CMFA (Columbia Music Festival Association)

- 914 Pulaski St, Columbia, SC 29201

Introduction / Overview

The Columbia Music Festival Association (CMFA) is a cornerstone of the cultural landscape in Columbia, South Carolina, boasting a distinguished history that dates back to 1897. More than just an organization, the CMFA acts as a foundational arts council and resource hub for the entire community. Its primary mission is deeply rooted in supporting the performing arts: to educate, discover, develop, train, assist, present, produce, and promote musical and artistic talents among the area's citizens. Over its long and influential history, the CMFA has played a direct role in the establishment and growth of major South Carolina arts institutions, including the South Carolina Philharmonic Orchestra and the Columbia City Ballet, demonstrating its pivotal role in the region's cultural development.

Today, the CMFA operates from its unique facility, the CMFA ArtSpace, which is housed in a substantial 23,000 sq. ft. adaptive reuse warehouse. This space is intentionally designed to be a multi-purpose arts incubator, offering tangible resources like rehearsal studios, performance venues, and administrative support to a diverse array of civic and emerging arts groups throughout the Midlands. By serving as both a historical anchor and a modern resource, the CMFA continues its original mandate of enriching the quality of life for South Carolinians through the power of the performing arts.

Location and Accessibility

The CMFA ArtSpace is ideally situated at 914 Pulaski St, Columbia, SC 29201, USA, placing it directly within the thriving Congaree Vista Cultural District. This location in downtown Columbia ensures it is highly visible and easily accessible to residents from across the city and surrounding Richland County. The Vista is known for its concentration of galleries, restaurants, and entertainment venues, making the CMFA ArtSpace a natural destination point for arts patrons.

The organization is committed to ensuring a welcoming and accessible experience for all South Carolina visitors and performers. The facility proudly offers comprehensive accessibility features, making it a reliable venue for community events:

• Wheelchair accessible entrance, allowing smooth entry into the building for all patrons.
• Wheelchair accessible parking lot, providing dedicated and convenient on-site parking.
• Wheelchair accessible restroom facilities, ensuring comfort and dignity.
• Wheelchair accessible seating, where applicable in performance areas, ensuring everyone can enjoy the arts.

The combination of a central, cultural district location and a dedication to accessibility makes the CMFA ArtSpace a premier, inclusive arts resource for the Columbia community.

Services Offered

The CMFA's services revolve around providing infrastructure, resources, and administrative support to the South Carolina arts community, alongside hosting its own programs and events.

• Venue and Space Rentals: Offering multi-purpose rehearsal studios, meeting spaces, and a small black-box theater for performances, available to various local performance groups and arts organizations.
• Administrative Support and Resource Council: Serving as a central arts council, providing shared administrative support, guidance, and resources to affiliated and emerging arts groups in the Columbia area.
• Specialized Storage and Workshop Space: The 23,000 sq. ft. facility includes essential space for costume, set, and prop storage and workshop creation, a unique service for local theater and dance companies.
• Diverse Program Hosting: Hosting a wide array of public events, including classical ballet classes, modern dance workshops, children's opera productions, West African drumming, and social dances.
• Community Social Events: Notably hosting the popular monthly Black Box Latin Social, which attracts talented dancers from across South Carolina and neighboring states, demonstrating the CMFA's role as a regional arts destination.
• Audience Development Programs: Running educational outreach and volunteer programs that actively work to enrich the lives of young people, particularly within the Richland County School District One.
• Support for Catering Needs: Offering event spaces that can accommodate catered functions, including provisions for diverse dietary needs, as highlighted by customers who appreciated the "excellent" vegan meal options during events like Arts in Motion.

Features / Highlights

The CMFA is a distinguished institution in South Carolina, highlighted by its deep history and unique contributions to the arts infrastructure.

• Historic Arts Council Role: Established in 1897 as a unique partnership between government and the community, it holds a legacy that predates and helped launch major state arts entities like the South Carolina Philharmonic and Columbia City Ballet.
• The CMFA ArtSpace: A unique, 23,000 sq. ft. adaptive reuse warehouse that provides essential physical infrastructure—including rehearsal studios and a black-box theater—rarely found in a single South Carolina facility.
• Fostering Community and Diversity: The venue hosts multicultural events like the Black Box Latin Social and supports groups offering West African drumming, demonstrating a commitment to a diverse array of performing arts.
• Commitment to Accessibility: The facility is fully equipped with a wheelchair accessible entrance, parking, restrooms, and seating, ensuring an inclusive environment for all patrons and performers.
• "At Home" Feel for Performers: Reviewers note the venue's comfortable and "at home" feel, which is essential for creative groups and audiences, fostering an intimate and supportive atmosphere for outstanding performances.
• Arts Incubation: Serving as an incubator and greenhouse where new and emerging arts organizations can grow, develop, and thrive with shared purpose and resources.
• Audience and Volunteer Engagement: Active in volunteer and audience development programs, particularly for Richland County youth, extending the reach of the arts beyond the professional sphere.

Contact Information

South Carolina residents, arts groups, and visitors seeking to utilize the space or attend events at this historic arts organization can reach the CMFA using the following contact details:

Address: 914 Pulaski St, Columbia, SC 29201, USA

Phone: (803) 771-6303

Mobile Phone: +1 803-771-6303

We encourage contacting the CMFA directly for the most current schedule of public performances, rehearsal studio availability, and specific details about upcoming events like the Black Box Latin Social.

What is Worth Choosing

For South Carolinians, choosing to engage with the CMFA—whether as a patron, a performer, or a supporting organization—is choosing to support the bedrock of the state’s performing arts. What is truly worth choosing is the CMFA's dual identity as a historic cultural steward and a dynamic, modern resource. This organization offers a unique, tangible value to the Columbia community by providing a dedicated physical ArtSpace where creativity can literally be built, rehearsed, and performed.

The comprehensive accessibility of the 914 Pulaski Street venue ensures that the arts remain open to everyone. Furthermore, by attending events like the "Arts in Motion," patrons are guaranteed high-quality performances in a comfortable, intimate setting, often with attention paid to details like inclusive dining options (such as the excellent vegan meals). For local arts groups, the CMFA is an indispensable partner providing the resources needed to thrive. For the individual, it’s a destination for experiencing outstanding performances and becoming an active participant in South Carolina’s rich and diverse performing arts scene, making it a critical asset for the Midlands region.

CMFA (Columbia Music Festival Association)

914 Pulaski St, Columbia, SC 29201, USA