Five Questions for Lee Snelgrove – Executive Director of One Columbia

JASPER: Art seems to be popping up throughout the city and someone told us that you might have something to do with that. What can you tell us about that shiny new sculpture outside of AGAPE on Main Street?

LEE: That new piece is titled “Moments” and is by artists Shaun Dargan Cassidy and Tom Stanley. They are both faculty members at Winthrop University and they’ve created a lot of public sculptures in Rock Hill and Charlotte. The different parts of the sculpture signify the progression of life and the importance of memory and experience. I’ve actually been working on getting a piece for that location since the first day as ED of One Columbia, so it’s quite exciting to have that installed. It was commissioned by a donation from Agape Senior.

JASPER: And on the corner of Main and Taylor there’s a large mural boasting the words, “Don’t Tread on Us.” Are you behind this, too? Who is the artist and what’s the story? Is it a permanent fixture for the city?

LEE: That mural is a coordinated project between One Columbia, Indie Grits and Tapp’s Art Center. We were allowed use of the space by Capitol Places. The first iteration was actually designed and painted by Seth Gadsden [OF NICKELODEON FAME]. It’s an exploration of the Gadsden Flag and the phrase “Don’t Tread on Me.” It’s a phrase that’s had many meanings and uses throughout its existence. By making it more inclusive with the use of “us” and using a playful script, the mural engages people in conversation about the ownership of that phrase. Seth and I had been talking about events commemorating the 150th anniversary of the burning of Columbia and it presented a good opportunity for him to create something based on things related to his family history he’d been thinking about.

The plan for that space is that a new mural will be created in the theme of Indie Grits each year. A new artist will be selected by the three organizations annually. So, there will actually be a new mural there around April.

JASPER: And about those passports — refresh our memories on why we should always have those guys in our back pockets.

LEE: Everyone should have a cultural passport and be using it whenever they go out to an art or cultural event. It is designed to be a fun way to keep up with all the events you’ve attended. It’s also a way to get some gift cards, t-shirts and tickets to go to more events. And, we’ll be celebrating those folks that have collected a lot of stamps in the fall. I’ve got about 33 stamps at this point in mine, but I’m looking forward to being able to award a prize for someone who’s collected more than me.

We’ve handed out over 3,700 passports at this point. From an organizational point of view, the passports offer a good opportunity to connect with audiences, offer incentives for loyal customers and create an experience that will welcome people into the arts community.

JASPER: Any other big news coming out of One Columbia for Arts and History these days?

LEE: Right now, we’re busy with the commemoration of the burning of Columbia. We’ve been working with Historic Columbia and nearly 30 other organizations [INCLUDING JASPER] to coordinate a series of events that delve into the complex events that night, what Columbia was like at that time, and the changes that resulted. The events feature things for everyone’s interest, including an academic symposium, culinary experiences, historical exhibits and shows featuring new works of art and crafts. On the day of the anniversary, February 17, there will be a commemoration event at Boyd Plaza featuring readings, choirs, and two large performance pieces along Main Street. Following the commemoration that day, there will be more events at Tapp’s, including a reading and a concert and Main Street’s restaurants and bars will be offering themed dishes and drinks.

We’ve also been working to collect data about the state of the arts in Columbia. We’ve recently produced a report of the creative industries and the number and types of creative jobs that are in the city. And, I’ve been working with students at Columbia College to survey areas of the city so that we can catalogue our cultural assets.

Another exciting thing that we’ve just announced is the creation of the position of City Poet Laureate. One Columbia worked with the Mayor and City Council to recognize the position, then One Columbia brought together a committee to identify and select our inaugural poet laureate. They’ve selected Ed Madden as our first and he has great ideas of what to do with the position. Columbia will be the only city in South Carolina and one of the very few in the Southeast to have this kind of cultural representative.

JASPER: And how about you personally — Jasper hear that the Snelgrove-Tuohy household will be expanding soon – what’s that all about?

LEE: Yes, any time now a little guy named Fred will be joining us. I’ve already got a cultural passport with his name on it.