Art on the Streets is back again and populating downtown
Colorado Springs with new temporary art installations that range from
sculptures to murals.
The program, now around for more than 1/4 century,
aims to make art accessible and create an engaging and
ever changing downtown district.
News Five's John McMichael has the story.
It's the 26th annual Art on the Streets,
which means we are installing 13 new artwork all around
the downtown Creative District.
This is Hope float Colorado butterflies sun kissed after the
name the original name of Pikes Peak,
which is Tava. The Core 10 sculpture that has like
faceted parametric edges that has this floating effect that's lined
with a mirror.
This year, Downtown Ventures received over 100 artist applications and
we ended up with a high percentage of regional artists.
I've lived here for 30 years.
I have been in Colorado for about 8 years.
I've been in Colorado Springs since 2019.
When I was a kid growing up in Manitou,
my grand would take me on the bus downtown every
year for Art on the streets.
We do the whole sculpture walk and look at them
all.
So it's like it's pretty amazing that I've got the
opportunity to actually contribute to it now.
And in that same vein,
voices from our community are also contributing,
adding their thoughts to a collaborative piece,
a mural painted by Denver artist Jasmine Holmes featuring a
poem by Pikes Peak Poet Laureate Ashley Cornelius.
We interviewed 12 folks across Colorado Springs,
down from age 9 all the way up to 80,
plus from various backgrounds, identities.
And I took all that information and created an original
poem.
That part of it's going to be posted on this
wall.
And some of those interviewees are making it into the
art.
And I'm just painting was really colorful.
Brightly, like sunshiny wall to commemorate our interviews.
We really want people to see that Colorado Springs is
diverse and beautiful and vibrant.
The goal of the yearly rotating roster of artworks has
always been to engage.
But when you think about that and you think about
what a creative district is,
it's a place that's vibrant and full of color and
has a sense of energy and momentum.
So it's a wonderful place for you to shop and
dine,
but it's also a place where what people want to
have their business,
they want to be around that energy and creativity.
They are in public art opportunities and programs we have
that beautify the city.
It just does so much for community.
So I think art needs to be accessible.
Art is like for the people.
Art should be for everyone,
and I love that. Art on the Streets really highlights
community spaces.
Not only is it pretty,
but it binds your community.
It gives people a sense of kind of connectivity and
hope.
I think ideally it can bring people together and give
a sensibility to a space that didn't exist before.
And I think that that can be really healthy and
all for something to a community.
Public art and art in general.
It feeds the soul.
John McMichael with that report.
Downtown Ventures is a charitable nonprofit affiliate of the Downtown
Partnership.
They're planning a public launch of this year's Art on
the Streets on June 7th.
That's next Friday. There are a number of ways to
hear about and enjoy the artworks.
For more, just visit downtowncs.com.