Several arts-related organizations in South Carolina will have to wait until Aug. 20 to find out if they will be receiving grant funding from the South Carolina Arts Commission (SCAC).
The reason: Executive Order 14168 issued by President Trump in January 2025. That order, titled “Defending Women from Gender Ideology Extremism and Restoring Biological Truth to the Federal Government,” has some folks at the Arts Commission feeling either nervous about or emboldened with opposition to all things LGBTQ+.
The Commission decided to postpone a vote to approve $3.7 million in grants because some of the designated organizations have members who are concerned.
The Executive Order forbids federal funds, which SCAC receives, from being used to “promote gender ideology.”
Jessica Rourke, a wedding planner in Columbia, South Carolina, and a member of the commission board, apparently understands that to include sexual orientation as well.
“My decision is based on a personal and governance principle that commission funding should not be directed toward organizations structured around specific sexual orientations, nor should public funds support drag performances,” she wrote in an email reported by the Charleston news outlet, The Post and Courier.
The Greenville Gay Men’s Chorus, which has received grants for the past three years, is one of those “concerning” organizations. The Chorus has been singled out for attack by some South Carolina politicians on several occasions.
The actions of the board impact not only the Gay Men’s Chorus but a number of non-LGBTQ-focused organizations as well, including the world-renowned Spoleto Festival USA held in Charleston and Arts Councils around the state.
The commission board will meet again on Aug. 20.
This story is brought to you by Rosedale Health and Wellness and Dudley’s Place.
