Creative Consortium of Pueblo expanding First Friday Art Walk. Here's what to know
The Creative Consortium of Pueblo is tapping into the positive power of arts.
The group is partnering with local businesses to promote local artists and the arts in southern Colorado and its spokesperson and recorder Elissa Ball said she believes partnerships with local businesses allow everyone involved to grow.
"I think it's key," Ball said. "There's data that art has a positive impact on lots of aspects of a community, including helping businesses grow. A good arts and culture center brings in more employees, it improves academic performance — that's a big problem for Pueblo.
"There's data that (strong arts programs) accelerate economic recovery, which is pretty important right now. I think that also, listening to NPR for example, when I hear that a certain business is sponsoring (arts events) it gives me a positive feeling towards them which affects where I shop and what I do with my money," she said.
The Creative Consortium of Pueblo is a group of artists, artisans, creatives and supporters "unified to promote and market creative endeavors in Pueblo," according to a news release.
The consortium began in July 2022 as an outgrowth of the creative corridor before becoming an independent organization in September 2022. The consortium is partnering with the Senior Resource Development Agency and the Sangre De Cristo Arts Center to provide free transportation between art venues during First Friday walks in the form of the Van Gogh Van route, according to the release.
"We used the April run to figure out the times," Ball said. "May was the first time we actually had a bus schedule and it worked perfectly, I was really amazed."
The Van Gogh Van is a 12-seater van on loan from the SRDA through December. It is marked with a Van Gogh poster sign on the side and back of the van.
The consortium also will be adding tour guides to the van route, which will take place from 5-8 p.m. during First Friday Art walks starting with the June 2 event.
A Creative Consortium artist will act as a tour guide, telling patrons about each venue, how to find each gallery and when the bus will return. A QR code at each bus stop includes a map and a bus schedule.
Six stops on the Van Gogh Van route are within walking distance of the following 12 art venues: Sangre de Cristo Arts Center, Pueblo Art Guild, Pueblo Arts Alliance, All Clay Studio and Gallery, Liminal Space Gallery, Crystal Moon Gallery, Radeaux Gallery, Steel City Art Works Gallery, Heritage Museum, the Artisan Textile Company, Blo Back Gallery, and the Loading Dock Gallery at the Fuel & Iron Food Hall.
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Pueblo's newest art venue adds another stop
The Loading Dock Gallery at Fuel & Iron is the newest addition to the route, with the newly opened food hall converting a portion of its dining area into the art gallery. The art walk will feature different local artists each month, providing artists the ability to exhibit and sell their artwork.
Artists featured in June will include: Diana LaMorris, Elissa Ball, Michelle Lopez, Bob Zetnick, Mo Keenan-Mason, and Annican Hickman of the Steel City Art Works Gallery; Sharon Orman and Boyd Rodman of the Art Guild; Cristine Boyd of All Clay Studio and Gallery; Ron Barela, an independent metal sculptor; and Kim Sewell, an "independent creative."
Art walks will now be followed by performance events called "After Glows." Fuel & Iron is sponsoring the Creative Consortium’s first After Glow entertainment June 2, from 8-10 p.m., in its gallery. The event will feature musician Jeremy Kitchen.
Additional art attractions
Several other attractions will be on tap during the June 2 First Friday, including:
Blo Back Gallery's AI and Tech show.
Steel City Art Works' opening reception of “Wedded to Art,” a 3D mixed media show in the Back Room Gallery, and a book signing with author Charissa Fryberger.
The Liminal Gallery's exhibit “I got Lost on the Way to Work,” by Linda Lazzarini and David Carricato.
All Clay Studio and Gallery's demonstration of how Cristine Boyd makes her ceramics from start to completion.
Pueblo Heritage Museum's celebration of local Slovenian-American artists with their locally made pieces of art, jewelry, hand-made cards, hand-flinted stones, and more. This event also features Slovenian snacks.
Participation in the First Friday art walks has been small so far, Ball said.
"I don't think we've reached 20 (guests) for the evening. We've been really working to make people aware of it," she said.
"I'm a member of the Steel City Art Works Gallery and people come in and almost everyone I talk to says, 'Oh I've never heard of it.' So that's part of the reason for the press release, getting the word out is taking some extra work," Ball explained.
Along with the improved First Friday events, the consortium has several other projects near fruition. Kiosks marketing local artists will soon be appearing at the Abriendo Inn, Fuel & Iron and the Walter Brewing Company.
An art registry available to the public is being created in collaboration with the Pueblo Arts Alliance. Those who would like their name added to the registry can contact Ball at elissaball@msn.com.
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Questions, comments, or story tips? Contact Justin at jreutterma@gannett.com. Follow him on Twitter @jayreutter1.
This article originally appeared on The Pueblo Chieftain: Creative Consortium of Pueblo expands First Friday Art Walk
