Cultural Affairs

The Columbia Values Diversity Celebration is an annual celebration hosted by the City of Columbia and coordinated by the Office of Cultural Affairs.

Click on the public art images or links below to learn more about a particular piece of art. Mobile app for iPhone and Android 

Click here: Access our Online Grant Management and Application System (Foundant) General information Access Online Application Log on to Foundant online grant application About Annual Grants The City of Columbia Office of Cultural Affairs (OCA) provides annual grant funding support to the arts programming to eligible applicants. The OCA’s Commission on Cultural Affairs assists in […]

Categories Technical Assistance Workshops with visiting speakers and experts as well as year-round one-on-one assistance are all components of this service that aims to enhance the administrative, technical and artistic capacities of local arts agencies. Contact the Office of Cultural Affairs for more information or to schedule an appointment to meet with staff. National Organizations […]

The Office of Cultural Affairs provides annual funding support to the arts. By contracting with local 501(c)(3) arts organizations to provide high quality arts services and programming in the community, the OCA serves the general public, individual artists and arts agencies. The Commission on Cultural Affairs assists in the process by evaluating requests and recommending […]

Celebration of the Arts Celebration of the Arts is the annual Columbia Arts Fund fundraising event hosted by he Office of Cultural Affairs. Typically occurring in late August or early September,  this event honors Columbia’s vibrant arts community by showcasing local artists and arts organizations, unveiling the City’s annual Commemorative Poster, and by recognizing a […]

Visual art is featured as the City of Columbia’s official Commemorative Poster each year. The Poster is intended to communicate the vitality and beauty of mid-Missouri and the significance of the arts. The Commemorative Posters are available for purchase year round at the Convention and Visitor’s Bureau, 300 S Providence Rd., Columbia, MO 65203. The […]

In addition to the annual grant program, the Office of Cultural Affairs provides year-round opportunities for arts organizations. The Small Request Grant Program supports innovative programs and services that provide unique and one-time opportunities. The Commission on Cultural Affairs assists in the process by evaluating requests and recommending funding. FY24 funding: Small request funding for […]

What are Columbia’s sister cities? Columbia enjoys active Sister City relationships with five cities: Kutaisi, Republic of Georgia Founded 3,500 years ago, Kutaisi is located in west-central Georgia along the Rioni River. It is the second largest city in the Republic of Georgia. The subtropical climate typically brings cold, wet winters and hot, dry summers. […]

In May 1997, the Columbia City Council passed legislation to create the Percent for Art program. The program allows for 1% of the cost of new city construction or renovation projects to be used for site-specific public art. Any above-ground capital improvement project with a budget of $1 million or more is eligible to have […]

Table of Contents Local resources Daniel Boone Regional Library  (Access these resources for free using your library card) Overdrive: Borrow audiobooks and ebooks Kanopy: Stream films and documentaries Hoopla: Stream or download audiobooks, comics, ebooks, movies, TV Creativebug: Take online art & craft video classes TumbleBook Library: Watch animated talking picture books Freegal: Streaming music […]

Office of Cultural Affairs Programs and Services.