Cultural Office Guide to Arts Month 2021

WELCOME TO THE

CULTURAL OFFICE GUIDE TO

ARTS MONTH WEEK 1:

Visual & Culinary Arts (October 3-9)

WEEK 2:

Theater & Film (October 10 - 16)

WEEK 3:

Poetry, Prose & Comedy (October 17-23)

WEEK 4:

A program of

Music & Dance (October 24-30)

ArtsOctober.com In partnership with

Passionate about putting our client’s goals firmly in the spotlight Theatre Main Stage • Fine Arts Center

Deron L. Hickman Kristi A. Crisman, AAMS® David Villafuerte, MBA

Jonathan D. Grant, CFP® Holly Flores, CRPC® Herman Tiemens II, MBA, CFP®

Financial Advisors

Your passions are our passions Tiemens Private Wealth Management Group of Wells Fargo Advisors 90 South Cascade Avenue, Suite 300 Colorado Springs, CO 80903 719-577-5365 herman.tiemens@wellsfargo.com Investment and Insurance Products: NOT FDIC Insured/NO Bank Guarantee/May Lose Value Wells Fargo Advisors is a trade name used by Wells Fargo Clearing Services, LLC, Member SIPC, a registered broker-dealer and non-bank affiliate of Wells Fargo & Company. ©2020 Wells Fargo Clearing Services, LLC. All rights reserved. CAR-0820-03674

2 | Cultural Office Guide to Arts Month OCTOBER 2021

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Cultural Office Guide to Arts Month OCTOBER 2021 | 3

October is Arts Month!

Andy Vick

2

This October, arts & culture takes center stage throughout Colorado Springs and across the Pikes Peak region, as our creative community celebrates Arts Month 2021! I invite you and your family to join the celebration by reading this publication and visiting www.ArtOctober.com!

Orchestrated annually by the Cultural Office of the Pikes Peak Region, Arts Month elevates the visibility of arts & culture across El Paso and Teller Counties by showcasing local talent, providing opportunities for arts advocacy, supporting innovative cross-sector community collaborations, and creating new avenues for arts engagement and cultural enrichment.

Our local Arts Month initiative coincides with National Arts & Humanities Month, which was established in 1993 and is observed every October throughout the United States. This national program was initiated to encourage Americans to explore new facets of the arts and humanities in their lives, and to begin a lifelong habit of participation. Over the years, it has become the nation’s largest collective annual celebration of the arts.

October 2014 was the first time that Colorado Springs and the Pikes Peak region joined in this national effort.

Under the leadership of the Cultural Office, our local Arts Month takes the form of a coordinated awareness, advocacy, and community engagement campaign.

Working in close collaboration with individual artists, arts organizations, and community partners from across our region, existing cultural offerings are amplified with special Arts Month programming to create an October calendar that’s rich with amazing local art to see, hear, taste and experience!

Although our local Arts Month celebration is embraced with equal energy and excitement throughout all thirtyone days of October, for planning and promotional purposes, the month is divided into four disciplinespecific Theme Weeks:

WEEK 1: Visual & Culinary Arts (October 3 –9) WEEK 2: Theater & Film (October 10 –16) WEEK 3: Poetry, Prose & Comedy (October 17–23) WEEK 4: Music & Dance (October 24 –30) Targeted marketing, a diverse offering of cultural events and activities, and special Arts Month programming curated by the Cultural Office and our partners, are all aligned around these four Theme Weeks to help sustain enthusiasm, and generate robust community engagement throughout the entire month of October.

Despite the ongoing challenges, impacts and uncertainties caused by the pandemic, our 8th annual Arts Month celebration is shaping-up to be one of our biggest and best ever! Throughout the entire month, I invite you to enjoy the amazing talent and diversity of our local creative community, and encourage you to visit www.ArtsOctober.com and make a plan to “have one new cultural experience with family or friends this October!”

Happy Arts Month 2021!

Andy Vick

Executive Director Cultural Office of the Pikes Peak Region

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VISUAL & CULINARY ARTS OCTOBER 3 – 9 | #ArtsOctober

The vibrant visual arts scene in the Pikes Peak region was born from the beauty of the local surroundings that still inspires artists of every discipline. Arts Month features dozens of galleries through First Friday Art Walks, artist talks, exhibit showcases, and more. Picture yourself exploring visual art this October!

The Pikes Peak region is not only cooking up savory cuisine for you to sample, but also classes of all kinds that can teach you how to bring art to your kitchen.

Diego Arnedo, AKA Jaguart Deco, paints live at UV QUEEN at C.O.A.T.I. in May 2021.

Photo by Pull Quote Creative.

Scene weathers pandemic, finds ways to connect and support

By Jonathan Toman, Cultural Office

Dozens of galleries dot the landscape of the Avenue Creative Circuit — Downtown Colorado Springs, Old Colorado City, and Manitou Springs.

We spoke with folks from each district to see how far the visual art scene has come, the impact of the pandemic, and the interconnected future of local arts.

Old Colorado City

Sharon Hunter-Wolff started the Old Colorado City Art Walk in November 2005, one month after she opened Hunter-Wolff Gallery. A lot of things have changed since then, but the pandemic presented a new challenge.

“I think we were all in disbelief,” she said. “We felt like it would blow over.

And then it became our reality.”

Like other sectors, artists and galleries changed and expanded how they do business. Or, moved up timelines for projects already in motion. For Hunter-Wolff, that meant increased emphasis on online sales, additional electronic communications with customers, and creating a more user-friendly and informative website and social media.

“It was about connecting and letting them know I’m here and ready to reach them in new ways,” she says.

It takes a village to create a successful art scene, Hunter-Wolff says, and the year-round support of volunteers, business associations, and the community will be critical moving forward, as added challenges such as hiring and inflation remain ahead.

