Nonprofit News is a monthly Gazette publication featuring stories submitted by nonprofit organizations and individuals in the Pikes Peak region. Submit content and events for consideration to nonprofitnews@gazettedev.gazette.com.

INTERSECTION: Artist-Designed Traffic Signal Cabinets installed at 12 downtown locations

Downtown Colorado Springs is pleased to announce the installation of 12 new works of art on traffic signal cabinets throughout the downtown core as part of the new INTERSECTION: Artist-Designed Traffic Signal Cabinets program.

“Downtown is a center for our region’s creativity and innovation,” said Susan Edmondson, president and CEO of the Downtown Partnership of Colorado Springs. “INTERSECTION lets us show that off, celebrating the work of local artists at a scale that is meaningful and relevant for pedestrians.”

Twelve local artists were selected to participate through a juried process. Commissioned artists were compensated for the creation and use of their artwork. The original artworks have been fabricated as high-quality vinyl wraps and installed on traffic signal cabinets at several downtown intersections. Artist information and map is also posted online at www.DowntownCS.com/intersection.

INTERSECTION is managed as a program of Downtown Partnership, with Title Sponsor Pikes Peak Community Foundation. Individual cabinets are sponsored by local businesses including Vectra Bank, The Gazette, Old West Homebrew & Cigar, Behr & Behr Team/Brandon and Leah Behr, and Collaborative Design Group.

-Lara Garritano, Downtown Partnership

Jazz, America’s original music comes to America’s Mountain

The Friends of Colorado Springs Jazz are excited to bring 15 of outstanding jazz musicians from across the U.S. to Colorado for the 2015 Colorado Springs Jazz Party October 30-November 1 at the Antler’s Hilton, 4 S. Cascade Ave.

The Colorado Springs Jazz Party is a unique event in which musicians come together in various groupings highlighting their talents, all under the leadership of Ed Polcer, a highly sought-after performer from New Orleans.

This year’s performing musicians will give their Colorado Springs audience the rare opportunity to enjoy performances rarely available outside of centers of jazz like New York City.

The party consists of four performance sessions. The opening session on Friday evening will start with a cocktail reception at 6:30, followed by four hours of live music. The second session will be from 1-5 p.m. on Saturday afternoon. The Saturday evening session will run from 7:30 to around midnight. The party comes to a close Sunday with a New Orleans-style brunch at 10:30 a.m. and performances until 2:30 p.m. Visit csjazzparty.com for a full performance schedule and to purchase tickets.

-Jean Fest and Jerry Murphy, Colorado Springs Jazz Party

Babette’s Knockout Opera comes to Millibo Art Theatre

Sparks fly, secrets are revealed, mysteries unravel and opera might never be the same when the audience joins the unflappable Babette to discover the power of Opera in all its comedic beauty!

The show will feature Soprano Judeth Shay Comstock, baritone Nick Shelton, pianist Dan Brink and comedians Babette Matdiva and Jim Jackson in an original Millibo Art Theatre (MAT) production at 1626 S. Tejon St.

Show times and ticket info:

7:30 p.m., Thursdays: $16 in advance, $18 day of

7:30 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays: $22 in advance, $25 day of

2 p.m., Sundays: $22 in advance, $25 day of

Visit themat.org or call 719-465-6321 for more information or to purchase tickets.

Babette Matdiva began her career as production manager of Brasil’s famed Teatro de La Assemblia where she served as Co-Artistic Director with noble poet Omar De La Sonero from 1996 to 2002. Associate cultural expert at the UNUPSO, Ms. Matdiva was instrumental in the development of the OMAR peace program, recognized by UNESCO in 2009 as a GT2 cultural GOLD contributor. Ms Matdiva holds Master of Arts degrees from Uppsala University, Sweden, and the University of Toronto, Canada. Ms Matdiva has dedicated her life to the eradication of cultural entropy and currently serves as the MAT’s Dramatic Diva in Action focusing on patron development and cultural nutrition. She is a close friend of Birgitta De Pree, and that’s all she has to say about that.

-Millibo Art Theatre