15 Florence County Students honored by FRAA

Each year since 1997, the Florence Regional Arts Alliance (FRAA) has awarded the Excellence in Arts Education Awards to graduating seniors from all over Florence County.  This tradition continued recently with awards being handed out at Lake City High School, West Florence High School, Timmonsville High School, South Florence High School and Hannah-Pamplico High School. 

In all, 15 students received honors in visual art, chorus, dance, drama and band. The honorees were:

Visual Art

Haley Ard, Hannah-Pamplico

Amelida Lazo, Lake City

Makayla Plowden, Timmonsville

Destiny Vause, West Florence

Chorus

Zachary Greenwood, Hannah-Pamplico

Patrick Hunt, Lake City

Taylor Gray, South Florence

Tamaric Jones, Timmonsville

Dance

TaShay Means, Timmonsville

Band

Melonie Bryant, Lake City

Nicholas Bruce, South Florence

Robert Dickey, Jr., Timmonsville

Drama

Andrew Poston, Hannah-Pamplico

Bryce Elmore, South Florence

Reginald Brown, Timmonsville 

Graduating seniors from each of the seven public high school in Florence County are eligible for the Excellence in Arts Education Awards.  Nominations are made by arts teachers and are based on academic achievement and performance, as well as involvement in school and community-based arts activities.  

The Honda of South Carolina Excellence In Arts Education Awards are part of a broader FRAA Student Recognition Program that includes the Betty Ann Darby Scholarships, two merit awards presented annually to Florence County graduating seniors who will be pursuing advanced academic or professional degrees with majors in an arts discipline or in arts education. 

For more information about the Excellence in Arts Education Awards or any other Florence Regional Arts Alliance initiatives, contact Bruce Douglas at peedeearts@gmail.com.  

June 3rd: FRAA is currently accepting Quarterly Grant Applications

The Florence Regional Arts Alliance (FRAA) is currently accepting quarterly grant applications from artists, organizations, schools, and teachers for arts projects scheduled to begin October, November and December 2014.  Applications are due on or before 5pm on June 3rd.  Applications sent by mail must be postmarked on or before June 3rd.  

Applications can be obtained by contacting the Florence Regional Arts Alliance at peedeearts@gmail.com. Applicants may request up to $2,500. Because application materials change from time to time, it is recommended that previous applicants request copies of the current materials.

All individuals applying for funding must reside in Florence County.  All organizations must be based in Florence County.  

Examples of funded project include: performances and readings, workshops, services to artists and arts-presenting organizations, exhibitions, artistic and managerial development and public festivals and events.

FRAA will not fund the following: deficits for completed or ongoing projects, tuition for academic study, contingency funds, the purchase of long-term rental equipment, capital improvements, interest on loans, fines, or litigation. 

FRAA's Grants Program is partially funded by South Carolina Arts Commission and the National Endowment for the Arts, as well as from a generous contribution by the John and Susan Bennett Memorial Arts Fund of the Coastal Community Foundation of South Carolina.  Additional funding is provided by Honda of South Carolina.  Since FRAA's Grants Program's inception in 1987, over $250,000 in financial support to individual artists, organizations, teachers, and schools has been awarded. 

Established in 1984, the Florence Regional Arts Alliance is a community-based non-profit organization that is committed to preserving, supporting, and promoting the Arts in Florence County.  Additionally, FRAA strives to promote and strengthen the arts in the region through its online arts marketing initiative, Pee Dee Arts.

June 3rd: Application Deadline for FRAA's Quarterly Grant Program

The Florence Regional Arts Alliance (FRAA) is currently accepting quarterly grant applications from artists, organizations, schools, and teachers for arts projects scheduled to begin October, November and December 2014.  Applications are due on or before 5pm on June 3rd.  Applications sent by mail must be postmarked on or before June 3rd.  

Applications can be obtained by contacting the Florence Regional Arts Alliance at peedeearts@gmail.com. Applicants may request up to $2,500.  Because application materials change from time to time, it is recommended that previous applicants request copies of the current materials.

