At this time 12 months ago, everyone involved with Creative Alliance Manitou Springs thought 2023 would bring all kinds of challenges and opportunities. Looking back now over the past 12 months, those expectations were on target.
For those who need a primer, the Creative Alliance — or CRANE, as the organization likes to be known — is an independent 501(c)(3) nonprofit that serves as Manitou’s state-sanctioned creative district. CRANE’s mission includes overseeing public art, supporting local businesses, groups and people involved with arts and culture and helping various projects.
My involvement with CRANE goes back to the beginning, about 10 years ago, when civic leader Natalie Johnson pulled together a group that spent months planning how to develop a creative district.
We eventually formed a board, achieved sanctioning that brought state support, began carving our niche with Johnson and later Becca Sickbert as executive director, and merged with the Manitou Springs Arts Council to form CRANE at the start of 2022.
Now the CRANE board — including myself as chair, Audrey Gray, Farley McDonough, Edie Greene, Taylor Trask, Julia Wright, Mary Snyder, Jeanne Solze and Fred Darpino — feels we should report on where we’ve been and where we’re going.
This isn’t just about looking back
Here’s a recap of CRANE’s 2023 high points:
● Public art. Continuing the momentum from Manitou’s 150-year celebration, CRANE pursued four new installations across the downtown area in 2023, making two-year agreements with artists instead of one year. We worked with the Urban Renewal Authority to wrap up three major installations in the URA area at the east entrance to Fields Park, outside the Holiday Inn Express and along the Marcy Morrison Bridge on Beckers Lane. Also, we made much progress developing a public art walking tour on the Otocast app.
● Sanctioning. The state recertified us for five more years as a Creative District, which means some funding help, grant opportunities, plus continued sharing and learning with other cities.
● Relocation. CRANE moved our office to the Chamber of Commerce at 354 Manitou Ave. Besides a cost-savings budget impact, this opens the way to enhance our partnership with the chamber under the same roof. The board also had two special meetings to update CRANE’s strategic plan.
● Community. We played an active role in events/projects such as overseeing the art call and choosing the covering for the city’s new electric trams, the Day of Friendship and being designated by USA Today as the No. 4 best small-town art scene in America.
● Leadership. CRANE said farewell Aug. 1 to Becca Sickbert, the executive director for more than three years and a major presence throughout Manitou, working on such projects as Manitou Made, Pollinators, the Turtle Crossings on El Paso Boulevard and so many more. Sickbert now runs her own consulting business and still is involved with the Manitou Arts, Culture, and Heritage grant process as well as the Pikes Peak Bulletin.
The list goes on, but this isn’t just about looking back. CRANE has fresh plans for 2024.
Audrey Gray, our vice chair, is moving from the board to become interim executive director, starting Jan. 2. As a well-known artist, former Arts Council leader and head of CRANE’s Public Art Committee, Audrey knows all aspects of the CRANE operation. She stepped up this fall to handle major tasks and soon became the smart choice to take the reins. We anticipate she and the board will decide by summer whether to make it permanent.
CRANE plans three public art installations for the year ahead, with details and sites in the works, as well as working with the URA on its final permanent art project, likely to become reality in 2025. You’ll also soon see a new installation in the roundabout at the west entrance to Manitou.
We’re planning to add some new events, highlighted by regular learning programs for local artists and business owners, and we’re exploring the idea of outdoor movies with perhaps a film festival.
CRANE will continue helping individuals and groups with MACH grant proposals, and we’ll be updating our working agreements with the city and the chamber.
The goal here is to help the public have a better understanding of CRANE’s scope. This also is a good place to emphasize how much we appreciate the ongoing support of City Administrator Denise Howell, also the city’s liaison to CRANE’s board, and numerous city staffers whose efforts with installing public art have been invaluable.
Hopefully, this gives you an idea of how far we’ve come and how strongly the CRANE board feels about our presence and influence on the community. Personally, I’m gratified to be part of it, making a difference for Manitou Springs.
The next challenge: Do even more in 2024.
Information: manitouspringscd.org.