Fine Arts Center

Virtual: Fundamentals of Drawing
2020-09-24 16:15 - 17:45 (America/Denver) | Virtual
Whether you have some existing drawing skills or would like to gain new ones, this is a class for you. Learn how to build a solid foundation in drawing. This course includes live Zoom class sessions & studio hours. Ages 6-9

The Arts & Social Action | S̵t̵o̵p̵RESIST(ing)/Start RECLAIMIMG: Eight Minutes and Forty-Six Seconds of JuJu
2020-10-29 18:30 - 20:00 | Virtual
Mountain Time
StopRESIST(ing)/Start RECLAIMIMG: Eight Minutes and Forty-Six Seconds of JuJu is a powerful collaboration between Colorado College Professor Michael Sawyer and Grammy Award-winning musician Nicholas Payton that layers actual recorded interactions between Black citizens and law enforcement with an original musical score. The resulting experience is one of beauty, pain, critical importance, and most importantly, reclamation.
The FAC will present a live stream of the piece, followed by a panel discussion.

Register for the experience & discussion

Michael Sawyer
Michael Sawyer is Assistant Professor of Race, Ethnicity, and Migration Studies and the Department of English at Colorado College in Colorado Springs, Colorado. He was recently appointed Distinguished Visiting Professor of English and the Fine Arts at the United States Air Force Academy and is the Founder and Director of the Africana Intellectual Project at Colorado College.
The Africana Intellectual Project spent the last three years exploring the sonic realm with the series curated by Sawyer, “Black Art(s): Radical Potentialities” featuring artists like Pharoah Sanders, Talib Kweli and the first US performance of Nicholas Payton’s Black American Symphony with the Colorado Springs Philharmonic. His sonic installation, (Stop)Resist(ing): Eight Minutes Forty Six seconds, continues the exploration of the radical potential of sound by interrogating the sensory space of police violence.
Sawyer has published two monographs. The first, An Africana Philosophy of Temporality: Homo Liminalis (Palgrave Press: 2018) was nominated for the American Philosophical Association’s 2019 First Book Prize. He recently published Black Minded: The Political Philosophy of Malcolm X (Pluto Press: 2020) that theorist/poet Fred Moten endorsed by saying: “In its careful analysis of his radical and exemplary practice in word and deed, Black Minded doesn’t give Malcolm X his rightful place in the canon of political philosophy so much as raise political philosophy to a height it never dared to reach by requiring and allowing it to ground with our brother. Michael Sawyer has written a powerful and necessary book”.
Professor Sawyer holds a B.S. in Political Science from the United States Naval Academy and Master’s degrees in International Relations from the University of Chicago’s Committee on International Relations and in Comparative Literature (African American, French, and German) from Brown University. He completed his PhD in Africana Studies at Brown University in 2015.
Nicholas Payton
Grammy Award Winning Multi-instrumentalist, composer and trumpet master, Nicholas Payton is one of the most important artists working and recording today. A virtuoso before he was out of high school, his talent and skills have earned him praise and accolades and ensured his place in musical history. Spanning a multitude of musical genres, Payton has composed and arranged, performed and recorded with his own groups in many settings, including solo, duo, trio, quartet, quintet, sextet, 21-piece big band, as well as his 2012 full orchestral work The Black American Symphony.
Payton is the president of his own successful independent label Paytone Records. The latest project is the Afro-Caribbean Mixtape where he seamlessly merges contemporary music, African rhythms, and the voices of historical figures with a performance and execution that is unmatched.
Payton was born into a musical family in New Orleans, Louisiana. He showed talent for music at a very early age. He received his first trumpet at age 4 and by age 9 was sitting in with local bands including the Young Tuxedo Brass Band. By the age of 12, he was a member of the All-Star Brass Band that performed and toured extensively. As he developed and studied, Nicholas successfully learned how to play several instruments. In addition to being an accomplished trumpeter, Nicholas plays piano, bass, drums, tuba, trombone, clarinet and saxophone, et al. During his high school years, Payton attended the New Orleans Center for Creative Arts to study with Clyde Kerr Jr. and after graduation attended the University of New Orleans where he studied with Harold Battiste and Ellis Marsalis, among others.
Payton has toured the world with Ray Brown, Elvin Jones and lists significant collaborations including Trey Anastasio, Ray Charles, Daniel Lanois, Dr. John, Stanley Jordan, Elvin Jones, Roy Haynes, Joe Henderson, Zigaboo Modeliste, Marcus Roberts, Jill Scott, Clark Terry, Allen Toussaint, Chucho Valdes, Dr. Michael White, Nancy Wilson, and many more. He recently produced a brilliant Tribute to Ella Fitzgerald for the gifted singer Jane Monheit. He is credited on over 140 recordings as a composer, arranger, special guest or sideman.

