One Columbia awards internship, residency in public art

Nine-month roles are agency firsts

One Columbia for Arts and Culture is proud to announce those selected for its inaugural public art administration internship and public art residency.

One Columbia began the program in 2024 as part of its public art initiative which believes that public art should reflect the identities and perspective of the communities that host it and that artists are creative problem solvers. As artists work in communities to create new works of public art, that work has the power to spark conversation, to create positive social change, and to advocate for human rights.

To this end, One Columbia has offered a nine-month public art residency and internship in Columbia to two candidates. One Columbia’s commitment to the representation of historically marginalized communities was a core value in the selection process.

• Julia Greene has been selected as the public art intern for 2024. One of Julia’s major tasks will be to do maintenance and conservation checks of the city’s public art inventory and suggest restorative treatment and repairs. Greene is currently pursuing a BFA in studio art and a minor in mass communications. She has experience working as a contracted artist for Bojangles and as a gallery attendant.
• Lauren Andreu has been selected as the public art resident for 2024. Andreu is a site-specific community muralist infusing public spaces with hope, joy, and inclusivity. She is motivated by her own mystical experiences of healing and self-knowing, and her art practice is seen as an extension of her spiritual practice.

A major goal of the residency program is for artists to grow their practice around engaging with disinvested communities, creating inclusionary experiences, and using their art to make significant positive changes.

Public Art Administrator Pamela Zeljak said, “According to Americans for the Arts, 73% of Americans have agreed that the arts ‘helps me understand other cultures better.’ Our 2024 intern and resident will both be involved in community public art practice providing opportunities for civic engagement and social cohesion around public art in Columbia. These opportunities will allow our city’s residents to better understand both their neighbors and those who are still strangers. ”

At the end of the program, the resident will have created a community-based public art work and will be able to provide a case study with stories, pictures and videos to be shared on our website and social media. The outcomes of this project will highlight impact on the community, the artist, and the public art program at One Columbia.

One Columbia for Arts and Culture’s mission is to advise, amplify, and advocate for the unified arts and culture community. We artwork to promote collaboration through shared celebrations of Columbia SC’s arts and historic treasures with the goal of raising the quality of life for our citizens, attracting tourist dollars to our city, and further enhancing our vibrant downtown.