New affordable artists studio opens in Columbia SC downtown | Arts & Entertainment
The lack of affordable studio space in Columbia is not a new problem: it’s a challenge Xavier Blake has been aware of since the beginning of his tenure at OneColumbia, a city-funded arts nonprofit. By partnering with the city, the nonprofit’s new studio on Taylor Street is able to offer three artists free working space for a full calendar year.
According to Mayor Daniel Rickenmann, this project is just the first of an ongoing initiative to convert vacant properties in Columbia into spaces for local artists.
Owned by the city, the property on Taylor Street has been freely leased to OneColumbia for a five-year period. This agreement, in addition to sponsorships from local businesses, makes it possible for the space to then be offered to artists without charge.
“For us, this is a really cool venture,” Blake said. “Because I think it shows what can happen when nonprofit works with city government but also works with private funding.”
A former police substation at the corner of Assembly and Taylor streets is being repurposed into artist studios.
The exterior of the building has already gotten a facelift, too. Artist Dogon Krigga collaborated with photographer and business owner Jared Johnson to create a collage mural on the former substation’s facade.
The Taylor Street studio is specifically catered to emerging artists, with the expectation that a free year in a studio will give them the foundation they need to get their footing. Removing the burden of having a workspace allows these artists to focus on their craft, Blake explained.
According to Rickenmann, this inaugural studio is just planting a seed. It’s his objective to work with other real estate companies to fill empty spaces with artists — even if it’s only for a few months. This model allows for vacancies around the city to be filled while promoting local artists.
“We support a lot (of arts initiatives), but there are some other creative ways that we can do things to help get more exposure and create more opportunities for the art community,” Rickenmann said. “And I think this is one.”
A former police substation at the corner of Assembly and Taylor streets is being repurposed into artist studios.
Right now, identifying underutilized spaces around the city and fostering community engagement at the Taylor Street studio are the next priorities for the project. Set to officially open sometime in the coming weeks, the studio is currently being used by artists Yeshaya Drayton, Jordan Johnson and Victoria Rickards. Ultimately, these artists will be asked to offer monthly events like classes and talks to further activate the space.
While a primary goal of the project is to help these artists sell work, a free studio space is more than financial aid. To Drayton, it’s an opportunity to reconnect with his own artistic voice after nearly a decade of creating work for clients. While most of his freelance work has been digital, a studio allows him to explore other mediums and paint whenever he wants — even after his late-night shifts at work.
Rickards, who is in graduate school for lighting design, works regularly with the Columbia Museum of Art to sell her work. Having a studio close to the museum means she doesn’t have to haul her artwork all over town. She also plans to utilize the studio’s proximity to the Soda City Market to make her art more accessible.
“It allows us to be able to open our doors and allow people to come in when they already feel like it … I find that it just helps us reach our target audience a lot easier,” Rickards said.
A shared space also ensures the artists interact with each other — and invites collaboration.
Johnson, who works primarily in portraiture and figure drawing, has felt the influence of Rickards and Drayton on his own artistic practice. While Johnson’s primary goal in the studio is learning more about his craft, his ultimate ambition is to get into teaching.
A former police substation at the corner of Assembly and Taylor streets is being repurposed into artist studios.
The studio is not only meant to help these artists meet their goals, but to stimulate the economy through the arts. The city is currently working to imagine other potential strategies that leverage policy and their properties to benefit the art community.
Blake conceded the Taylor Street studio won’t completely solve the challenge of affordable spaces for Columbia artists. Developing creative ways to help artists work and stay in the city continues to be a priority of his work at OneColumbia.
“We know this is not a silver bullet…” Blake said. “But we do think it’s a start.”
Another privately funded studio space is set to open in Rosewood in the coming months. Gemini Arts aims to provide affordable studio space for artists and become a gathering point for Columbia artists.
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