The 10 Best Art Spaces In Columbia, South Carolina

The South Carolina State Museum is the state’s largest and most comprehensive. While the museum is not exclusively an art museum and possesses collections of items relating to natural history, science and cultural history, it also has an extensive collection of South Carolina art that gives a unique insight into the state’s history and culture. The museum’s permanent art collections span genres such as traditional portraiture, decorative arts and contemporary art, while regular changing exhibits are held in its Lipscomb gallery. Visitors to the South Carolina State Museum can also check out its planetarium, observatory and 4D theater.

Dutch collector Wim Roefs came to the US to study journalism, although he had started collecting art while still living in his homeland and after he settled in Columbia, he rekindled his passion and began collecting across South Carolina. One thing led to another, and after a couple of shows that he hosted in his own house, Roefs eventually decided to take the next step and opened his own gallery – If Art Gallery– in 2006. The gallery now represents more than 30 cutting ­edge contemporary artists, who mostly work in the mediums of painting and sculpture.

Mark your calendars – every first Thursday of the month Columbia’s Main Street comes alive with a wealth of art shows organised by several different galleries located in the area. Curiously enough, the event – aptly called First Thursday on Main – was started over five years ago by an eye wear shop, Frame of Mind. In an attempt to diversify their business, Frame of Mind’s owners started hosting monthly exhibitions of local artists and many other businesses liked the idea and followed their example, creating a regular event that now attracts up to 2,000 people every month. Frame of Mind has exhibited over 70 artists working with media as diverse as paintings, sculpture,photography, performance art and even tattoos.

Grapes and Gallery is not a traditional art gallery and there are no exhibitions or artworks, neither on view nor for sale. Artworks here are in progress, as this is a studio where anyone who desires to paint – even those who might have never painted before in their lives – are invited to take a seat and let their creativity flow. You can do so on your own, or participate in one of the frequent sessions held by professional art teachers. The gallery’s real unique ingredient, however, is a wine bar with a selection of international varieties with visitors encouraged to have a glass before taking it to the canvas to help creative energies flow.