COLUMBIA, S.C. – Leveraging Investments in Creativity (LINC), a national initiative to improve conditions for artists, has awarded the South Carolina Arts Commission a $100,000 project grant. The Arts Commission will use the funds to implement practical strategies that address key concerns of S.C. artists.
“We are very excited to receive funds to implement this valuable initiative,” said S.C. Arts Commission Executive Director Suzette Surkamer. “This is a great opportunity to help expand South Carolina's creative economy and offer new resources to artists throughout the state.”
"The Arts Commission began planning its project in July 2007 by gathering input from South Carolina artists of all disciplines. Spearheading the initiative and LINC partnership, Ken May, deputy director of the Arts Commission, said, “We had several exciting and energizing conversations with artists and received good information and insight into what matters most to artists here.
“This feedback led to the development of our core objective--to help artists develop the knowledge and skills they need to build satisfying, sustainable lives in South Carolina,” said May. “We also aim to increase communication, interaction and cooperation among artists throughout the state and to raise the profile of artists as valuable contributors to the economy and communities.”
The agency plans to accomplish these outcomes by offering several training and networking opportunities. Artist gatherings, beginning with a statewide, all-discipline artists’ retreat with workshops and networking sessions, will provide artists with information they can use in their personal lives, communities and businesses.
Two entrepreneurship programs—one 10-week intensive business development program and one three-weekend, 24-module course—will help artists learn more about how to profit from their work. The result of both programs is a business plan, an element required for artists seeking to participate in the Artists Ventures Program, a “virtual business incubator” initiative.
Many of LINC’s 14 Creative Community sites are major cities such as Cleveland, Chicago and Los Angeles. South Carolina is one of a small number of sites to expand its reach outside of a metropolitan area. “We are honored to be one of the first to take this initiative statewide, and we look forward to putting our proposed strategies into action to fulfill the needs of South Carolina artists,” said May.
LINC is a ten-year project, based in New York, with major funding from the Ford Foundation and others, which works to improve conditions for artists working in all disciplines, so that artists can more readily do their creative work and contribute to community life. For more information about the S.C. Arts Commission’s involvement in the program, visit www.SouthCarolinaArts.com/linc or call Ken May at (803) 734-8689.
About SCAC:
The South Carolina Arts Commission is the state agency charged with creating a thriving arts environment that benefits all South Carolinians, regardless of their location or circumstances. Created by the South Carolina General Assembly in 1967, the Arts Commission is celebrating 40 years of increasing public participation in the arts by providing services, grants and leadership initiatives in three areas: arts education, community arts development and artist development. Headquartered in Columbia, S.C., the Arts Commission is funded by the state of South Carolina and by the federal government through the National Endowment for the Arts. For more information, visit www.SouthCarolinaArts.com or call (803) 734-8696.
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