Public support of the arts is non-negotiable. In my mind at least.
You may ask, “Why?”
The answer is simple – I’ve seen what it has done, what it is doing, and what it can do. I have experienced first hand the positive results that a government investment in the arts can have on a community, a state and a country. The results from supporting the arts with public funds are incredible and cannot be overlooked.
I grew up in the Upstate – born and raised in Anderson and attended a high school in Greenville. I have seen the transformation of the entire Upstate from a agricultural and industrial crossroads to a collaborative hotspot for innovation, technology and creativity. I remember a time when no one wanted to go downtown on a Friday night. I remember a time when there was nothing to do on the weekends except for a very small number of festivals/events. Then all of that changed. Within just a little over two decades, the Upstate has transformed into a destination. From the offerings at USC Upstate and Hub-Bub in Spartanburg, to Artisphere (named one of the top 20 arts festivals in the US) and the multitude of arts organizations downtown Greenville, to the opening of the Anderson Arts Center, to the developments right here in the Golden Strip (Fountain Inn Center for Visual & Performing Arts, Charter Amphitheater, Mauldin Cultural Center) — the Upstate has become a huge hub for the arts in South Carolina.
During my time spent in Charleston, SC I saw a $20 million renovation of the Dock Street Theatre – the oldest theatrical facility in the US – led by the City of Charleston (I worked for the resident theatre company at the facility); experienced the now over 30 year-old, city-sponsored and city-managed Piccolo Spoleto Festival (I worked as a House Manager, acted in a production and directed another production for the Festival); and witnessed the overwhelming support the City of Charleston had for its arts organizations every day. Thanks to arts organizations such as the Gibbes Museum, Charleston Stage Company, Theatre 99, North Charleston Coliseum/PAC/Conference Center (a city-owned facility), the Charleston Symphony, and the many arts festivals including Spoleto Festival USA, Charleston Food & Wine Festival and Charleston Fashion Week, Charleston has transformed from a purely historical landmark, to a tourist magnet. All with the support and funding of the local, state and federal government.
I spent a summer helping the Fountain Inn Center for Visual & Performing Arts get their programs off the ground as well. While there, I was overwhelmed with how much wonderful support City officials had for the arts in their community. Taking an old school building, investing in infrastructure, and giving artists the capabilities to present their craft has proven to be one of the best uses of public money for the City of Fountain Inn. The City now boasts boutiques, restaurants and a thriving arts center that has events at least 95% of the year, attracts over 60,000 people a year and covers everything from classes to music to theatre. And the City of Fountain Inn helps support all of it.
Currently, we are working hard to bring the same type of atmosphere to Mauldin. The Mauldin Cultural Center works hand-in-hand with the City of Mauldin to create a cultural and artistic anchor for the community. We hosted over 200 events (performances, rentals, meetings, exhibits, classes, etc) and over 20,000 people in 2011 and are on pace to break that number in 2012 already. All of this would not be possible without the support of our local, state and federal governments.
We depend upon government agencies such as the South Carolina Arts Commission and the National Endowment for the Arts to not only enable us to carry out our mission through potential grants, but also to represent the government’s support of the arts across the nation; because, just like the National Endowment for the Arts’ motto states, we believe that “a great nation deserves great art” – and that includes Mauldin.
I urge you to contact your local representatives – city council, state legislators and federal representatives – and let them know you support the arts.
To find out more about government support of the arts, click on these links:
Americans for the Arts – Gov’t Support for the Arts (Federal vs State vs Local)
National Assembly for State Arts Agencies – Why Gov’t Support Matters
George Patrick McLeer
Executive Director, Mauldin Cultural Center
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