45 Degree Gallery, 2528 W. Colorado Ave.

“Remember that we are here. It’s so easy to sit at a computer and order from Amazon. (Small businesses and galleries) are real people in your community, are part of your neighborhood. See us, hear what we have to say, learn about us.”

“Give small businesses a chance to show you what they can do.”

For Hunter-Wolff, the atmosphere of the arts community has become much more unified and supportive since 2005. That community spirit and sense of collaboration throughout Old Colorado City and beyond is top of mind for her moving forward.

“I hope that galleries still work with

one another to make this a thriving arts scene,” she says. “I hope that people don’t lose focus — it took us a long time to get where we are. I hope that pandemic concerns don’t derail what we’re trying to do as an arts community.”

Downtown Colorado Springs

Downtown boasts over six times the national average of creative-sector jobs, creative industry revenues, and cultural nonprofit grant awards.

Claire Swinford, Executive Director of Downtown Ventures, knows first-hand the impactful role of the arts in creating a culturally rich and thriving downtown creative district.

“Arts and culture have always been part of what makes downtown special, and they are a powerful force for crystallizing identity, speaking truth to power, and helping people come to grips with change,” Swinford says.

The arts create a visually and culturally rich environment that engages visitors and encourages people to linger, enjoy, and invest. That matters, Swinford says, because cities with thriving Downtowns do better overall, with positive outcomes for jobs, talent retention, public health, economic resiliency and civic engagement — things that affect every resident of the Pikes Peak region.

“We’ve known for years that our cultural organizations and galleries contribute measurably and significantly to Colorado Springs’ economy and quality of life, but in this season of rapid citywide growth we need to be attentive to mounting pressures that affect the long-term viability of these assets,” says Swinford.

Local cultural attractions draw both visitors and residents. Overall visitorship to regional cultural attractions grew by 15% in 2018, and the 2019 Public Art Master Plan citizen survey reported over 90% of respondents say regular exposure to the arts is a “high or very high priority” for their families.

Ongoing support for these local businesses and attractions is critical.

Swinford says you can make your presence felt by buying local art, CONTINUED ON PAGE 8

6 | Cultural Office Guide to Arts Month OCTOBER 2021

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Local visual art scene CONTINUED FROM PAGE 6 attending cultural events, talking about your experiences on social media, and volunteering with an arts organization.

Manitou Springs

Becca Sickbert took on a new task in May 2020 — Economic Recovery Director and Executive Director of the Manitou Springs Creative District. Even in partnership with the Manitou Springs Chamber of Commerce and City of Manitou Springs, it’s a heavy lift, but one that Sickbert remembers has been done before.

“In the ’70s and ’80s, artists drove economic recovery,” she says, noting the impact of painters, pottery, and textiles at the time.

During the pandemic, COVID-safe ways to engage community came to the forefront. Manitou Made allowed people to learn new skills. The “Still Manitou” photography project showed that life went on and smiles could still be had even if they weren’t in person.

And a hula-hoop fencing project for local restaurants combined the outdoor seating needs of restaurants with the talents of local artists.

“The Manitou Springs community rallied to provide artist relief well before anyone else,” Sickbert says. “That’s really special for a small community.”

A combination of collaboration and inspiration — with the requisite dose of safety — are themes for the Manitou arts community moving forward.

That means artists supporting artists, along with a more holistic approach to programming arts events, such as live music outside of venues with the option to go inside if comfortable.

To Sickbert, digital support is as important as visiting in person — streaming, sharing, and talking up your favorite artists and galleries on social media, subscribing to their newsletters, and more.

In short: “Keep showing up for your creative community.”

First Friday

On the first Friday of each month, galleries, museums, and retailers across the Avenue Creative Circuit stay open late for art openings, artist receptions, performances, and more.

One goal of the monthly event is to offer visitors something extra — whether it’s meeting artists, watching demonstrations, or giving them the opportunity to ask questions about art creation and the life of an artist, how art connects us, and where artist inspiration comes from.

“I’m a business owner, but with heart of a teacher,” says Sharon Hunter-Wolff, owner of Hunter-Wolff Gallery in Old Colorado City. “Art Walk is a vehicle to learn, to talk to the experts. It’s for them, not for me — the creators, the collectors, the curious.”

As pandemic restrictions eased, First Friday surged back to life, with 90 percent of participating downtown venues returning to regular programming by June 2021. First Friday attendance has also rebounded. In July, downtown galleries finally exceeded their 2019 monthly headcount for the first time since the pandemic started.

PeakRadar.com/FirstFriday has details on each month’s gallery openings, plus an interactive map to help guide your excursion. PeakRadar. com/GalleryGuide has ideas on where to explore next, whether virtually or in-person.

Beyond the Circuit

The Tri-Lakes region is full of great local art, and the monthly Monument Art Hop is one of the best ways to experience the visual arts of the area.

Art Hop takes place every third Thursday from May through September. www.ArtsOctober.com

| V I SUA L & CU LI N A RY A RTS | OC TO B E R I S A RTS M O NTH

Creative ways and places to put food in your faces

By Rebekah Hire, Cultural Office

The Pikes Peak region is home to more than enough food options to make your stomach rumble. Here are a few places that combine great food with added local culinary and cultural experiences.

Food Truck Tuesday

If you find yourself in Downtown Colorado Springs on Tuesdays, make your way to the Colorado Springs Pioneers Museum for Food Truck Tuesday! Running from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. food trucks from across the region are stationed across the lawn. Plus, the museum is open as well, so you can duck in to learn all about local history!

Food Truck Tuesday runs June through August.

Food Truck Tuesdays at the Colorado Springs Pioneers Museum 215 S. Tejon Street, Colorado Springs

CO.A.T.I.

CO.A.T.I presents an offbeat, industrial-style food hall with stands offering global street foods, coffee, & cocktails. Offerings include Samich

Shack, Rival Bar, Luchals, Anju, XOXO, and Ephemera. They also host events such as weekly free yoga, Arts Month after Dark, and more!

