With students returning from their summer breaks and the new semester kicking into high gear, Columbia is as vibrant as ever. Whether you're a long-time resident looking for something new or an incoming freshman setting foot in Carolina for the first time, there are plenty of places to go to experience arts and culture around Columbia. Here’s a list of just some of the unique places arts lovers can take advantage of around the city.
The Koger Center
Located on USC’s campus, the Koger Center is a great place to get an arts and culture fix while staying close to home. Both the Columbia City Ballet, which is known for more eclectic and quirky performances, and the Columbia Classical Ballet, which performs more traditional ballets, host their performances here. In addition, the South Carolina Philharmonic and USC’s Wind Ensemble perform here, and students can get into some events for free or at a discounted rate with their CarolinaCard.
New Brookland Tavern
If listening to short sets from several different bands is your ideal way of trying out new music, then New Brookland Tavern is the spot for you. Showcasing up-and-coming bands from the Columbia area and beyond, the tavern also serves drinks, hosts happy hours and has open mic nights for those feeling bold and adventurous. Be sure to check the age requirement before making a trip – New Brookland has some events that are 18+ and some that are 21+.
Trustus Theatre
Located at the end of the Vista, Trustus Theatre is now in its 34th season of bringing theater to Columbia. Although most of the season has already passed, theater goers still have time to catch "Montgomery" from August 23-31. Its next season debuts in September with "Company," a 1971 Tony Award-winning musical. The classic Pulitzer Prize-winning "A Streetcar Named Desire" is another one of the many upcoming plays to look forward to next season. While visitors can buy tickets for individual shows, flex passes are also available for purchase, allowing theater lovers to choose any eight tickets throughout the season at one discounted price.
Nickelodeon Theatre
Nickelodeon Theatre is a movie theater on Main Street that shows a mix of movies you can’t find at a Regal or AMC theater. The Nick also hosts the Indie Grits Film Festival, named one of the “20 Coolest Film Festivals in the World” by Moviemaker Magazine, every year, and hosts series of movies centered around a specific theme such as foreign films, black and white films and LGBTQ+ films. If you enjoy independent and small release films, or if you’re tired of seeing remakes/sequels/other blockbuster flops, then check out this vintage theater for some alternatives.
Papa Jazz Record Shoppe
Papa Jazz, a cornerstone of the Five Points scene, is the perfect place to head for those hoping to expand their CD or record collections, but it's also a cool spot to just hang out and browse aisles and aisles of interesting music. Although jazz is part of their image, they also boast an eclectic mix of any genre you could possibly be interested in – they have everything from rhythm and blues to spoken word to classic rock to indie to classical. It won't take too much searching to find old favorites on vinyl.
This is by no means a comprehensive list of places to experience arts and culture in Columbia. There’s always The White Mule, The Senate, Colonial Life Arena (where Ariana Grande is making a stop in December, so keep an eye out for that) and Tapp’s to name a few. Columbia has so much to do and see, so be sure to experience the city outside of campus and do something new as an excuse to stop hitting the books (or the bars, we won't judge) so hard.