i have had quite a few great experiences with the durango arts center in the past year. each month there is a great new exhibit of local and regional artists. there are classes for all age groups available on a very regular basis. the theatre productions included adorable "kid" plays and also the controversial "8-the reindeer monologues." the winter solstice fair provided a wonderful collection of local art work available for the holiday giving season. and i must add that i am crazy excited about seeing my all time favorite bluegrass performer here this year. i have seen him quite a few times in much larger venues, and i am tickled that he will be here in the cozy durango arts center theatre!!! the arts center is a real gift for this community!!!!!!
The Durango Arts Center is a vital non-profit for Durango with a beautiful gallery that offers local and national shows, an intimate theater for confrences, performances, and music, and an amazing education program that serves kids, teens, and adults. Durango is very lucky to have this place!
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24 Pounds of Bullets and Steel - A Cowgirl Opera
Written by local , produced by a local, this show offered a taste of melodrama mixed with burlesque. An opera? About cowgirls? it sure did work for me!!!!
August Art Classes for Kids - offers visual arts classes for kids 6-11 and also 12 an older. Class offerings include screen painting, dream time dot painting, plaster casting and figure and perspective drawing.
some classes taught by Education Coordinator Sandra Butler, who has been teaching art classes and art appreciation for the last 15 years. a great experience for kids of all ages
2 exhibits at once at the Durango Arts Center presented quite the contrast in art. The 4 corners Commission opened to an overflow crowd. It offered an abundance of works that emphasize the beauty of light, vista or vegetation.
Jeff Madeem's show "I Wouldn't Believe It, Even If It Was True" is the opposite of the downstairs exhibit. Two objects dominate the space, and both signal distress and danger. Messages, texts, collage panels, sculptures and found object assemblages crawl over wall space and counters
Always....Patsy Cline - Loved it!!! Traci Lyn and Mary Ellen -the 2 stars of the show- were great. I laughed. I cried. FUN
Peter Rowan, who joined Bill Monroe's Bluegrass Boys in 1965, played along with Jerry Garcia, Vassar Clements and David Grisman on "Old and in the Way", recorded dozens of records with his bands, gave a show at The Durango Arts Center to benefit the Tara Mandala Buddhist Retreat Center in Pagosa Springs. Rowan, a practicing Buddhist, has become a bluegrass standard at festivals and picking circles countrywide. The show was a solo show, and gave Rowan a chance to focus more on his songs , lyrics and beliefs than his hot bluegrass band. Great music that testified his belief in Buddahism and benefit a peace oriented organization
Over 80 people approached the workshop after the Durango Herald ran a story on the groups formation. After guidelines went out, 60 chose to apply and 18 were chosen. In the 4th week, the group is 12 strong. Some are promising beginners, some are journalists wishing to rekindle their writing of short stories and some have already published their work. Stories are brought in, read aloud and discussed for writing tips. the class is free. One of the writers in the class will be selected to publish a short story for ARTS PERSPECTIVE (summer issue) and this could turn into almost certain publication debut for the selected writer
Classes are well organized, appropriate in length with a pace that encouraged involvement and openness to the creative ideas of students. The instructor was very encouraging. The objectives of the class were well stated and matched the goals i had. The facility and studio space suited the class well. And it is affordable. The class was well worth my time. I was so into the class that i did not want to leave! I definitely learned a lot.