The Congaree Vista Guild has announced Dr. Gail Barnes, Wade Sellers and the Koger Center for the Arts as three recipients of the South Carolina Governor’s Awards for the Arts, presented by The South Carolina Arts Commission (SCAC). The Vista is an official South Carolina cultural district and home to Barnes, Sellers and the Koger Center.

Nominations are solicited every year by the SCAC for people or organizations deserving recognition for outstanding achievement and contributions to the arts in South Carolina. The appointed members of the South Carolina Arts Commission Board of Directors vote on nominees recommended by a panel for the Governor’s Awards for the Arts.

This year, the SCAC board approved the recommendations of Barnes in the Individual category, Sellers in the Artist category and the Koger Center for the Arts in the Government category.

“I’m proud to have made my living as a filmmaker on Lincoln Street in the heart of Columbia and thankful to represent the overwhelming number of talented independent filmmakers in our state with this recognition,” said Wade Sellers. “To be able to work as an artist and support other artists in their work has always been my goal and I have no plans to slow down.”

“The Koger Center for the Arts is pleased to join the ranks of the individuals and organizations that have received the prestigious honor of The Governor’s Award for the Arts, and we are particularly moved to receive this award the same year as Dr. Gail V. Barnes. This is quite an exceptional year for the USC School of Music as we are celebrating our centennial,” said Koger Center Director Nate Terracio.

“We are always proud of our artists and arts organizations here in the Vista,” said Abby Anderson, executive director of the Congaree Vista Guild. “We know how wonderful they are, and we are always grateful when they receive recognition for their talent and hard work.”

A panel appointed by the SCAC Board of Directors reviews all nominations, received during a two-month window every fall. After a rigorous process and multiple meetings, the panel sends the board a recommendation from each category with a nomination for its approval. Serving on the panel in 2025 were Jason Crowley (Charleston), Dr. Minuette Floyd (Columbia), Robin Hallyburton (Irmo), Dr. Sarah Lynn Hayes (Rock Hill), and Meg Reid (Spartanburg).

Recipients of the South Carolina Governor’s Awards for the Arts will be honored during a broadcast presentation of the South Carolina Arts Awards in May on the SCAC YouTube Channel.

About the 2025 Governor’s Award for the Arts recipients

Dr. Gail V. Barnes (Individual Category) is professor of music education and director of the USC String Project. She teaches courses in stringed instrument methods and orchestra literature and believes her greatest contribution to the state of South Carolina are the 150 teachers who have graduated from the program during her tenure. Barnes’s research interests revolve around community and school orchestra programs, with a particular focus on ensuring equitable access to music education for underserved youth. Her research has shed light on the positive impact of parental involvement and a supportive home environment on students’ musical development. Conferences across the United States and abroad benefit from her expertise and research findings, with insightful presentations in countries such as Australia, Italy, China, Greece, Scotland and Brazil. Barnes is a co-author of Measures of Success for String Orchestra (published by The FJH Music Company), a method book for young string players. In her role as director of the USC String Project, Barnes continues to work with student-aged musicians. She has conducted all-state orchestras in South Carolina, Florida, Georgia, Alabama and Michigan. Barnes earned her bachelor’s and master’s of music from the University of Michigan and her doctorate from The Ohio State University.

Wade Sellers (Artist Category) is an independent filmmaker in Columbia who produced his first film within months after graduating from USC in media arts. As the South Carolina Arts Commission’s first media intern, Sellers assisted with the Southeastern Media Institute where he later became an instructor. He became an in-demand lighting director and gaffer on commercials and corporate projects. His short film Gordon’s Ride was featured at the Independent Feature Film Festival. Sellers co-founded the non-profit Hybrid Films in 2002 to function as fiscal agent for underserved filmmakers in the region. Hybrid Films’ largest accomplishment was the Beg and Grovel Film Festival, the first true independent film festival in Columbia. His first Southeastern Emmy Award nomination came with South Carolinians in World War 2, a project he was commissioned to direct for South Carolina ETV. Sellers formed his production company, Coal Powered Filmworks, collaborating with local filmmakers and promoting independent filmmaking in South Carolina. In 2013 he founded the 2nd Act Film Project, helping 84 films be created by S.C. filmmakers solely for screening at 2nd Act. He has supervised more than 25 interns from USC and Benedict College since 2008, lectured and taught in the USC media arts department and was named a distinguished alumnus from the USC School of Visual Arts and Design in 2020. He has served as the board president for The Jasper Project since 2019.

The Koger Center for the Arts at the University of South Carolina (Government Category) supports exceptional art by hosting and presenting transformational experiences that enlighten, educate, entertain and inspire. The Koger Center adds value to people’s lives by providing opportunities for creative programming, new experiences and education all while providing the best possible patron experience. From the opening on Jan. 14, 1989, the University of South Carolina made it clear that local community needs would be addressed by establishing a mission of inclusion to support the programming and technical requirements of local arts organizations. Planned as a home to all the arts, the Koger Center houses a large permanent display of visual art as well as a revolving series of art exhibits in several gallery spaces. The 2,256-seat main auditorium is used regularly by local performing arts organizations, but also hosts large touring shows such as Broadway’s Wicked and Hamilton, the Philharmonic Orchestra of London and well-known artists like Alice Cooper and James Taylor. More than just a rental facility, the facility hosts seasons of performances by the USC School of Music, USC Department of Theatre and Dance and Koger Center Presents series and educational performances by local and touring companies. The Koger Center has expanded how the building is used turning the Grand Tier lobby into a 150-seat music venue, incorporating a permanent stage into the plaza in front of the facility and transforming the rehearsal hall into a Black Box Theater.