South Carolina Governor's Award for the Arts, May 1999

The Arts Council of Beaufort County is a vital force in the community, a leader in cultural programming, artistic collaborations, and arts education. For 10 years, the Council has nurtured partnerships with the city, the county, and the University of South Carolina-Beaufort. Under the Council's leadership, the area has matured into a thriving cultural community to the benefit of both artists and community residents who enjoy extensive, quality film, literature, music, theatre, and visual arts programs for the public. The Council conducts a grant program for local artists and arts organizations. It sponsors the University of South Carolina-Beaufort Music Festival Series of Chamber Music Concerts hosted by Charles Wadsworth and manages the campus art gallery and performing arts center. The Council sponsors the Southern Circuit Independent Film Tour, and its literary endeavors include the Aloud in the Lowcountry Series, Moveable Feasts of Authors, and the Beaufort Writer Group. Support for theatre and dance includes several repertory companies and the Byrne Miller Dance Theatre and the Beaufort Dance Company. The Beaufort County School District and the Arts Council sponsor a course to expose teachers in all disciplines to the artistic and cultural opportunities in the county. The Council founded Arts and Humanities Advocates, a conduit for young artists and art lovers to get involved with the arts and cultural life in Beaufort. To share timely information regarding programming, Arts Council Executive Director Eric Holowacz publishes a full-color newsletter showcasing the arts community, and there is a weekly arts update on a local television station. "Eric is an energizing arts administrator. He is a fountain of great ideas, and he is dedicated to making the ideas work," said writer and teacher Quitman Marshall.