Fine Arts Center

Yoga at the FAC
2023-07-22 11:00 - 12:00 (America/Denver) | Fine Arts Center, 30 W. Dale St., Colorado Springs, CO, 80903, United States
Join us for a one-hour yoga class with instructor Rebecca Myers in our beautiful glass-walled Smith Family gallery. Participants are invited to stay and enjoy the museum for free after class. All experience levels welcome. Please bring your own mat. Water is allowed during class, but not in the museum galleries. Suggested donation of $10 to benefit the Fine Arts Center (you’ll also have the option to donate at class).
Sign up for class
Space is limited

Make a Garden Gnome
2023-07-26 18:00 - 20:00 | Bemis School of Art, 818 Pelham Pl, Colorado Springs, CO, 80903, United States
Once dried, gourd shells are hard and thick like wood and are easy to paint, decorate, and are weatherproof. All participants will create at least one indoor/outdoor art piece using a dried gourd. There is a material fee of $8 due to the instructor on the first day of class to purchase a gourd. All other supplies are provided.
Level A – All levels welcome.

Ages 16–Adult

Footloose: A Youth Rep Ensemble Production
2023-07-27 19:00 - 21:00 | Fine Arts Center, 30 W. Dale St., Colorado Springs, CO, 80903, United States
When Ren and his mother move from Chicago to a small farming town, Ren is prepared for the adjustment to his new high school. What he isn’t prepared for are the local laws — including a ban on dancing — an edict from the local preacher bent on exercising control over the town’s youth. When the Reverend’s rebellious daughter shows interest in the “new kid,” her boyfriend tries to sabotage Ren’s reputation and many of the locals are eager to believe the worst about him. With its Oscar-nominated hit score (as well as many a nod to Kevin Bacon’s legendary performance),this musical celebrates the exhilaration of youth, the wisdom found through communication, and the power of forgiveness.

Solo(s): Krista Franklin
2023-07-28 - 2023-12-16 | Fine Arts Center, 30 W. Dale St., Colorado Springs, CO, 80903, United States
Krista Franklin (American, b. 1970) creates books, poetry, collages, handmade paper, installations, murals, performances, sound works, sculptures, and lectures. Solo(s): Krista Franklin draws on the artist’s vast range of materials and references, situated at the intersection of poetics, popular culture, and the dynamic histories of the African Diaspora. Often referring to the performance of a single musician, the exhibition’s title, ​Solo(s) is instead guided by the artist’s commitment to collaboration with fellow artists, writers, and musicians. As a political gesture, Franklin appropriates text and images from vintage magazine articles and other printed matter that she collects. The very act of collaging—cutting, pasting, and juxtaposing—puts Franklin’s works in direct conversation with the materials of other photographers and writers, transporting her to the time of their original publication.

First Friday Art Party
2023-08-04 17:00 - 20:00 | Fine Arts Center, 30 W. Dale St., Colorado Springs, CO, 80903, United States
Join us for our First Friday celebration from 5–8 p.m. Enjoy the stunning ambiance offered by this chic, historic venue.

FREE museum admission
New art in Deco Lounge by Ian Stewart
Music by Jevíon Íce and the Íce Cubes (Alternative and Neo soul — four piece band with guitar, bass, piano, and bango drums)
FREE downtown shuttle, THE ZEB, running along Tejon Street to downtown art galleries

FAC Member Tour: Krista Franklin
2023-08-05 12:00 - 13:00 | Fine Arts Center, 30 W. Dale St., Colorado Springs, CO, 80903, United States
August Member Tour | Saturday August 5, 12 p.m.
Join Katja Rivera, Curator of Contemporary Art, for a tour of the exhibition Solo(s): Krista Franklin, which draws on the artist’s vast range of materials and references, situated at the intersection of poetics, popular culture, and the dynamic histories of the African Diaspora. This exhibition brings together for the first time the artist’s “cover art” collages, made for books and vinyl records.
RSVP for tour

Repujado: Mexican Tin Art
2023-08-07 14:00 - 17:00 | Bemis School of Art, 818 Pelham Pl, Colorado Springs, CO, 80903, United States
Please join us for a lesson on the history and tradition of Mexican metal embossing or “repujado.” “Repujado,” also known as embossing metal, is the art of working in metallic foil to give volume and relief to a decorative design. You will learn how to emboss and deboss on tooling aluminum and create your own design, engrave it into aluminum, and incorporate new techniques into your art.
Level I – This class is for those with some familiarity with the medium, however, beginners are welcome. This could include informal use of the medium outside of the classroom.

