OneColumbia

08/27/2026

Y’all!!!! Go check out the Little Free Art Exchange at the Lincoln Street Tunnel (1300 Lincoln Street). Give free Art, take free Art! 💛💛💛

Repost from Vista Columbia, SC

The Little Free Art Exchange Box is officially here in The Vista! 🎨

As part of the nationwide Map of Flags project, this new art exchange gives our community a place to share and discover small pieces of art.

Bring a piece to leave behind, take one home that catches your eye, or stop by to see what’s been added by fellow creatives in Columbia.

📍 1300 Lincoln St.

Come check it out in The Vista!

08/26/2026

According to the NEA’s NASERC Arts Indicators, U.S. household spending on arts and cultural goods and services reached $250 billion in 2022 — reflecting deep, sustained public investment in creative experiences across every income level and region.

08/25/2026

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08/25/2026

✨ Artist Spotlight: Found & Altered ✨

What others see as discarded, Bobby W. Baker sees as possibility.

Through Found & Altered, Bobby gives new life to unwanted and overlooked objects—transforming what was once left behind into something unexpected, creative, and desirable. His work spans mixed media, sculpture, fiber art, jewelry, fabrication, and more, all rooted in the idea that something forgotten can become something worth seeing again.

♻️ Found objects. Altered perspectives. New stories.

Explore Bobby W. Baker and his work in the One Columbia Artist Directory!

Follow Bobby at 👉 Found&Altered (Bobby W. Baker)

08/24/2026

✨ Masterpiece Monday: Doodle Freely ✨

What happens when an artist invites an entire community to doodle? You get Doodle Freely! 🖍️

Created by artist Marius Valdes, this permanent installation at Richland Library Main is made up of more than 1,500 hand-drawn bookmarks covering a 50-by-9-foot entrance wall in the Teen area. Many of those bookmarks were created with help from the community using Doodle Freely bookmark kits.

Valdes was also Richland Library’s first artist-in-residence, making this colorful installation an extra-special piece of Columbia’s creative story.

📍 Richland Library Main
1431 Assembly Street, Columbia

Next time you’re there, take a closer look and see how many doodles catch your eye! 👀🎨

08/21/2026

🎤 Hip hop takes over Keenan House Park this September.

The Alchemy of Art is back for its 4th edition — and this one celebrates the full art of hip hop. 🔥

📅 Saturday, September 19 • 4–8 PM
📍 Keenan House Park, 801 Wildwood Ave, Columbia, SC

Here’s what’s going down:

Live performances from PATx & Milah
A one-of-a-kind DJ set from 803 legends DJ KINGPIN V.O.V., Sean DjLiv Livingson & Sherard "Shekeese" Duvall
Dance crews all night + The Cypher
Visual art by DOGON KRIGGA
Food, drinks & games all evening
Emceeing, DJing, dancing, visual art, fashion — the whole spectrum, all in one place. Tickets are donation-based, so pay what you can. Nobody misses out over money.

🎟️ Grab yours through the link in bio.

Who are you bringing to the Cypher? Tag them below 👇

08/20/2026

Public Art... You pass it every day. 🎨

Most people walk right by Columbia’s public art without noticing it’s there. But once you spot one mural, one sculpture, one splash of color—you start seeing them everywhere.

No museum ticket. No entry fee. Just art woven into the streets, corners, and everyday walks we all share.

So slow down and look around. The art’s already there.

Save this and tag a spot where you’ve found public art hiding in plain sight. 👇

08/19/2026

1 in 4 Americans showed up for the arts last year. Columbia’s your invitation. 🎨

Between April and July 2024, 25% of U.S. adults attended a live, in-person performance or art exhibit in the previous month — proof that arts experiences help people feel more connected to their communities.

And here in Columbia? The art is already all around you.

On your morning walk
Around the corner from your coffee spot
Tucked into the streets you pass every day
You don’t need a ticket or a museum. You just need to look up.

Tag a spot in Columbia where you’ve found public art hiding in plain sight. 👇

08/19/2026

This Black Philanthropy Month, we’re especially grateful for the partners who believe in the power of arts and culture to strengthen our community. ❤️

A huge thank you to Central Carolina Community Foundation and the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation for their continued investment in One Columbia and the creative community we serve.

Through Central Carolina Community Foundation’s Multi-Year General Operating Support Grant and funding from the Knight Foundation Fund at CCCF, we’re able to continue connecting artists with opportunities, bringing public art into our neighborhoods, amplifying arts and cultural experiences, and helping tell the stories that make Columbia and the Midlands uniquely ours.

Support like this allows us to work directly toward our mission—building a more vibrant, connected, and creative community through arts and culture.

Thank you, Central Carolina Community Foundation and Knight Foundation, for believing in this work, our artists, and our community. We’re incredibly grateful to have you as partners. ✨

08/19/2026

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🎨 Meet Lenayah Rayford This Friday!

Make plans to join us Friday, August 21, from 6–7 p.m. at Stormwater Studios for an artist talk with emerging artist Lenayah Rayford about her solo exhibition, The Mane Issue.

As our 2025–2026 Resident Artist, Rayford’s exhibition explores Black hair, identity, beauty standards, perception, and self-acceptance through sculpture and painting.

During the artist talk, hear directly from Lenayah about the inspiration behind The Mane Issue, her creative process, and the ideas that shaped this powerful body of work.

✨ Artist Talk
📅 Friday, August 21
⏰ 6–7 p.m.
📍 Stormwater Studios
🎟️ Free and open to the public

The Mane Issue is on view through August 23, so don’t miss your chance to experience the exhibition and celebrate the conclusion of Lenayah’s residency!

Gallery Hours: Wednesday–Sunday, 11 a.m.–3 p.m.

Come meet the artist, hear her story, and explore The Mane Issue before the exhibition closes! 🖤🎨