Arts in Society Colorado Art Grant

The Museum of Friends received an Arts in Society (AiS) grant to support the Planter Boxes for the Common Good/Walsenburg project. This initiative replaced hand-painted wooden planters with modern art planters along Main Street, each featuring QR codes that provide visitors with inclusive, revisionist stories about the indigenous, Hispano, and European heritage of the region. In collaboration with local partners, Walsenburg Downtown Revitalization, Diane Lohman Design, and RedHyl Welding, the planter boxes reflect the area’s rich cultural history while also promoting sustainability through narratives about solar energy and counterculture art communities. This walking tour, developed by MoF’s program director Scott Fick, highlights the museum’s visionary role in Walsenburg’s revitalization.