Kristin Morris graduated from the University of South Carolina in 2005 after studying video production and documentary filmmaking. Her passion for the arts has since launched her into a multitude of different roles crucial to the Columbia arts scene. Morris worked at the Nickelodeon Theatre from 2007-2009 as a part-time projectionist and returned this February as the marketing manager. The Nickelodeon’s big move to Main Street took place during her time away. While she loved the old theatre and says it still holds a special place in her heart, she was thrilled to return to the Nickelodeon organization at a new and state of the art location.

As marketing manager, Morris was tasked with rebranding the organization so that it better matched the change in the physical building. She’s thrilled with their new look, and says they are having a lot of fun with it. In addition to the new design and website, Morris is introducing the Nickelodeon Magazine. The magazine will feature longer written pieces by staff members and people who they are collaborating with on different series and special screenings; the goal is to place more emphasis on these special screenings, into which the staff puts most of their work and effort, rather than simply listing the upcoming films.

Morris says, “We want to be a place for discussions to start. We want to be a cultural arts center where everybody can come and feel inspired, and have interesting and engaging conversations. That’s the type of work we are really proud of, and we wanted to have a better platform to talk about that.”Morris is also a founding member of Girls Rock Columbia, a weeklong musical day camp that takes place each summer for girls ages 8-17. She organizes camp logistics, community involvement, fundraising, and financial management. Morris had known about the camp for years, as Girls Rock exists all over the world, but

in 2013 she decided it was time to for Girls Rock to come to Columbia. She held a volunteer interest meeting in February 2013, expecting around 15 women, but over 50 showed up. After that meeting she realized she was not alone in her passion to start Girls Rock Columbia and that they could really make it happen.

“We have such a large and amazingly talented group of women who want to be involved, and that is really the only reason that we are able to grow and to accomplish what we accomplish. These are women who are so incredibly skilled and knowledagble and also passionate about doing this, and it is inspiring,” Morris says.

The first camp took place in the summer of 2013 with 17 campers and was a tremendous success. In the summer of 2014, once again, the group experienced another successful camp, expanding to 40 campers. Now, the group is well on its way to becoming its own nonprofit organization.

Morris says her job at the Nickelodeon is her absolute dream job; she loves it, and also loves devoting all of her free time to growing Girls Rock. Her favorite films include Fat Girl, Obvious Child, Melancholia, The Sweet Hereafter, and Sherman’s March, which will be playing during the Nickelodeon’s “Burn to Shine” series commemorating the 150th anniversary of the burning of Columbia. To see Morris’s work in action and get more information, visit nickelodeon.org and girlsrockcolumbia.org.

– Abby Davis