Canvas of the People Coming to Darlington County

SC Arts Commission Seeking Strategic Planning Input

Planning for healthier economic times, the S.C. Arts Commission invites the public to share their priorities for the arts at the Black Creek Arts Center in Hartsville on March 22nd. The meetings are a part of the 2010 Canvas of the People (www.SouthCarolinaArts.com/canvas2010), a statewide planning process that will inform the 2011-2020 Long-Range Plan for the Arts in South Carolina.

“We want to hear what people value about the arts and how they think the arts can support the economic, educational and creative well-being of their communities,” said Ken May, acting executive director. “We will use that input to help develop the next long-range plan for the arts, which the statewide arts community can use as a road map for the future.”

Forums are taking place in seven locations and are free and open to everyone. Each runs from 6:45 p.m. to 8 p.m. Registration is not required.

Prior to the stop in Darlington County, Canvas of the People meetings will have been held at the Columbia Museum of Art, the Technical College of the Lowcountry in Beaufort, and at the Governor's School for the Arts in Greenville. Following the meeting at Black Creek, the tour will stop at the Aiken Center for the Arts (March 25th), North Charleston City Hall (March 29th) and the Chapman Cultural Center in Spartanburg (April 8th).

For more information, visit www.SouthCarolinaArts.com/canvas2010 or contact Milly Hough, (803) 734-8698, mhough@arts.sc.gov. The mission of Black Creek Arts Council is to promote and foster the Arts in Darlington County. BCAC’s offices are housed in a state of the art 10,000 square foot facility at 116 West College Avenue in Hartsville, SC. BCAC offers a variety of programs including art classes of all styles, after-school activities, pre-school aged programs, private music lessons, and various types of gallery exhibits. BCAC also offers assistance with arts management, funding, education, and program coordination to arts and cultural organizations in Darlington County.

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 works to increase 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, by the federal government through the National Endowment for the Arts and other sources. For more information, visit www.SouthCarolinaArts.com or call (803) 734-8696.