Artist spaces coming to downtown Columbia
Expectations high for new partnership
One Columbia for Arts and Culture and the city of Columbia announced a partnership resulting in the opening of a new artists’ space at the intersection of Assembly and Taylor streets in Columbia.
The partners hope the innovative program will inspire the reimagining of spaces in Columbia, particularly in relation to the arts. They think demonstrates that government, private, and non-profit partnerships have significant potential to support the arts community.
“Although Columbia is booming with new developments, some of the best spots are the ones that we reimagine and repurpose,” Mayor Daniel Rickenmann said. “We are excited to partner with One Columbia to revitalize this space and give our local talented artists the space and spotlight they deserve.”
The former police substation, connected to the Taylor Street garage, will now serve as a studio for four to five artists, including One Columbia’s public artist-in-residence Lauren Andreu. Local artist Keith Tolen will be present at the space on Saturday, March 23 and Sunday, March 24 for open studios.
This April, One Columbia will invite emerging artists to apply for the opportunity to be part of this space. A diverse panel will carefully review the applications and select the artists for the opportunity.
“Our goal is to break down barriers faced by local artists, who are the backbone of our arts and culture community,” Pamela Zeljak, One Columbia’s public art administrator, said.
Support from AgFirst Farm Credit Bank and other private funders will allow for One Columbia to provide artists with the necessary tools to work, create, and thrive. Xavier Blake, executive director of One Columbia, is eager to welcome artists into the space, but recognizes there is work to do.
Speaking to the partnership’s potential, Blake said, “We believe that this emerging artist space will not only contribute to the local economy by helping artists establish their careers, but also generate economic activity through art sales and increased tourism in the area. Art has the power to bring about positive change and foster community, and this investment in our emerging artists will be a vital part of that. We are incredibly excited about what the future holds.”
One Columbia for Arts and Culture is a 2022 recipient of the S.C. Governor’s Award for the Arts in the organization category. Its mission is to advise, amplify, and advocate for the unified arts and culture community in Columbia. They work to promote collaboration through shared celebrations of Columbia’s arts and historic treasures, raise the quality of life for all our citizens, attract tourist dollars to our city, and further enhance the city’s downtown and surrounding areas. Read more about One Columbia here.