Huerfano County Judicial Center Art Exhibition & Pro-Social Art Program

Huerfano County Judicial Center Art Exhibition & Pro-Social Art Program

Partnership with the Third Judicial District | Launched 2021 | Ongoing

The Museum of Friends (MoF) partnered with the Third Judicial District to curate and install the public art collection in the newly constructed Huerfano County Judicial Center in Walsenburg, Colorado. Working closely with Chief Judge Leslie J. Gerbracht and Court Executive Bob Kreiman, MoF co-founder and Executive Director Maria Cocchiarelli-Berger coordinated the selection and placement of contemporary paintings and photographs that reflect the people and landscapes of Huerfano County.

The exhibition includes works by Radeaux, Judge Claude Appel, and Zoe Childerley, whose portraits, created during her artist residency at MoF, capture local residents and community spirit. The collaboration highlights art as a civic and humanizing presence in a space of justice, bridging cultural identity and public service through creative expression.

As part of MoF’s ongoing community engagement, Maria also developed the Pro-Social Art Program in partnership with the Huerfano County Probation Department and the Adult Drug Court Program. The initiative invites participants to engage in meditation, visualization, and art-making as tools for reflection, emotional regulation, and personal transformation. Conducted within the Museum of Friends, the sessions combine mindfulness and creativity to foster positive coping skills, reduce stress, and strengthen community connection.

This partnership between the judicial system and a rural museum demonstrates how art can support healing, rehabilitation, and civic well-beinge, mbodying MoF’s mission to integrate the arts into everyday life and community well-being.