Carolina Wildlife & Marine Resources Department, with Special Commendation to SC Wildlife Magazine Government
- Theodore Stern – Individual
- Dean Harlan Ewart McClure – Individual in Arts in Education
1982
- Harbison Development Corporation – Business
- Guy F. Lipscomb, Jr. – Individual
- Guthrie Darr – Individual in Arts in Education
- The Honorable Joseph P. Riley, Jr. – Individual in Government
- The Island Packet – Media
- Bamberg County Chamber of Commerce – Special Award
- South Carolina Chamber Orchestra – Arts Organization
- University of South Carolina Community Concert Series – Government Body
1981
- Greenville Metropolitan Arts Council – Arts Organization
- Seibels, Bruce & Company – Business
- South Carolina Educational Television Network – Government Body
- Sidney J. Palmer – Individual
- Virginia Uldrick – Individual in Arts in Education
- Brookgreen Gardens – Special Award
- Senator Harris Page Smith – Individual
- The Columbia Record – Media
-
1980
- Beaufort County Schools – Arts in Education
- Bankers Trust – Business
- City of Bennettsville – City
- Marlboro County – Government Body
- Leo F. Twiggs – Individual
- Representative Harriet H. Keyserling – Individual in Government
- Sandlapper Magazine – Media
- The Fine Arts Center of Kershaw County – Organization
- Spoleto Festival USA – Special Award
1979
- School District of Greenville County – Arts in Education
- Springs Mills, Inc. – Business
- City of Easley – City
- WIS-TV Channel 10 – Media
- Arthur Magill – Individual
- Raymond O. Thigpen – Special Award
- Kitani Foundation – Organization
1976
- South Carolina National Bank – Business
- City of Spartanburg – City
- Sam Bass – Individual in Arts in Education
- Rock Hill Evening Herald – Media
- Spartanburg Arts Council – Organization
- Terrell Glenn – Individual
1974
- Elliott White Springs Foundation – Arts in Education
- City of Charleston – City
- Greenville County Museum of Art – Organization
- John Richard Craft – Individual
1972
- Converse College – Arts in Education
- City of Greenville – City
- E. Nick Zeigler – Individual
- Columbia Museum of Art – Organization