Center for the Arts Crested Butte
Arts in Crested Butte, Colorado
Dusty Demerson has been photographing Crested Butte for over 30 years and has created some of the most iconic images of the area. You’ve seen them in local galleries and the Crested Butte Magazine. Now they can be on your walls!
Choose your favorite images at www.ImagesColorado.com then email or call with your selection to receive 10% off or free shipping for orders over $100.
Email ddemerson@imagescolorado.com or call (970) 349-5038.
FoxHare Cards makes one of a kind custom pet portraits in vibrant watercolor and acrylic hues.
Give Creatively with FoxHareCards and receive Free Shipping until Jan 1st.
Visit www.foxharecards.com or direct email Foxharecards@gmail.com for a custom portrait
Activated Nature creates Native Colorado Watercolor Landscapes, Original Handmade Mini-Landscape Holiday Cards, Original Watercolor Landscapes, Surrealized Human Figures.
Buy any Original or Print and get a free Handmade Holiday Card.
Shop online https://www.etsy.com/Shop/activatednature
The first annual Holiday Makers Market is this Sunday, December 2, 2018 at the Depot in Crested Butte from 10-3 p.m.
A group of local artists and creatives will be selling their goods and donating a portion of the proceeds to The Trailhead Children’s Museum. There will be handmade jewelry, pottery, screen printing, graphic block prints and more! Kids can get creative at the holiday crafts table.
For visual artists, writers, musicians and anyone in the professional realm to craft a compelling bio and photography package for use with websites, gallery showings, publications and other venues. Through instruction, guidance, exploratory creative exercises and research on existing effective and inspirational biographies, artists workshop aspects of their career into a cohesive and effective bio that expresses their personal and professional endeavors. Supportive peer review from instructor and fellow participants provides valuable feedback.
Additionally, learn basic requirements for choosing quality and size-appropriate photos for both digital and print outlets. Participants leave the workshop with a completed bio and professional photo shoot for an artist headshot. Supplementary editing and photo shoot services available from the instructors after course completion for an additional fee. Geared to artists, but any profession is welcome.
In partnership with the Crested Butte Center for the Arts Literary Arts Department, this course is generously subsidized by the Crested Butte Creative District to make this professional development opportunity low-cost for artists and community members. While the course value is $200, participants only pay a $25 administrative fee.
Instructor: Molly Murfee
When: January 14 & 21
Time: 5:30 – 8:30 p.m.
Cost: $25 for both days
The Crested Butte Creative District aims to foster an appreciation of the arts in our youth community by working closely with the Crested Butte Community School to provide funding and support for arts education programming.
We were honored to provide guitar students with the opportunity to learn from Nicolò Spera in a special class workshop this past fall and look forward to funding new and innovative programs that inspire creativity in our next generation.
Check out what the students had to say about their experience:
“Having Nicolò Spera come to our class was a lot of fun! I’m glad he came because he was fun to listen to. Now I’m more open to listening to classical music because of him.”
“I really enjoyed Nicolò coming into the class. He was very entertaining and great at classical guitar. I liked the way he explained classical to us. No one was bored during his time!”
“Nicolò Spera was an eye-opener for me! I usually don’t like classical guitar because of the fingerpicking, but he showed me how cool it can sound, slow or fast. I loved it!”
Colorado Mountain College, along with the Carbondale Creative District, are mounting three shows in 2019 focusing on artists from Colorado’s Creative Districts. The work will hang in Morgridge Commons in Glenwood Springs, Colorado.
There are openings for a print making exhibit, watercolor show, and photography show. All works must be available for sale. All works must be ready for hanging. Gallery takes a 30% commission.
