Pop in between 10 a.m–1 p.m. to check out what the Fine Arts Center has to offer and explore your creativity in drawing, painting, and sculpture! Family Adventure Day will offer a variety of hands-on art projects in the Bemis School of Art studio classrooms, along with artist demonstrations and interactive, self-guided activities. Bemis instructors […]
Join the museum collections team in the Agents of Care gallery from 1–4 p.m. to explore some of the frames used by the museum, from historic to modern, simple to ornate. Museum staff will discuss the various components of a frame and how they work together to protect and preserve art while on display and […]
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! Browse classes
The Fine Arts Center recently received a generous gift of 19th and early 20th century textiles by Diné weavers. Help us welcome these remarkable works into our care. View a selection of textiles in the Agents of Care gallery and enjoy a reading by CC Professor of English Natanya Ann Pulley and a talk by visiting artist […]
Join us for this class using natural dyes where you will get an introduction to the fundamentals of using natural plants and natural plant extracts to color fabric. We will explore how different types of fabrics are mordanted and how different weaves take the dye, and you will walk away with the beginnings of a […]
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 to the newest museum exhibition Clarence Shivers: Experimenting with Form Art in Deco Lounge by Bruce Nall Music by Tidal Breeze Creos Jazz Trio Drinks and snacks available for purchase […]
Join this class to create whimsical, functional, and decorative items that will bring joy to your home or garden. We will learn and improvise on basic handbuilding skills to create shapes, eyes, and other expressive features to bring personality to our mugs, bowls, garden sculptures, and more. In this class, you will explore various glazing […]
This course is aimed toward beginners but creatives working in other mediums who want to learn something new about this frequently overlooked art form. Through demonstration and hands-on creating, students will learn the variety in which pastels, papers, and tools combine to create the most colorful artworks imaginable. Level 0 – This class is for […]
Do you have a favorite pet? Is the zoo your favorite place to visit? In this class you will learn multiple techniques to bring those furry friends to life! We will explore the grid scale technique to help you confidently draw complex shapes more simply. We will then practice skills to explore the charcoal medium […]
Join us for the opening of the museum's newest exhibition Clarence Shivers: Experimenting with Form and celebrate this prolific artist’s wide-ranging and exceptionally creative career. Enjoy live music by Tidal Breeze, food, and chat with friends and family of the artist. This event is free and open to the public; RSVPs are requested. Please RSVP
In this two-hour class, you’ll develop skills using an edged pen for calligraphy. You’ll learn to write in Italic calligraphy, along with an introduction to other historic book hands. We’ll harness a combination of design awareness, craft skills, and rhythmic vitality to create beautiful writing. Level A – All levels welcome. Adults
You will explore the process of creating multiples of a single clay object through foundational techniques in clay slip casting and plaster mold-making. You will have an opportunity to create your own object from clay and will learn to mix and pour plaster to fabricate a functional and reusable one-part mold. We will spend ample […]
Join the museum collections team in the Agents of Care gallery from 1–4 p.m. to learn about museum object photography. Staff will discuss some of the tools and tricks of the trade with live demonstrations and hands-on opportunities. Discover why we photograph collections and how those images are used in our object catalog and eMuseum […]
Ever wonder, “how’d they do that?”? Well, unbox your inner theatre nerd with the Fine Arts Center Theatre Company staff for a thorough look at the special effects, backstage spaces, costume, and scene shops. This event will begin immediately following the Feb. 18, 2 p.m. performance of Water by the Spoonful. This event is free […]
Get down and dirty with this introduction to immersion-dyeing class using acid and fiber reactive dyes. Students will learn the basics of how to color fabric and skeins using a dye bath. Color is free and loose while learning the step-by-step method of safely using synthetic dyes. This class is good for weavers, knitters, crocheters, […]
Curious about the lifestyle of a theatre professional? What’s it take to slip into a character night after night? Stay in your seats after the show for a curated discussion with the cast and creatives and satiate your curiosity. This event will begin immediately following the Feb. 25, 2 p.m. performance of Water by the […]
Join artist Hương Ngô and Curator of Contemporary Art, Katja Rivera for a tour of the new exhibition Ungrafting. The tour will offer an opportunity to connect directly with the artist and learn about her interests in plants; her use of archival research; and her experimentation with paper-making, invisible inks, and printing processes. Visitors will also […]
Join us for our First Friday celebration from 5–8 p.m. Enjoy the stunning ambiance offered by the FAC’s chic, historic venue. Opening celebration for the museum's newest exhibition Hương Ngô: Ungrafting and a Conversation with Hương Ngô, Chadwick Allen, Aline Lo, and Justin Quang Nguyên Phan Free museum admission Attendees will receive BOGO tickets to […]
As part of the FAC’s First Friday, please help us celebrate the opening of Ungrafting, Hương Ngô’s first solo exhibition in Colorado. Guests will be invited to engage in an informal conversation to discuss the exhibition and its connection to topics such as intergenerational knowledge transmission, the importance of land in anti-colonial movements, and the role […]
