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Each October, the Pikes Peak region celebrates Arts Month, taking the opportunity to elevate the visibility and value of arts and culture in the community. The official call to action during Arts Month is for all community members to have at least one new cultural experience with family or friends in October.

Orchestrated by the Cultural Office of the Pikes Peak Region (COPPeR), the local Arts Month initiative coincides with National Arts and Humanities Month, established in 1993 and observed every October throughout the U.S. This marks the second year the Pikes Peak region has joined the national movement.

Peakradar.com/artsmonth serves as the official home for all things Arts Month. The site shares about the Arts Month initiative, links to resources in the Arts Month Toolkit, and provides detailed information about exciting arts and culture events and activities throughout the month.

To help celebrate Arts Month, individuals and organizations throughout the region are planning special initiatives during October. For example, a number of local theatre companies are producing a free community Theatre Showcase event from 7-9 p.m. on October 8 at Studio Bee in the Pikes Peak Center, 190 S. Cascade Avenue.

COPPeR and the Colorado Springs Regional Business Alliance are again partnering to host the 8th Annual Business and Arts Luncheon at 11:30 a.m. on October 9 at the Antlers Hilton Hotel, 4 S. Cascade Ave. Organizations like Young Champion Ambassadors, a select group of high school students from the region that is part of the Sister-Cities International program with Olympia, Greece, are involved in a marketing contest to help promote Arts Month to younger audiences throughout our community.

In addition to coordinating the calendar of events and the community-wide marketing campaign for Arts Month, COPPeR is also working with municipalities in El Paso and Teller counties to obtain official Arts Month proclamations. The proclamations increase Arts Month awareness and help ensure the region’s political leaders are reminded yearly of the important role arts and culture plays in economic development and community vitality.