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Mary is a third of the way to her goal! Visit her project on kickstarter.com and donate!
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Keep up with the Arts Commission online!
  
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Top o' the Mornin', Y'all! It's taken more than luck for the artists featured in this month's e-news to earn the recognition they're receiving today. Study, focus, innovation and lots of hard work have made the difference in their careers. We have high expectations of and strong belief in each of you to reach similar heights -- that's why we've put together the Artists' Ventures Initiative. Please take advantage of the 2010 Artists' Retreat, professional development courses, and other opportunities you learn about through AVI. This effort is being undertaken for you and your audiences throughout our state. Help us do a good job! And while I'm using St. Pat's metaphors, the Arts Commission's budget (as well as the budgets of all state agencies) is currently being debated in the state legislature. Folks, there's no pot of gold for them to pull from, and it will be a struggle to maintain our funding at a level that will allow us to continue all our programs serving artists, arts organizations, cultural tourism, traditional arts and arts education. I encourage you to sign up for updates from the S.C. Arts Alliance. The SCAA will let you know when it's time to contact your representatives and let them know the difference you make in your community, and the difference the Arts Commission makes for you. Y'all could be our lucky charms!
Keep in touch!
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Meet the first S.C. Artists' Ventures Grant recipients!
This week the Arts Commission's Board of Commissioners met and approved our first two Artists' Ventures Grant awards.
 Stephen Owen - Stephen recently
started a new company, Sixteenacrewood, that makes fine craft furniture and
kitchen goods from trees harvested in urban areas (primarily in York County). These trees would otherwise go into
landfills, and Stephen harvests them for free in partnership with tree cutting
services. Stephen will use AVI funds to
purchase a small tractor for hauling logs, a large scale chainsaw that will
allow him to cut larger slabs of wood for dining and office tables, and
materials or a solar kiln used to dry the wood.
 Jim Creal - Jim has been working as a
printmaker for years, focusing primarily in etching. Jim plans to offer a new line of products -
lithographs - and this constitutes a new venture for his career. Jim can produce a lithograph faster than an
etching, can pull more prints from a lithograph than an etching, and can sell a
lithograph at a higher price than an etching.
Just as important, Jim loves lithography, and this will be a more
satisfying career path than his current pursuit. Jim will use AVI funds for further training
in lithography and for a lithographic press and stones. He already has a commission lined up and has
started a collector's club for his lithographic work!
We anticipate offering another round of Artists' Ventures Grants in the late fall, and will keep you updated via the E-news! |
 Wiles honored with Verner Award
This week the S.C. Arts Commission announced the recipients of the Elizabeth O'Neill Verner Governor's Award in the Arts, and we are excited to congratulate Charleston's Julian Wiles as the recipient of the award for individual artists!
Founder and producing artistic director of Charleston Stage, Julian is a
director, playwright, set and sound designer, educator, arts promoter and
businessman. Under his direction for more than 30 years, Charleston Stage
Company has grown to be the largest professional theatre in South Carolina.
Wiles has written or adapted 27 original plays and musicals, and has directed
and designed more than 200 productions for more than a million patrons-nearly
half of whom were students attending at special discounted school matinees. He
has created several youth theatre programs, including a free high school
technical apprentice program. Wiles serves on numerous boards and the Charleston
County Schools Superintendent's Arts Round Table, and has received many awards
for his artistic and playwriting achievements, including the Governor's Award
for Excellence. |
Tax tips for independent contractors
If you are a sole proprietorship, or if you perform contract work, you need to file a Schedule C when completing your federal tax return. Schedule C forms can be found on the IRS Web site, and we highly recommend that you also take a good long look at the 2009 Instructions for Schedule C. You may also want to file a form I-335 with your SC 1040 (and here are the Instructions for SC form 1040).
Besides reading all of the instructions for each form, we offer these three helpful hints:
1 a. Don't freak out. Stay calm and re-read instructions, cross-referencing them with the forms. Taking it step by step will minimize the freak out factor.
1 b. Start early, in case you ignore helpful hint #1a and throw everything in a drawer "to return to later."
2. Keep all of your business-related receipts, including those for supply purchases and work-related travel and meals.
3. If you are too intimidated to take on the forms yourself, the expense of paying a tax preparer could be some of the best money you'll ever spend.
The SCAC is not a tax preparation organization, nor is the author of this article an accountant. We're just helping you find your starting point for preparing your taxes!
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Share your vision for the arts in S.C.!
What would you like the next ten years to look like for the arts in your community? Participate in the Canvas of the People and let your voice be heard!
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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 South Carolina Arts or call
803.734.8696.
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