Arts for all in Merriweather Park at Symphony Woods!

The Inner Arbor Trust was founded in 2012 to preserve, protect, and enhance 51 acres of greenspace in Downtown Columbia to Merriweather Park at Symphony Woods - an arts park for the entire community. Our mission is to promote and nurture a park in a unique natural setting for a variety of arts and culture experiences that enrich the entire community

Since our founding, a core calue of the Inner Arbor Trust has been to provide free performances to the community. This began in 2017, just after the Chrysalis opened, with a free concert in partnership with the Columbia Orchestra and two free family dance parties on the Chrysalis. This quickly grew to a full series of free concerts and cultural festivals. The Chrysalis has become an indispensable part of summer in Columbia.

We often get asked “why free?” Free performances are the most fundamental way in which we can meaningfully bring arts and culture to the entire community we serve. To embrace the entire community we need to make sure there are high quality, inviting performances for no charge. Both to make sure that we embrace everyone across the economic spectrum, but also so we can reduce the barrier to experiencing art, especially something new. Free is far more than an obligation created in our founding documents - free is a conscious choice we make to fulfill our mission.

Help us bring free performances to the Chrysalis for all!

Give to the Inner Arbor Trust