You’ve used your micro torch to make a ring or pendant, now we’ll learn how to create a simple round or oval bezel on a ring and set the stone! Please note that students need to wear eye protection (eyeglasses work), closedtoe shoes, no loose sleeves, and long hair must be tied back. There will […]
Somewhere in Philadelphia, Elliot has returned from Iraq and is struggling to find his place in the world. Somewhere in a chat room, recovering addicts keep each other alive, hour by hour, day by day. The boundaries of family and community are stretched across continents and cyberspace as birth families splinter and online families collide. WATER […]
You will process your own traditional black and white film and learn to make handcrafted silver-gelatin prints in the darkroom. You will learn advanced techniques such as split-filter printing, Sabattier printing, and combination printing to challenge your creativity and bring ideas to new heights. We will work to nurture your creativity, giving you an opportunity […]
Due to severe weather, the Fine Arts Center is CLOSED on Friday, March 15 and this event has been canceled. We apologize for any inconvenience! Visit the Agents of Care gallery to explore a selection works by women artists. Collections staff will be on hand between 1-4 p.m. to engage with visitors in a […]
Due to severe weather, the Fine Arts Center is CLOSED on Friday, March 15 and this event has been canceled. The Libation Lecture will be rescheduled for a future date. Ticket holders should check their email for information about the rescheduled event. We apologize for any inconvenience! As with history in general, jazz history […]
It’s not easy being the Pigeon—you never get to do ANYTHING! But when the Bus Driver has a crisis that threatens to make her passengers (gasp!) late, maybe that wily bird CAN do something. With a script written by Mo Willems, the creator of the #1 New York Times best-selling, Caldecott Honor award-winning Pigeon picture books, Don’t Let […]
Join us for a special First Friday Art Party as we unveil the 2024-25 theatre season, showcase upcoming museum exhibitions, and introduce exciting Bemis School of Art classes with live demos from our talented instructors! We may even have a few surprises in store. You don't want to miss out on all the fun and […]
Come observe a condition assessment of Luis Jiménez's brilliantly colored fiberglass and resin sculpture Fiesta Jarabe and learn about the steps needed to undertake the conservation of a sculpture like this. Fine art conservators from McKay Lodge Art Conservation Laboratory will join the FAC museum collections team to speak about the process and some of the challenges […]
Join us for a conversation about NAGPRA (Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act) and the care of Indigenous belongings at the FAC. Museum staff and NASU representatives will be joined by Jackie Veninger of Bernstein and Associates to discuss what NAGPRA is, why the law was created, and her experience supporting cultural institutions to […]
How do museums display music? Using the Fine Arts Center as a learning lab, Dr. Lidia Chang's MU 228 Music and the Museum course tackles this question with an exhibition exploring the history of the Collegium Musicum at Colorado College through a collection of historical instruments amassed by the Music Department. Celebrate the exhibition opening […]
How do museums display music? Using the Fine Arts Center as a learning lab, Dr. Lidia Chang's MU 228 Music and the Museum course tackles this question with an exhibition exploring the history of the Collegium Musicum at Colorado College through a collection of historical instruments amassed by the Music Department. Join student curators for […]
Join us for yoga with instructor Misty Banta in our beautiful glass-walled Smith Family Gallery. Participants are invited to stay and enjoy the museum for free after class. All experience levels are welcome. Please bring your own mat. Water is allowed during class, but not in the museum galleries if you choose to visit. Suggested […]
Join the museum collections team for a special day of spring cleaning. Visitors are invited to watch staff dust and polish the massive glass chandeliers hanging throughout the museum created by artist Dale Chihuly. Learn how the museum cares for these works and see them shine like new (locations and times below). Swing by the […]
Join our resident cabaret artist, J. Chang-Tablada to hear songs from Rent and learn more about the incredible impact that Jonathan Larson made on the American musical theatre landscape. Larson lived in poverty, waited tables, and worked seven years to bring his rock opera Rent to the stage — only to collapse and die the night before previews were […]
Lee Ann Roripaugh (she/they) is a biracial Nisei and the author of five volumes of poetry, mostly recently tsunami vs. the fukushima 50 (Milkweed Editions, 2019), which was named a “Best Book of 2019” by the New York Public Library, selected as a poetry Finalist in the 2020 Lambda Literary Awards, cited as a Society […]
Experience the allure of Clarence Shivers’ influence through captivating portraits in the Fine Arts Center galleries. Delve into the Clarence Shivers: Experimenting with Form exhibition, where you can witness firsthand his diverse approach to the art of portraiture. Following this enriching exploration, we will move to the Painting Studio for a hands-on session. Here, you’ll […]
Join Alana Adams, Assistant Curator of Collections, for a tour of works from the Fine Art Center’s permanent collection featured in Hương Ngô’s exhibition Ungrafting. The tour will offer an opportunity to connect with the permanent collection via a diverse selection of artworks and learn more about different modern and traditional artistic methods. Visitors will […]