Ages 16–Adult

Crafts + Cocktails: Macrame plant hanger
2023-08-11 17:30 - 19:00 | Fine Arts Center, 30 W. Dale St., Colorado Springs, CO, 80903, United States
A fun filled evening of crafting and cocktails awaits! We’ll be diving into the art of macrame, where you’ll learn to knot and weave your own macrame plant hanger! No prior experience is necessary – our expert instructor Megan Dulin will guide you through the process step-by-step. And as you work on your masterpiece, you can purchase a delicious drink to sip on while you craft. Space is limited so bring your friends or come solo, either way you’ll have a fantastic time socializing and creating something beautiful!
$30 (FAC members $20)
Drinks available for purchase. Credit card only. Bar will open at 5 p.m.
Purchase tickets

Just the FACts Trivia Night
2023-08-11 17:30 - 19:30 | Fine Arts Center, 30 W. Dale St., Colorado Springs, CO, 80903, United States
Join us for a trivia night led by Bob Morsch 5:30–7:30 p.m. Be prepared for a multitude of surprises around the theme of art.
The ticket price includes dinner!
$21 (FAC members $19)
Trivia Tickets

Museum Free Day
2023-05-13 10:00 - 17:00, 2023-05-19 10:00 - 20:00 | Fine Arts Center, 30 W. Dale St., Colorado Springs, CO, 80903, United States
Museum Free Days are offered the second Saturday and third Friday of each month. See what’s on view in the museum

Repujado: Mexican Tin Art
2023-08-14 14:00 - 17:00 | Bemis School of Art, 818 Pelham Pl, Colorado Springs, CO, 80903, United States
Please join us for a lesson on the history and tradition of Mexican metal embossing or “repujado.” “Repujado,” also known as embossing metal, is the art of working in metallic foil to give volume and relief to a decorative design. You will learn how to emboss and deboss on tooling aluminum and create your own design, engrave it into aluminum, and incorporate new techniques into your art. Supplies will be provided.

Ages 12–16

Agents of Care: FAC member preview
2023-08-17 17:00 - 19:00 | Fine Arts Center, 30 W. Dale St., Colorado Springs, CO, 80903, United States
FAC Members are invited to a special preview of Agents of Care: A Collections Transparency Project. Located in newly transformed galleries at the FAC, Agents of Care highlights the often unseen, behind-the-scenes collections-based work of the Museum. Agents of Care kicks off with an investigation into the exciting and sometimes unexpected lives of artworks including the Portrait of Miss Elsie Palmer, or A Lady in White by John Singer Sargent.
This initiative, the first of its kind for the FAC, will radically increase access to the collection for Colorado College faculty, students, and our broader public. Through an ever-rotating series of presentations and programs — including hands-on workshops — Agents of Care provides a platform for critical conversations about museum practice while making transparent the Museum’s ongoing effort to enhance its stewardship of over 17,000 works.
Cash bar and light refreshments will be available. Brief remarks by Director of Visual Arts and Museum Michael Christiano at 5:45 p.m.
Please RSVP to the member preview
Not a member? Join today for as little as $5 a month!

Agents of Care: The Lives of Objects
2023-08-18 - 2023-10-20 | Fine Arts Center, 30 W. Dale St., Colorado Springs, CO, 80903, United States
Agents of Care: A Collections Transparency Project kicks off with an exploration of the storied and sometimes complicated lives of objects. Included in our investigation are several works from the collection that will soon be loaned for exhibitions at other museums including Portrait of Miss Elsie Palmer, or A Lady in White by John Singer Sargent and Dark Iris No.1 by Georgia O’Keeffe. We will also explore various textiles from our Southwest collection and many of our flat works of art.

