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FORT COLLINS, Colo., May 15, 2019 – Pianos About Town, a program that brings local art and spontaneous music to the streets of Fort Collins, today announced the artists selected to paint pianos in 2019.
Local artists selected to paint pianos in 2019 are: Natalie Selden Barnes, Chelsea Ermer, Elisa Gomez, Wildrose Hamilton, Amy Heyse, Carly Knowles, Mike McPuff (McClure), Joe Motive (Myers), Lynn Rizzotto, Werner Schreiber, Larry Tucci and Kristen Vohs.
“We’re excited to watch alongside the community as this year’s artists paint scenes both familiar and fantastical under the tent in Old Town Square,” said Ellen Martin, visual arts administrator for the City of Fort Collins. “Whether it’s music-playing aliens or a colorful rendering of Horsetooth Mountain, each piano will be an adventure to those who see and play it.”
Outdoor summer painting will take place May through October underneath the Art in Action tent on the south side of Fort Collins’ Old Town Square.
Pianos About Town brings local art and spontaneous music to the streets of Fort Collins. Pianos About Town started in 2010 as a collaboration among Bohemian Foundation, the City of Fort Collins Art in Public Places program and the Fort Collins Downtown Development Authority. Community members watch as local artists transform donated pianos into public art. In 2018, the program celebrated its 100th painted piano.
Scattered among 20 locations across town in the summer, and six locations in the winter, the completed pianos offer surprise interruptions of color and music across Fort Collins. The whimsical pianos beckon to passersby and invite them to make and listen to music together.
First-time artist with the Pianos About Town program is Natalie Selden Barnes, who has been an art educator for more than 20 years. Barnes is currently a teacher and adviser in the Department of Art and Art History at Colorado State University. She was a founding board member of Artistic Abilities, a local nonprofit with the mission of providing access to the arts for artists with disabilities.
Barnes will paint “Carousel Magic,” a concept that comes from the artist’s life-long love of carousels. “One of my earliest happy memories is of riding a merry-go-round,” said Barnes in her artist statement. “The feeling of freedom and pure joy. Reaching out to try and snatch the brass ring and running through the animals to find my favorite ride. Even today, in my sixties, I’ll always jump at the chance for fun on a carousel. I’ve tried with this design to capture the feeling of riding one.”
Concept images:
Returning artist Amy Heyse will paint her third piano in 2019. Heyse is a Fort Collins artist and resident who currently works as lead artist and artist trainer at Pinot’s Palette in Old Town.
Heyse will paint “How to Fold a Paper Crane,” a concept that shows step-by-step instructions on how to fold a paper crane, using colors and design elements inspired by Japanese origami paper. In describing the inspiration for her piece, Heyse said, “Growing up, I loved learning how to do origami from my mom. For most people, origami is synonymous with paper cranes. A person who folds a thousand paper cranes is said to have a wish of theirs granted. They’re also a symbol of hope and healing.”
“My goal is to create a striking piano that is not only beautiful and enticing to play musically, but also instructs any passersby on how to create a small work of art on their own.”
Concept images:
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FORT COLLINS, Colorado, April 8, 2019 – Bohemian Foundation today announced that it awarded $522,500 to 42 local organizations working to encourage and enable youth to thrive, empower individuals and families on the path toward economic stability, and strengthen our vibrant community. Bohemian Foundation awards Pharos Fund grants twice every year. Since its inception in 2001, Bohemian Foundation has awarded $19,384,190 in Pharos Fund grants to a variety of organizations serving the Fort Collins area.
Pharos Fund is a responsive grantmaking program of Bohemian Foundation that makes awards up to $30,000 to eligible 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations and government units. A committee comprised of Bohemian Foundation board members and community reviewers selects grantees through a competitive application process.
Click here to view the full List of Spring 2019 Pharos Fund Recipients.
Bohemian Foundation will begin accepting applications for the next Pharos Fund round in August 2019. Visit BohemianFoundation.org for more information.
Bohemian Foundation is a private family foundation established in 2001. Based in Fort Collins, Colorado, Bohemian Foundation works to empower citizens and impact communities through its responsive grantmaking programs and special initiatives.
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FORT COLLINS, Colo., April 3, 2019 – Bohemian Foundation today announced that applications are now being accepted for the Spring 2019 Muse grant round. Muse is a responsive, competitive grant program offered by Bohemian Foundation’s Music Programs.
Muse provides support to organizations that have popular contemporary music as their primary focus, or that have a program that centers on popular contemporary music. Through Muse, Bohemian Foundation makes awards of up to $20,000 to eligible 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations serving Larimer and Weld Counties. Applications are accepted twice per year. Funding requests must align primarily with one of Bohemian Foundation’s Music Programs goals: to provide youth with encouragement and opportunities to express themselves through music; to help musicians and music-related businesses grow and develop; and to increase performances of live music.
Bohemian Foundation will accept applications until 11:59 p.m. on April 24.
For more information or to apply for a grant, visit Bohemian Foundation’s website at bohemianfoundation.org/music-programs/muse.
Bohemian Foundation is a private family foundation established in 2001. Based in Fort Collins, Colorado, Bohemian Foundation works to empower citizens and impact communities through its responsive grantmaking programs and special initiatives.
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FORT COLLINS, Colo., April 1, 2019 – Fort Collins’ annual Project Homeless Connect is scheduled to take place on April 12, 8 a.m.-noon. Project Homeless Connect is a one-day, one-stop event that offers a range of free services to hundreds of individuals and families who are experiencing homelessness or who are at risk of homelessness.
Project Homeless Connect will take place at Northside Aztlan Community Center, 112 Willow St. A free breakfast will be available beginning at 8 a.m. and a free lunch will be served from 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Nearly 40 local nonprofits, government agencies and businesses will provide on-site services. Bohemian Foundation, Homeward Alliance, Outreach Fort Collins and Colorado State University Student Leadership, Involvement and Community Engagement (SLiCE) co-produce the event with support from United Way of Larimer County and the City of Fort Collins Recreation Department.
Free services this year will include basic car inspection; bike repair; medical screenings; basic dental screenings for adults and children; eye exams; family photos; haircuts; housing information; veterans’ services; ID and legal services; employment services; counseling; government benefits; child care and children’s activities; bus passes; massages; toiletry packages; pet health care and pet food.
During the event, each participant is paired one-to-one with a volunteer who helps the participant navigate the variety of services available. Last year, SLiCE recruited nearly 400 CSU students and Fort Collins community members to volunteer.
The Project Homeless Connect concept originated in San Francisco in 2004. In 2005, the U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness launched the National Project Homeless Connect Partnership. Since 2008, more than 200 cities across the U.S., Canada and Australia have adopted the initiative. Fort Collins welcomed its first Project Homeless Connect in 2010. Since then, nearly 5,000 individuals and families experiencing homelessness or at risk of homelessness have attended the event.
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