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 Attendees receive BOGO tickets to Rent Art in Deco Lounge Music by Colorado College band Sally and the Swamp Goblins Drinks and snacks available for purchase FREE downtown shuttle, THE ZEB, […]
Ever wonder, “how’d they do that?”? Well, unbox your inner theatre nerd with the Fine Arts Center Theatre Company staff for a thorough look at the special effects, backstage spaces, costume, and scene shops. This event will begin immediately following the May 5, 2 p.m. performance of Rent. This event is free and open to the […]
Pop in between 10:30 a.m.–1 p.m. to check out what the Fine Arts Center has to offer and explore your creativity in drawing, painting, and sculpture! Family Adventure Day will offer a variety of hands-on art projects, along with artist demonstrations and interactive, self-guided activities with partners Pikes Peak Children's Museum and Project Angel Heart. […]
Mother’s Day Brunch is BACK! We invite you to celebrate mom with brunch in Taste Restaurant at the Fine Arts Center. Indulge in a bountiful buffet with breakfast pastries, salads, charcuterie, an omelet bar, assorted breakfast and lunch foods, a prime rib carving station, and desserts. On this special day, the museum will be open, […]
Curious about the lifestyle of a theatre professional? What’s it take to slip into a character night after night? Stay in your seats after the show for a curated discussion with the cast and creatives and satiate your curiosity. This event will begin immediately following the May 12, 2 p.m. performance of Rent. This event is […]
Celebrate the culminating visual and performing art created by students at the Colorado School for the Deaf and the Blind during their 2023-24 residency. Let your senses explore a non-traditional approach to art with our student-curated art exhibition, engaging tactile, auditory, and visual senses. Continue the journey as you take flight with our theatre in […]
Join the museum collections team in the Agents of Care gallery from 1–4 p.m. to learn how the museum cares for its collections while in storage. See examples of storage mounts and custom-designed enclosures and explore some of the tools and archival supplies used to create them. This is a drop-in program that is free […]
The Fine Arts Center is proud to host the 31st Annual Shivers Springs Concert for the Shivers Fund at Pikes Peak Library District. The event will take place in the Clarence Shivers: Experimenting with Form galleries and will feature Stephanie Brink (Mezzo Soprano), Shyheim Hinnant (Baritone), Solomon Leonard (Violin), and John Thomas (Reenactor). $50 per person […]
Join us all season long in the Deco Lounge as local favorite J. Chang-Tablada sings and shares stories from the piano following 5 p.m. mainstage performances. Donations will be accepted. Misery Oct. 21, 2023 Elf the Musical Dec. 9 & 30, 2023 Water by the Spoonful Feb. 24, 2024 Rent May 11 & 25, 2024 […]
Based loosely on Puccini’s La Boheme, Jonathan Larson’s Rent follows a year in the life of a group of impoverished young artists and musicians struggling to survive and create in New York’s Lower East Side, under the shadow of HIV/AIDS. The physical and emotional complications of the disease pervade the lives of Roger, Mimi, Tom […]
Students will create illustrations for the presentation of The Carnival of the Animals at the Colorado College Summer Music Festival. Drawing skills are required as well as a love of making art. We will focus on creating the cast of joyful animal characters inspired by Camille Saint Saens musical composition. A roaring lion, a kangaroo […]
This event is fully booked. To be placed on a waitlist, please call (719) 634-5583 or email fac@coloradocollege.edu Join local architectural historian Chuck Benson for a tour as we explore the architectural legacy of John Gaw Meem, an influential American architect based in Santa Fe, New Mexico. Meem designed the original Fine Arts Center building […]
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 an air plant hanger. You can create a plain white air plant hanger or a multi-colored hanger! No prior experience is necessary—our expert instructor Megan Dulin will guide you through the process […]
As with history in general, jazz history can be analyzed, catalogued, and debated. However, as with any art form, if we are to gain a glimpse into the true nature of jazz, we must experience it for ourselves. This interactive, participatory event brings jazz history to you ‘live’ as the Tidal Breeze Creos Trio provides […]
Join us for yoga with instructor Dominika Kamionka in our beautiful glass-walled Smith Family Gallery. Participants are invited to stay and enjoy the museum for free after class. All experience levels are welcome. Please bring your own mat. Water is allowed during class, but not in the museum galleries if you choose to visit. Suggested […]
In the late nineteenth century, Colorado Springs declared itself “America’s Greatest Sanatorium.” And it worked! By 1900 over 20,000 health-seekers came in search of a cure for tuberculosis. The dreaded “White Plague” built a local economy reliant on medical tourism. In this approximately 1 mile walking tour through downtown, we’ll explore both the reputable and […]
Join Sara Hodge, Head of Collections, and the rest of the museum collections team on an exclusive behind-the-scenes tour. See how the museum stores the 17,000 works entrusted to its care and stewardship, and learn about ongoing collections projects including mural conservation, object inventory and cataloging, and NAGPRA compliance. After a tour of the collections […]
Join us for First Friday celebration from 5–8 p.m. Enjoy the stunning ambiance offered by this chic, historic venue. FREE museum admission — see what’s on view Live music Art in Deco Lounge by local artist Drinks and snacks available for purchase FREE downtown shuttle, THE ZEB, running along Tejon Street to downtown art galleries
Museum Free Days are offered the second Saturday and third Friday of each month. See what’s on view in the museum