CO.A.T.I. 514 S. Tejon Street, Colorado Springs coatiuprise.com info@coatiuprise.com

Rocky Mountain Food Tours

Launched in 2010, Rocky Mountain Food Tours features three distinct options: the Original Colorado Springs Tour, the Signature Cocktail Tour, and a new Craft Brewery Tour launched this summer.

Tours run year-round, Thursday through Sunday.

Rocky Mountain Food Tours rockymountainfoodtours.com (719) 322-5731

Wild Goose Meeting House

The Wild Goose Meeting House is an artisan café in downtown Colorado Springs, CO. They serve a trifecta of craft beverages: coffee,

wine and beer, alongside an artisan inspired menu for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. The Wild Goose combines great beverages, tasty eats and a rich community experience. Though there’s not a bad time to visit the Wild Goose, Friday and Saturday nights add live music to the mixture, with shows running from 8:30-10:30 p.m.

Wild Goose Meeting House 401 N. Tejon Street, Colorado Springs wildgoosemeetinghouse.com (719) 357-9020

Iron Springs Chateau

Boo the villain! Cheer the hero!

Audience participation is encouraged at this staple of the Manitou Springs theater community going strong since 1964, when the Iron Springs Chateau style of melodrama and Vaudeville entertainment was born. Indulge in a three-course meal with the Melodrama immediately following. After the melodrama, join in with a sing-along intermission and our Vaudeville style musical revue.

Upcoming shows: • Special Halloween Event – Rocky Horror Picture Show Oct. 22-23 and 29-31 • Christmas Extravaganza Nov. 19 – Dec. 23 • Iron Springs Chateau 444 Ruxton Avenue, Manitou Springs ironspringschateau.com (719) 685-5104

Crafts and Drafts

Here’s to people and places we’ve missed the most — celebrate the return of grabbing a drink together with the FREE Crafts & Drafts Passport. Score great deals and discounts at your favorite local breweries, distilleries, wineries and coffee shops. VisitCOS launched their Crafts and Drafts passport program in May. Deals are valid through Dec. 31.

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Acorn squash-and-pear purée with glazed almonds Courtesy of Gather Food Studio

Ingredients: • • • • • • • • • • •

3 medium acorn squash 1 1/3 cup water, divided 2 oz. Sliced almonds 6 tablespoons butter, softened 1 tablespoon sugar 1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary 3 pears, peeled and quartered 1 teaspoon ground ginger 1/4 teaspoon allspice 3 tablespoons heavy cream, more if desired Salt & Pepper to taste

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 375° F. 2. Place squash, cut side down, in a baking dish. Add 1 cup water. Roast squash until fork-tender, about 30 minutes. When cool enough to touch, scoop flesh with a large spoon into a medium bowl and set aside; discard shells. If squash has a high water content, strain and let water drain.

3. While squash is cooking: In a small skillet over medium-high heat, add almonds, 1 tablespoon butter, and sugar, stirring often, until almonds are toasted and glazed.

Stir in rosemary. Transfer almonds to a plate and season with salt. Set aside to cool.

4. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine 1/3 cup water, pears, salt, ginger and allspice; simmer until pears are tender and water is evaporated.

5. Place squash, pears, cream and remaining butter into a food processor (or use an immersion blender directly in saucepan) and lightly purée. Season with more salt, if desired.

6. Transfer to a serving dish and sprinkle with reserved almonds. Enjoy!

www.ArtsOctober.com

Cultural Office Guide to Arts Month OCTOBER 2021 | 9

OC TO B E R I S A RTS M O NTH | V I SUA L & CU LI N A RY A RTS |

Visual & culinary events in the Pikes Peak region ARTS MONTH

Arts Month Beef Wellington Demo October 3 Gather Food Studio at Online/Virtual Space

“Undesirable Plants Declare”

October 1 – 29 Environmental Performance Agency (EPA) at GOCA Downtown

Neighborhood Arts & Craft Crawl

October 9 Various locations in the Divine Redeemer and Shooks Run neighborhood

Pikes Peak Whittlers’ Annual Woodcarving and Woodworking Show October 9 – 10 Colorado Springs Shrine Club

16 Year Anniversary Celebration featuring Pat Jahla October 1 – 30 Hunter-Wolff Gallery

Town of Monument Celebrates Arts Month with Community Mural October 9, 16, 23 and 30 Monument Lake

YEAR-ROUND

Cripple Creek Ice Festival

February Downtown Cripple Creek

Mumbo Jumbo Gumbo Cook-Off and Carnival Parade February Downtown Manitou Springs

Mountain Arts Festival August Woodland Park

Commonwheel Arts Festival

Manitou Arts Center, 513 Manitou Ave, Additional details on these events and more can be found on ArtsOctober.com and PeakRadar.com. Please check with individual event organizers for details regarding COVID-19 protocols.

Labor Day Weekend Commonwheel Artists Co-op

Holly Berry Folk Art Festival

September Rock Ledge Ranch Historic Site

Watch a powerful video about how Gather Food Studio connected people through food during pandemic lockdown! “Fire it Up” is one of eight video stories about how art is relevant in times of crisis at ElevatedbyArt.com.

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THEATER & FILM October 10 – 16 | #ArtsOctober From high drama to laugh-out-loud fun, Arts Month is full of ways to explore the impressive theater and film scene of the Pikes Peak region. Make plans for an evening (or two, or three) out on the town this October!

Local theater adapts, broadens its reach, and pushes forward

By Angela Seals, Cultural Office

“When things began to shut down so quickly,” remembers Caitlin Lowans of Theatreworks, “the opposing feelings followed so closely on each other’s heels: the excitement of a final dress rehearsal, slammed immediately by the disappointment of a closing night — with no ritual, no opportunity for closure — and the question: how to support artists?”

