Money Where Your Mouth Is Installation Thursday, July 31 at 6:30

“What moves men of genius, or rather what inspires their work, is not new ideas, but their obsession with the idea that what has already been said is still not enough.” - Eugene Delacroix

When Columbia-based arts advocate and influencer Jared Johnson decides to take on a project, HE TAKES THAT PROJECT ON, generously investing his wide and varied resources in bringing it to fruition. For the past few weeks Johnson has been working on the not-so-subtly titled MONEY WHERE YOUR MOUTH IS project with a group of individuals he assembled specifically to meet the needs of an artist whose work he’d like to see supported both culturally and financially. The artist is Monique Dove and a celebration of her work will be held Thursday evening, July 31, at 6:30 at 2001 Greene Street, Suite D.

According to Johnson, “The Money Where Your Mouth Is art event is a unique opportunity for Columbia, SC to change its approach to how we support local talent. This city loves the arts and we enjoy going to exhibitions and viewing art, but that love doesn’t always translate into purchasing art. The lack of sales have a direct impact on artists’ survival and ability to live and create more work/art.”

“Money Where Your Mouth Is,” Johnson continues, “aims to change the current narrative of the Columbia art scene. Yes, this event is free and open to the public and there will be free cocktails for guests. But the organizers will also be inviting and reaching out to those who appreciate art and have the means to pay for art. The goal is to work together as a community to sell art. … This event is the first of its kind and the inaugural artist is the talented Monique Dove and her wonderful work will be for sale. with 100 % of sales going to the artist and the hope and prayer is that these funds help her transition out of living in her car to and into safer housing.”

The event is free and open to the public. Drinks and light snacks will be served.

Who: Monique Dove
What: Money Where Your Mouth Is Art Event
When: July 31st, 2025
Where: 2001 Greene Street, Suite D, #ColumbiaSC

Jasper Partners with One Columbia & All Good Books to present 2024 ONE BOOK Project -- Book Announcement Celebration April 21st at Bierkeller

A few hints: the author lives, works, and writes in Columbia, the book’s theme centers around nature, environmental responsibility, and climate change, and there are characters in the book that transcend perceived racial, gender, sexual orientation, and even biological divisions to remind us that we are all citizens of this planet.

The public is invited to join the Jasper Project, One Columbia, and All Good Books, along with our host, Bierkeller Brewing Company on Sunday afternoon, April 21st from 3 – 5 pm for the announcement of our new book selection for Columbia’s 2024 ONE BOOK project!

As an Earth Day Eve event, the Bierkeller has invited representatives from local environmental organizations to be on hand to help us set the stage for the announcement of this year’s book selection.

A few hints: the author lives, works, and writes in Columbia, the book’s theme centers around nature, environmental responsibility, and climate change, and there are characters in the book that transcend perceived racial, gender, sexual orientation, and even biological divisions to remind us that we are all citizens of this planet.

Columbia city poet laureate Jennifer Bartell Boykin will read a poem dedicated to the city, and southeastern regional poetry event host Al Black has created a new poem inspired by the selected book. Dr. Melissa Stuckey, USC professor of History, will speak as will One Columbia’s Xavier Blake, All Good Book’s Jared Johnson, and the Jasper Project’s Cindi Boiter. There will be an interactive arts table for the children, environmental information booths, and various arts and crafts vendors will share their wares and talents with attendees. And, of course, beer, wine, and authentic German dishes will be available from the Bierkeller.

In addition to announcing the calendar of events for Columbia’s 2024 ONE BOOK  celebration, the pre-Earth Day event will also allow for the announcement of a Jasper Project – sponsored and ONE BOOK - inspired visual art, literary art, and singer-songwriter competition open to Midlands area artists with prizes and a 2024 ONE BOOK culminating party on September 22, 2024.

The ONE BOOK, One Community project began in the Seattle public library system in 1998 when Seattle librarians invited the community of greater Seattle to read and discuss the same book over the course of a summer. Columbia embraced the project first in 2011, and we enjoyed several years of exciting, thought-provoking programming centered around a singular book. One of our most exciting projects was in 2017 when the Columbia community read local author Carla Damron's novel The Stone Necklace, a detailed and ultimately uplifting story focusing on the power of community to combat poverty and homelessness and set in Columbia. Along with One Columbia for Arts and Culture and independent bookstore All Good Books, the Jasper Project has renewed the project focusing exclusively on books by SC authors.

While the title of the book remains embargoed until April 21st, media representatives may be made aware of the information upon request.

What will the selection for Columbia’s 2024 One Book be? Join us on April 21st from 3 – 5 pm at the Bierkeller, 600 Canal Street, Suite 1009 to find out!

For more information contact info@JasperProject.org

Southern Exposure New Music Series: Trinity Cathedral Chamber Singers

 

Messiaen had the ability to transcribe sounds into colors (synesthesia) in their inner imagination and goes to great length describing these colors in his scores where appropriate:  “I too see colors- if only in my mind - colors corresponding to sound. I try to incorporate this in my work, to pass on to the listener. It's all very mobile. You've got to feel sound moving. Sounds are high, low, fast, slow etc. My colors do the same thing, they move in the same way. Like rainbows shifting from one hue to the next.” -- the artist, Roger Hutchison

Southern Exposure’s first concert of 2014 features one of the Southeast’s finest choirs, the Trinity Cathedral Chamber Singers, directed by Jared Johnson, Trinity’s music director and organ professor at the University of South Carolina.

The Trinity Cathedral Choir regularly tours throughout Europe, including performances at St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome, Basilica of St. Francis in Assisi, and the Canterbury and Gloucester Cathedrals in England. The Trinity Chamber Singers, a select group of 12-14 singers, have created a program that will plumb the depths of innovative choral music, both a capella and accompanied by the organ, from the 20th and 21st centuries. Works by the famed “holy minimalists” Arvo Pärt and John Tavener will highlight a mystical, mercurial program that includes fresh-sounding works both (comparatively) old – by quirky American composer William Albright, British master Benjamin Britten, and French icon Olivier Messiaen – and new, by some of today’s brightest stars, including Steven Stucky, Zachary Wadsworth, Daniel Kellogg, John Fitz Rogers, Gabriel Jackson and Jonathan Dove.

(arrive early for this popular series as seats fill to capacity)

Featured performers:

Trinity Cathedral Chamber Singers

Directed by Jared Johnson

With organist Christopher Jacobson

 USC School of Music Recital Hall (813 Assembly Street, 2^nd floor- next to Koger Center for the Arts) February 22, 7:30 p.m.; Free

Artist Exposure: The Artist Exposure initiative is made possible by collaboration between Southern Exposure and local arts organization Pocket Productions.  Each concert features a local visual artist and their work on selected concerts throughout the series, making meaningful connections between visual arts and music and supporting Columbia's local arts scene. The featured gallery artist for this concert is Roger Hutchison, a Columbia-based painter and writer who also works at Trinity Episcopal Cathedral.

Southern Exposure Website:  http://www.sc.edu/study/colleges_schools/music/concerts_and_events/southern_exposure/

Trinity Cathedral Choir website:  http://www.trinitysc.org/Worship/Music-the-Arts/Adults/