Renovated space houses exhibits, performances
Just down the street from the Nickelodeon Theatre and the Columbia Museum of Art, a new art hub is emerging. After 12 months of construction, Tapp’s Arts Center on Main Street has been transformed from a former department store to an artist’s paradise, complete with rentable studios and performance and exhibition space.
While the center was open throughout renovations, Wednesday was deemed the grand opening, with an official ribbon-cutting ceremony attended by Mayor Steve Benjamin.
Thursday evening was a continuation of the opening celebration with food, art exhibits and musical performances for all gallerygoers to enjoy.
Tapp’s Arts Center boasts 30 artist studios spread over two floors, a modern performance area with a stage and plenty of wall space to showcase artwork. Artists are able to rent studio, gallery and window installation space to both create, display and sell their material.
Featured artists of the night included Brad Grizzle, a mixed media artist exhibiting portraits of politicians; Charlotte Hacker-Mullen, a fourth-year art studio student showing off her dreamlike doodle art; and Susan Lenz with her new sea-inspired window installation.
Lenz’s installment, titled “Two Hours at the Beach,” is an art quilt made from trash collected from the beach. The piece marks Lenz’s fourth time displaying at Tapp’s.
“I’m excited to be here; the renovations have been remarkable,” Lenz said. “There are an awful lot of artists in Columbia that need studio space, and they have that here. It has given me opportunities I’m not able to get anywhere else.”
Among the crowd milling around and chattering over art and hors d’oeuvres were Krystal Webber and Katie Okawa, who described themselves as art admirers.
Webber said they came to Tapp’s to see the way the building had been revitalized.
“I think it’s a really good and neat use of the space,” Webber said.
Besides photography, sculpture, print and mixed media artwork, Tapp’s also brings musical acts to the center.
Thursday night spotlighted three shows: Dan King and members from cast of “Spring Awakening” from Trustus Theatre, King Amin and Pan, each playing an hour set.
Overall, it was an evening to enjoy a wide range of art and to get a feel for one of Columbia’s up-and-coming art spaces.
“In just over a year, Tapp’s has become a hub for artists and creative people in the Midlands,” said Brenda Schwarz, executive director of Tapp’s Arts Center in a press release. “And while we’ve been having shows while renovating the building, now that construction is complete and artists are in their studios, Tapp’s will continue to grow into what our artistic community in Columbia wants it to be.”
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