ARTS ADVISOR | Contents 2012 Members JENNY BIRNIE Co-Chair LAURA ELM Co-Chair ARTISTS OF THE WEST ELKS Shaun Horne, Rebecca Weil, Laura Elm CENTER FOR THE ARTS Jenny Birnie, Jennifer Hartman, Jamie Booth CRESTED BUTTE ARTS FESTIVAL Connie Hayden, Diana Ralston, Carol Smith CRESTED BUTTE DANCE COLLECTIVE K.T. Folz, Joan Grant, Adge Marziano CRESTED BUTTE FILM FESTIVAL Michael Brody, Jennifer Brody CRESTED BUTTE MOUNTAIN THEATRE Harry Woods, Jo Ann Macy CRESTED BUTTE MUSIC FESTIVAL Center for the Arts — Tom Biery, Susan Gellert, Alexander Schierle Motown in the Mountains 2012 Photo by Nathan Bilow CRESTED BUTTE SCHOOL OF DANCE Bobbie Reinhardt CRESTED BUTTE WRITERS CONFERENCE Join Us in Celebrating the East River Valley as Barbara M. Crawford GUNNISON ARTS CENTER A Nationally Recognized Arts Destination! Kathleen Curry, Pat Montgomery MT. CRESTED BUTTE ARTS ORGANIZATIONS | 4-7 PERFORMING ARTS CENTER Get familiar with the 14 non-profit arts organizations of the Arts Alliance leading Woody Sherwood, Marilyn Krill the way to advance the arts in Western Colorado. STUDIO ART SCHOOL Melissa Mason ARTS CALENDAR | 8-34 TRAILHEAD CHILDREN’S MUSEUM June through October 2012. Get ready to expand your horizons with this Katie Mueller comprehensive arts activities planner. WESTERN STATE COLLEGE OF COLORADO COVER ARTWORK: Karin Waidley Almost Home — painting by local artist Adam Freed PUBLISHER: Jenny Birnie, Center for the Arts Executive Director EDITOR: Molly Murfee, Center for the Arts Marketing Director PUBLICATION DESIGN: Kathy Amen, Nautilus Publications ARTS ADVISOR | Welcome Welcome to Our Summer Season! The Arts Alliance of the East River Valley is comprised of 14 separate arts and cultural organizations that spread from Gothic to Gunnison. Through these organizations visitors and residents can enjoy outdoor concerts, theatre productions, dance performances, film, festivals, art festivals, lectures, opera, music festivals, chamber music, symphony, children’s programs and exhibits, gallery walks, visual arts workshops and exhibits showcasing local and nationally recognized artists. Crested Butte Music Festival — With literally hundreds of events and classes American String Quartet throughout the summer, on virtually every day of the week, the Arts Advisor Magazine is designed to help you navigate this incredibly rich palette of opportunities. This is your comprehensive guide and planning tool to the arts from June to October. Here you may immerse yourself in a weekend workshop in plein air painting, attend an outdoor concert, or peruse the talents of local artists. There are events especially for children, teens and adults. You can be an experienced aficionado or a “never-ever.” So whether you are visiting for a week or staying for a lifetime, there is an event, class or workshop that will call to you in these pages. The Arts Alliance invites you to immerse yourself in our vibrant communities, bursting with artistic talents. Use the Arts Advisor to diversify your stay in the area. We hope you will agree that the Gunnison Valley is an incredible destination for the arts. Be inspired and uplifted by what you experience and learn. Embrace your own creativity. Feed your soul. JENNY BIRNIE Executive Director Center for the Arts ARTS ALLIANCE MISSION STATEMENT The Arts Alliance, a dynamic coalition of nonprofit visual and performing arts organizations, promotes and advances the arts to enrich, educate, and enhance the quality of life from Mt. Crested Butte to Gunnison. Crested Butte Dance Collective — Move the Butte Photo by Nathan Bilow ARTS ADVISOR | Arts Organizations Center for the Arts Photo by Nathan Bilow Arts Organizations Allow us to introduce you to the organizations, programs and groups that comprise the foundation of the arts in the East River Valley. The following profiles provide a glimpse into the incredibly diverse organizations that work in collaboration to offer exceptional artistic experiences to locals and visitors. Get to know them and support them — they contribute significantly to the economic vitality of our communities! The artist’s world is limitless. It can be found anywhere, far from where he lives or a few feet away. It is always on his doorstep. Paul Strand ARTS ADVISOR | Arts Organizations ARTISTS OF THE WEST ELKS CRESTED BUTTE ARTS FESTIVAL www.awearts.org | [email protected] (970) 349 –1184 | www.crestedbutteartsfestival.com Artists of the West Elks (AWE) aspires to unify, enrich and educate The Crested Butte Arts Festival, celebrating the visual, performing and novice, emerging and professional artists and art lovers by encouraging culinary arts, is a non-profit arts organization which hosts the annual and challenging them to develop to their full potential. AWE nurtures arts festival on Elk