The Colorado Creative Corridor, which includes Crested Butte, Carbondale, Paonia, Ridgway and Salida, received $25,000 in matching grant funds from the Colorado Tourism Office (CTO) to promote a 331-mile route through the Western Rockies. Each of the five towns will contribute $5,000 to the marketing effort, bringing the tourism promotion board’s budget to $50,000. The Crested Butte Creative District and Gunnison-Crested Butte Tourism Association has partnered on this project since the beginning, and the Crested Butte Creative District thanks the Tourism Association to keeping the momentum and funding going for this unique project.
The Colorado Creative Corridor launched in July 2018 as a collaboration of the tourism boards and chambers of the five towns. The group received the same amount of matching grants from the state a year ago, and the new funds will be used to continue the promotional efforts. That will include content development, website work, paid advertising, promotion of events and distribution of maps of the region to Colorado welcome centers.
The Colorado Creative Corridor’s mission is to invite tourists to visit lesser-known recreational spots and experience mountain towns in a different way. The group developed a map of the area around the five towns, designed by Carbondale artist Laura Stover, and itineraries of suggested activities.
Crested Butte and the other four towns are designated as creative districts by the state, making them eligible for certain grants to help attract greater artistic and entrepreneurial energy. The Creative Corridor is the first collaboration of designated creative districts that have begun working together to promote tourism.
Click here to learn more about the Colorado Creative Corridor.
This past fall, Sustainable Crested Butte received a “Paid to Create” grant to enhance their new water bottle filling station at the Old Town Hall Bus Stop in the Crested Butte Creative District. Check out what they have to say about their project below:
Sustainable Crested Butte was granted funding to install a water bottle filling station at the 2nd and Elk bus stop, located beside the Paragon art gallery. With Paragon being a hub for many artists, our organization thought it would be very fitting to have a local artist handcraft a donation plaque to hang above this filling station. A plain Jane metallic sign would have worked, but that didn’t seem right for our creative community’s potential, So, when reaching out to Paragon’s artists, Bill Tintera replied eager to help. His design included our mission statement, along with both Sustainable Crested Butte’s and the Creative District’s logos featured upon a birch wood plaque.
We hope that this unique and eye-catching sign will increase the use of reusable water bottles in our town, as well as inform and educate the public of both of our organizations. Since we are a newer non-profit to the valley, our funds are very limited. So upon hearing of the Creative District’s grant program, we felt that this idea of our sharing our mission statement through support local art could be a winner. Thanks to all who thought this sign was worthy of the Creative District’s support.
Sincerely,
Kelli Jones and the Sustainable Crested Butte Board of Directors
The Crested Butte Creative District’s 2018 annual report is now live! Through the report, you’ll learn more about the Creative District and how it supports our creative community while demonstrating the importance of the creative sector. We hope you enjoy this publication about many creative projects, programs and initiatives that the Creative District has developed since our inception.
While the Crested Butte Creative District is still evolving, the Creative District’s 2018 action plan featuring new goals for advocacy and policy, public art, professional development, and education programming will help us meet our mission of supporting a dynamic creative economy. Check out the report to learn more about the action plan, or CLICK HERE to read the full action plan.
Local creative Heather Bischoff has been hard at work on Anima on 3rd Street, our newest public art installation at 308 3rd street in the Crested Butte Creative District. Come on out on Friday, November 23rd from 5-6pm to view the installation and meet the artist.
Anima on 3rd Street is inspired by the breath, spirit, and soul of flora & fauna living in the Dark Canyon Raggeds Wilderness. Mixed media elements from local newspapers envelop the trees and explore the motif of aspen eyes watching the forest, documenting stories. The elk embodies strength and stamina, modeled from the famous Plute Elk now residing at the CB History Museum. This massive mammal symbolizes the foundation of a community; knowing when to stop, persist, and allow space for change. A grove of aspen is a single organism that relies on interdependence from each tree to survive. These creatures remind us how to thrive in the high mountains and celebrate the glory of nature’s resilience.