During the pandemic, 99% of producing and presenting organizations across PPCC Theatre students in “Still Moving From Borders to Ballots and the Footprints We Leave” in April 2021. Photo by Melanie & Tyler Photography.

the United States cancelled events, for a loss of 557 million tickets. By this past July, total financial losses to the nation’s arts nonprofits alone was estimated to be $17.97 billion, according to the most recent research by Americans for the Arts.

Performance arts have been among the hardest hit across the nation and locally, but they have also demonstrated rugged innovation, resilience, and generosity. Local theater groups have CONTINUED ON PAGE 13

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Local theater CONTINUED FROM PAGE 12 gone virtual in a variety of ways, moved outdoors, become mobile, or reimagined performances entirely.

Virtually producing theater was a new challenge for many. During Arts Month last year, a Virtual Theater Showcase featured eight local companies collaborating for a free production broadcast live on Facebook and YouTube.

Springs Ensemble Theater took a different approach by professionally filming productions and then selling tickets to watch the performance online.

It pushed the theater company into new territory verging on filmmaking.

“We were able to bring our offerings to people in the safety of their homes, which was amazing, but the challenge is that theater is a communal art.

There is a euphoria and comradeship that happens when you get to share that time, space, air, and moment with someone,” says Sarah Sheppard Shaver, who co-produced two of SET’s entirely-virtual productions.

Counterweight Theater Lab and THEATREdART, on the other hand, kept their audiences in person by redesigning performances for a single family at a time.

Ticket holders move along city streets in their own timeslots, encountering actors

City as a Venue “Front Range Fables.” Photo by Jeff Kearney, TDC Photography.

in character on the sidewalk to personally experience each scene.

This format requires flexibility and improvisation, according to Counterweight’s Artistic Director, Ethan Everhart. “For an actor … if you have to step out of the way because someone is riding a bike or someone is walking a dog, those are things that are now getting acknowledged in the scene.”

THEATREdART’s “Ghosts of Old

PRESENTS

Manitou” performances, featuring 14 local actors in a walking tour format, are happening now in Manitou Springs through Oct. 29.

Outdoor performances have been widely embraced across the local theater scene. The Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center at Colorado College’s City as a Venue program took the arts outside this summer to neighborhoods throughout the community for over

50 camps, events, and performances.

Along the way, they engaged over 5,000 community members and employed over 50 regional creatives.

“This inaugural year surpassed all our expectations,” says Idris Goodwin, Executive Director of the Fine Arts Center. “We’re proud of what we were able to accomplish through the monthslong program — we visited new parts of town, made new friends, all the while dreaming about how to grow on what we started as we start planning for City as a Venue in 2022.”

Like the Fine Arts Center, most local theater artists and patrons are looking forward to keeping the best innovations from the last year and a half while returning to live performance in a traditional setting.

Local performances being offered this October in a variety of formats are listed at ArtsOctober.com, including Theatreworks’ production of “Witch,” running through Oct. 10.

“Being back is full of joy, yet also uncertainty,” Lowans acknowledges.

“We’re not quite in the moment of big bear hugs, are we? It can also be wondrous to start gently and appreciate each moment as we grow back together.”

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Cultural Office Guide to Arts Month OCTOBER 2021 | 13

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OC TO B E R I S A RTS M O NTH | TH E ATE R & F I LM |

Film community stays connected, inspired through pandemic

By Jonathan Toman, Cultural Office

As the pandemic deepened, film was one of the quickest industries to shut down and last to open up, as big-budget Hollywood movies were postponed or not released in theaters.

Local filmmakers and film organizations were also affected, but they still found ways to create and connect.

“People still made films,” says Ralph Giordano, Festival Director for the Independent Film Society of Colorado, which makes its home at Cottonwood Center for the Arts. “You can’t kill art. A pandemic can’t kill art.”

Short films became the order of the day, as many instituted COVID protocols that would later be replicated on larger sets, Giordano says. Because they couldn’t meet in person, online sharing of content grew, in part to show each other and viewers that films were still being made. IFSOC connected with filmmakers in Denver, Pueblo, Grand Junction, and beyond. At the Colorado Short Circuit Film Festival, presented virtually in March

by IFSOC, there was an entire category dedicated to pandemic films.

“People couldn’t wait to make films,

everybody kept going,” says Giordano.

“I’d say it was more of pause, to see ‘where are we’ — and then people started to figure out a workaround.”

The Peak Film Forum, the networking and professional development arm of IFSOC, had its first in-person gathering in July. It was standing room only, according to Giordano.

“It was nice to see,” he said. “It was actually very emotional to see all these people you’d just been communicating with on the phone or over text.”

Films of all types and lengths are returning, and in the meantime, adaptation, risk assessment, and instituting policies like rapid testing may all be worked into film production.

“Those are things that at least for next year moving forward we have to account for,” says Giordano.

Visit ifsoc.org to learn more about the Independent Film Society of Colorado.

International Indie Spirit Film Festival returns, virtually

Narrative shorts, documentary shorts, feature documentaries, and more will be

Where all your framing and art solutions come together

part of this virtual festival presented by

IFSOC Oct. 1 – 8.

“It’s an international festival, so there’s films from all over the world, but I was surprised by how many Colorado films there are, which is exciting and great,” says Giordano.

About 90 films will be available.

In addition to strong documentary categories, the young filmmaker category will feature some of the work of the local Youth Documentary Academy — specifically “Our Time,” part of a YDA partnership with Rocky Mountain PBS. This will be the eighth edition of the festival, and the first since 2014. Visit isff.eventive.org for more details and to purchase tickets.

‘Three Nights of Horror’

IFSOC is scheduled to host the sixth annual “Three Nights of Horror” event in person at Cottonwood Center for the Arts Oct. 22 – 24.

