COLUMBIA — There’s something in the air.
Nora Williams can feel it. The Columbia-based documentary photographer said she’s noticed a desire to reconnect and build community within the local arts scene as of late.
“I feel like we’re on the brink of coming out. That’s what it feels like to me and what I talk about with my other artists and creative friends,” Williams said. “We feel it starting — we’re hoping that it gains momentum.”
As people emerged from isolation from the pandemic, they began creating new organizations focused on connecting local artists. Emerging artists are getting more involved, opening and participating in pop-up studios and galleries.
Now, the city of Columbia and local nonprofit OneColumbia are coming together to repurpose an empty former police substation into art studios. The move represents a shift away from local government’s normally hands-off approach to the arts and offers further proof the arts community has reached an inflection point.
A former police substation at the corner of Assembly and Taylor streets is being repurposed into artist studios.
The studio space is at the intersection of Taylor and Assembly streets in a space connected to a parking garage. The space is about 1,000 square feet and can fit four to five artists who will use the studios on an annual rotating basis, OneColumbia executive director Xavier Blake said.
“We know that it’s not going to be a perfect space or a pristine artists’ studio. But the thing about artists is they don’t need a whole lot, they just need a little help, and I think this is going to provide that for some artists in town,” Blake said. “Ideally, this would be a space where we can cultivate talent, local talent, in Columbia and grow that and support that and allow those people to have sustainable careers.”
Applications for the space will open soon, and Blake said a diverse panel will determine the first group of artists that uses the space.
“What I think is really great about that — and I’ve seen that space — is that building is being repurposed … that’s a great example of what can be done for buildings that are vacant,” Columbia-based portrait artist and illustrator Maya Smith said. “It won’t provide studio spaces at a large scale, but it’s a starting point.”
One studio space is already reserved for an artist in residence: muralist Lauren Andreu.
“I love using murals to communicate a sense of belonging to people,” Andreu said. “I think they’re great ways to signal to groups of people of all persuasions that they’re welcome in a space.”
The nine-month residency with OneColumbia includes a commitment to create a public work of art. The work is centered around historically marginalized communities, and Andreu said she’s currently in an exploratory phase of the project, doing research to decide what issues she’ll want to focus on.
Unrelated to the space on Taylor and Assembly, OneColumbia has also hired a public art intern, Julia Greene. The University of South Carolina studio art student will conduct maintenance and conservation checks on the city’s public art and provide recommendations for any needed restorative treatment or repairs.
Both the “Public Art Administration Internship and Public Art Residency” and the new studio space are partnerships between the city and OneColumbia.
“Things are really happening in downtown Columbia, but I think there are opportunities to reimagine spaces, and I’m really excited about the support from the city and support from the City Council and Theresa Wilson, the city manager, to really think about things creatively,” Blake said. “Not just about how we can help artists, but how we can help our city in that way, too.”
The city did not make anyone available for an interview for this story, but Mayor Daniel Rickenmann said in a news release the city is excited to give artists the “spotlight they deserve.”
And though the new partnerships are geared toward supporting artists, Columbia’s creative community still feels a a disconnect with city leaders.
Artwork by Dre Lopez
“Look at Main Street. That’s a direct response of artists creating movement on that street, that businesses wanted to come in and house their restaurants or boutiques,” Columbia-based graphic designer and painter Dre Lopez said. “Local government has been disconnected and disinterested in actually looking at the arts as the valuable resource that it is.”
Artists said the city getting involved in efforts to repurpose vacant property into much-needed studio space is a great first step — but a small space can feel like a drop in the ocean.
“It’s only such a small space,” Williams, the photographer, said. “We’re grateful that that’s the first step. Like if that’s what you got to do, then cool. But what else can we do from here and how can we get involved?”
Still, the fact that these conversations are happening feels significant to artists who have noticed the energy shift within Columbia’s creative scene.
“There has been a change. In some situations it’s about who has the power and who has the money. And we need a seat at the table with those people. People are having conversations, but it’s not leading to action,” Smith said. “We could be the change that Columbia needs.”