Avenue in August. Now in its 40th year, the award- artists in an atmosphere of mutual respect and provides opportunities winning, juried festival features 175 national and international artists as to network, exhibit work and share knowledge. We are located in the well as fantastic cuisine, exhilarating entertainment, artist West Elk Mountains area of Colorado, including Crested Butte, demonstrations, chef demonstrations, children’s activities, and an art Gunnison, Lake City, Paonia, and the surrounding areas. auction. In addition, the festival gives back to the community in the form of art education and outreach programs in the local schools as CENTER FOR THE ARTS CRESTED BUTTE well as art specific sponsorships. In the past five years, the festival has (970) 349 –7487 | www.crestedbuttearts.org granted more than $40,000 to local arts events and organizations. For 25 years, the Center for the Arts has been committed to providing CRESTED BUTTE DANCE COLLECTIVE arts and cultural experiences that inspire and entertain all audiences. (970) 560 –9485 | The Center for the Arts is home to popular signature events and a wide www.crestedbuttearts.org/cbdancecollective variety of indoor and outdoor attractions. Visitors young and old enjoy a year-round schedule of live music, dance and theater performances as The Crested Butte Dance Collective is a group of dancers, well as art exhibits, speakers and much more. The Center for the Arts choreographers, and artists who have come together to build strives to enrich and engage the community by fostering artistic community and inspire self-discovery through dance. The CBDC expression and cultural experiences in Colorado’s Upper East River supports and encourages the dancing spirit in every person through Valley. Our vibrant facility, diverse programs and community outreach educational classes, community events, and performances. The Dance provide the common ground for all of our visitors to experience arts Collective annually creates the sell-out smash hit Move the Butte and and culture in a whole new way. Vinotok's Celebration of the Harvest Mother in addition to capturing the spotlight at other parades, festivals and events. Gunnison Arts Center’s Annual Production of Sonnofagun Photo by Carlie Kenton ARTS ADVISOR | Arts Organizations CRESTED BUTTE FILM FESTIVAL (303) 204 –9080 | cbfilmfest.org The Crested Butte Film Festival is an international festival inspired by the art of film and the power of storytelling. The annual festival runs Thursday, September 29th, through Sunday, October 2nd, just as the aspens are turning. Make this a great weekend getaway of films, discussion, and culture in stunning surroundings. Films include documentaries, features, and shorts, including Academy Award nominees, films from Cannes and Sundance, as well as other unknown gems. Attending the festival is fun and easy. Join us for an inspiring festival in the splendor of the Rockies. Crested Butte Film Festival — Crested Butte Mountain Theatre — CRESTED BUTTE MOUNTAIN THEATER Film Director Q & A As You Like It (970) 349 –0366 | www.cbmountaintheatre.org Photo by Peter Roach Photo by Alex Fenlon The Crested Butte Mountain Theatre (CBMT) is the longest continuously CRESTED BUTTE WRITERS CONFERENCE running community theatre in Colorado, producing more than 250 (970) 349 –9296 | plays over the last four decades. We provide an open avenue for www.crestedbuttewritersconference.org creative expression through community participation in all aspects of theatrical productions and foster the growth of theatre as an art form The Crested Butte Writers Conference is hosted every through high-quality contemporary, classical and original productions. June by the Crested Butte Writers, a dynamic and The Crested Butte Mountain Theatre, home of the Mallardi Cabaret in diverse group of people bonded not by location, the historic Old Town Hall at Second and Elk, offers a diverse season but by the love of mountains and the written schedule of plays, adult and children’s workshops, youth programs, film word. We share a strong commitment to and musical events throughout the year for the benefit of residents and furthering an educational, open, supportive, visitors to our community. Crested Butte Mountain Theatre, celebrating and creative writing community for writers. 40 years of laughs and cheers, is YOUR community-based, volunteer- All are welcome. In 2012 at the conference powered local theatre. there will be 12 presenters ranging from beloved locals, to publishing CRESTED BUTTE MUSIC FESTIVAL professionals, and bestselling and award (970) 349 –0619 | www.crestedbuttemusicfestival.com winning authors. You can join Crested Butte Writers as a writer of fiction or Now in its 16th year, the Crested Butte Music Festival presents