Around 20 films will be presented over the three days, and in contrast to the Indie Spirit Film Festival will not be able to have a virtual component, due to the licensing

required for the popular Hollywood films that are shown.

“We’re going ahead like we are doing it and then we’ll wait and see,” says Giordano. “We’re looking forward and saying ‘you know what, we’ll figure it out,’ and being as positive as we possibly can.”

Rocky Mountain Women’s Film Festival returns in-person

After going virtual for the 2020 version of this annual event, the Rocky Mountain Women’s Film Festival will be hybrid in November, with an in-person presentation November 12 – 14 and a virtual encore November 18 – 21.

Approximately 35 films will be presented at three venues inside or near the Pikes Peak Center in downtown Colorado Springs — the Great Hall, Studio Bee, and the adjacent building, Centennial Hall.

The longest-running women’s film festival in North America showcases documentary, narrative, shorts, and animated films.

Visit rmwfilm.org/festival for more details and ticket information.

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The Gold Room offers the perfect location to host your next corporate event, private concert, wedding reception, holiday party, award ceremony, fundraiser or business meeting. With full service production, state-of-the-art lighting and sound, custom menus, The Gold Room will exceed expectations of even the most discerning guest.

Let our talented staff handle all the details, so you don’t have to.

City as a Venue “Working: A Musical” on FAC outdoor stage.

Theater & film events in the Pikes Peak region ARTS MONTH “Witch”

October 2 – 10 Theatreworks at Ent Center for the Arts

“The Campfire: A Gathering of Humanity”

October 1 – 3 & 8 – 10 UCCS Visual and Performing Arts at the Heller Center

Cosplay and Anime Mini-Film Festival

October 16 The Golden Lotus Foundation at Rainy Day Anime

The Not-So-Late Show: Coffee Shop Pop-Ups October 21 Awaken Creative Institute at Third Space Coffee

“Guadalupe in the Guestroom” October 1-24 Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center at Colorado College

“Haunting at the Old Homestead”

“Balloonacy”

October 23-31 Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center at Colorado College

YEAR-ROUND

Rocky Mountain Women’s Film Festival November Colorado Springs

Dinner Theatre Shows Throughout the year Iron Springs Chateau

Independent & Foreign Film Screenings

Throughout the year Kimball’s Peak Three Theater Additional details on these events and more can be found on ArtsOctober.com and PeakRadar.com. Please check with individual event organizers for details regarding COVID-19 protocols.

Broadcasting Live from The Gold Room!

Watch any of our fantastic events wherever you are.

We are proud to work with organizations, local businesses and artists to bring you the best in live entertainment!

Check out our website for all upcoming events and to book your private event

https://www.goldroomlive.com/ (719) 634-4653 • 18 S Nevada 80903

October 1-31 Thin Air Theatre Company at the Butte Theatre www.ArtsOctober.com

Cultural Office Guide to Arts Month OCTOBER 2021 | 17

POETRY, PROSE & COMEDY October 17 – 23 | #ArtsOctober

Explore your own voice and those of local performers through open mic nights and other spoken word opportunities. Finally put pen to paper with writing workshops and more hosted by wordsmiths from all over the Pikes Peak region during Arts Month!

Pikes Peak Poet Laureate Ashley Cornelius wants to be ‘a model of possibility’

By Kirsten Akens, for Pikes Peak Library District

The one word Ashley Cornelius repeats over and over again during a recent interview is community.

As the new Pikes Peak Poet Laureate for 2021-22, Cornelius is devoted not only to the poetry and larger art community but also the greater Colorado Springs community. And she also is very clear that she wouldn’t be in this role today without support from the people around her.

“It would not have happened without the community — largely the BiPOC and queer community of Colorado Springs who have given me the opportunities, who have lifted me up, who have trusted me to take on a leadership role as a part of art,” she says, referring in part to her role as co-director of Poetry719, a local, Black-run poetry group focused on lifting the voices of marginalized communities and BiPOC folks through art and creative self-expression. “I’m so proud of myself, but I also know that this was not a single feat for myself.”

Pikes Peak Library District — now the home of the Pikes Peak Poet Laureate program — spoke with Cornelius about the role, her goals and the impact poetry can have on individuals.

PPLD: Why were you interested in being the Pikes Peak Poet Laureate?

Ashley Cornelius: I think I wanted to be the poet laureate really to diversify what poetry looks like. Poetry is largely super academic. It is largely a little bit older in age, and typically pretty white.

And so as a younger black woman in this field, I wanted to just create more representation for poetry in the community. I also grew up here and have a really strong devotion to just making Colorado Springs a more safe and open space for folks.

PPLD: You are very much known across the city, and nationally, as an award-winning spoken word poet. … What draws you specifically to the

significantly and outside of an academic context. That’s how most people are introduced to poetry, you know: Read Robert Frost, or understand these things. When [instead] I can write a poem about what’s happening in my life. It can be funny. It can be erotic, it could be serious, it can take all of these forms. And I think where we are right now and in the world and processing it, it feels really dark for people. I believe that creation is the antithesis to destruction, so when we are in the darkest times, we see art come alive so strongly as a way for us to heal and communicate.

spoken word component of the genre?

AC: A mentor of mine once said that stories become transformative in the performance. And I believe that so strongly that we all have things that we want to say and voices, but there’s something about performance that engages people and opens doors. ...

There are many times as a black woman — as a woman in general — people may not listen to me, may not believe me, may not think that I’m credible, but when I’m on stage and when I’m performing, there is a power and a strength that I can carry a message and people really understand it. …

I’m a therapist as well, professionally, and so I can use poetry as healing for myself and then also to provide care for community. And I think that is incredibly

18 | Cultural Office Guide to Arts Month OCTOBER 2021

fantastic that while I’m taking care of myself, I can also support those around me. And that often doesn’t happen in a lot of spaces.

