South Carolina Arts Commission Denies Grants to Two LGBTQ Performing Arts Groups
The South Carolina Arts Commission board denied grant funding for two Upstate LGBTQ performing arts groups, the Greenville Gay Men's Chorus and the Proud Mary Theater, after the grants had been previously recommended for approval.
Greenville Spartanburg Asheville Anderson, SC, October 1, 2026 — The South Carolina Arts Commission board has denied grant funding for two Upstate-based LGBTQ performing arts organizations, the Greenville Gay Men’s Chorus and the Proud Mary Theater. This decision came after the grant applications for both groups had initially been recommended for approval.
The specific reasons for the board’s denial were not immediately disclosed. The Greenville Gay Men’s Chorus and the Proud Mary Theater are both prominent performing arts groups in the Upstate region, serving the LGBTQ community and its allies through various productions and events.
The denial of funding by the state arts commission board marks a reversal from the initial recommendations, which typically guide the board’s final decisions. Further details regarding the board’s deliberations or the criteria that led to the reversal of the recommendations were not provided.
The South Carolina Arts Commission is a state agency that supports arts organizations and artists across South Carolina through various grant programs. Decisions on grant awards are made by the commission’s board of directors. Information regarding the total amounts of the denied grants was not included in the summary.
Story summarized from the original created by Catie Bussmann on www.foxcarolina.com, see more information here.
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