Art and Volunteerism Combine for 2nd Annual Young Professional Event

Columbia, Lexington Young Professionals to Host Time for Art on April 16

COLUMBIA, SC – Eight Columbia and Lexington young professional organizations will partner to host the 2nd Annual Time for Art, a unique silent auction of local art, where the only currency allowed are volunteer hours, onApril 16 in downtown Columbia.

The concept and idea originated with a young professional group in Columbus, Georgia and made its way to Columbia last year. It’s now flourishing under the leadership of Katie Bullard, Assistant Director of Development at the University of South Carolina and member of the Young Leaders Society.

“The art community is thriving in Columbia, and young professionals very much want to be a part of that and to see it grow. We want to make that connection for people, as well as provide an opportunity to give back. It’s a natural partnership,” said Bullard.

The vision behind Time for Art, taking place Thursday, April 16 from 6 – 9 p.m. at Capital City Center on Main Street, is to create a space where young professionals are exposed to the arts community, while also identifying ways they can give back and serve the Midlands region.

During the auction, bidders will choose from a variety of art donated by local and regional artists, but instead of bidding a specific dollar amount, guests will bid the number of volunteer hours they’d like to serve for a particular piece of art. Last year over 2,500 hours were pledged, a value of over $58,000 to the community.

“Pledging service and volunteerism creates a unique environment,” said Naomi Sargent, Columbia Opportunity Resource (COR) Member. “Our auction winners will give back to this community and so will our artists. They can take pride in knowing that their art brought joy not just to the recipient, but to the nonprofits and clients that benefited from the service as well.”

Some of the artists who have donated pieces to the event include Sean McGuiness, Barbara Young and Carol Smith. Additionally, several artists from participating young professional groups contributed to the cause including Tia Williams and Penny McPeak.

Tickets for Time for Art are $25 for members of a participating young professional organization and $35 for non-members. Tickets and additional information about the event can be found at www.ourcor.org/serve/time-for-art.