Entrepreneur Minute – Della Watkins, Columbia Museum of Art

The Who’s on the Move, Entrepreneur Minute is an interview in support of the undeniable impact that entrepreneurs have on our communities. We will be highlighting 20 entrepreneurs in each of our markets (Columbia, Greenville and Charleston) with a short video. You will see a diverse group of entrepreneurs and we will be exploring the theme of overcoming obstacles.

We would like to thank our sponsors of this video series:

• NP Strategy
• First Community Bank
• City of Columbia’s Office of Business Opportunities
• The Riley Institute at Furman University
• SCRA

Della Watkins, Executive Director, Columbia Museum of Art

The Columbia Museum of Art sparks powerful connections through art from around the corner and around the world. The CMA is committed to the concept of the modern museum — a place to relax, have a good time, be playful, and be curious. At the heart of the CMA and its programs is its collection, which encompasses 7,000 works and spans 5,000 years of global art history. We believe that art is meant to be experienced, not just seen. With traveling exhibitions and exclusive CMA-organized shows, a collection organized around themes, and plenty of ways to explore it all including multimedia tours, scavenger hunts, and more, you’ll find many reasons to keep moving through the galleries, wondering what’s around the next corner.

Recently, the CMA underwent a transformation. Funded by a successful capital campaign, the two-year renovation project garnered new collection galleries with a progressive thematic layout, new studios for artmaking, cutting-edge program and event spaces, and an entrance on Main Street. Overall, more than 15,000 square feet of functional space were added to the building’s existing footprint.

The Columbia Museum of Art announced in April that it had been selected as a recipient of a $75,000 grant that will support the revitalization of Boyd Plaza to create a vibrant and welcoming atmosphere through placemaking programming and interactive art. And, on Memorial Day, they are launching Free Summer at the CMA, a new endeavor that offers all residents of South Carolina free general admission to the museum through to Labor Day.

To learn more, visit columbiamuseum.org.

Below is our full and separate conversation with Della Watkins. You can also listen to this podcast on Apple and Spotify. Just search for the WhosOnTheMove SC podcast and please consider subscribing.