Mancos School of the West<\/a>, which offers a wide variety of art classes for all ages. Now the town is also be eligible for other arts-related grants that aren\u2019t available to towns without Creative Districts. Mancos is still waiting for a few other perks that come with being certified, such as highway signs advertising the gallery district.<\/p>\nMancos has only had a Creative District for a year and a half, but its members said it has already left a significant mark on the town. Artists with the district have painted three new murals and helped to spruce up the small \u201cpocket parks\u201d within town limits. Sarah Syverson, the district\u2019s director, said the marketing efforts have helped cross the divide between Mancos\u2019s agricultural and artistic populations.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere\u2019s a cohesiveness and a coming together that wasn\u2019t there before the Creative District,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
Many local farmers and ranchers have helped organize fundraisers to support the district, Wilson said.<\/p>\n
Another district staff member, Carol Mehesy, said she believes the district has helped improve the town\u2019s image.<\/p>\n
\u201c(It\u2019s) building some regional awareness of Mancos as a really special place,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
The Creative District has helped to organize several events in the past year, like the Grand Summer Nights celebration and, more recently, the holiday arts market held downtown. The Creative District put on several of these events in partnership with the Mancos Valley Chamber of Commerce, the Mount Lookout Grange and other local organizations.<\/p>\n
Although the majority of Colorado\u2019s Creative Districts are in larger cities \u2013 three are located in Denver \u2013 Mancos is not the only small town on the list. The Ridgway Creative District is located in a town of only 932 residents. Costello said she believes small towns have some advantages over cities when it comes to promoting the arts.<\/p>\n
\u201cIn Denver and other urban areas, there can be any number of big initiatives for people to get involved in, and the smaller neighborhood initiatives can get lost,\u201d she said. \u201cIn a small town, it\u2019s easier to get the word out \u2026 people tend to be really engaged in what\u2019s going on.\u201d<\/p>\n
But rural areas like Mancos also have more isolated residents and fewer sources of information, she said. Part of the purpose behind the Creative District\u2019s public events over the past year was to raise awareness of local artists.<\/p>\n
The Creative District\u2019s board of directors is also relying on town engagement to pursue its next big projects. In 2018, the Creative District plans to put up 11 signs pointing visitors to the downtown galleries, build a new \u201cmaker space\u201d with the help of a new Creative Industries grant and host more Grand Summer Nights. Mehesy said the artists in the district also hope to collaborate on a series of visual, musical and performance works on the theme of \u201cbelonging.\u201d She said the series will focus on specific issues Mancos is facing and on \u201chow the small town comes together across these perceived differences.\u201d<\/p>\n
One of the Creative District\u2019s long-term goals is to make Mancos more attractive to artists and art lovers. For Lille Diane, an artist who recently moved to the area, it\u2019s already working.<\/p>\n
\u201cI can see more here,\u201d she said. \u201cIt\u2019s stimulating to me, visually, as an artist\u2026. Here, you feel welcome.\u201d<\/p>\n
\n
Find out more<\/h4>\n
To learn more about the Mancos Creative District, go to
\n mancoscreativedistrict.com
\n . To learn about other Colorado Creative Districts and the application process, go to
\n coloradocreativeindustries.org
\n .<\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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