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Surdna Foundation Awards $80,000 Grant to SC Governor's School for the Arts Foundation, Inc.
Surdna Foundation Awards $80,000 Grant to SC Governor's School for the Arts Foundation, Inc.
Grant funds guest artist visits to the Governor's School Campus
GREENVILLE, SC - Surdna Foundation has awarded an $80,000 grant to the Governor's School for the Arts Foundation, Inc. to fund guest artist visits to the campus of the South Carolina Governor's School for the Arts and Humanities for intensive artistic training of students. The grant will have duration of two years with annual installments of $40,000 that is to be matched each year.
A private, grantmaking foundation located in New York City, the Surdna Foundation is a family foundation established in 1917 by John Emory Andrus that is interested in fostering catalytic, entrepreneurial programs which offer viable solutions to difficult problems. The foundation seeks high-quality, direct-service programs that advance its philanthropic goals and makes grants in the areas of environment, community revitalization, effective citizenry, the arts and the nonprofit sector. Surdna Foundation's grantmaking totals approximately $37 million annually.
The Governor's School for the Arts Foundation, Inc. was established in 1985 to support the South Carolina Governor's School for the Arts and Humanities in its mission to serve the state's artistically talented students. The school serves as a resource for all teachers and students in South Carolina.
"Our school is honored by the support of the Surdna Foundation and their recognition of our school as a model of excellence in arts education. At this time of financial stress, Surdna's support is a tremendous gift. It allows us to continue inviting exciting artists to our campus and to provide educational opportunities unlike any other school in South Carolina. As with previous Surdna support, this grant allows us to further enhance our national reputation," said Dr. Bruce Halverson, President SCGSAH.
This is the second time the Surdna Foundation has awarded grant funding to the Governor's School for the Arts Foundation in support of visiting artists to the school. The first grant, also a two-year matching grant in the amount of $80,000, was awarded in spring of 2005 and then extended for a third year in 2007 for an additional $40,000. Among the world-renowned artists who visited the school underwritten by Surdna's support are Pulitzer prize-winning playwright and screenwriter John Patrick Shanley, Oscar-nominee actor David Strathairn, soprano Myra Cordell, cellist Zuill Bailey, best-selling authors David Shields and Susan Orlean, and international dance choreographer Viktor Kabaniaev among many others.
William Crawford, the Chairman of Governor's School for the Arts Foundation, said "The Governor's School is a crown jewel in South Carolina's public school education, a school of excellence that touches not only the lives of its residential students, but offers arts instruction and expertise to high school students and teachers across South Carolina. We are tremendously grateful for this generous grant from Surdna Foundation that will enable us to enhance the high quality arts instruction offered at the school."
The significance of the grant was further echoed by Chairman, SCGSAH Board of Directors, Robert E. Hughes, Jr. "The Governor's School is a unique and successful public-private partnership dedicated to expanding the minds and opportunities for young people across South Carolina. This grant from Surdna provides funding for the centerpiece of the Governor's School artistic training - exemplary visiting artists - who help to fully prepare the students to enter their profession with great accomplishments, refined techniques and information that propel them into successful and productive lives."
The Governor's School for the Arts Foundation was established in 1985 to support the Governor's School in its mission to serve our state 's artistically talented students. The Foundation's mission is to support the Governor's School by raising the funds to provide for programs, facilities and scholarship needs beyond the funds provided by the state legislature, and to build an endowment to support the school.
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