“Art in Fremont County is alive and well, and it is for everyone.”
Art Thrives In Fremont County
For 74 years, The Fremont Center for the Arts has been collecting, curating, and teaching art for the Fremont County community. In the past, residents attended art shows at the Art Center at 4th and Royal Gorge Blvd. In 1992, the Center moved to the historic Post Office Building at 505 Macon where it remains today. In these 74 years, FCA’s collection has grown and their outreach has increased. The organization's constant commitment to the creation and shared experiences of art has made Fremont County into a flourishing artistic community.
Kevin Cundiff, FCA Executive Director, is proud of the history of art in Fremont County and is always looking for innovative and creative ways to draw out the community’s artistic side. “I believe that we have to give everyone the opportunity to create and appreciate art. Art is about expression and expressing themselves is what I want people to be able to do and enjoy. This is what the center’s all about.”
Art Heals A Community
The pandemic and quarantine have taken their toll on the Fremont County community, but Cundiff believes that art can and will heal us. “We’ve all had a different experience, but we are all hurting. I’ve found that people want to create, they want to enjoy themselves, they want to lose themselves in something interesting. They want to be inspired.”
FCA is working to offer more opportunities for people to tap into their artistic side. The Center has increased art classes and has created “Sip and Create” events where burgeoning artists can enjoy wine while they learn to paint or sculpt. The Center has always offered classes, but their outreach is becoming broader and more focused on encouraging art from those who do not consider themselves to be artists. It is the FCA’s philosophy that art is truly meant for everyone.
“We’re offering classes that meet people where they are. These classes are very interactive so they allow the public to be a part in creating artwork. Expanding our classes is key and vital to keeping us relevant and sustainable” said Cundiff.
Art Is A Partnership
Fremont Center of the Arts is working to move into the community through a series of partnerships with local groups and businesses. In March, FCA hosted the ”Birds of a Feather” exhibit in cooperation with the non-profit Nature’s Educators. The exhibit featured thematic bird art and live birds of prey who sat and welcomed visitors to the exhibit.
In May, The FCA is working with The Hive to display a curated collection of Blossom Festival Art Show winners and celebrate Cañon City’s First Friday community events. We at The Hive hope this partnership will be the first of many as we love celebrating the talent that emerges from the Fremont County Community.
In June, The Art Center will bring Shakespeare to Cañon City. The Center has partnered with a theater group from Colorado Springs who will perform “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” in the plaza outside of the Center’s Building on Macon. “I am looking for interactive pieces where people can come and engage in multiple facets. Anyone can come down to enjoy a live Shakespeare production.”
Art Belong with Us Forever
Fremont County abounds with beauty: our river, our mountains, our weather, our community. We are so fortunate to also enjoy the beauty of the art that surrounds us. Fremont Center for the Arts is a gift to us as it brings us closer to what truly matters in our world.
We encourage you to visit the Center at 505 Macon to explore their constantly-growing collection. Or, sign up for a class or Sip and Create event. Art is truly alive in Cañon City and it belongs to all of us.