South Carolina Arts Commission announces FY2018 Artist Fellowships
August 1, 2017
COLUMBIA, S.C. – The South Carolina Arts Commission Board has awarded Individual Artist Fellowships to four South Carolina artists in the categories of visual arts, craft, media: production and media: screenwriting. Each artist receives $5,000.
This year’s fellows:
Visual: Linda Fantuzzo, Charleston County
Craft: Elizabeth Keller, Horry County
Media: Production: Jason Gourdine, Berkeley County
Media: Screenwriting: Leasharn Hopkins, Richland County
Fellowships recognize and reward the artistic achievements of South Carolina’s exceptional individual artists. Fellowship awards are made through a highly competitive, anonymous process and are based on artistic excellence only. The fellowship awards bring recognition that may open doors to other resources and employment opportunities.
“A fellowship can be a life-changing experience,” said S.C. Arts Commission Executive Director Ken May. “Fellows share stories about how the award dollars made a transformative difference and how this validation affected their spirits and their self-perception. South Carolina’s artists are the core of our creative economy and indispensable contributors to quality of life in our communities. A fellowship is one of the best ways that we can say thank you, and we are proud to deliver these tokens of gratitude on behalf of the people of South Carolina.”
The S.C. Arts Commission board approves fellowships based on recommendations made by out-of-state review panelists, who select fellows based solely on a review of anonymous work samples. This year’s judges for visual and craft were Irwin Pickett, fine art appraiser and co-owner of Heike Pickett Gallery in Versailles, Kentucky; Geno Rodriguez, New York curator, artist and founder of the Alternative Museum; and Clarissa Sligh, artist, lecturer and essayist of Asheville, N.C. Media judges were Sabine Gruffat (production), digital media artist, award-winning filmmaker and associate professor of art at the University of North Carolina; and Joy Goodwin (screenwriting), writer, filmmaker and teacher — most recently at Elon University.
Individual artists working in prose, poetry, acting and playwriting can apply for the FY2019 fellowship awards. Applications open Aug. 7, 2017, and the deadline to apply is Nov. 1, 2017.
For more information about S.C. Arts Commission programs and services, visit www.SouthCarolinaArts.com or call (803) 734-8696.
About the S.C. Arts Commission:
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.
