Colorful murals line the sides of once bland buildings on State Street in Cayce — a white-washed gas station adorned with a bright blue painting depicting flowers and a motivational quote, a once colorless antique store splotched with blues, purples and yellows. Sculptures and an art gallery dot parts of the street.
The idea to use public art and to revitalize run-down buildings as a way of energizing part of downtown Cayce gained traction around a decade ago, when the city’s mayor, Elise Partin, attended an urban planning conference.
“Businesses will follow where cities invest in themselves,” Partin told The State, explaining the impetus behind the city-proclaimed Cayce River Arts District, the corridor where State Street meets Frink Street that the city has put effort into improving through public art projects and building upfits…