I also just love to perform. [Laughs.] I think it’s so fun and you get to figure out the tone and inflection and determine what’s best for the crowd. And so it really just is an element that I love with poetry.

PPLD: Do you think poetry has had a — revival’s not quite the right word, but it feels like there is a new interest in poetry these days. Would you agree with that?

AC: Yes, absolutely. I think there’s a new understanding of what poetry can be. We saw Amanda Gorman at the inauguration use poetry and you know, we’ve just seen it pick up pretty

PPLD: What do you want to accomplish through this role during your time?

AC: I want to make poetry feel accessible across the Pikes Peak region. I think it can, like I said, really rely heavily on academics and I want to show that every single person’s voice is important and valuable and how to harness it. I also want to reinforce that poetry is a part of the artistic community. I think we’re really good in terms of visual arts or sculptures, and I want poetry to be on that same level of, you could walk in downtown Colorado Springs and see a poem just as much as we see beautiful sculptures with the Downtown Partnership. … A big initiative that I want to see is more artists as a part of boards, across the Pikes Peak region so that art is integrated into economic drivers.

It’s integrated into nonprofits, it’s integrated into everything that we do, because there is something about art that is so powerful and artists often get pigeonholed into only art spaces. …

And I think selfishly, I want people who probably never thought that they could be poet laureate or be in a poetry role to see me and be like, “Oh wow, maybe I can do it.” So I really hope to be a model of possibility for others. www.ArtsOctober.com

| PO ETRY, PROS E & CO M E DY | OC TO B E R I S A RTS M O NTH

‘Dad’ jokes to lighten the mood Get ready to roll your eyes (or chuckle heartily, depending on how much you like puns) as Josh Neal — the newest member of local comedy troupe Stick Horses in Pants — showcases his favorite “Dad” jokes.

1. What city in North Africa do a lot of people have fond memories of?

Nostalgiers!

2. W hat’s green and has wheels?

Grass (I lied about the wheels).

3. Why was the math book so sad?

Cause it had so many problems.

4. W hy don’t you ever see elephants hiding in trees?

Because they’re so good at it!

5. M y friend asked me to help him round up his 37 sheep.

I said “40.”

6. I bought the world’s worst thesaurus yesterday.

Not only is it terrible, it’s also terrible.

7. How do you make the number one disappear?

Add a “g,” and it’s gone!

8. Why did the sea monster eat five ships that were each carrying potatoes?

Because you can’t eat just one potato ship!

Josh Neal, Stick Horses in Pants

www.ArtsOctober.com

Cultural Office Guide to Arts Month OCTOBER 2021 | 19

PO ETRY, PROS E & CO M E DY |

Poetry from Phillip J. Curtis

Philip J. Curtis performing for Poetry719. Photo by Nathan Toner.

Writer, spoken word artist, and mentor Philip J. Curtis is a native of New York with roots in Jamaica West Indies, who arrived on the Colorado Springs poetry scene in 2006 bringing with him a brand of New York City straightforwardness and swag along with the sensual sun of Jamaica West Indies. Philip, aka Midnight, has facilitated poetry workshops at various high schools and colleges.

He is a founding member of Hear Here Poetry and in 2009 he established Poetry719 on Facebook to foster and support the freedom of self-expression in spoken and written word through community connections, education, and poetic unity for all ages. You can keep updated with Philip J. Curtis, aka Midnight, via midnightpoet00.com and @midnightpoet00 on Instagram.

H aiku s Critical parent Child will always love you but No longer loves self Flick dime at homeless Vet says please keep your money All I want is change Sign across my heart Stemmed from unfaithful women Thin ice no skating A get together Eat, drink, and get to know Went and stared at phones Hands up, down on knee Cop says stop, stop resisting Sounds of a gunshot CONTINUED ON PAGE 21

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Haikus CONTINUED FROM PAGE 20 A table for two Candlelight dinner at home She doesn’t cook well

Concert Dance Conservatory

Rich parents give gifts Have everything but still miss Time and attention Movies make you cry Our love is like a short film We will just be friends Casual dating Had little to no interest Wanted a free meal Pandemic dating Needed her exact address Grubhub delivers Covid season means Life without genuine hugs We send emojis Minor disturbance Always call the ambulance They don’t carry guns

A s t he Worl d Turns As the World Turns many realize they have only One Life To Live People continue to search for a Guiding Light People go to Donahue, Winfrey or Dr. Ruth for advice only if The Price Is Right As the World Turns problems have occurred in families What usually starts out as good Family Ties often end up in a Family Feud

Classes

in Session

Offering strong technical training in:

BALLET, POINTE, JAZZ, TAP, LYRICAL & MODERN/ CONTEMPORARY Ages 3 to Adult

The Loving parents always say “I want the best for All My Children” They try their best with them for the first couple of years before they send them to The Great Outdoors on the N.Y.C. Crime Story These children are what we call The Young and the Restless Who end up in places like General Hospital or St. Elsewhere Unfortunately, parents experience Hill Street Blues Day-By-Day they beg their children to Gimme a Break As the World Turns men have taken advantage of the weaker vessel This is a common practice of men who treat courtship as The All-New Dating Game Walking down the street they look like A Current Affair She hopes that they would one day become The Honeymooners He knows they’re really Perfect Strangers He continues to play with her emotions by taking it one step further, Married with Children He stays with her for a short time then he decides to join the Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous alone She goes to Divorce Court He leaves for Santa Barbara to stay with Kate and Allie Leaving his ex in Another World in Search for Tomorrow It may sound a little Bizarre, but it is reality because we experience it in the Days of Our Lives Copyright © 1987 Philip J. Curtis. All Rights Reserved.

www.ArtsOctober.com

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3472 Research Pkwy #101, Colorado Springs, CO 80920 Cultural Office Guide to Arts Month OCTOBER 2021 | 21

OC TO B E R I S A RTS M O NTH | PO ETRY, PROS E & CO M E DY |

Jasmine Dillavou performs for Poetry719. Photo by Nathan Toner

Stephanie Rose Spaulding performs for Poetry719. Photo by Nathan Toner.

