South Carolina Arts Commission Holds Grant Funding for Two LGBTQ Organizations Amidst Legislative Review

Greenville Spartanburg Asheville Anderson, SC, September 29, 2026 — The South Carolina Arts Commission has paused grant disbursements for two arts organizations serving the Upstate region: the Greenville Gay Men’s Chorus and the Proud Mary Theatre in Spartanburg. The decision to place the funding on hold was announced, citing unspecified legislative concerns and the necessity for additional review.

Both the Greenville Gay Men’s Chorus and the Proud Mary Theatre are identified as LGBTQ arts organizations. The South Carolina Arts Commission, responsible for allocating state funds to arts programs, has initiated a hold on grants designated for these two entities. The exact nature of the legislative concerns prompting this action has not been detailed.

A spokesperson for the South Carolina Arts Commission stated that a need for further review has led to the temporary suspension of the grant funding. The process requires a final vote on the grants, which is scheduled to take place this week.

The financial details of the grants, including the specific amounts requested or initially approved for the Greenville Gay Men’s Chorus and the Proud Mary Theatre, were not provided. Similarly, the timeline leading up to this decision, including when the grant applications were submitted or initially reviewed, was not immediately available.

The situation involves potential legislative scrutiny impacting arts funding decisions in the state. The outcome of this week’s final vote by the South Carolina Arts Commission will determine whether the grant funding will be released or denied to the two organizations. Further details regarding the specific legislative issues and the review process are anticipated to emerge following the upcoming vote.

Story summarized from the original created by Catie Bussmann, Rachel Bogle on www.foxcarolina.com, see more information here.

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