Ever wanted to learn the story behind the artwork in the Center’s galleries? Take a closer look at the artifacts on display? Go behind the scenes of our Special Collections? Sign up and join us for Gallery Gatherings, a new monthly tour series featuring different special topics each month!
Our tour on Saturday, Sept. 27 from noon-2pm takes visitors behind the scenes of our non-public spaces.
Tours are free, but registration is required; limit 15 people per tour. Call us or email us to reserve your spot today!
The City of Columbia's Office of Business Opportunities will be hosting the Did You Know? All About Patents and Copyrights workshop on Tuesday, September 30th at the Busby Street Community Center, 1735 Busby Street, Columbia, SC 29203. This workshop is an in-person workshop to begin at 10:00AM.
If you are a small business owner and have a product that you want to trademark or an invention that you are not aware of the patent process, this workshop is for you! During this workshop participants will:
- Explain the difference between patents and copyrights as intellectual property;
- Discuss how to best protect inventions with patent applications, both utility and design; and
- Provide the best ways to protect copyright "works of art" both at common law and the federal level.
For more information, contact Kalenna Ginyard, OBO Program Compliance Specialist at (803)545-3950 or send an email to OBO@columbiasc.gov!
About the speaker: Our featured speaker is Mr. Doug Lineberry, attorney at Offit Kurman. Doug Lineberry focusses on building relationships founded on trust and constant communication. Doug successfully prosecutes patent applications for mechanical, medical, and chemical technologies. He helps clients with establishing and protecting trademark portfolios, guarding against improper third-party use, and conducting enforcement actions. For Doug, ideas are everything! He also advises clients on all matters involving intellectual property, trade secrets, branding and marketing issues, and contractural and other business matters.
Register Here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/did-you-know-all-about-copyrights-and-patents-tickets-1628352840179?aff=oddtdtcreator
Join us for another informative Lunch and Learn this month!
Attend in person or virtually by registering at https://bit.ly/4oiCzBc
Mark your calendars! The 2nd annual South Carolina Native Art Market and Gathering returns in two weeks on Saturday, August 16. During Soda City Market (9am–1pm), head to Boyd Plaza to enjoy Native artists of various mediums sharing their talents, traditions, and stories.
Shop the pop-up market featuring woodworking, jewelry, pottery, indigenous food, and more. Learn from Indigenous artists and community leaders through live demonstrations including performances from the Warpaint Singers, Natchez Nation Singers, and Catawba Nation's Women of the River Drum Group.
FREE to attend! More info at the 
https://www.columbiamuseum.org/.../south-carolina-native...
This program is held in collaboration with the SC Commission of Minority Affairs.
11th Annual Women's Empowerment 2025
August 16, 2025
9AM - 4PM
The biggest celebration of women in SC. A day of engaging panels, live entertainment, shopping and more! Don’t miss OBO’s panel on the main stage and make sure you visit our booth for small business resources!
KickBack Tickets | Women's Empowerment of South Carolina 2025
How to Prepare Your Business for Funding Opportunities
Securing funding requires more than passion and potential—it demands preparation. In this practical and eye-opening session, Donna Davis, Certified AI and Business Consultant, will guide you through the foundational steps every small business should take before applying for grants, loans, or pitching to investors. You'll learn what funders expect, how to position your business for credibility, and what common mistakes to avoid. Whether you're just getting started or looking to grow, this session will help you present your business in a way that funders can say “yes” to.
What Will I Learn?
- The essential components funders look for before approving business funding
- How to strengthen your business credibility and professional presentation
- Common red flags that cause funders to pass—and how to avoid them
Presenter:
Donna Davis, CEO, D.W. Davis Consulting
Instructions:
This is a Zoom online event. Reserve your seat for this FREE training event hosted by the ColumbiaArea SBDC.
Registration will close on Wednesday, 8/13/2025, at 5:00 PM. The Zoom Link will be emailed after the registration closes.
The suggested device for this online event is a desktop, laptop, or tablet.
How to Prepare Your Business for Funding Opportunities
This month we welcome Francis Marion University Associate Professor of Anthropology Dr. Kiley Molinari as she presents the August Lunch and Learn, "Close Looking and the Importance of Community Connections with Collections."
Join us in person, or join via Zoom by registering at https://bit.ly/4dvdaQ4
This special reception for the “By Way of Water” exhibit celebrates the incredible contemporary and traditional works by Catawba artists Aaron Baumgardner, Teresa Dunlap, DeLesslin George-Warren, and Alex Osborn.
Join us on Thursday, Aug. 28 from 5:30-7pm!