Poetry, prose & comedy events in the Pikes Peak region ARTS MONTH

YEAR-ROUND

October 9 Kreuser Gallery and G44 Gallery at Kreuser Gallery

Throughout the year Loonees Comedy Corner

October Performance Series

All Pikes Peak Reads: Colorado College Mobile Arts Truck October 14 PPLD – Library 21c Christopher Beasley performs for Poetry719. Photo by Nathan Toner.

Poetry719 ‘We Do Stuff’ Festival October 20 – 24

Featuring open mics, writing workshops, special events and the announcement celebration for Pikes Peak Poet Laureate 2021!

Full schedule at Facebook.com/Poetry719

22 | Cultural Office Guide to Arts Month OCTOBER 2021

10th Annual Night of Comedy featuring Josh Blue

October 16 Special Kids Special Families at Hotel Elegante Conference and Event Center

Poems Written During the Pandemic

October 17 Poetry Heals at Switchback Coffee Roasters Hillside Cafe

Haiku Poetry and Recipe Book

Comedy and Improv Shows

Literary and Community Events Throughout the year Pikes Peak Library District

Comedy and Improv Shows & Classes Throughout the year 3E’s Comedy Club

Open Mic Nights

Throughout the year Poetry719 at Various Locations Additional details on these events and more can be found on ArtsOctober.com and PeakRadar.com. Please check with individual event organizers for details regarding COVID-19 protocols.

October 18-23 Golden Lotus Foundation at China Town Restaurant

Jeff Dunham

October 23 The Broadmoor World Arena

www.ArtsOctober.com

MUSIC & DANCE October 24 – 30 | #ArtsOctober Live music can be found around every corner, and local artists have you covered no matter your taste — country, jazz, rock, and more all find homes in the Pikes Peak region.

Got the urge to cut a rug? Or, watch someone else do that so you don’t pull a muscle? Dance performances, classes, and more can help make Arts Month a toe-tapping experience!

Juniper West-Lund and mother Jennifer West explore the Chamber Orchestra of the Springs’ Instrument Petting Zoo. Photo by Tom Kimmel.

New venues bring geographic, genre diversity to music scene

By Rebekah Hire, Cultural Office

Venues like the Pikes Peak Center, The Black Sheep, Stargazers, and Sunshine Studios Live continue to be pillars of the Pikes Peak region music scene. But over the past few years, new venues have joined alongside to add additional depth to the live music options of residents and visitors alike.

Here are just a few:

Armadillo Ranch

Live music events are at “The Dillo” every Thursday through Sunday in downtown Manitou Springs, where you’ll find a great dining experience and live entertainment. They feature a broad

menu of appetizers, sandwiches, BBQ, and vegan and vegetarian options as well as gluten-free to please all palates.

Come hungry and leave happy.

Armadillo Ranch (719) 374-5580 962 Manitou Avenue, Manitou Springs manitouarmadilloranch.com

Buffalo Lodge Bicycle Resort

The Buffalo Lodge Bicycle Resort is a family-owned historic bicyclethemed motor lodge motel run by four generations of cyclists. The property boasts amenities and activities uniquely suited to the needs of cyclists CONTINUED ON PAGE 24

www.ArtsOctober.com

Cultural Office Guide to Arts Month OCTOBER 2021 | 23

OC TO B E R I S A RTS M O NTH | M US I C & DA N C E |

The Unlikely Candidates perform at The Black Sheep. Photo courtesy of Jacki Vitetta.

“When the shutdowns began, like many others, we never thought it would be almost 16 months later before we would see live music return. Most of the time, we were running full steam ahead day after day sometimes even 14 days in a row with shows and then it stopped. It wasn’t an easy road for any of us, the uncertainty created stress about many things including finances, future careers, providing this space for our community where so many people shared memories but that’s also what kept us going. It was the support from the community, our fans, the fans of live music, and the camaraderie through the whole industry with the formation of NIVA (National Independent Venue Association) that pushed us to thrive and figure out what we needed to do. It’s really the fans with their kindness and support.”

— Rosanna Taylor, The Black Sheep

Music venues CONTINUED FROM PAGE 23 and outdoor adventurers providing a haven for relaxation and connection.

During the summer they feature live music as well as other events for visitors and locals.

Buffalo Lodge Bicycle Resort (719) 634-2851 2 El Paso Boulevard, Colorado Springs bicycleresort.com

Boot Barn Hall at Bourbon Brothers

Boot Barn Hall at Bourbon Brothers is an intimate mid-size live music venue and event center where residents and tourists can discover renowned acts without leaving city limits. Sitting on a $15 million campus with the Bourbon Brothers Smokehouse and Tavern, the venue features international, national, regional, and local musicians, conventions, private events, and more. Well-known local bands are also featured on the Boot Barn Hall patio.

Boot Barn Hall at Bourbon Brothers (719) 401-0600 13071 Bass Pro Drive, Colorado Springs bootbarnhall.com

Club Tilt Grill

Club Tilt and Grill is a local, swanky nightclub with a lounge-type feel. It is located in the shopping plaza at 3744 Astrozon Blvd., and its popularity is soaring. The warm, low lighting, mixed with old school R&B, comfortable seating, and the aroma of seasoned cooking wafting through the air, genuinely appeals to its customers.

Every kind of entertainment from karaoke night, amateur comedy, live bands, special guest performances, and open mic poetry is hosted every day of the week, so patrons are sure to find an event that they’ll enjoy.