About the artist: Heather graduated Cum Laude with a BA in Studio Arts from the University of Rochester, New York and frequently travels to collect materials and cultural experience that inform her work. Now based in Colorado, her repertoire ranges from mixed media collage and artist books to large murals and immersive installations; exhibiting at festivals, public spaces, and galleries. An avid collaborator and freelance professional, Heather also volunteers and works for various creative non-profits. Learn more about Heather at www.bishproductions.org or @postmasterbish.
The Gunnison Arts Center is currently accepting applications for their Holiday Market, which runs from December 4th-22nd. Applications are due November 21st.
The Crested Butte Holiday Bazaar is coming up on December 15th! The 24th annual Holiday Bazaar provides a venue for Colorado Artisans to showcase and sell handmade arts, crafts and foods. They are currently accepting applications for vendors.
The deadline to apply is October 30, 2018.
Please visit www.crestedbutteholidaybazaar.com for more information.
Artists of Crested Butte has released it’s Winter Artwalk Dates for the 2018/2019 season:
Saturday, December 29, 2018: 5 – 8 p.m.
Saturday, January 12, 2019: 5 – 8 p.m.
Saturday, February 16, 2019: 5 – 8 p.m.
Thursday, March 14, 2019: 5 – 8 p.m.
The deadline to participate is December 14, 2018 to be included in promotional material. For more information. click on the button above or contact artistsofcrestedbutte@gmail.com.
Local artists Nicholas Reti (above left) and Ivy Walker (above middle) received a Paid to Create grant in Fall 2017 for their project called “The History of Art in Crested Butte” with the goals of uncovering, discovering, and archiving our local art history. The project quickly demonstrated that Gunnison Valley had a longer and deeper art history than many imagined. Through their research, Reti and Walker realized that the earliest art in the valley can be traced to the first U.S. Geological surveys of the area that occurred concurrently with the mining boom of the 1870’s. Reti compiled months of research and purchased a small number of historical prints and photographs to build the foundation for the project while Walker took the lead as project manager. Additionally, Peggy Morgan Stenmark (above right) volunteered hours of research to the project. Lastly, Shaffer Nickel, created this video about the film featuring animation by Ryan Sullivan.
This column, written by Laurel Runcie, Marketing Director for the Gunnison-Crested Butte Tourism Association, was featured in the Crested Butte News on October 18, 2018.
The branding study from 2003 that still guides a lot of our messaging at the Tourism Association identifies our valley as “the place that just feels right: unpretentious, warm and genuine, with an energetic vibe.” We’re down-to-earth people living in authentic mountain towns. That 2003 branding study still guides much of our messaging because it’s still true and truth resonates.
When we think about why those phrases are used to describe us, we certainly owe a lot to our coal mining and cattle ranching forbearers. In more modern times, we can point to our local creatives as the keepers of that unpretentious, warm, genuine, and energetic vibe. The arts are a completely immersive and integral part of the town of Crested Butte and the wider Gunnison Valley. Simply walking down Elk Avenue or riding a Mountain Express bus is an experience shaped by our local creatives. Romp skis, Montanya rum, plein air paintings of our local landscapes, and so many other creative products contribute to that “just feels right” feeling locals and visitors alike speak to when describing this place.
This feeling is a huge contributing factor to our successes with our mountain biking and skiing campaigns. The unparalleled recreation exists here right alongside our funky downtowns. We’ve been working together for a couple of years now on a few specific projects.
For the last 10 months, we’ve been specifically focusing on a regional collaboration called the Colorado Creative Corridor. It’s presented as a road trip between five state-certified creative districts including Carbondale, Paonia, Ridgway, Salida, and Crested Butte. We, in partnership with the CB Creative District, contributed $5,000 in funding that was matched by each of the other four communities. That $25,000 from the 5 local communities was then matched by the Colorado Tourism Office. The $50,000 campaign is already raising the profile of the 5 creative communities that make up the Creative Corridor. Led by the team in Carbondale, we’ve applied for a second year of funding and look forward to continuing this successful partnership in 2019.
