Walking along the streets of Old Town in Fort Collins, one may notice a number of painted scenes covering what would usually be plain electrical transformers, bus stops or even storm drains.

Since 1995, the City of Fort Collins has invited artists every year to design public art pieces with a mission to “encourage and enhance artistic expression and appreciation and to add value to the Fort Collins community through acquiring, exhibiting and maintaining public art.”

Many cities in Colorado implemented similar programs around the same time Art in Public Places was introduced in Fort Collins.

“(Art in Public Places) was started because it was recognized that art is vitally important to the quality of life and an economic driver in the community,” said Ellen Martin, head of the APP program and visual arts administrator of Fort Collins. “The goals of the program are to enrich the public environment for residents and visitors through the visual art.”

“Without a means for accessible art outside a gallery environment, the entire community suffers. Supporting local art through commissioned programs, paid events and ongoing patronage enables creatives to survive in a city with ever-growing expenses (and prevents) Fort Collins from becoming a sterile shell reliant on larger cities for cultural growth.” –Aerica Raven, Colorado-based artist

Among these initiatives is the Pianos About Town project, a collaboration between the APP program, the Bohemian Foundation and the Downtown Development Authority. The project aims to provide functioning pianos throughout Fort Collins, each decorated by an artist from the program.

Pianos are painted from May to October in Old Town Square. During this time, the public can interact with artists as they paint the pianos. Some pianos are also painted during the winter months in public indoor locations. The pianos, once completed, are rotated between various locations in Fort Collins where the public can view the artwork and play the piano. 

Partnering with Stormwater Utility, the APP program paints storm drains around Fort Collins, often featuring art meant to inform the public about the importance of protecting local watersheds, streams, rivers and lakes.

The APP program has consistently held strong ties to Fort Collins and its residents, heavily relying on community involvement and public reception.

“We were the first nationally to create a Transformer Cabinet Mural Program as a graffiti abatement project,” Martin said. “This project is a great opportunity for us to feature and support our local artists, which is another way the program gives back to our community.”

Local artist Aerica Raven, who has painted multiple murals for the program, said she feels that public art is immensely beneficial to a city and its inhabitants.

“Without a means for accessible art outside a gallery environment, the entire community suffers,” Raven said. “Supporting local art through commissioned programs, paid events and ongoing patronage enables creatives to survive in a city with ever-growing expenses (and prevents) Fort Collins from becoming a sterile shell reliant on larger cities for cultural growth.” 

Last year, Raven installed her third transformer cabinet mural, assisted with a Fort Collins pedestrian mural with local artist Jess Bean and participated in a live painting event through The Lincoln Center Art Gallery.

Not only are public art initiatives like these beneficial to the community, but they also benefit local artists and creatives.

“It is such a fun experience,” said Amy Heyse, local artist and participant of the APP program. “Painting outside in the open, making small talk with people passing by in Old Town Square and feeling like the art you’re making will be appreciated by the people who drive by it or the people who play the piano you worked on is a pretty cool feeling.”

At a time when art is rapidly changing with technological innovations such as artificial intelligence, human-made art is becoming an increasingly important part of the civic tapestry in local communities. 

“It’s a strange time to be an artist right now, especially with the rise of AI-generated art, so it’s important to appreciate and support creatives who create by hand,” Heyse said.

Reach Quinlan Kelleher at [email protected] or on Twitter @CSUCollegian.