Columbia streams art showcases local artists at former Sylvan’s Jewelry building

Twelve local artists were awarded micro-grants in fall 2025, and six completed creations will exhibit on Main Street beginning April 23, 2026

The City of Columbia’s Columbia Streams Art program is thrilled to exhibit creative works from six local artists who received micro-grant funding in 2025. The creations will include 2D paintings, archival photo renderings, sculpture, and a new stained glass window. The exhibition will display in the windows of the former Sylvan’s jewelry building at 1504 Main Street beginning on Thursday, April 23, 2026.

Artistic works exhibited at the Sylvan building were created by the following local artists:

• Yevheniia (Jenna) Bazaliy
• Andrew Sullivan
• Jennifer Carmiel
• Patro Ulmer
• Gina Moore
• Lindsay R. Wiggins

The remaining six artists creating micro-grant funded projects have projected completion timetables through late summer and fall of this year. The City of Columbia and Columbia Streams Art program expresses appreciation to the City Development Group and Richard Burts for use of the former Sylvan’s building, located at the perfect Main Street corner to showcase the creativity Columbia has to offer.

Last fall $15,250 in micro-grants was awarded to 12 local artists, with funding ranging from $900 to $1,500. A panel of three jurors reviewed applications submitted during the application period from January through April of 2025. The jurors were locally exhibited artists, who also work as arts administrators, educators, and urban arts planners.

The full scope of grant-funded creations will include 2-D art paintings, metal fabricated or ceramic sculpture, stained glass, filmmaking/videography, dance, murals, photography, nature themed light productions and restoration of existing public artwork. Two mural projects were completed by December 2025, and all grant-funded projects are projected to be finished and exhibited this year.

The micro-grants process was open to artists who live in or work in the Midlands area, with an emphasis on artists or art teams who have publically exhibited in the Columbia or larger South Carolina area.  The application criteria for micro-grant funding stipulated the funded creative projects should amplify the rich history and story of Columbia; improve and expand public knowledge of our rivers and encourage public recreation activity at river access sites; and further sustainability with a focus on topics like climate change, heat reduction, beautification, and conservation.