Agents of Care Opening Celebration
2023-08-18 17:00 - 20:00 | Fine Arts Center, 30 W. Dale St., Colorado Springs, CO, 80903, United States
Celebrate the opening of Agents of Care: A Collections Transparency Project with a (portrait of) Elsie Palmer inspired garden party. Located in newly transformed galleries at the FAC, Agents of Care highlights the often unseen, behind-the-scenes collections-based work of the museum.

Agents of Care kicks off with an investigation into the exciting and sometimes unexpected lives of artworks including the Portrait of Miss Elsie Palmer, or A Lady in White by John Singer Sargent. Enjoy light refreshments, lawn games, create your own expressions of care to send to loved ones, and more at this free event.
Creative garden party looks are encouraged!
RSVP FOR THE GARDEN PARTY
Image: Portrait of Miss Elsie Palmer, or A Lady In White (detail), John Singer Sargent (American [born Italy]), Oil on canvas, way lined. 1889-1890

Paula Poundstone Pre-Theatre Dining
2023-08-19 17:00 - 19:30 | Fine Arts Center, 30 W. Dale St., Colorado Springs, CO, 80903, United States
Pre-theatre dining is back! Please join us for a buffet dinner in Taste before the show. The night of the show, you may check in at Taste anytime between 5 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. Prepayment is required and space is limited. Make sure to add both your tickets to the show and for dinner to your cart when purchasing! Purchase dinner tickets

Paula Poundstone
2023-08-19 19:30 - 21:30 | Fine Arts Center, 30 W. Dale St., Colorado Springs, CO, 80903, United States
Iconic comedian Paula Poundstone is known for her smart, observational humor and legendary spontaneous wit. Paula is the star of several HBO specials, including Cats, Cops and Stuff, and Paula Poundstone Goes to Harvard. Paula is a regular panelist on NPR’s comedy news quiz, Wait Wait… Don’t Tell Me! She is heard weekly on her successful comedy podcast. Nobody Listens to Paula Poundstone.

Yoga at the FAC
2023-08-26 11:00 - 12:00 | Fine Arts Center, 30 W. Dale St., Colorado Springs, CO, 80903, United States
Join us for a one-hour yoga class in our beautiful glass-walled Smith Family gallery. Participants are invited to stay and enjoy the museum for free after class. All experience levels welcome. Please bring your own mat. Water is allowed during class, but not in the museum galleries. Suggested donation of $10 to benefit the Fine Arts Center (you’ll also have the option to donate at class).
SIGN UP FOR CLASS
Space is limited

Bemis School of Art fall session
2023-08-28 - 2023-12-08 | Bemis School of Art, 818 Pelham Pl, Colorado Springs, CO, 80903, United States
Whatever your artistic interest and whatever your age or skill level, we have classes to drive your passions at the Fine Arts Center’s Bemis School of Art. Explore! Public registration begins Aug. 28.
Browse classes

In Conversation: Krista Franklin and Ionit Behar
2023-08-31 18:00 - 19:00 | Fine Arts Center, 30 W. Dale St., Colorado Springs, CO, 80903, United States
Please join artist Krista Franklin for a poetry reading in the Fine Arts Center’s Holaday and Seagrave Galleries in celebration of her exhibition Solo(s). The reading will be followed by a conversation in Taste with Franklin and DePaul Art Museum Associate Curator, Ionit Behar to discuss artistic process, collaboration, and the influence of Afro-Surrealism.
Free and open to the public.
Reservations requested for this conversation
Photo of Krista Franklin and Ionit Behar

Mi Gente: Manifestations of Community in the Southwest
2023-09-01 - 2024-02-03 | Fine Arts Center, 30 W. Dale St., Colorado Springs, CO, 80903, United States
Drawing from works in the collection stewarded by the Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center, Mi Gente: Manifestations of Community in the Southwest considers community within a landscape that has been shaped by colonization and migration. Focusing primarily on works by Chicanx/a/o, Hispanic, and Mexican American artists based in New Mexico and Colorado, Mi Gente considers the politics and complexities of community, including those who are perceived as outsiders.
Image: Carlos Frésquez, The Obsidian Ranfla Series #3 (detail), 1999, Museum Purchase (Colorado 2000 Purchase Prize), FA 2000.4.

