Is This Fort Collins?
December 7th, 2007 admin Posted in Fort Collins, The Process |
So I was doing a bit of research the other day and came across an article in The Rocky Mountain Chronicle that started with this description of what Fort Collins is for a young artist:
“To the ambitious 20-something artist, Fort Collins can feel a lot like purgatory. It’s not half as bad as a small town, where young creative types are often ostracized, if not physically threatened; and it’s not half as good as a big city, where the artist — at least in his mind — stands poised to cut teeth in an environment that is infinitely more eclectic, supportive and challenging. To the young artist, Fort Collins sits on scarily comfy neutral ground, where locals seem relatively attentive, if a little too glazed-over by microbrews, shopping and sunlight to be titillated by the pressing quandaries of the soul. It can feel like a place where music is made for dancing instead of discussion, a place where paintings are made to clutter a coffeehouse wall.
And so the young artist either a) skips town weeks after being handed a B.A. at the university, often en route to a teaching job overseas, b) joins in with the small, dedicated local artistic community, goes to a lot of potlucks and reads poetry at the Bean Cycle, or c) after a certain number of drinks, consistently threatens to leave for either coast, but, to the amusement or annoyance of his friends, never does.” ~Elliot Johnston
(The article, about the local band Vee Device can be found here. Thanks Rocky Mountain Chronicle.)
From the many conversations I have had with artists in Fort Collins it seems Elliot came pretty close to hitting the nail on the head. What do you think? Fort Collins is a town with a lot of art happening but is it a place for a young artist “cut their teeth?” Why or why not? How can we improve the art and culture in this town?
December 7th, 2007 at 2:17 pm
A rather scathing indictment of the FoCo arts scene!
Art in this town is at once under-appreciated and yet its absence would be keenly felt. For the average Old Town visitor, most artistic expression is firmly in the background of the experience, with the microbrew/coffee/shopping culture at the forefront, as I believe the author above noted.
Being only a casual dabbler in the arts, I suppose I’m rather unqualified to add significant voice to the art scene in our humble little community. I do find myself wondering if the artistic community has put itself forward with sufficient vigour to be considered a major player in our town? From my outside perspective, thus far it appears to be content with its supporting role in the FoCo “micro-culture”.
I would love to see some passionate artists step up to the challenge of leading our community into greater artistic exploration.
December 12th, 2007 at 11:12 pm
I somewhat agree with the article. Although there are many opportunities to display art in Fort Collins, I’ve had the most success selling work nationwide through my website, or by exhibiting in Denver. Artists are certainly contributing to the Fort Collins art scene, but art appreciators need to contribute by financially supporting these artists’ endeavors.
December 14th, 2007 at 7:04 pm
How can we improve the art and culture in this town?
Promote yourself. Promote your friends. Attend events. Talk about what is going on. Create a going on. Don’t complain. Don’t leave. Create a venue. Start a blog. Buy art. Make friends.
Recipe for success, don’t you think?