All individuals applying for funding must reside in Florence County.  All organizations must be based in Florence County.  

Examples of funded project include: performances and readings, workshops, services to artists and arts-presenting organizations, exhibitions, artistic and managerial development and public festivals and events.

FRAA will not fund the following: deficits for completed or ongoing projects, tuition for academic study, contingency funds, the purchase of long-term rental equipment, capital improvements, interest on loans, fines, or litigation. 

FRAA's Grants Program is partially funded by South Carolina Arts Commission and the National Endowment for the Arts, as well as from a generous contribution by the John and Susan Bennett Memorial Arts Fund of the Coastal Community Foundation of South Carolina.  Additional funding is provided by Honda of South Carolina.  Since FRAA's Grants Program's inception in 1987, over $250,000 in financial support to individual artists, organizations, teachers, and schools has been awarded. 

Established in 1984, the Florence Regional Arts Alliance is a community-based non-profit organization that is committed to preserving, supporting, and promoting the Arts in Florence County.  Additionally, FRAA strives to promote and strengthen the arts in the region through its online arts marketing initiative, Pee Dee Arts.

May 16th: Betty Ann Darby Scholarship Application Deadline

The Betty Ann Darby Scholarship Program is named in honor of one of South Carolina's most distinguished music educators.  A member of the South Carolina Music Educator’s Hall of Fame, Ms. Darby served Florence Public School District One for thirty-nine years as a much beloved and highly revered music administrator and music teacher.  Since her retirement in 1987, Ms. Darby has embraced a broad array of volunteer activities in the arts community. 

Since 1997, the Florence Regional Arts Alliance has awarded 27 Florence County students with the prestigious Betty Ann Darby Scholarship.  

The Betty Ann Darby Scholarship Program awards two $1,000 scholarships each year to graduating seniors who will be pursuing advanced academic or professional degrees in an arts discipline or in arts education.  To be considered, seniors must reside in Florence County or be graduating from a Florence County public or private high school.  

The Betty Ann Darby Scholarships are merit scholarships awarded predominantly on the basis of demonstrated talent, passion for the arts and intention to pursue a career in an arts discipline or in arts education.  All application materials must be received by the Florence Regional Arts Alliance via the applicant’s high school guidance counselor or other administrative official on or before May 16, 2014.  

A completed Darby Scholarship Program Application consists of the application, essay, transcript, three recommendation letters and support materials.

To receive an application, email Bruce Douglas at peedeearts@gmail.com.  

Check out Adrian Rhodes' Kickstarter!

The Florence Regional Arts Alliance and Greater Lake City Artists Guild recently hosted an exhibit of Adrian Rhodes' work in Lake City. Check out Adrian's new Kickstarter campaign and see what she's up to now!

Click here to view 'Under My Skin,' a Kickstarter campaign created by Adrian Rhodes to purchase a press for her studio in Hartsville, SC. 

April 25th: Join the Greater Lake City Artists' Guild for opening of their Spring Juried Art Show

GLCAG Juried Art Show

The Greater Lake City Artists’ Guild proudly presents its spring juried art show and celebrates the talents of multiple local artists.

What better way to say goodbye to a long winter than with the pop, panache, and power of the imagination? Peruse, purchase, and polish: enjoy the guilty pleasure of spring! 

Join GLCAG for the:

Opening Reception - April 25, 2014

6 PM – 8 PM

ArtFields Gallery, 110 East Main Street, Lake City, SC

This exhibit is sponsored in part by the

Florence Regional Arts Alliance.