Virtual: Military Artistic Healing
2020-09-22 17:30 - 19:00 | Virtual
In this virtual class, active duty military & veterans are invited to explore possibilities, develop their creativity, & gain personal insight through working with a variety of controllable mediums. This course includes live Zoom sessions. Adults

Of Spacious Skies: An Audio Play Anthology Series
2020-09-17 | FAC Digital, CO, United States
Using the Golden Age of Radio Plays as the jumping off point, our intrepid team of artists, has created 12 weekly episodes of a series which highlights the past, present and future of Colorado Springs, with Pikes Peak as our center point. While it is best to experience the series as released, and recognized as a complete omnibus, each 15-minute episode can be listened to individually and in any order.

Virtual FAC Play Club!
2020-10-01 19:00 - 20:30 | Virtual
First Thursday of the month, Oct. 1–May 6 (8 sessions) 7–8:30 p.m.
Join FAC Theatre Company’s Producing Artistic Director, Scott RC Levy, for lively conversations about plays! It’s a book club for play lovers! Each month, a new play will be dissected, discussed and celebrated.

Now. Here. This.
2020-11-20 - 2020-11-26 | Virtual
FAC Theatre School Benefit Performance.
11 Students. Guest Appearances. 60 Minute Virtual Musical Performance.
The show follows the evolution and adventures of a group of friends as they journey through time — from the present to the past and back again. They share their stories about friendship, hoarding, hiding, laughing, living, dying and middle school in an attempt to step directly into that elusive “present moment.”

Same Old New School: A Conversation on Graffiti & Street Art
2020-12-03 18:00 - 19:00 | Virtual
Same Old New School is a weekly podcast from Chicago’s Vocalo, hosted by FAC Director Idris Goodwin and Kevin Coval. The show examines the intersections of Hip Hop with culture, politics, fashion and more.
In this live special edition, Goodwin and Coval bring together a panel of artists and thinkers to talk about graffiti and contemporary street art and their historic influences civically, politically, and creatively.

Papel Chicano Dos: Works on Paper from the Collection of Cheech Marin
2020-12-04 10:00 - 2021-08-07 16:00 | Fine Arts Center, 30 W. Dale St., Colorado Springs, CO, 80903, United States
Experience artworks from 24 established and emerging Chicana/o artists created from the late 1980s to present day from the collection of Cheech Marin.

Libation Creations: Holiday Edition
2020-12-16 17:00 - 18:00 | Virtual
New artmaking happy hour series
Wednesday, Dec. 16, 5 p.m. Live Online
Celebrate the season with artist Linda Sagastume and mixologist Angelina Rice whose holiday-inspired creations will add a little festivity to your year!
Here’s what to expect—
Step 1: Angelina will teach you how to make a traditional mulled wine in a step-by-step demonstration, live from her winery, Mesa Winds, in Hotchkiss, Colorado.
Step 2: While your concoction is simmering, pour yourself a glass of wine and follow along with Linda as you create unique paper snowflakes using items you probably already have. We’ll also learn about W.A. Bentley’s amazing collection of actual snow crystals, amassed over 50 years from New England’s northernmost mountains.
Step 3: Your mulled wine is ready! Sit back, sip, and admire your artwork.
FAC Members: $5; Non-members: $10
Join us for this fun, casual, and creative experience where questions and conversation are welcome. You’ll receive a list of drink ingredients and art supplies in your confirmation email.
Tickets

Holiday Cabaret
2020-12-17 - 2021-01-03 | Virtual
The FAC Theatre Company is packaging up joy and merriment and sending it your way in our 2020 Holiday Cabaret!
From our homes to yours, we’re bringing love, light, laughter, and a few surprises direct to your kitchens and living rooms for the FAC’s 2020 holiday production.
Grab your crew, a warm beverage, and a cozy chair and settle in for over a dozen unique acts from FAC Theatre Company favorites and their families in this special holiday season experience!

