Community Spotlight: Foothills Art Center

In one of the most beautiful settings in all of downtown Golden, the Foothills Art Center stands as a unique community organization.

Foothills officially started in 1968 as a non-profit organization, but its buildings date back all the way to 1872. The two magnificent buildings that house the center, the Gothic church and Victorian mansion, are both members on the United States National Registry of Historic Buildings. Also on site is their sculpture garden, which features constantly rotating outdoor exhibitions.

The center was created to “lead and inspire the community through art, education, and cultural excellence,” according to their website. Their gallery gives a home to Colorado’s many artists and their work as exhibitions range from the recently displayed “Rocky Mountain National Watermedia,” to the current Holiday Art Market running until December 30. Two of their previous exhibitions have won Best Sculpture Show and Best Film Festival.

Foothills is very community-oriented and it shows in everything they offer. Admission prices are kept low and students get in free. They offer a wide variety of adult classes from “Painting the Fall Landscape in Watercolor” to the two-day pastel workshop, “Midnight in Golden.” They also offer kids classes so as to involve every age group in the education arts.

Foothills also has membership options for individuals and corporate sponsors with perks such as discounts on admission or gift shop items and invites to some of their annual VIP events. Being a non-profit organization, volunteers are always welcomed to contribute to the Center. They also offer several intern positions that are advertised as a potential opportunity for receiving college credit.

For math and science-oriented students such as those at Mines, or any community member, Foothills offers a great opportunity to further education in the arts.