The Arts in Basic Curriculum (ABC) Project website (ABCProjectSC.com) has been transformed with a new design and streamlined content and will now serve as a digital hub for arts education in South Carolina. The new site includes an arts education calendar, a news portal, and resources for current and future ABC sites – schools and districts that receive ABC Advancement grants from the South Carolina Arts Commission. The website also features a directory of all ABC sites that can be sorted by county, district, or grade level.

“Schools and districts become ABC sites by going through a rigorous arts strategic planning process to implement standards-based arts curriculum and integrate the arts into daily classroom instruction,” said ABC Project Director Christine Fisher. “The new website will support the work of arts educators and make it easier for parents, business leaders and community members to learn about arts education and ABC sites in their communities.”

S.C. Arts Commission Arts Education Director Ashley Brown says the new website will also enhance the ABC Project’s national profile. “South Carolina moved to the frontlines of the national arts education movement by launching the ABC Project in 1987,” says Brown. “We’ve made great strides in 30 years, and now we are focused on the next level of arts education reform. Our goal is to activate the arts to ensure all students gain the vital skills needed for the 21st century, including critical thinking, creativity, and communication. This website will support that goal with quality arts lesson plans, a blog featuring national arts education experts, grants and resources, and professional development videos for educators. The site will serve as a national model for the intersection of arts and technology.”

The Arts in Basic Curriculum (ABC) Project provides leadership to achieve quality, comprehensive arts education (which includes creative writing, dance, design, media arts, music, theatre, and visual arts) for all students in South Carolina. The ABC Project is cooperatively directed by the South Carolina Arts Commission, the South Carolina Department of Education and the College of Visual and Performing Arts at Winthrop University.

For more information about the ABC Project, visit www.ABCProjectSC.com. For more information about S.C. Arts Commission programs and services, visit www.SouthCarolinaArts.com or call (803) 734-8696.