Colorado is investing millions of dollars in the arts throughout the state. The money supports film, public art programs and the state’s creative district program, which tries to help rural economies grow through the arts. In the Roaring Fork Valley, municipalities are figuring out ways to incorporate public art, and make their towns a great place to support artists. In just the past month, the relationship between the arts and government has evolved.
Earlier this week, Aspen City Council and the parks department tried to figure out how to better handle public art.
“It’s so easy to end up with a hodgepodge of different things,” said councilwoman Ann Mullins on Tuesday.
The city wants to create a formal arts board to handle where art goes, for how long and who takes care of it. Right now, it’s handled by committee.
The town of Snowmass Village already has something like that established.
A group known as the Snowmass Arts Advisory Board has been discussing with government officials about how to get more public art in the village.
Outside of Snowmass Village Town Hall, three giant metal rings are part of a piece called “Transparency” by Michael Clapper.
Julie Anne Woods, community development director for Snowmass Village, said as a government employee, she views the piece as a window out into the community, and a window into government.
Part of Woods’ job is to help the Snowmass Art Advisory Board get events planned - among other things. She works with Carol Batchelder, one of the founding members of what’s called the SAAB.
Part of what makes public art what it is in Snowmass, Batchelder said, is the level of interactivity people can have with it.
“Employees of the town, staff of the town can go outside for lunch and can sit on the marble pieces that are installed around it,” Batchelder said.
Snowmass Village has linked its public art with what’s called the “ArtWalk”. Trails join each piece. Carbondale has a similar idea along the Rio Grande Trail. The Town of Basalt has also recently put out requests to find public art pieces and is supporting a proposed performing arts center.
