COLUMBIA, S.C. – Showing off some of our country's best artistic work to as many people in as many communities as possible is the goal of American Masterpieces: Three Centuries of Artistic Genius, a project of the National Endowment for the Arts. As a part of this national initiative, the SC Arts Commission has awarded nine grants totaling $54,062 to South Carolina arts organizations that plan to acquire, prepare and present master works of American choral music, musical theatre and dance.
The grant recipients are:
Arts Center of Coastal Carolina, Beaufort County, Musical Theatre, “A Chorus Line,” $6,000
Barnwell County Arts Council, Barnwell County, Musical Theatre, “Some Enchanted Evening,” $1,134
Columbia City Ballet, Richland County, Dance, “Where the Wild Things Are,” $4,000
The Power Company, Richland County, Dance, “Dan Wagoner Retrospective,” $6,528
Robert Ivey Ballet Company, Charleston County, Dance, “The Ragtime Dance,” $4,400
Sandlapper Singers, Richland County, Choral Music, “America’s Best,” $8,000
Beaufort Performing Arts Inc., Beaufort County, Musical Theatre, “Red, Hot and Cole!,” $8,000
Greenwood-Lander Performing Arts, Greenwood County, Dance, Parsons Dance Co. performance, $8,000
Greenwood Community Theatre, Greenwood County, Musical Theatre, “Anything Goes,” $8,000
“We’re delighted that the NEA has offered us the opportunity to fund these performing groups that plan to present America’s great masterpieces to citizens of South Carolina,” said Suzette Surkamer, executive director of the South Carolina Arts Commission. “We’re particularly excited that this program will help introduce these exceptional master works to children in schools in both large and small communities across the state.”
Choral Music Grants
The choral music component of American Masterpieces features regional choral concerts highlighting an American repertoire. One presentation celebrates American musical theatre prior to 1940 and another features an array of choral masterworks. To engage schools and create K-12 educational links, local high school choirs will be invited to perform at select programs.
Musical Theatre Grants
Musical theatre projects highlight the collaborative creativity, evolution, and cultural contributions of this artistic genre. Productions include “Red, Hot and Cole!,” a two-act revue that blends the music of legendary Cole Porter with a biography of his life, and “Some Enchanted Evening,” a celebration of songs written by American songwriters Richard Rogers and Oscar Hammerstein II. Organizations also plan to accompany shows with educational events, including visits to local schools and lectures to community organizations.
Dance Grants
Presentations in this field of art celebrate the extraordinary and rich evolution of dance and choreography in the United States. Productions, performances, tours and educational programs will reach large and small communities throughout South Carolina. Presenters plan to entertain the public by performing regional American dances and various works by master choreographers, and to educate local students by offering educational packages and outreach performances.
American Masterpieces combines arts presentations with education programming to introduce citizens to American cultural and artistic legacy. More information about the national program is available at www.nea.gov/national/masterpieces. For more information about the SC Arts Commission American Masterpieces program, please visit www.state.sc.us/arts/grants or call (803) 734-8696.
About SCAC
The South Carolina Arts Commission provides grants, services and leadership to arts organizations, schools and individual artists to preserve and promote the arts across the spectrum of South Carolina’s cultures and forms of expression. The agency strives to make the arts accessible to all South Carolinians, enhancing quality of life and contributing significantly to the state’s economic well-being. Headquartered in Columbia, S.C., the Arts Commission draws on the resources of state tax dollars appropriated by the South Carolina General Assembly and 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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