There have been calls across the country for more public art. But why is public art actually important? According to Knight Soul of the Community (SOTC), a three-year study examining the factors that connect citizens to their community, there is a direct correlation between increased community attachment and economic growth. SOTC also discovered that “social offerings, openness and welcomeness [and] the aesthetics of a place; its art, parks, and green spaces” were more important to further community attachment than other factors. Through visualizing culture, public art strengthens a sense of community. But more importantly, because of its location, it’s accessible to anyone and everyone.
According to the Downtown Partnership of Colorado Springs, “today’s downtown is still recognized as the artistic and historic heart of our city.” As of June 2014, downtown Colorado Springs has been designated as a Creative District by Colorado Creative Industries, which is a division of the Colorado Office of Economic Development & International Trade.
Downtown Colorado Springs “recognizes the power of creativity and innovation. Arts and culture play an important role in downtown’s economic development, tourism, quality of life and community building considerations.”
In terms of arts and culture, the Downtown Partnership of Colorado Springs is involved with a couple of events, including Art on the Streets, arts and culture tours, First Friday, and a new project known as InterSection.
“Public art takes a new form in Downtown Colorado Springs with the introduction of InterSection, a program that transforms traffic signal boxes into works of art. Programs like this have become a popular way across the country to beautify urban areas, while deterring graffiti and damage.”
In February of this year, a call for professional artists was sent out to “design as many covers for traffic cabinets in this new initiative.” A jury selected the final artists who were then paid $600 for their work. Pikes Peak Community Foundation provides the project’s title sponsorship.
Eric Fetsch, a member of the Pikes Peak Watercolor Society, is one of twelve artists to have their artwork featured on a traffic box in downtown Colorado Springs. According to his website, Fetsch uses “watercolors to depict the scenes of landscapes and wildlife” and is involved in many projects and non-profits through artwork donations. He writes that, “the InterSection Project is designed to improve the experience of pedestrians and drivers by utilizing the signal boxes as a platform for innovative design and color.”
Currently, there are 13 InterSection boxes completed. They are scattered from Costilla Street up to Boulder Street and from Cascade to Weber. For more information on the artists and a map of where you can locate the boxes, visit http://www.downtowncs.com.