Steamboat Springs Center for Visual Arts Inc

EMERGING ARTIST PROGRAM (EAP): COOPERATIVE MEMBER-BASED EMERGING ARTISTS' GALLERY AND PUBLIC ART APPRECIATION VENUE AT 837 LINCOLN AVENUE, STEAMBOAT SPRINGS. GOALS: 1) PROVIDE A NURTURING ENVIRONMENT WHERE EMERGING ARTISTS CAN EXHIBIT THEIR WORK WITHOUT REGARD TO THE ARTIST'S COMMERCIAL VIABILITY; 2) PROVIDE A SUPPORT NETWORK FOR ARTISTS TO CONNECT WITH THEIR PEERS; 3) LEARN FROM OBSERVATION AND THE EXPERIENCE OF A PROFESSIONAL EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR TO IMPROVE ON ARTISTIC TECHNIQUE, PRESENTATION OF ARTWORK, INTERACTION WITH THE PUBLIC, AND PORTFOLIO PREPARATION FOR FINDING BROADER EXPOSURE IN COMMERCIAL GALLERIES OUTSIDE THE REGION. THE GALLERY HOSTS OVER 10,000 VISITORS ANNUALLY AND IS THE "MUST STOP" VENUE FOR THE FIRST FRIDAY ARTWALK, AVERAGING WELL OVER 500 ART APPRECIATORS FOR THIS MONTHLY EVENT. CONSISTENT WITH OUR MISSION, 70% OF ART SALES REVENUE IS RETURNED TO THE ARTIST, A SIGNIFICANT ECONOMIC STIMULUS TO AN UNDERSERVED SEGMENT OF THE ARTS COMMUNITY IN THE VALLEY. STEAMBOAT SPRINGS FIRST FRIDAY ARTWALK (SSFFA): ESTABLISHED IN 2008, THE CVA OVERSEES THE PRODUCTION AND FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT OF THIS EXCITING MONTHLY CITY-WIDE EVENT FOR THE PURPOSE OF COMMUNITY ART APPRECIATION. IT IS ONLY PARTIALLY FUNDED BY PROGRAM FEES FROM 20 EXHIBITING MEMBER VENUES, INCLUDING MUSEUMS, GALLERIES AND ALTERNATIVE SITES. LINDA LAUGHLIN, EXEC. DIRECTOR OF THE CVA, CO-FOUNDER OF FIRST FRIDAY ARTWALK IN 2008, WROTE THE ARTISTIC GUIDELINES FOR THE ORGANIZATION AND HAS MAINTAINED THE MOMENTUM OF THE EVENT FOR THE PAST EIGHT YEARS. IT IS THE SINGLE MOST EFFECTIVE, FREE MONTHLY ARTS EVENT IN THE CITY OF STEAMBOAT SPRINGS, BRINGING HUNDREDS OF VISITORS INTO THE DOWNTOWN AREA THAT HELPS PROVIDE ECONOMIC SUPPORT TO LOCAL BUSINESSES. IN 2017, THE FIRST FRIDAY ARTWALK BROCHURE WROTE STORIES AND FEATURED 12 LOCAL ARTISTS IN ITS MONTHLY PUBLICATION. IN 2017 WE WERE PROUD TO HAVE TWO OF OUR EMERGING ARTIST MEMBERS BE SELECTED AS THE WINNERS OF THE COVER ARTWORK FOR THE YAMPA VALLEY ARTS AND GALLERY GUIDE. ADDITIONALLY, THE WORK OF ONE OF OUR ARTISTS WAS SELECTED AS THE POSTER ARTWORK FOR THE ANNUAL WINTER CARNIVAL FESTIVAL.