October marks national Arts Month both nationally and locally. The goal is to encourage Americans to explore new facets of the arts and humanities in their lives.
Make sure to check out all the special events and happenings at local museums and art galleries. The Pikes Peak region is abundant with arts and culture with more than 20 museums and art galleries. Notable galleries to check out, the Artai Artist Gallery in Old Colorado City or Commonwheel Artists Co-op in Manitou Springs, featuring a variety of artwork ranges from local Colorado Artists. Another popular museum in the area is the Michael Garman Museum Gallery which offers more than 400 handmade reproductions of Garman's unique sculptures. Don’t forget to ask about the Magic Town attraction when visiting the museum.
Catch a world-class performance at places like The Broadmoor World Arena or Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center. Regionally produces shows are at places like Thetreworks and the Millibo Art Theatre.
Whether viewing a new exhibit, purchasing a unique piece or enjoying an event, make sure to stay involved during Arts Month and raise awareness for the quality, diversity and value of the arts in our community.
Looking for a full trip full of arts, take a look at this Colorado Springs Itinerary.
Find a full list Arts Month events here.
In Colorado Springs alone, the arts annually generates an economic impact of $72M annually, employ 2,200 people and draw an attendance of 1.3M. That means it is big business! How does this relate to tourism you may ask? The arts are magnets for visitors! People will travel to a destination to experience arts and culture and tend to stay longer because of an event.
Personally, arts and music has always been important to me. In Northern Virginia, my first job in high school was booking live bands for dances, parties and concerts. My business partner and I made good pocket money back in the day. My mom also served as the Air Force curator at the Pentagon and was in charge of a 6,000 piece art collection in addition to working with artists around the globe. Guess we were an arts family!