April 25th - May 3rd: 'The Wizard of Oz' at FLT

FLORENCE LITTLE THEATRE TO PRESENT

Wizard of Oz

April 25-May 3, 2014

By L. Frank Baum, Adapted by Frank Gabrielson, with music and lyrics of the MGM motion pictures score by Harold Arlen and E.Y. Harburg, Background Music by Herbert Stothart

Directed by Scarlett Knight

 

 

The Florence Little Theatre will present the ACS Technologies, Habitat 2000 and Knight Software production of Wizard of Ozon April 25-Mary 3, 2014.  This production is being directed by Scarlett Knight.

This family classic  returns to close our season with the timeless story of little Dorothy Gale of Kansas, who like so many girls of her age, dreams of what lies over the rainbow.  One day a twister hits her farm and carries her away over the rainbow to anotherworld.  Come join Dorothy, the Scarecrow, the Tinman, the Cowardly Lion and Toto as they travel the universe of Dorothy’s imagination.

This project is made possible through funding from the Florence Regional Arts Alliance's Quarterly Grants Program, which is funded in part by a generous award from Honda of South Carolina, the South Carolina Arts Commission and the John and Susan Bennett Memorial Arts Fund of the  Coastal Community Foundation of SC.

The Florence Little Theatre is located at 417 S. Dargan Street.    Tickets go on sale Underwriters, Benefactors, Patrons and Sponsors on Monday, April 21, General Membership on Tuesday, April 22 and to the general public on Wednesday, April 23.   For more information, please call 662-3731 or visit our website at www.florencelittletheatre.org.

 

Wizard of Oz

Production Dates:

Friday, April 25 at 7:30pm

Saturday, April 26 at 11:00am

Saturday, April 26 at 7:30pm

Sunday, April 27 at 3:00pm

Tuesday, April 29 at 7:30pm

Wednesday, April 30 at 7:30pm

Thursday, May 1 at 7:30pm

Friday, May 2 at 7:30pm

Saturday, May 3 at 7:30pm

 

Tickets: $25Adults/$18Students

For more information call:

662-3731

April 5th: Adrian Rhodes to lead a Color Theory Workshop in Lake City!

April 5th: Adrian Rhodes to lead Color Theory Workshop in Lake City

April 10th: "Back on Broadway" Arts Gala presented by the Lake City Concert Series

The Deadline for Darby Scholarship Applications is May 16th

The Betty Ann Darby Scholarship Program is named in honor of one of South Carolina's most distinguished music educators. A member of the South Carolina Music Educator’s Hall of Fame, Ms. Darby served Florence Public School District One for thirty-nine years as a much beloved and highly revered music administrator and music teacher. Since her retirement in 1987, Ms. Darby has embraced a broad array of volunteer activities in the arts community.

Since 1997, the Florence Regional Arts Alliance has awarded 27 Florence County students with the prestigious Betty Ann Darby Scholarship.

The Betty Ann Darby Scholarship Program awards two $1,000 scholarships each year to graduating seniors who will be pursuing advanced academic or professional degrees in an arts discipline or in arts education. To be considered, seniors must reside in Florence County or be graduating from a Florence County public or private high school.

The Betty Ann Darby Scholarships are merit scholarships awarded predominantly on the basis of demonstrated talent, passion for the arts and intention to pursue a career in an arts discipline or in arts education. All application materials must be received by the Florence Regional Arts Alliance via the applicant’s high school guidance counselor or other administrative official on or before May 16, 2014.

A completed Darby Scholarship Program Application consists of the application, essay, transcript, three recommendation letters and support materials.

To receive an application, email Bruce Douglas at peedeearts@gmail.com.

March 6th - 8th: Florence to host Poskito (South Carolina Photography & Video Conference)

Historians, History Buffs, News Fiends, Photographers, Videographers, Adults, Children - there's something for all of you!

And it's all happening March 6th - 8th in Florence!

It is the first of its kind in Florence - POSKITO - 

The South Carolina Photography and Video Conference!!

     International and nationally known presenters are coming to Florence. Photography exhibits are all across the City in multiple venues! 

Click here for more info on the Poskito Festival.

Children's activities are scheduled for the Art Walk on Saturday, March 8th!

