Florence, South Carolina – A new piece of public art is set to become part of daily life in downtown Florence, where the City Center Market is preparing to unveil a mural designed to reflect both the spirit of the space and the community it serves.
On Saturday, April 11, 2026, at 10:30 a.m., the City of Florence will unveil Farm To Table: A Florence Market Journey Through Public Art at the City Center Market, located at 200 Sanborn Street.
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The mural adds a new visual layer to a place already rooted in local connection, bringing together art, agriculture and the shared experience of gathering around fresh food.
The project was supported through the 2026 Arts Project Support for Organizations Grant awarded to the City Center Market by the South Carolina Arts Commission.
The commission works to expand access to the arts and encourage creativity across the state through a wide range of cultural experiences. Funding for the mural was provided in part through the South Carolina Arts Commission, which also receives support from the National Endowment for the Arts.
The grant required a one-to-one match, with the total project cost reaching $2,500. That funding helped cover artist-related expenses tied to the mural, including materials, supplies and installation.
Beyond the budget itself, the investment reflects a larger goal for the market: to make the facility more inviting while highlighting the relationship between local farming and the produce made available to Florence residents.
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The artist behind the work is Jason Best, a South Carolina-based artist from Columbia. Best is known for murals, portraits, landscapes, illustrations and custom design work, and his projects often center on collaboration with clients and communities. At the Florence market, his work is intended to capture the essence of the facility through the familiar but powerful idea of farm to table.
Best also brings experience working on public projects for local governments. He has previously completed mural work for the City of Dillon and the Town of Nichols, building a portfolio that blends public storytelling with a strong sense of place. His artistic approach focuses on creating pieces that stir conversation and emotion while remaining grounded in his own style and creative values.
For Florence officials, the mural is about more than decoration. It is part of a broader effort to make the City Center Market feel like a destination where people want to linger, explore and connect.
“Our focus is to foster a sense of community pride and engagement by creating public artwork that draws people in, encourages exploration, and reinforces the idea of the City Center Market as a community gathering place where art, agriculture, and community intersect,” said City Manager Scotty Davis.
With the unveiling now close at hand, the mural stands as a new symbol of that vision, tying together Florence’s local food culture, public space and creative energy in one shared wall.
