Columbia's Cultural Plan

Columbia’s Cultural Plan, Amplify

An arts and cultural plan is a unique opportunity that allows a city to reflect and reposition its cultural assets. Columbia is poised to harness the power of its arts and heritage resources to drive social and economic change. The city functions as a regional hub for innovation and creativity. As the city’s leadership envisions a new Comprehensive Plan (Columbia Compass), the Mayor and City Council tasked One Columbia for Arts and Culture to embark on a cultural planning process centered in public engagement.

That process culminates with this cultural plan, Amplify Columbiawhich considers city government’s continued role as the custodian of civic and cultural heritage, and as the key facilitator of innovation, creativity and cultural enterprise. For more than a century, the City of Columbia has been a major investor in the development of significant cultural institutions. Additional and impressive financial resources from private donors, foundations and individuals have contributed to extraordinary anchor visual and performing arts organizations; attracting national and international talent and visitors.

Amplify Columbia brought together cultural partners, stakeholders from social service organizations, artists, the business and philanthropic community, educators, high school and university students and neighborhood leaders. The planning process is deliberate in establishing open and welcoming environments to engage diverse voices to consider strategies for embedding creativity into the fabric of civic life.