Please join us on Friday, August 19 for the annual Business + Arts Lunch, which will feature live performances and local art for sale, plus new program elements that will inspire you to think about the many ways that business + arts are helping our community to innovate and thrive! The event will be held at the Antlers Hotel in downtown Colorado Springs from Noon to 1PM. Check-in and live performances will start at 11:30AM.

Community Initiatives to be Celebrated

Arts & Affordable Housing

Artspace Colorado Springs grew out of a grassroots effort that eventually was helmed by the Colorado Springs Downtown Development Authority. The mixed-use, five-story building located in the Downtown Creative District will seamlessly link new construction with historic elements to create one cohesive, 48,000 square-foot building. The new facility will include 51 affordable live/work units for creatives, including 40 one- and 11 two-bedroom apartments, as well as 7,500 sq. ft. of commercial studio space.

Arts & Cultural Tourism

Cosseted on a butte overlooking Gazebo Lake and bathed by the rustling of pine trees, Green Box Arts’ Green Mountain Falls Skyspace by James Turrell is a harmonious addition to the charming town at the foothills of Pikes Peak—an extension of the landscape, preserved in its natural setting. The experience begins with an inspirational journey via two new trailheads at the Red Butte Recreational Area, which deliver hikers directly to the sheltered Skyspace in the hills above, overlooking the center of town and Gazebo Lake.

Arts & Community Revitalization

At its peak, Colorado Springs City Auditorium was a building full of life both day and night. As our great city grew, we saw as other venues were erected to support the cultural arts. Our once beautiful building has transitioned slowly to a place of disrepair. The aim of the Community Cultural Collective is to give this cherished landmark a heart transplant that will keep this important icon delivering memories and inspiration for another century into the future.

Featured Artists and Performers

On The Front Driveway

CC Mobile Arts is a robust program that seeks to provide recurring and diverse high quality multi-disciplinary arts experiences at no cost to the public. Community members can share ideas for programming of interest, local artists can book the truck for shows and workshops, and local institutions can request visits from the truck to their sites. CC Mobile Arts aims to reach all corners of the city, represent the diversity of stories held here, and create spaces for the exchange of ideas, creativity, and joy!

In The Hallway Near The Check-In Table

Jaguart @diegojaguart is a husband/wife artistic team who produces immersive art experiences in collaboration with other artists, and blacklight performances branded as UV: Art Experience in Colorado Springs. Diego’s artwork is also the inspiration for the visual branding of this year’s Lunch.

E.P.I.C. is a performance organization that believes that excellent music and arts are essential to the health and growth of communities. They create classical musical concerts with a fresh approach, and strive for the highest level of musical excellence in every program, while getting audiences to feel included in the creative process.

Award-winning Ladyfingers Letterpress is an LGBTQ+ owned-and-operated stationery and gift brand based in Colorado Springs founded by designer+printmaker couple, Arley Torsone and Morgan Calderini.

Classical KCME/Jazz 93.5 wants your voice to be heard! A team from the radio station will be on-site during the Lunch to record short testimonials from attendees about the importance of arts & culture in our community. Testimonials will be shared on-air and via social media to help with ongoing advocacy on behalf of our local creative sector.

On Stage In The Ballroom

Ashley Cornelius is the 2021-2023 Pikes Peak Poet Laureate. She is a nationally recognized and award-winning spoken word poet in Colorado. Her poetry has been featured at TEDx Colorado Springs, Pikes Peak Community College, the Colorado Springs Women’s March, Denver Public Library, Colorado Nonprofit Association, as well as on many stages. Additionally, she was the 2018 Women of the World Poetry Slam Colorado Springs representative and competed nationally. A winner of multiple poetry Slams in Colorado Springs, Cornelius was also the Colorado Springs Independent Best of Artist in 2019 and was recognized by the Colorado Springs Business Journal as a Rising Star in 2021. She is sought after across the nation for speaking engagements and workshop facilitation utilizing poetry.

The Colorado Springs Conservatory is a rare and nurturing setting that brings together world-class training in performing arts to our community youth. It is the only performing arts conservatory of its kind in the Pikes Peak region. There mission is to inspire, motivate and challenge students to aspire to their highest potential as human beings and artists through arts immersion studies and community arts advocacy.

The mission of Ballet Folklorico de Barajas is to share the art of traditional Mexican Dance with individuals in the community. Ballet Folklorico de Barajas accepts students ages 5 years and older, and students and instructors perform various dances from regions throughout Mexico such as Jalisco, Polkas, Veracruz, Taumalipas, Chiapas, and Michoacan.