Darby Scholarship Deadline set for May 16th

Since 1997, the Florence Regional Arts Alliance has awarded 27 Florence County students with the prestigious Betty Ann Darby Scholarship.

The Betty Ann Darby Scholarship Program awards two $1,000 scholarships each year to graduating seniors who will be pursuing advanced academic or professional degrees in an arts discipline or in arts education. To be considered, seniors must reside in Florence County or be graduating from a Florence County public or private high school.

The Betty Ann Darby Scholarships are merit scholarships awarded predominantly on the basis of demonstrated talent, passion for the arts and intention to pursue a career in an arts discipline or in arts education. All application materials must be received by the Florence Regional Arts Alliance via the applicant’s high school guidance counselor or other administrative official on or before May 16, 2014.

The Betty Ann Darby Scholarship Program is named in honor of one of South Carolina's most distinguished music educators. A member of the South Carolina Music Educator’s Hall of Fame, Ms. Darby served Florence Public School District One for thirty-nine years as a much beloved and highly revered music administrator and music teacher. 

A completed Darby Scholarship Program Application consists of the application, essay, transcript, three recommendation letters and support materials.

To receive an application, contact the Florence Regional Arts Alliance at peedeearts@gmail.com.

March 4th is the next deadline for FRAA's Quarterly Grants Program

The Florence Regional Arts Alliance (FRAA) is currently accepting quarterly grant applications from artists, organizations, schools, and teachers for arts projects scheduled to begin July, August and September 2014. Applications are due on or before 5pm on March 4th. Applications sent by mail must be postmarked on or before March 4th.

Applications can be obtained by contacting the Florence Regional Arts Alliance at peedeearts@gmail.com. Applicants may request up to $2,500. Because application materials change from time to time, it is recommended that previous applicants request copies of the current materials.

All individuals applying for funding must reside in Florence County. All organizations must be based in Florence County.

Examples of funded project include: performances and readings, workshops, services to artists and arts-presenting organizations, exhibitions, artistic and managerial development and public festivals and events.

FRAA will not fund the following: deficits for completed or ongoing projects, tuition for academic study, contingency funds, the purchase of long-term rental equipment, capital improvements, interest on loans, fines, or litigation.

FRAA's Grants Program is partially funded by South Carolina Arts Commission and the National Endowment for the Arts, as well as from a generous contribution by the John and Susan Bennett Memorial Arts Fund of the Coastal Community Foundation of South Carolina. Additional funding is provided by Honda of South Carolina. Since FRAA's Grants Program's inception in 1987, over $250,000 in financial support to individual artists, organizations, teachers, and schools has been awarded.

Established in 1984, the Florence Regional Arts Alliance is a community-based non-profit organization that is committed to preserving, supporting, and promoting the Arts in Florence County. Additionally, FRAA strives to promote and strengthen the arts in the region through its online arts marketing initiative, Pee Dee Arts.

Submit Your Nominations for the 2014 Arts Awards Now!

The Florence Regional Arts Alliance (FRAA) is currently accepting nominations for its 2014 Arts Awards. For 2014, four awards will be presented. More information about the awards can be found below.

The deadline for 2014 Arts Awards nominations is March 15, 2014.

Award nominations should be submitted by email to peedeearts@gmail.com.  An acceptable nomination will include the following:

Name of Nominee
Name of Nominator
Nominator's Phone Number
Reason for Nomination (approximately one paragraph)

You can now make your nominations online. Click here to view the nomination form.

Below is information about each award.

John W. Baker Distinguished Service Award

The John W. Baker Distinguished Service Award recognizes an individual from Florence County who has significantly impacted the quality of life in our community through his/her activities, contributions, and/or accomplishments in the arts. Any individual may be nominated with the exception of current members of the Florence Regional Arts Alliance Board of Directors or Staff.

The 2013 Baker Award recipient was Jane Madden.

