COLUMBIA, S.C. — On a cold day, many people passing through the Vista are just trying to make it to their destination, but they might notice works of art on the street.
Those art pieces are called metal box wraps, and it's a part of an effort to add a little pop of color to the city.
The metal box wraps project is spearheaded by the Vista Neighborhood Association to beautify the area. The group takes metal boxes that are just simple switch control boxes and gets local artists to donate their art to be front and center on what would just be an ordinary steel box.
The boxes go from Assembly Street to the Gervais Street bridge.
Central Carolina Community Foundation recently awarded the association a grant for nearly $2,000 to help expand the two-year the project.
Christine Duncan, a member of the beautification committee for the Vista Neighborhood Association, is thrilled about the grant. Duncan says, "It allows us to share art with the community. We want people to share in the joy of the vista and everything that's offered in the Vista. Each box represents that with the different scenes."
There are currently 17 boxes in the area, and the organization says they’ll be able to add at least 3 more as a result of the grant.