Over the last couple months and even going back further, I’ve mentioned the SC Arts Commission and the SC Arts Foundation – one or two times – or maybe it was every other post to the blog. I often mention the boards of these two organizations, not mentioning any individual – mostly as a group. Well, some readers want to know who these folks are since they are never mentioned much in any conversations about the arts in South Carolina, but they are so important in that they make all the decisions – right.
I apologize for taking so long in getting this info to you, but I was a little tied up with my own economic recovery plan. So here is a list of folks who make up these two boards:
South Carolina Arts Commission Board
Linda C. Stern, Columbia, Chair
Charles T. “Bud” Ferillo, Jr., Columbia, Vice Chair
West Fraser, Charleston, Executive Committee
Sarah Lynn Hayes, Rock Hill
Noble P. Cooper, Jr., Columbia
Henry Horowitz, Greenville
Barbara R. Nwokike, Charleston
Elizabeth Sowards, Chapin
There should be nine members on the Arts Commission board, but they have been operating with only eight for some time and as little as 7 in recent years. I can’t imagine why they would be doing this and why our good Governor hasn’t appointed a full board and you would think they would need or want a tie-breaker, but I think they all walk in line according to what the staff tells them is needed. If they don’t – they won’t serve for long. Squeaky wheels at the Arts Commission don’t get attention – they get replaced.
You might also notice that half the board is from the Columbia area. A little over-balanced toward Columbia’s art community. It’s bad enough that the Arts Commission is based in Columbia – it’s the only art community in SC they really know. I know myself how hard it is to know – really know what is going on in areas you don’t live in – much less communities spread throughout two states. And, I know how people tend to fall back on things they know. Having half the board with ties to Columbia is not good for the entire state.
For you visual art folks – Yes, the West Fraser mentioned above is the talented painter from Charleston, who with his wife, owns a commercial gallery in Charleston. You would think this would mean something to visual artists and the commercial art community, but Fraser is just one vote out of eight and then there is the know-it-all staff who is always there to tell you – that’s not the way it’s done – if you were to ever think outside the box. And, now – there just isn’t money for new things.
I remember many a conversation with Fraser about the Arts Commission. He was not a big fan back then. I wonder what he thinks of them now?
The South Carolina Arts Foundation – Board of Directors 2008-2009
Patrick R. VanHuss, Columbia, President*
Debra Timmerman, Columbia, Vice President
Michel G. Moore, Columbia, Treasurer
Jennifer Whittle, Greenville, Immediate Past President
Gloria M. Bell, Charleston
Stephen Benjamin, Columbia
Julie E. Bowers, Columbia
Jeffry C. Caswell, Columbia
J. Ashley Cooper, Charleston
Beryl Dakers, Columbia
James M. Dedman, IV, Greenville
Chandra Foster, Fort Mill
Caroline Freeman, Columbia
Victoria Hollins, Columbia
Beverly Kaplan, Greenville
Kathy Konduros, Columbia
Sally Lyles, Columbia
J. Michael McCabe, Columbia
Sally T. McKay, Columbia
Rhett Outten, Greenville
Lorin Palmer, Sumter
Anne Darby Parker, Sullivans Island
Ruth Rast, Columbia
Peggy Reynolds, Beaufort
Dona Smith, Columbia
Donna I. Sorensen, Columbia
Linda C. Stern, Columbia*
Leo F. Twiggs, Orangeburg*
Bhavna Vasudeva, Columbia
John Whitehead, Columbia*
Patricia E. Wilson, Columbia*
Suzette M. Surkamer, Columbia
Ex-Officio*
* people who are also on the board or have also served on the board of the SC Arts Commission. Of course Suzette “Susie” Surkamer is the executive director of the Art Commission.
Remember, these are the two organizations that are completely separate, but share the same building, phone number, staff and it looks like board members too.
The Foundation’s board has 32 members, but as you can see it is also very heavily weighted towards Columbia with 21 from Columbia (65%), 4 from Greenville, 3 from Charleston and a few from other areas of the state. How can this truly be statewide representation? Not one member is from Spartanburg, Rock Hill, Florence, Aiken or Hilton Head.
Some of these folks from both boards are what I call professional board members. They may go off for a few years, but then they are brought right back again. Linda C. Stern, Patricia E. Wilson and Leo F. Twiggs come to mind right off the bat. Stern and Wilson have been off and on the Arts Commission board serving almost ten years each. Are they that good as stewards of the arts or are they just people who go along easily with staff recommendations? I’ll let you guess my opinion on that question.
During the Arts Commission’s 40 Lists Project – their strange way of celebrating 40 years as a state agency (making lists) – they presented a list of past and present board members, but they only listed a person’s name once and gave a certain period of time they served, hiding the fact that several of these people have been on the board multiple times. That’s the way they roll at the Arts Commission – always serving up info in their own special way. Omission of facts is not really lying is it? Well, either way the Arts Commission is very good at leaving facts out of the public’s sight. I also wish they would list behind each person’s name what their connection is to the arts. It would be nice to see what art groups these people have connections with – like how many serve on boards of other art groups and how many have jobs with the state or groups who receive funding from the SC Arts Commission or the SC Arts Foundation. Also, it would be good to know how many have no real connection to the arts.
Frankly, I think it should be a law that every non-profit that receives public funding should have to post the names of their board members on websites, letterheads, in event programs and every request for funding. Most of the time these folks are totally unknown to the public.
So now you have names to go along with the words “board members” when I’m talking about the Arts Commission or their twin the SC Arts Foundation. Do you know any of these folks? Did you know they were on these boards?
The stories I could tell you about some of these folks, but I can’t because they involve other people who are not willing to go public yet, they still have something to lose, but when they are ready – I’ll be ready. It just might make an interesting book someday.