Business & Arts Partnership Award

The Business and Arts Partnership Award recognizes a Florence County business for its vital commitment to the arts as evidence by operational and/or project support provided on a substantial and ongoing basis.

The 2013 Business & Arts Partnership Award winner was Honda of SC.

Outstanding Arts Organization Award

This award is presented annually to the Florence County arts organization that has a tremendous impact on the community. This may be through programming, projects, resource development, advocacy or other innovation. No organization may win this award twice in a four year period.

The 2013 Outstanding Arts Organization Award went to Florence Little Theatre.

The Greg Fry Arts Educator of the Year Award (new in 2014)

This award will be presented annually to an educator who either resides or works in Florence County. Public and private schools educators are eligible for this award, as well as individuals in higher education and those who teach through registered 501(c)(3) arts organizations.

For more information about the Florence Regional Arts Alliance's Awards Program, contact Bruce Douglas at peedeearts@gmail.com.

Join Us in Lake City for the opening of Adrian Rhodes' 'Passages'

Join the Florence Regional Arts Alliance and the Greater Lake City Artists Guild for an opening reception of Passages at the ArtFields Gallery in downtown Lake City on

February 7th from 5:30 - 7:30pm.

Admission is free.

Click here for more info.

Two Exhibits Open This Week in the Pee Dee

The Pee Dee welcomes two new visual arts exhibits this week.  On Thursday, February 6th, Heart Strings will open at the Art Trail Gallery in downtown Florence.  This open will take place from 5-7. 

On Friday, Adrian Rhodes' Passages will open at the ArtFields Gallery in downtown Lake City.  This opening will take place from 5:30 to 7:30.  This exhibit is sponsored by the Greater Lake City Artists Guild and the Florence Regional Arts Alliance.

Admission to both openings is free!  Everyone is invited to attend.

For more information about these two exhibits, click on the links below:

Heart Strings at the ATG (opens February 6th)

Passages in Lake City (opens February 7th)

February 7th: Join us for the Opening Reception of Adrian Rhodes' 'Passages' in Lake City

From February 7th to March 14th, the Greater Lake City Artists' Guild and the Florence Regional Arts Alliance will bring you Passages, an exhibit of artwork by Adrian Rhodes, at the ArtFields Gallery in downtown Lake City. Passages will open with a reception on February 7th from 5:30 - 7:30pm. There is no admission fee and everyone is invited to attend. You won’t want to miss this dynamic mixed-media exhibit.

This exhibit is the third exhibit brought to the ArtFields Gallery through a partnership between the Greater Lake City Artists Guild and the Florence Regional Arts Alliance. Last year, Patz & Dogs (featuring artists Patz Fowle and Heidi Bond) and The Great Harvest (photography by Benton Henry) were shown in the gallery.

Rhodes, who studied at the University of South Carolina and Winthrop University, has shown in various galleries throughout the Pee Dee and the Midlands, as well as at Spartanburg’s Carolina Gallery and Charlotte’s Rice Gallery (to name a few). When asked about the type of work she'll be showing, Rhodes responded that visitors will see mixed media painting and collage rooted in printmaking.

Below is an excerpt from Rhodes’ artist statement:

‘I am interested in the act of making. Rather than expressing a preconceived idea or conveying a specific message, I find that meaning and purpose within the work comes from employing art making as a way to question. Through process the content is revealed to be dependent on the internal logic of the piece. The resulting composition bears many traces of how it was made. While you can see the effects of underlying colors and patterns showing through the topmost skin of paint, there are also the traces evident in the many layers, abrasions and seams within the composition. These tactile remnants of the piece’s foundation lie beneath the surface layer and bear witness to the history of the painting’s creation.’

Rhodes hails from Hartsville, SC, where she lives with her husband, Michael, and adorable daughter, Sophie.

The exhibit will remain on display through March 14th. The ArtFields Gallery's normal operating hours are 9am to 5pm Monday through Thursday and 9am to noon on Fridays. The gallery is located at 110 East Main Street in downtown Lake City.