FAC Member Tour: Mi Gente
2023-09-01 16:00 - 17:00 | Fine Arts Center, 30 W. Dale St., Colorado Springs, CO, 80903, United States
Join Savanah Pennell, Assistant Curator of Collections, for a tour of Mi Gente: Manifestations of Community in the Southwest. Drawing from works in the collection stewarded by the Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center, Mi Gente considers community within a landscape that has been shaped by colonization and migration. The spiritual, familial, and artistic groups represented in these artworks demonstrate that community is elastic—it is flexible, with individuals frequently weaving in and out of multiple roles and factions.
RSVP for tour
Make a night of it! Stay after the tour for First Friday with music by Mariachi Lobos, a Mexican folk music band. Learn more about First Friday.

First Friday Art Party
2023-09-01 17:00 - 20:00 | Fine Arts Center, 30 W. Dale St., Colorado Springs, CO, 80903, United States
Join us for our First Friday celebration from 5–8 p.m. Enjoy the stunning ambiance offered by the FAC’s chic, historic venue.

FREE museum admission, including the newest exhibition Mi Gente: Manifestations of Community in the Southwest
Art in Deco Lounge by Ian Stewart
Music by Mariachi Lobos, a Mexican folk music band
See three lowrider cars as a preview for the Sept. 2 Lowrider Show & Mi Gente Opening Celebration
Drinks and snacks available for purchase
From Source to Mouth: a creative survey of Monument Creek exhibition opening
FREE downtown shuttle, THE ZEB, running along Tejon Street to downtown art galleries

Lowrider Show & Mi Gente Opening Celebration
2023-09-02 12:00 - 16:00 | Fine Arts Center, 30 W. Dale St., Colorado Springs, CO, 80903, United States
Join us for a lowrider car show and opening celebration of Mi Gente: Manifestations of Community in the Southwest! This event is free and will include kid-friendly art activities, live music, a performance by Ballet Folklórico de Barajas, and food for purchase from local businesses.
Attendees also will be invited to visit the Museum’s newest exhibition, Mi Gente: Manifestations of Community in the Southwest. Drawing from works in the collection stewarded by the Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center, Mi Gente considers community within a landscape that has been shaped by colonization and migration. Focusing primarily on works by Chicanx/a/o, Hispanic, and Mexican American artists based in New Mexico and Colorado, Mi Gente considers the politics and complexities of community, including those who are perceived as outsiders.
Join collections staff in the Agents of Care Gallery to learn about the work that went into preparing the collections for display.
Reservations to the opening celebration encouraged
Please note that parking for this event will be located in the Ed Robson Arena parking garage at 114 E Dale St, 80903. Shuttles will run regularly between the parking garage and the event, including an ADA accessible van. Otherwise, you may walk to the event, which will be located at 30 W Dale St.
Performance Schedule
12:10-12:40 p.m. – Presentation by Grupo Folklórico Sabor Latino
12:55-1:25 p.m. – Performance by Ballet Folklórico de Barajas
1:35-1:50 p.m. – Performance of Somos Gente de Aztlán by Amaury PerezPulido
2:10-2:55 p.m. – Soy Celesté
3:15-4 p.m. – Cipriano

Mural Conservation & Care
2023-09-07 10:00 - 12:00 | Fine Arts Center, 30 W. Dale St., Colorado Springs, CO, 80903, United States
As part of Agents of Care: A Collections Transparency Project, join museum staff for a morning chat about mural care and conservation. Artist Emanuel Martinez will speak about restoration currently underway of Arte Mestiza, Martinez’s seminal Chicano Mural Movement work painted on 2,000 square feet of concrete wall in the Fine Art Center’s parking lot. Visitors will also be invited to observe conservators from the Western Center for the Conservation of Fine Arts as they repair Frank Mechau’s 60-foot fresco Wild Horses in the Fine Arts Center courtyard. Meet in the FAC lobby.

This event is free and open to the public.
