Fresh sounds and dynamic rhythms rang out across Columbia, South Carolina this past summer as the Levitt AMP Columbia Music Series kicked off its first season of free outdoor concerts.

Hosted by the Koger Center for the Arts at the University of Southern Carolina, the 2026 season featured 10 concerts spanning a range of genres from rock and psychedelia to cumbia, American roots music, and more.

“The idea was to introduce people to bands that they may not otherwise get a chance to see here in Columbia,” said Koger Center Director Nate Terracio. “But it was also to make sure that we introduce people to different genres of music so we can try to reach the broadest audience possible across the whole series. Our goal is to have people come out and create a community around the music.”

Planning for next year’s series is already underway, thanks in part to the multi-year Levitt Music Series Grant, which provides funding from the Levitt Family Foundation for the series to continue into 2027 and 2028. Looking ahead, Terracio envisions Levitt AMP Columbia as a key catalyst for building momentum around the city’s arts and cultural offerings.

“We’re hopeful that the series helps generate interest in downtown Columbia as a vibrant arts and cultural scene,” he said. “We want people to recognize that we have lots of different arts offerings and this music series is a great microcosm of what’s happening with the arts here in general.”

Read the full story here: “One year in: Koger Center’s Levitt AMP series turns free shows into a community gathering place,” Free Times.