One Columbia Announces Cultural Layers Community Celebrations, Unveiling New Public Murals Honoring Columbia’s African American History
Columbia, SC — July 13, 2026 — One Columbia for Arts and Culture will host the Cultural Layers Community Celebrations, two free public events marking the unveiling of new public artwork honoring the stories, people, and places at the heart of Columbia’s historically African American neighborhoods. The celebrations take place Saturday, July 18, at 2:00 PM at Richland Library Edgewood and Sunday, July 19, at 3:00 PM at the Richland Library Main Auditorium. Admission is free and open to the public.
The new artwork honors former residents and legacies of the Booker T. Washington, Ward One, and Wheeler Hill neighborhoods. Cultural Layers is a public art and storytelling initiative led by One Columbia and funded by the Knight Foundation and the Central Carolina Community Foundation. The project preserves and amplifies histories from these communities through photography, videography, oral histories, archival research, and public art, centering the individuals who shaped the city and the schools and neighborhoods that served as cultural and social anchors for generations.
At each celebration, attendees can view the completed murals and public artwork, meet several of the individuals depicted in the work, and connect with the community members, historians, and cultural partners who helped bring the project to life. The events are designed as community gatherings grounded in memory, local history, and collective pride.
Featured artists include Daniel Esquivia-Zapata, Visual Artist and Educator; Nora Williams, Photographer and Cultural Worker; and Malcolm Vanhannegeyn, CEO of Perspective Cinema and Cinematographer. Community members featured in the work include Crissandra Elliott, Deacon Richard Caughman, and Raymond Richardson.
“For us, public art is more than just what you see; it’s about creating connections,” said Xavier Blake, One Columbia Executive Director. “Through Cultural Layers and the incredible talents of Daniel, Nora, and Malcolm, we hope to create a lasting impact that honors the lives, spaces, and histories that shape our city.”
The celebrations are made possible with the support of community partners and sponsors including Central Carolina Community Foundation, Knight Foundation, Richland County Library, the A’ja Wilson Foundation, the Center for Civil Rights History and Research at the University of South Carolina, Columbia SC 63, the Ward One Organization, and Friends of African American Art & Culture.
More information is available at onecolumbiasc.com/public-art/cultural-layers-project/.
About One Columbia for Arts and Culture
One Columbia for Arts and Culture is the designated nonprofit arts organization for the City of Columbia, South Carolina. Its mission is to amplify, support, and celebrate the arts while ensuring creativity remains a vital part of the city’s identity and growth. Through public programming, community partnerships, and cultural initiatives, One Columbia works to make the arts accessible and meaningful for all residents of the Columbia region.
