Columbia is a "famously hot" city filled with trains, palmetto trees, Southern tradition and most importantly, the Gamecocks. When people think of Soda City, however, the words "arts and culture" don't typically come to mind.
This is pretty mind-boggling to me. In the two years I've lived here, I've experienced some amazing art. Columbia doesn't identify as a city with a strong arts scene, but with the resources that are already available to us, I think it's possible to establish this identity.
The collection at the Columbia Museum of Art is simply breathtaking. The permanent collection features a vast range of styles and time periods of art. There is even a Monet, which still gives me a warm and fuzzy feeling in my stomach every time I see it. The traveling exhibitions the museum hosts also offers Columbia residents and visitors alike the opportunity to witness legendary art. In the time I've been here, I've seen the works Salvador Dalí and Henri Matisse. Currently it features the beautiful and thought-provoking works of Renée Cox.
Visual art is not even close to where Columbia stops in its extensive arts scene. Performing arts are also widely available for those in Cola. We have three professional ballet companies: Columbia Classical Ballet, Ann Brodie's Carolina Ballet and Columbia City Ballet which offer multiple full-length productions as well as diverse forms of dance to the city of Columbia every year.
And we can't forget about theater. Trustus Theatre, Town Theatre, Columbia's Marionette Theatre, Columbia Children's Theatre and The South Carolina Shakespeare Company all reside within our city. Town Theatre is the "oldest community theatre building in continuous use in the United States" according to experiencecolumbiasc.com and is a great example of how Columbia's rich history contributes to its arts scene.
Last but not least is music venues. New Brookland Tavern and Music Farm are great intimate venues for local musicians, and Colonial Life Arena is able to host bands and artists with huge fan bases. So really, you have the opportunity to hear a pretty broad variety of live music in our capital city.
So, with all of these artistic opportunities available, why is Columbia not considered an art hub?What makes Columbia different from Asheville, Austin or San Francisco? The answer is nothing. Columbia has the infrastructure and the culture to be a center for arts. What it really needs to grow culturally and artistically is an engaged audience.
Columbia hosts events like Soda City, St. Pat's in Five Points and Famously Hot New Year which promote local music and art. Columbia has all of the awesome arts venues and organizations I rambled on about above. It's clear that the arts are growing steadily within our community. If we want Columbia to identify as an arts city, our main focus should be taking advantage of the quality art that already surrounds us.