Seven schools in Spartanburg District One have been designated as Arts In Basic Curriculum sites, receiving an unprecedented $67,000 in grant funding to support comprehensive arts education.

Campobello-Gramling School, Inman Intermediate School, Mabry Middle School, Landrum Middle School, New Prospect Elementary School, O.P. Earle Elementary School, and Holly Springs-Motlow Elementary School make up seven of 85 total ABC sites statewide, securing the largest percentage of funding in the state.

ABC grant funding levels student access to a quality arts education by providing sites with resources such as equipment, professional development, field trips, artist-in-residence programs and other activities as defined by the school’s strategic arts education plan. Research shows that arts education aids students in skills such as the ability to be creative, innovative, solve problems and communicate, which are necessary for the workplace. “The opportunity for this amount of arts funding and the direct impact it will have on students is a dream come true”, said Christine Fisher, director of the arts in basic curriculum project.

The ABC Project blueprint is founded on the premise that the arts are an indispensable part of a complete education because quality education in the arts significantly adds to the learning potential of our students. Arts education complements learning in other disciplines and establishes a foundation for success in school and lifelong learning. The ABC Project also provides a forum for the development of strategic arts initiatives and serves as the foundation for a broad advocacy coalition for arts education reform

The ABC Project is cooperatively directed by the South Carolina Arts Commission, the South Carolina Department of Education and the College of Visual and Performing Arts at Winthrop University.

– Submitted by Sandra Williams