The COMO Mojo: A Canvas Called Columbia

In my head, there’s an associative imagery that accompanies the phrase “Art & Culture.” I picture it as this giant, flowy watercolor sensation — vivid, fluid, and difficult to contain. “Art” feels more concrete, bringing to mind murals, statues, and tangible expressions. “Culture,” on the other hand, is abstract and all-encompassing, like the air around it.  

The two are inseparable, really. Throughout history, art has emerged from major cultural events and shifts, while at the same time, art has the power to create its own cultures and subcultures. It’s a beautiful, endless loop.  

The cool thing about art and culture is that they permeate our lives every day, whether we’re in tune with them or not. While my daily routine tends to shift (depending on how many times I hit that snooze button), I can quickly think of several ways my mornings start with art and culture: deciding what to wear, the music or audiobook I listen to on my drive to work, the meals I make for breakfast, the billboards and bumper stickers I pass. These seemingly small details shape how we think and view the world, and no matter where we go, they’re right there, following us, inspiring us, and sneaking into the corners of our day.  

As a college town, Columbia is no stranger to art and culture, and both the colleges and the community do an excellent job amplifying these elements. One of my earliest memories from my freshman year at Columbia College is participating in the Cougar Day Trip during Welcome Week. Those day-long excursions were designed to help new students make friends and get acquainted with our four-or-more-year home.  

I chose to attend “Wildy’s World Mural Painting Day.” Along with a group of about twelve students, we walked down to Orr Street to meet Wildy, the studio owner. I remember feeling shy, as I was much more introverted and didn’t know anyone in my group. But those feelings quickly melted away as the paints came out. We started working together, creating a beautiful work of art that would hang in the student commons for the rest of my time at Columbia College. We didn’t even have to talk much — the materials we shared were all the language we needed.  

While those Day Trips fizzled out during COVID (and I’m not sure if they ever made a comeback), Columbia College remained committed to fostering art and culture in a number of ways. One of my favorite activities was International Coffee Hour. Each month, students from different countries hosted, offering a variation of their nation’s coffee, snacks, and entertainment from their culture — sometimes music, sometimes activities like writing attendees’ names in the hosts’ native language, or doing cultural crafts. It was not only a great way to meet students, but also to give international students a forum to share their culture with everyone else. I imagine it was a chance to give them a little slice of home and comfort in Columbia.   

Even though I’m no longer a student, I continue learning from the art and culture in our city, of which there’s no shortage. Just look at The Shops at Sharp End and the Boone County History & Culture Center, preserving our local histories. Or the Columbia Art League, Ragtag Cinema, The Blue Note, and more. It’s all around us, every day. Whether you’re a temporary resident — student or not — or a long-term local, it’s worth getting out there and exploring, even when you think you’ve done it all.  

Because, trust me, you haven’t.