When it comes to writing fiction, I know of no one better than the folks at the SC Arts Commission, who have just released their strategic plan for the arts for the next ten years.
On Jan. 4, 2011, The Post & Courier newspaper in Charleston, SC, published a guest editorial (signed by West Fraser and Barbara Nwokike) entitled, Plan for a better S.C. through the arts. I say these two people signed this letter, because I doubt they had any part in writing it and I hope they don’t believe much of it. My guess is as SC Arts Commission commissioners – they were obligated to sign their names to it. This it the kind of “writing your own history” the staff of the Art Commission produces.
You can find the A Long-Range Plan for the Arts in South Carolina, 2011- 2020, starting at this link (http://www.southcarolinaarts.com/plan/index.shtml) and then follow the links and see how far you get before you get sick to your stomach.
I challenge you to find one measurable goal. These folks are masters at producing the most broad-based, specifically vague goals. But no worry, they don’t spend any time analyzing their progress in reaching those goals or even bothering to see if they reached any of those goals before they move on to the next ten year cycle. Not so funny thing – most of the goals are the same each ten year cycle – they’re just reworded. But, I’ll be amazed if the SC Arts Commission even exists (as we know it) before this ten year cycle is over – if not gone all together before the end of our next Governor’s four year term.
I know I’m still waiting for them to reach a few goals they made 10 and 20 years ago.
I attended two of the regional Canvas of the People events, which is only part of the Long Range Plan process – apparently a minor part, and I see no sign of the major goals the people attending those meetings were looking for. They wanted more funding from the Arts Commission, SC Government, and the public and private sectors. They wanted more help and opportunities from the Arts Commission.
What they’re going to get is fiction writing and an entrenched state agency where most of the employees are hanging on for retirement.
The best thing that could happen in this state as far as the art community goes is for legislators to close this agency down, take the average of the last ten years of the budget of the Arts Commission (less the massive overhead of the Arts Commission) and divide that money up between the 46 counties in SC based on population. That would give the art community the same money they have been given each year and will save the state millions. Let county leaders put that money where they think it can best be used (in the arts) instead of central government bureaucrats deciding where it should go and how it should be used. The county leaders have to answer to the people more than protected bureaucrats do. Let SC’s art communities reflect their true nature – not New York City.
And, if someone asks – “Where will all the expert guidance the Arts Commission provides come from?” – let the counties demand partnerships between leading businesses and the art groups in those counties in order to get funding. Besides, the only people who would ask such a question are those who are on the gravy train already and their noses are a little brown. The art groups will learn more useful practices in their relationship with successful businesses.
I’m not wasting anymore time on this subject – I can find better fiction, less frustrating fiction, at my local public library – which deserves more funding from SC than the SC Arts Commission does. The libraries in this state earn every penny they get – over and over again.
