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Mark your calendar for Columbia's 33rd Annual Artista Vista, April 11-13, 2025. This art-centric event truly has something to offer for everyone. The Congaree Vista district of Columbia, SC, is an official South Carolina Cultural District. 

Events

New Public Art Unveiling — Free — Friday, April 11, 11 a.m. (1125 Park Street)

The Congaree Vista Guild, One Columbia for Art and Culture and the City of Columbia are unveiling the Vista's new public art piece. The piece, The Convergence, is by artist David Falter. It shows the transformation of ruins into the revival of the city, turning decay into a symbol of resilience and renewal. It features local artist Laura Spong to show how the neighborhood has grown into a destination for arts in the city. Join us at 1125 Park Street on Friday morning and meet the artist, David Falter.

Art Gallery Crawl — Free — Friday, April 11, 6-9 p.m.

Artista Vista begins Friday night with the annual Gallery Crawl throughout The Vista District. Join us from 6-9 p.m. for a fun evening in The Vista’s distinctive galleries. Be sure to visit Richland Library Main (1431 Assembly St) for the opening of Artista Vista’s Juried Exhibition, Rooted. Stop by the below galleries to pick up a passport to get stamped at all 10 gallery crawl spots. Participants will be entered to win prizes from great Vista businesses like Rebel Dogs, Art Bar, Steel Hands Vista and more.

Here is a full list of galleries participating in this year's Gallery Crawl and visit the map here:

• City Art (1224 Lincoln Street) - Come experience City Art to inspire the true artist in you.

• Coal Powered Filmworks (1217 Lincoln Street) - Coal Powered Filmworks will have live music and visual art for sale.

• Experience Columbia Visitor's Center (1120 Lincoln Street) - Come experience art from local artists in the Visitors Center and pick up your scavenger hunt passport.

• Lewis + Clark (1001 Huger Street) – Stop by for chargebots, lamps, and robots.

• Mike Brown Contemporary (1221 Lincoln Street) - Visit the main gallery at Mike Brown Contemporary for artwork from Donna Cooper’s In the Language of Fire and Water.

• One Eared Cow Glass (1001 Huger Street) – Stop by One Eared Cow Glass and experience a live blown glass demonstration throughout the night. Refreshments and snacks will be served. Visit the pop-up artists outside the gallery.

• PhotoSC (918 Lady Street) - Come enjoy the photographic art of 22 Columbia, SC photographers in The Photographer’s Choice.

• Richland Library (1431 Assembly Street) - Visit the gallery at Richland Library for the opening of Rooted, a juried art exhibition. Enjoy live music from The Waterkickers and delicious food from Spotted Salamander.

• SOULHaus (1223 Lincoln Street) - Experience this incredible gallery in the Vista as they showcase emerging and underrepresented contemporary artists in South Carolina.

• Stormwater Studios (413 Pendleton Street) - Stop by Stormwater Studios for the Resident Artists Exhibition on Friday evening and experience everything Stormwater has to offer.

Rooted features art from the following Midlands artists:

Art Day — Free — Saturday, April 12, 10 a.m.-3 p.m. (1001 Huger St/413 Pendleton St)

Artista Vista continues on Saturday with events at Stormwater Studios, Lewis + Clark and One Eared Cow Glass. Visitors will discover collections and view live demonstrations from artists. Stop by Stormwater Studios and enjoy an enchanting celebration of nature and art. Enjoy a Pollinator Garden Tour at 10am followed by a butterfly release overlooking Kinsler Creek at 11:30am and a Cyanotype sun prints demonstration at 1:30pm. 

At Art Day be sure to visit Lewis + Clark for lamps, robots and more. One Eared Cow Glass will be doing demonstrations and there will be pop-up artists.

Get your first glimpse at the turtle sculptures from the City of Columbia’s Columbia Streams public art program. Learn more about the program and the artists that created these works. The turtles will be around Stormwater Studios and Live Art Mart.

Live Art Mart — Free — Saturday, April 12, 10 a.m. – 3 p.m. (516 Senate Street)

The 2025 Artista Vista Live Art Mart is an exciting, innovative juried art fair. Developed by artists for artists, this market gives customers an extraordinary opportunity to understand how artists create their work. During market hours, all vendors will show their artistic process, either through live demonstration or an approved alternate visual representation of their process. Our goal is to encourage conversations between artists and the public, fostering a Midlands community that appreciates and supports artists and the work they create. Join us on the corner of Huger and Senate Streets and visit the following demonstrating vendors, demonstrating artists, musicians, Rebel Dogs, Farmers Market Xchange and more.

2025 Demonstrating Vendors:

2025 Demonstrating Artists:

Light and Lantern Parade presented by Architrave — Free — Saturday, April 12, 8-9 p.m.

Columbia artist, Flavia Lovatelli, is hosting a series of lantern making workshops in early 2025. See below for dates and locations. Learn from one of Columbia's best at one of these workshops. Join us for the Light and Lantern Parade presented by Architrave at the entrance of the Lincoln Street Tunnel on April 12. Join the crowd as we stroll through The Vista and kick off this event with music from Partly Cloudy. There will be cash prizes for the best lantern during the parade!

Lantern making workshops:

• February 8, 10am-1pm at 701 CCA (701 Whaley Street)
• February 22, 10am-1pm at 701 CCA (701 Whaley Street)
• March 1, 1-4pm at Stormwater Studios (413 Pendleton Street)
• March 15, 10am-1pm at The Art Center (1227 Taylor Street, Suite C)
• March 22, 10am-1pm at The Art Center (1227 Taylor Street, Suite C)
• March 29, 10am-1pm at Stormwater Studios (413 Pendelton Street)

Live on Lincoln presented by LS3P — Ticketed — Sunday, April 13, 5-8 p.m. (1200 Lincoln Street)

The 6th Annual Live on Lincoln presented by LS3P is on Sunday, April 13. Join us as we continue this wonderful tradition that began in 2020 with the Koger Center for the Arts. This event showcases some incredible performing arts groups that can be found in Columbia. Experience their performances as you dine on the cobblestones of Lincoln Street and enjoy a wonderful meal courtesy of Blue Marlin. All proceeds from this event are split among these wonderful groups so that they can continue their meaningful work.

Limited tickets for Live on Lincoln are available here.

2025 Live on Lincoln presented by LS3P performers:

A comprehensive safety plan has been put in place for all Artista Vista events. Masks are encouraged for all patrons, and hand sanitizer is encouraged throughout events. Social distancing will be encouraged. NO CONCEALED WEAPONS ALLOWED.

The Vista, Columbia's premier art district, is committed to continuing to keep the art scene in the Midlands thriving, as the past three decades attest. The Vista was synonymous with art by the early 1980s when artists began to move their studios to the area's affordable abandoned warehouse space. Today's restaurants, shopping and nightlife in historic buildings along the Gervais Street corridor are still driven by the Vista's creative energy. The Congaree Vista is an Official South Carolina Cultural District.