Denver Arts & Venues has announced another round of funding public art through its P.S. You Are Here grants.
This round of grantees, are receiving a total of $57,500, include a few way-finding and marking projects -- like murals seeing you off and welcoming you back to Montbello, artwork directing people to the various attractions in the Golden Triangle and murals along a stretch of the Lakewood Gulch walking path.
The projects all have to involve the neighborhood they're in and provide some kind of short-term physical improvement. The grant program is part of Denver's IMAGINE 2020 cultural plan.
If you for some reason committed it to memory that Arts & Venues said it would award more than $70,000 in P.S. You Are Here grants this go-around, you're probably wondering what happened (and should probably tell me what your memory strengthening secrets are, please).
Amber Fochi, program manager for Arts & Culture Marketing and Public Relations, said the numbers are off because they're not done yet. There are projects still being finalized that will be announced in the new year.
For now, here's what we've got:
- Sloan's Lake Citizen's Group: $10,000. Working with Ladies Fancywork Society, Sloan's Lake Citizen's Group will create yarn artwork for an unsightly fence surrounding a maintenance yard adjacent to an active sports court, seating area and pedestrian pathway around Sloan's Lake.
- The Art Garage, nonprofit: $7,500. The Westwood Arts District "hub" will be an artistically designed structure serving as a resource for local arts and culture information, showcasing curated themes and decorated with symbols and motifs from Latino culture. Sidewalk "paths" with stenciled symbols will lead to several local murals.
- Birdseed Collective: $10,000. Birdseed Collective, with several artists and Villa Park RNO volunteers, will complete artwork along the long retaining wall of the Lakewood Gulch walking path from 10th Avenue and Osceola Street westward into the Villa Park community. Currently graffiti-filled, this highly-used path will be painted with vibrant designs and colors. Small hand-painted boulders will be placed along the path to create a safer and more colorful walkway for residents.
- Montbello 2020, RNO: $10,000. Local artist Thomas Evans has designed a color-blended public art mural that will revitalize a major drainage canal with an impactful message. "Seize the Day" will greet residents on their commute out of Montbello, and "Home Sweet Montbello" will welcome them back.
- Trust for Public Land: $10,000. Trust for Public Land will work with the East Denver community to enhance New Freedom Park, adding distinct and culturally relevant features with youth-led mural creation.
- Golden Triangle Creative District: $10,000. The Golden Triangle Creative District will create a series of artworks in the Golden Triangle assisting visitors with wayfinding and marking gateway entry and exit points. Using the 2014 Neighborhood Plan to locate sites, the Golden Triangle Creative District will work with local artists for these temporary artworks.
We'll update here when we learn about the remaining recipients. See you in 2019!
