Flavia Harton is resigning as chair of the South Carolina Arts Commission after the board voted 5-3 to deny grants to the Greenville Gay Men’s Chorus and Proud Mary Theatre Company. Harton did not cast a vote and said she only votes to break ties. The decision, and other recent actions by the commission, have prompted concerns that trust between the arts community and the commission is eroding. The board is expected to pick a new chair at its Oct. 15 meeting in Greenville.
S.C. Arts Commission Chair Resigns After Board Denies Grants To Two LGBTQ+ Groups
A photo of the S.C. Arts Commission sign outside of the organization's office. Kaylee Keisler/Staff
Columbia — Flavia Harton, chair of the South Carolina Arts Commission, announced she is stepping down following the commission’s decision to deny grants to two LGBTQ+ arts organizations.
On Oct. 1 the board voted 5-3 to withhold funding from the Greenville Gay Men’s Chorus and Spartanburg’s Proud Mary Theatre Company. Board members David Hodges, Barbara Nwokike and Heidi Carey voted to approve funding for both groups; Russell “Rip” Parks, Jessica Rourke, Linda Stern, Bhavna Vasudeva and Danielle Thompson voted against the awards. As commission chair, Harton did not cast a vote — she said she only votes to break ties.
Speaking before the vote, Harton acknowledged the scrutiny on the commission and thanked staff and the applicant organizations for their work through the process. She told commissioners:
Flavia B. Harton is stepping down as S.C. Arts Commission. Provided/S.C. Arts Commission
“It’s been a really difficult process, but here we are. I want to thank the staff for the incredible work that you’ve done, and I want to thank Proud Mary and the Greenville Gay Men Chorus. You both have gone back and answered some of our questions, redone the budget. I appreciate your patience. I appreciate you working with us.”
Harton’s resignation comes amid growing concern in the arts community over several recent commission decisions. Local arts advocates say choices dating back to June have strained trust between artists, organizations and the commission, prompting questions about the board’s priorities and review process.
Harton was appointed to the S.C. Arts Commission by Governor Henry McMaster in June 2022 and became chair in May 2025. The commission said it expects to select a new chair at its Oct. 15 meeting in Greenville.
The commission has not released additional public statements about next steps or whether the denied organizations plan to appeal. Arts leaders and community members are watching the Oct. 15 meeting for signs of how the board will respond to criticism and rebuild trust.
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