14 Florence County Students honored by FRAA & Honda

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, South Florence High School and Hannah-Pamplico High School. 

In all, 14 students received honors in visual art, chours, dance, drama, orchestra and band. The honorees were:

Visual Art

Amanda McDaniel, Lake City

Taylor Crisp, Hannah-Pamplico

Natalie Ard, South Florence

Taylor Eliesee Thompson, West Florence

Chorus

Tyler Evans, Lake City

Amber Purvis, Hannah-Pamplico

Katie Meixsell, West Florence

Dance

Joye Altman, Lake City

Clenishia Woods, South Florence

Orchestra

Kiana Creese, West Florence

Band

Kristin Bowman, Lake City

Alena Isgett, South Florence

Alex Pettigrew, West Florence

Drama

Colton Gregg, South Florence

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.  

Four South Florence High School Students Receive Awards from FRAA

The Florence Regional Arts Alliance (FRAA) recently recognized four outstanding graduating seniors at South Florence High School. Each year since 1997, FRAA has awarded the Excellence in Arts Education Awards to graduates from all over Florence County. This tradition was continued on May 9th as Alena Isgett, Clenishia Woods, Colton Gregg and Natalie Ardwere honored from SFHS.

Alena Isgett was honored for outstanding achievement in band. Clenishia Woods was presented with the award for being the top graduating senior in SFHS’s dance program. Colton Gregg received an Excellence in Arts Education Award for his talent in drama. Natalie Ard was recognized for being the top graduating senior in visual arts. Michele Pridgen, a Board Member for the Florence Regional Arts Alliance and Assistant Manager of Administration at Honda of SC, presented the awards in front of a packed auditorium at South Florence.

Graduating seniors from each of the seven public high schools 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 and performances.

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, Betty Ann Darby Scholarship Program or other Florence Regional Arts Alliance initiatives, contact Bruce Douglas at peedeearts@gmail.com.

June 1st: Quarterly Grant Application Deadline for FRAA

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 through December 2013.  Applications are due on or before 5pm on June 1st.  Applications sent by mail must be postmarked on or before June 1st.  

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 10th: Darby Scholarship Application Deadline for 2013

Since 1997, the Florence Regional Arts Alliance has awarded 27 Florence County students with the prestigious Betty Ann Darby Scholarship.  Now through May 10th, the Arts Alliance is accepting applications for 2013 Darby Scholarships.  

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.

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 10, 2013.  If mailed, applications must be postmarked by May 10th.

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.  

Benton Henry to have photography exhibit in Lake City

From March 22^nd to April 12^th, the  Greater Lake City Artists' Guild and the Florence Regional Arts Alliance will partner to present The Great Harvest: Images of Tobacco Culture & Other Works by Benton Henry at the ArtFields Gallery in downtown Lake City. This dynamic exhibit, featuring local tobacco imagery and other fascinating photographs by Dillon County’s Benton Henry, will open with a reception on March 22^nd from 5:30 - 7:30pm.  Rusty and Suzanne Henderson, also known as Piano Road, will perform at the opening.  There is no admission fee to the opening and everyone is invited to attend.

In addition to Henry’s fine art photography, signed copies of The Great Harvest: Remembering Tobacco Culture in the Pee Dee will be for sale.  The Great Harvest (book) features Henry’s photographs and the writing of Dr. Eldred “Wink” Prince of Coastal Carolina University.  The price of the book is $25. 

Benton Henry’s fine art photography has appeared in over 400 magazines and books and the Latta-native has won numerous awards, including from the Gibbes Museum of Art, the University of Missouri, Professional Photographers of America and South Carolina Wildlife Magazine.  Henry also travels throughout the Southeast as a commercial/industrial photographer.  

The Great Harvest is Benton’s second exhibit featuring tobacco imagery.  In 2009, Henry partnered with Bruce Douglas and Prince to produce Tobacco Barns of the Pee Dee, a traveling photography exhibit featuring iconic barn images from across eastern South Carolina. 

Providing musical entertainment at the opening will be Darlington’s Rusty and Suzanne Henderson.  Rusty has performed at numerous Songwriter's Circles in the Pee Dee, as well as the Equinox Festival in Conway and Songwriters in the Round at Pawleys Island. His ballads placed him as one of the finalists in the inaugural Artsville Songwriters Competition this past Fall. As Piano Road, Rusty and daughter, Suzanne, perform music from a mix of Americana, folk, country, blues genre.  Suzanne has been involved with the Young Singers of Darlington, performed as a soloist at the Florence Civic Center and is an active member of the Florence Little Theatre.

The exhibit will remain on display through April 12^th. The ArtFields Gallery's normal operating hours are 9am to 5pm Monday through Friday. 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. 

Through March 15th: FRAA Accepting Arts Awards Nominations

The Florence Regional Arts Alliance is currently accepting nominations for three Florence County awards:  The John W. Baker Distinguished Service Award, The Business & Arts Partnership Award and the Outstanding Arts Organization Award.  

The deadline for nominations is March 15, 2013.  All Baker Award and Business & Art Partnership Award nominees must reside in Florence County.  All Outstanding Arts Award nominees must be based in Florence County.  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)

Below are descriptions of each award:

John W. Baker Distinguished Service Award

The John W. Baker Distinguished Service Award recognizes a FlorenceCounty individual 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.

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.

Outstanding Arts Organization Award

This award is presented annually to the Florence County arts organization that has the greatest 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.

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

February 8th: 'Patz & Dogs' to open in Lake City

(Homecoming by Heidi Bond)

In February, the Greater Lake City Artists' Guild and the Florence Regional Arts Alliance will partner to present Patz & Dogs at the ArtFields Gallery in downtown Lake City.  This dynamic exhibit, featuring the whimsical sculptures of Patz Fowle and dog paintings by Heidi Bond, will open with a reception on February 8th from 5:30 - 7:30pm.  Admission is free and everyone is invited to attend.

(Belly Button Pusher by Patz Fowle)

The exhibit will remain on display through March 15th.  The ArtFields Gallery's normal operating hours are 9am to 5pm Monday through Friday.  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 803.435.3860 or greaterlakecityartistsguild@gmail.com.  For more information about the Florence Regional Arts Alliance, contact Bruce Douglas at 843.861.8316 or peedeearts@gmail.com.  

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