For more information about the exhibit or the Greater Lake City Artists' Guild, contact Sandy Cook at greaterlakecityartistsguild@gmail.com. For more information about the Florence Regional Arts Alliance, contact Bruce Douglas at peedeearts@gmail.com.

Established in 1984, the Florence Regional Arts Alliance is a community-based non-profit organization that is committed to preserving, supporting, and promoting the Arts in Florence County. Additionally, FRAA strives to promote and strengthen the arts in the region through its online arts marketing initiative, Pee Dee Arts.

Two Fridays, Two Art Exhibit Openings in Lake City

Within one week of each other, Lake City will be hosting two opening receptions for outstanding art exhibits. 

 The first will take place on January 31st at the Jones-Carter Gallery. The African American Voice is an exhibit from the State Art Collection. Curated by Harriet Green of the South Carolina Arts Commission, this exhibition features 40 pieces by 25 African-American artists who range from self-taught, outsider artists such as Richard Burnside, Leroy Marshall and Dan Robert Miller, to academically trained artists with established careers such as Leo Twiggs, Arthur Rose and Tarleton Blackwell.

On February 7th, the ArtFields Gallery will be the site of an opening reception for Adrian Rhodes' Passages. Sponsored by the Florence Regional Arts Alliance and the Greater Lake City Artists Guild, this exhibit features work by one of the Pee Dee's top young artists. Rhodes, who studied at the University of South Carolina and Winthrop University, has shown in various galleries throughout the Pee Dee and the Midlands, as well as at Spartanburg’s Carolina Gallery and Charlotte’s Rice Gallery (to name a few). When asked about the type of work she'll be showing, Rhodes responded that visitors will see mixed media painting and collage rooted in printmaking.

There is no admission charge to either opening (or during the duration of the exhibitions).  Everyone is invited.  Come out and see these two great exhibits in Lake City.  

For more information about each exhibit, including normal gallery hours and location information, click the links below:

The African American Voice in Lake City

Passages at the ArtFields Gallery in Lake City

Submit Your Nominations for the 2014 Arts Awards Now!

The Florence Regional Arts Alliance (FRAA) is currently accepting nominations for its 2014 Arts Awards. For 2014, four awards will be presented. More information about the awards can be found below.

The deadline for 2014 Arts Awards nominations is March 15, 2014.
Award nominations should be submitted by email to peedeearts@gmail.com.
An acceptable nomination will include the following:

Name of Nominee
Name of Nominator
Nominator's Phone Number
Reason for Nomination (approximately one paragraph)

You can now make your nominations online.  Click here to view the nomination form.

Below is information about each award.

John W. Baker Distinguished Service Award

The John W. Baker Distinguished Service Award recognizes an individual from Florence County who has significantly impacted the quality of life in our community through his/her activities, contributions, and/or accomplishments in the arts. Any individual may be nominated with the exception of current members of the Florence Regional Arts Alliance Board of Directors or Staff.

The 2013 Baker Award recipient was Jane Madden.

Business & Arts Partnership Award

The Business and Arts Partnership Award recognizes a Florence County business for its vital commitment to the arts as evidence by operational and/or project support provided on a substantial and ongoing basis.

The 2013 Business & Arts Partnership Award winner was Honda of SC.

Outstanding Arts Organization Award

This award is presented annually to the Florence County arts organization that has a tremendous impact on the community. This may be through programming, projects, resource development, advocacy or other innovation. No organization may win this award twice in a four year period.

The 2013 Outstanding Arts Organization Award went to Florence Little Theatre.

The Greg Fry Arts Educator of the Year Award (new in 2014)

This award will be presented annually to an educator who either resides or works in Florence County. Public and private schools educators are eligible for this award, as well as individuals in higher education and those who teach through registered 501(c)(3) arts organizations.

For more information about the Florence Regional Arts Alliance's Awards Program, contact Bruce Douglas at peedeearts@gmail.com.