Club Tilt Grill (719) 694-8698 3744 Astrozon Boulevard, Colorado Springs clubtiltandgrill.com

ICONS

ICONS is the one and only food and beverage establishment designed and geared toward the LGBTQIA community and its allies in downtown Colorado Springs. Make plans to check out their exciting community

24 | Cultural Office Guide to Arts Month OCTOBER 2021

“It’s been challenging to anticipate what’s next and how to plan for what we don’t know.

Keeping people safe the best we know, given the available information, is at the end of the day the most important thing we can do. We have chosen to err on the side of caution in the face of criticism and disappointment.”

— Marc Benning, Lulu’s Downstairs Lulu’s Downstairs photo courtesy of George L. Blosser.

events, live music, and more.

ICONS (719) 300-7863 3 E. Bijou Street, Colorado Springs icons-co.com

Lulu’s Downstairs

The west side gained another music

venue in Lulu’s Downstairs. Discover music, beer, cocktails, food, and more with outdoor seating and two spaces for live events.

Lulu’s Downstairs (719) 424-7637 107 Manitou Avenue, Manitou Springs lulusdownstairs.com

www.ArtsOctober.com

| M US I C & DA N C E | OC TO B E R I S A RTS M O NTH

Ormao Dance Co. show “Out of the Crowd.” Photo by Melanie & Tyler Photography.

Ormao celebrates 30 years of expanding the boundaries of dance

By Angela Seals, Cultural Office

The Pikes Peak region is home to over 30 dance schools and companies, exploring a spectrum of creative movement including from ballet, jazz, and hip hop to Irish step, tap, and classical Indian dance. During Arts Month 2021, one of the centerpieces of the local dance community is celebrating its 30th anniversary.

Ormao Dance School & Company is home to a professional modern dance company, dance classes for all ages and skill levels, and award-winning community outreach programs. Ormao (pronounced or- MY-oh) stems from the ancient Greek term signifying “movement with force.”

This spirit captures the power of the dance company’s artistic experimentation, as it has performed in construction zones, art museums, abandoned warehouses, and parking lots with a diverse array of collaborators, and it’s “spirit of YES ,” www.ArtsOctober.com

according to founder, Jan Johnson.

“There wasn’t a lot of dance activity going on when I moved here. So I started asking people, ‘if I build it will you join me?’ A big part of what has helped us to grow is moving from a place of gratitude and saying ‘ YES ,’” Johnson says.

“We like to show up in strange places and engage people in something they weren’t planning on doing, performing for totally new and unsuspecting audiences.”

Like many dance groups, Ormao began with an internal focus on the dancers — creating new work they were interested in and that they could perform well. But as the company matured, “we’ve become much more outwardly focused,” Johnson says. “Our view has become much broader. We have access to nationally and internationally recognized choreographers now, which has

expanded our quality, and the community work is now huge for us.”

So huge, in fact, that Ormao has been one of the leaders of a local expansion of programs that extend dancing into new arenas and for nontraditional dance audiences.

Their programs include “Mathtastic” which explores mathematics principles through dance for local school student programs, and the “Hands are for Holding” program.

Mounted locally by Ormao, it brings a nationally-renowned curriculum into D11 schools that uses movement to spark conversation about healthy relationships, bullying, and equity.

Ormao’s “Dance for Parkinson’s” program leads people living with Parkinson’s through therapeutic and creative movement. Other local dance organizations are also expanding inclusive dance offerings, like Kemper Dance Academy’s “JEDI ” program for

young dancers with special abilities, from Downs Syndrome to autism.

Jordan McHenry, Executive Director of the Dance Alliance of the Pikes Peak Region, says that exploring the full spectrum of movement is key to dance’s relevance for all people.

“Creative movement comes at such an early age — before we speak, we move creatively! Connecting that throughout our life, through all shapes and forms, is critical and natural for a place like Colorado Springs that is centered in health and movement. Every body dances.”

“What Jan and Ormao have done is maintain an integrity about dance as a conceptual fine art and not just entertainment,” adds McHenry. “They have clearly defined that dance can be intellectually challenging — in body and space — and deliver more to us than tricks and turns.”

Cultural Office Guide to Arts Month OCTOBER 2021 | 25

OC TO B E R I S A RTS M O NTH | M US I C & DA N C E |

Music & dance events in the Pikes Peak Region ARTS MONTH

Elton Dan & the Rock Band

October 5 Pikes Peak Center for the Performing Arts

YEAR-ROUND

Skillet

October 23 Stargazers Theatre & Event Center

Meadowgrass Music Festival

Jazz Night: Brad Eastin Quintet

May La Foret Conference and Event Center

October 7 The Gold Room

Summer Symphony July 4 Colorado Springs

Ariel Horowitz

October 15 E.P.I.C at Almagre

Live Music

Throughout the year Blue at Red Gravy

World Singing Day

October 16 United States Olympic & Paralympic Museum

Emerging Artistry Concert

October 17 Chamber Orchestra of the Springs at First Christian Church

Additional details on these events and more can be found on ArtsOctober.com and PeakRadar.com. Please check with individual event organizers for details regarding COVID-19 protocols.

“When we first were coming out of the pandemic, we knew we were facing an uphill battle, but we were extremely excited, and ready for the challenge. Since re-opening, the support of our community has been outstanding. It’s been incredibly rewarding to be able to, once again, create life-long memories for everyone in the Pikes Peak region.”

— Chris Phillips, Boot Barn Hall Easton Corbin photo courtesy of Boot Barn Hall.

Music at the Indy

October 20 Colorado Springs Independent

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maker’s market lewis palmer high school 120+ vendors | $5 entry at the door | saturday 9am-4pm

FRmakersmarket.com @front_range_makers_market 26 | Cultural Office Guide to Arts Month OCTOBER 2021

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Cultural Office Guide to Arts Month OCTOBER 2021 | 27

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