City of Columbia launches “Enjoy SC: An Experience of South Carolina Arts & Culture at the State House”

 

The City of Columbia, in collaboration with several community organizations, announces that it will use a Knight Cities Challenge grant to host “Enjoy SC: An Experience of South Carolina Arts & Culture at the StateHouse.” This series of interactive events, which will take place in April and May of 2018, is designed to attract community members to meet, linger and socialize on the State House grounds in the heart of downtown Columbia.

The City of Columbia’s planning office invited One Columbia for Arts & History, City Center Partnership, Columbia Children’s Theater, Girls Rock Columbia, Historic Columbia, Columbia Museum of Art, Central Carolina Community Foundation, the South Carolina Philharmonic and Richland Library to program and lead interactive activities on the State House grounds. Enjoy SC is designed to attract members of the community of all ages and backgrounds with unique events to the public space for extended periods of time.

With programmatic themes, Enjoy SC will host seven weeks of events that are free and open to the public on the State House grounds:

Make Music: Weds, April 4 (11:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m.) and Sat., April 7 (1:30 – 3:30 p.m.)

• Richland Library will have ukuleles on hand so that attendees can try making their own music. The South Carolina Philharmonic will offer its “Conduct Us” program, where members of the public have the chance to conduct and lead members of the Philharmonic as they play their instruments. Girls Rock Columbia will facilitate an “instrument petting zoo.” Wired Music will perform “Philip Glass Hour,” works by Philip Glass on the grounds (Weds., April 4 only). Instruments will be available and passersby are encouraged to collaborate with others to make original music. One Columbia for Arts & History will also present performances by musicians previewing 2018’s Make Music Columbia.

Share Tea: Weds., April 11 (1:30 – 3:30 p.m.) and Sat., April 14 (12:30 – 2:30 p.m.)

• Celebrate the culture of South Carolina with tea by Charleston Tea Plantation and cookies by My Dessert Bar. Hosted by City Center Partnership and Central Carolina Community Foundation, this Enjoy SC event will also feature a variety of seating, including café tables and chairs and live music by the University of South Carolina’s Carolina Gentlemen.

Make Poetry: Weds. April 18 (11:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m.) and Sat., April 21 (12:30 – 2:30 p.m.)

• Hosted by One Columbia for Arts & History and Ed Madden, Columbia’s Poet Laureate, this Enjoy SC event will feature poets laureate and other poets from across South Carolina reading poetry. Attendees can consult with poets on-site who will type a take-home poem on vintage typewriters.

Make Connections: Weds., April 25 (2 – 4 p.m.) and Sunday., April 29 (1 – 3 p.m.)

• Connect at the capitol with live theatre activities, which can help create community through social interaction. This event is designed to connect attendees with each other in a short amount of time. Through both one on one conversations and using improvisation to bond a larger group, activities on the State House grounds will focus on self-reflection, group interaction and those things that connect us all.

Make History: Weds., May 2 (11:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m.) and Sun., May 6 (1 – 3 p.m.)

• Historic Columbia has curated historic images of South Carolina’s Main Streets from municipalities all over the state. Staff from local history organizations will be on hand to talk with visitors about the images and will also help attendees interact with maps to show changes in South Carolina cities over time. Attendees will explore the factors that shaped each community’s central business district.

Make Art: Weds., May 9 (11:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m.) and Sat., May 12 (12:30 – 2:30 p.m.)

• Hosted by the Columbia Museum of Art, the Columbia Design League, the South Carolina Philharmonic, and Richland Library, this Enjoy SC event will feature About Face artists painting on the State House grounds and inviting visitors to collaborate on works of art. Attendees can also build structures with KEVA planks and participate in a scavenger hunt of architectural elements at the State House. Richland Library will have story time, crafts for children, and book giveaways through its Bookmobile. The South Carolina Philharmonic will offer its Conduct the Phil program, where members of the public have the chance to conduct and lead members of the Philharmonic as they play their instruments.

Let’s Dance: Weds, May 16 (11:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m.) and Sat., May 19 (12:30 – 2:30 p.m.)

• City Center Partnership will facilitate dancing. From South Carolina’s official state dance, the Shag, to our official state waltz, and Big Apple, different groups will be demonstrating the dances in various locations on the grounds. Attendees are encouraged to participate and learn each of these dances. Additionally, Columbia Marionette Theatre will have walk-around, dancing marionette puppets on the State House grounds.

Each Enjoy SC event will take place twice in one week. The scheduling is designed to attract downtown workers on their lunch breaks as well as those visiting the State House during the week. Enjoy SC anticipates that weekend events will attract those attending Soda City’s Saturday market, families, tourists and more. Organizers of Enjoy SC will also quantify attendance and engagement at each event to learn more about how the public best interacts with the public space at the State House grounds.

Enjoy SC is made possible through a Knight Cities Challenge grant. The City of Columbia is one of 26 communities to earn these grants nationwide this year. Knight Cities Challenge grants fund projects to make cities more successful.

 

For more information on Enjoy SC and its events, visit EnjoySC.org.