THE ARTISTS
ABOUT STREETSCAPES ART PARK
The StreetScapes Art Park is being developed by the Dolores Rotary Satellite Club, whose members meet in Cortez CO, to create a public open source ART SPACE that benefits the community by showcasing artists and their work in a place that can be seen easily by the public.
This also provides a tourist roadside attraction that boosts economic development and puts Cortez on the Roadside Art map.
The space will have 3 to 4 portable art installations in a "V" shape, with the outside of the V facing the road, and the inside facing the parking lot. There will be oversized panels attached of various shapes and sizes meant for artists to use.
Road-facing panels will be reserved for specific ART CONTESTS that will happen 2 - 3 times per year. Artists will submit proofs of concept to enter the contest, then when selected, invited to create art on one of the road-facing panels. We will be awarding a 1st place prize of $1000 and 2nd place prize of $500, with additional prizes possible from sponsors.
Inside panels will be open to all artists and the public to use. There will be lots of various sized panels to choose from, and panels will be changed out or painted over periodically to open spots for new artist to come in.
We want to create a venue to encourage and highlight our local artists, giving them a way for higher exposure and income. Art lovers will be able to purchase the artist's work or hire them for a custom piece. All monies obtained by the artist for selling their work will be kept 100% by the artist, the only "cost" will be to replace the panel with an empty one if they wish to sell their art. Artists can also choose to donate their work back to the club for future art rotations or gallery exhibits.
This Art Park will also generate tourism for our community as a roadside attraction. What to do in Cortez? You have to see the amazing artists at this art park! In the future we hope to add more art park locations around the region.
Location: Hwy 491, between Empire & MacArthur Ave
CREATING A SPACE FOR OTHER LOCAL ART AND ARTISTS
While the large panels facing the road will be set aside for the quarterly art competitions, we will have a space for local and upcoming artists, giving them the chance to create and display their art on the inside area of the art installations. These will consist of panels of various sizes and will be open to anyone who wishes to create without any need for permission or review. Each panel will be displayed for a set period before being painted over or allowed to be removed by the artist (if they replace the panel). We hope to garner interest and excitement to build and support a growing art community in Cortez. We will encourage local youth to focus their street art on these panels, and allow them to express themselves and create their own art community. These panels will be “self-policed” and open to the public. As the panels get used, we will paint over or allow the artist to remove and replace the panel to keep the installation constantly changing and fresh and open for other artists to come in.
ECONOMIC IMPACTS / BENEFITS TO TOURISM
Art is an amazing attraction. Our panels will be big enough to be seen by anyone driving down the road and will encourage people to stop, observe and admire our local artists. We know it will become a popular roadside attraction that our community can tout as a reason to visit Cortez, Colorado. We expect to see our displays all over social media from individuals posting them from around the world.
We hope to inspire future art installations, other locations and other art projects throughout the city making Cortez a destination for the art appreciating public, which will attract new businesses and opportunities to be the origin story of future great artists that got their start here.
The Cortez Community Art Park will enhance our free-spirited culture and bring a positive perception to Southwest Colorado. We will be supporting a community of artists to live and create here. We suspect there will be lots of ancillary benefits, both material and immaterial to our area. We want to see our artists displayed in local businesses, in galleries and displayed in art shows. We are creating the structure and process to do that.