Sweet Land: A New Opera by The Industry
2020-12-17 - 2021-01-25 | Virtual
Despite stellar reviews and sold-out performances, the world premiere of experimental new opera Sweet Land was forced to shut down two weeks ahead of schedule due to COVID-19. Fortunately, a final performance was captured on film to preserve a new work the Los Angeles Times called “opera as astonishment.”
The Fine Arts Center Museum is pleased to provide access to this streaming version free of charge (first come, first served; 200 access codes available). Tickets to view the filmed performance have been made possible by the generous Andrew W. Mellon Foundation Grant for Southwest Art and Culture.

Creating Sweet Land: A Conversation with the Artists (Pt. 1)
2021-01-05 18:00 - 19:00 | Virtual
The FAC will host two conversations with the artists behind Sweet Land, both moderated by Raven Chacon (the first Mellon Foundation Artist in Residence at the FAC).
Panelists: Cannupa Hanska Luger, Du Yun, and Raven Chacon (moderator)

Creating Sweet Land: A Conversation with the Artists (Pt. 2)
2021-01-07 18:00 - 19:00 | Virtual
The FAC will host two conversations with the artists behind Sweet Land, both moderated by Raven Chacon (the first Mellon Foundation Artist in Residence at the FAC).
Panelists: Yuval Sharon, Douglas Kearney, Aja Couchois Duncan, and Raven Chacon (moderator)

Let’s Keep Going with Oil Painting
2021-01-09 13:00 - 14:30 | Virtual
This virtual course will pick up where Let’s Get Started with Oil Painting left off. We will explore more advanced brushwork, painting edges, how to paint specific subjects in the landscape, and floral subjects. You will also have the chance to get personalized feedback on your paintings. Take your basic knowledge of oil painting and go even further! Let’s Get Started with Oil Painting is a prerequisite for this class. This virtual course includes live Zoom sessions and prerecorded content.
Ages 16-Adult

Belle Epoque Virtual Class
2021-01-11 11:00 - 13:00 | Virtual
Repurpose a children’s board book and create an art journal inspired by La Belle Epoque, the beautiful era. Layers of gesso, acrylic paints, turn of the century ephemera, tea-stained paper, and stencils will be used to explore the patterns and nature-inspired motifs of this period. The art of Louis Tiffany and Gustav Klimt, prominent artists of this era, will also provide inspiration for creating expressive pages. This virtual course includes live Zoom class sessions and live Zoom studio hours. Ages 16-Adult

Arts & Social Action: The Raid
2021-01-14 18:00 - 19:00 | Virtual
Join us for a community talkback and Q&A with Idris Goodwin and Tiffany Nichole Greene moderated by Dramaturge Julia Felise Dubiner.

Cleo Parker Robinson dance: The MOVE/ment
2021-01-18 13:00 - 17:00 | Virtual
The Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center at Colorado College celebrates 50 years of Cleo Parker Robinson Dance. In honor of the 2021 Martin Luther King Day Celebrations, we are honored to share this recording of “The MOVE/ment,” a work inspired by a trip to Montgomery, Alabama by members of CPR Dance. It is a piece about the Civil Rights Movement that invites us all to ask what Civil Rights mean to us in the present day.

Invigorate Your Art in 2021
2021-01-21 19:00 - 20:30 | Virtual
Whether you are a total beginner or a seasoned professional, there is much to learn in this virtual course that will improve your art. We will cover the artist’s mindset, composition, color, experimentation, process, adding texture, taking risks, and keeping your art practice fun. If you are uninspired or in a slump, this course will invigorate your art making practice. The principles and practices taught in this virtual course can be applied to any style of art. This course includes live Zoom class sessions and live Zoom studio hours.
Ages 16-Adult

3x3 Projects: Proposal Submissions
2021-01-27 - 2021-03-05 | Virtual
Nine projects will be funded in the amount of $3,000 per project. Funds awarded will be inclusive and project teams will decide how to divide them accordingly. In the future there may be an opportunity to apply for additional funding to adapt these digital projects into physical experiences at the Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center. Apply now!
