The Broadmoor

2011-2012

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ARTS & CULTURE • In the years 1921-23, the Broad- moor Art Academy trained 25 World War I veterans the vocational skills to make a living at graphic design and commercial art. Today, the Bemis School of Art offers Military Creative Expressions to Iraq and Afghanistan soldiers to help them cope with the ravages of war. • In 1935, Colorado Governor Edwin C. Johnson attended the first official FAC exhibition held at Cossitt Hall. In 2007, Colorado Governor Bill Ritter attended the first official FAC Gala held after the expansion and renovation. Inspector Magic Mark Weidhaas entertains the children. Photo by Kirk Speer. THE ARTS START HERE The Fine Arts Center is the cultural hub of the Colorado Springs community F or many residents of Colorado Springs, their first experience in a real-live theater, a big-time gallery, or even a paint-splattered stu- dio happened at the Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center. That’s why their motto is, “The Arts Start Here.” But it goes deeper than that. The Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center celebrated its 75th Anniversary on April 20, 2011, cementing its long- standing role in the community. The Fine Arts Center’s roots go even further back, to 1919 when the Broadmoor Art Academy launched on the corner of Dale and Cascade. So considering this rich history, what lies ahead for this cultural institution? Today, the mission of the Fine Arts Center is to provide innovative, edu- cational and multidisciplinary arts experiences, building upon its history as a unique cultural pillar of the Rocky Mountain region. The board and staff of the Fine Arts Center feel a responsibility to continue the legacy born all those years ago when General Director Stanley Lothrup said in 1935: “We aim to become an art center not only for Colorado Springs, but for this entire sec- tion of the West.” Here is a small sampling of what the Fine Arts Center has done and con- tinues to do for the community today. 120 The Broadmoor Magazine | 2011 • 2012 • In 1936, the Fine Arts Center offered the best in French Modernists, including Renoir, Matisse and Van Gogh during the Grand Opening. In 2010, the FAC offered the best in American contem- porary art with William Kentridge: The World is Process. • In 1936, Martha Graham danced on the FAC stage. In 2011, the Martha Graham Dance Company dances on the FAC stage. • In 1936, the Colorado Springs Chamber Orchestra performed. In 2011, the Colorado Springs Chamber Orchestra returns to the FAC to per- form at Labor Day on the Lawn. • In 1937, classes for children were first held at the FAC. Today, the Bemis School of Art holds three semesters of classes for both children and adults of any ability level. • In the late 1930s, FAC audiences were treated to a concert by Andres Segovia, one of the 20th Century’s finest classical guitarists. In the late 2000s, the FAC presented internation- ally renowned jazz trumpeter, Cuong Vu. Both Segovia and Vu were Grammy Award winners. BY CHARLIE SNYDER

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