Closer to home, a member of the Crested Butte Creative District marketing committee mentioned that her goal was for every visitor to learn on day one in this valley about all of the creative offerings and opportunities we have for visitors. We partnered with KBUT, the Chambers in both ends of the Valley, the Creative District, and several other local entities to bring a community calendar into being this year. This single online hub for all valley events has been something that has been discussed for at least the last five years if not a full decade+ and can be found at gunnisonvalleycalendar.com. We’re looking for more ways to get the word out to visitors about how they can take advantage of our creative events, classes, and shopping while they’re in town and invite partnerships to that end.
We’re looking forward to many future years of partnership with the Crested Butte Creative District and the arts community more generally.
What is the Give Creatively Campaign and why should I participate? This campaign is designed and run to bring awareness to individuals and business who make up the Crested Butte Creative District and the diverse art, items, and services they create and make available to consumers who love Crested Butte. By participating in the campaign, your creative work or service will be featured, along with information you choose to share about your work.
Creatives may choose to offer a discount or incentive for purchase, or may choose to share their story, their art or their service.
The campaign will be seen by viewers and listeners through: KBUT, the Crested Butte News, Print, Facebook and Instagram reaching a large number of potential customers.
This year the campaign in being managed professionally with additional funds going towards social media advertising.
How do I participate?
1. You must fill out this google form and send images to dropbox by October 24, 2018. (11/12/18 update: THE DEADLINE HAS BEEN EXTENDED!)
2. Please send 3-5 images of your work that will be shared in the campaign. If photo credit is required please list below AND in the name of the file. Images can be placed in this drop box folder: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/we7ye8z6pffcvbs/AAD_i4hKsqj1PAcpgbGIu520a?dl=0
What type of discount should I offer? This is entirely up to you! A discount is not required, but is suggested. Here are some suggestions:
Please help spread the word to both your colleagues and your customers!
Each seminar is FREE and starts at 7 p.m. at the Old Rock Library. Check out the schedule below:
Local creative, Ben Eaton, posing with “Jokerville”. Meet Ben and view his installation on October 5th at the Mallardi Theatre. Photo by Lydia Stern.
The AIPP policy was passed by the Crested Butte Town Council in June 2017 and specified that 2% of any capital project in the Creative District or a Town Park shall be dedicated to the creation of public art.This past summer, the Mallardi Theatre was renovated, which became the first capital improvement project that qualified for funding per the AIPP. The Town and the Creative District Commission released a request for proposals from local creatives for the creation of a one-of-a-kind hanging art piece for the theatre and Ben Eaton’s installation named “Jokerville” was selected.
Ben Eaton (Get Bent LLC) creates his artwork using traditional blacksmithing tools and techniques. He describes his “Line Art” as an image broken down to its simplest elements, a series of lines. These hanging wall sculptures use light and shadow to create an ever-changing image. “Jokerville,” represents the tragedy of the 1884 horrific mine explosion which killed 63 men. Rescuers brought many of the bodies to Mallardi (Town Hall at the time) to serve as a temporary morgue, until they could be laid to rest in the Crested Butte Cemetery. This sculpture honors those individuals trapped inside the Jokerville mine.
The Creative District is proud to witness Ben’s installation as the first AIPP installation, which additionally pays homage to the history of the building that it’s located in. Please join us on Friday, October 5th from 6 p.m. – 7 p.m. to view the installation and meet the artist. Light appetizers will provided and the Mountain Theatre’s cash bar will be open. Stick around at 7 p.m. for opening night of the Mountain Theatre’s next show, “Body Awareness”.
These grants are reimbursable, matching funds (up to $2,500) to support Colorado creative entrepreneurs and artists and stimulate their commercial creative business. The goal is that awardees will achieve tangible business benefits such as increased revenue, new audiences or improved management practices.
The deadline is Thursday, November 1, 2018.