The Basalt committee that oversees the town’s public art wants more funding next year for a program that encourages local artists and organizations to create art and events for the community.
The Basalt Public Arts Commission, or BPAC, met with town council earlier this week to discuss its preliminary 2020 budget, which includes anywhere from $55,000 to $75,000 to fund the grant program. In 2019, the new program had $40,000 to allocate for projects.
The commission is also asking for up to $40,000 for rotating public art installations, such as "Motio 2.0," a series of colorful sculptures displayed around the town.
In addition, it wants $5,000 to develop an arts master plan. Part of the master plan, it says, would involve looking into becoming a certified Colorado Creative District, a state designation that marks towns with a thriving arts and culture community. The town of Carbondale is the closest Colorado Creative District.
The first round of public art grants were given out earlier this year, one to The Arts Campus at Willits to put on Pumpkin Jazz in October, and another to a photographer for a project documenting the lives of Latino residents.
BPAC has one more round of grants to distribute in 2019; the deadline to apply is Nov. 3rd.
