Telluride Arts in partnership with the Telluride Historical Museum Present This Is Colorado (In One Square Foot). More than 120 Community Artists Share Their Colorado Story.

TELLURIDE, COLORADO - What does Colorado look like through the eyes of the people who live here? This spring, as part of the local effort to celebrate America’s 250th anniversary and Colorado’s 150th anniversary, Telluride Arts in partnership with the Telluride Historical Museum invited the community to explore this question by submitting artworks for This Is Colorado (In One Square Foot), the region's first community-wide art project. More than 120 artists, ranging from first-time participants to professional creatives, accepted the challenge of telling a Colorado story on a canvas measuring just one square foot, and now their work is ready to be unveiled to the public.

“As San Miguel County’s lead representative to the State of Colorado’s Southwest Region Local Organizing Committee for the commemoration of the twin anniversaries, the Museum was looking to get the community involved in the festivities in a way that was both meaningful and appropriate to the county,” Telluride Historical Museum Executive Director, Kiernan Lannon explained. “What better way to engage this community than through art and history? When I mentioned the possibility to Jessica Galbo, Telluride Arts’ Executive Director, she took the idea and ran with it in an incredibly exciting direction, creating this new community art project.”

Designed to be as inclusive as possible, Telluride Arts offered multiple opportunities for participants to create together, hosting free community canvas events at its gallery headquarters, Ah Haa School for the Arts, and in Mountain Village. These gatherings welcomed artists of all ages and experience levels, resulting in more than 100 completed canvases and creating new opportunities for community members to connect, share stories, and celebrate Colorado through art.

Presented with the generous support from the Town of Mountain Village, TMVOA, and CCAASE, This is Colorado (In One Square Foot) will be on view from June 24 through August 1, 2026, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily, at two locations: Telluride Properties on the Plaza in Mountain Village and Telluride Arts HQ Gallery in Telluride.

“Seeing these beautiful individual works come together in a single exhibition has been both inspiring and moving,” said Melannie Tavano, Telluride Arts Community Partnerships Coordinator, who is installing the exhibition. “The project transforms over one hundred personal stories into one powerful community portrait of Colorado.”

The public is invited to a progressive opening reception on June 24, beginning from 4–5 p.m. at Telluride Properties on the Plaza in Mountain Village and continuing from 5–6 p.m. at Telluride Arts HQ Gallery in Telluride. Visitors will have the opportunity to meet participating artists and experience the exhibition across both venues.

“It’s been an absolute pleasure to partner with Telluride Arts on this effort,” Lannon added. “Knowing how passionate and creative this community is, I can’t wait to see what the participants cooked up. I’m guessing that folks will really enjoy this exhibit.”

Following an overwhelming response in its inaugural year, Telluride Arts plans for the project to become an annual tradition with a different theme each year, creating a growing archive of community stories and artistic perspective. Visit www.telluridearts.org/co-250-150 for more information or email info@telluridearts.org.

Telluride Arts & Telluride Museum Launch Community Art Project Celebrating Colorado’s 150th and America’s 250th: This Is Colorado (In One Square Foot)

As Colorado marks 150 years of statehood and the United States approaches its 250th anniversary, Telluride Arts, with generous support from TMVOA, in partnership with the Telluride Museum, is launching a community-wide art project titled This Is Colorado (In One Square Foot), inviting residents and visitors alike to reflect on one simple prompt: What does being a Coloradoan mean to you? 

Titled This Is Colorado (In One Square Foot) — the project invites community members to create artwork on a 12” x 12” canvas, responding visually to themes of place, identity, landscape, culture, belonging, and change.

The project is open to residents 16+ in San Miguel County, artists and non-artists alike. Each participant receives a one square foot canvas to express their personal interpretation of the state we call home, contributing to a collective portrait of Colorado at this milestone moment in its history.

A limited number of canvases (approximately 150–200) will be available for pickup beginning in early April at several community locations during business hours (be sure to check off-season schedules):

• Telluride Museum |  kiernan@telluridemuseum.org

• Telluride Arts HQ | info@telluridearts.org

• Town of Mountain Village Town Hall | marketing@mtnvillage.org

Participants will have eight weeks to complete their canvas before returning it for exhibition.

All completed works will be displayed together in a curated community installation, forming a unified grid that creates a powerful visual mosaic of perspectives. The exhibition will be presented in the Town of Telluride at Telluride Arts HQ and in Mountain Village, celebrating the many voices, histories, and identities that shape Colorado today.

“This is a moment to reflect on who we are as Coloradans and what this place means to us,” said Jessica Galbo, Executive Director of Telluride Arts. “By giving everyone one square foot to express their perspective, we’re creating a collective portrait of our community as part of the Colorado 150 and America 250 celebrations.” 

Cassie Franks, Director of Education and Outreach at the Telluride Historical Museum adds "This is a chance for us to celebrate and collaborate as a community using our history, landscapes, and memories. We get to share what it is about our state that inspires us, shapes us, and makes us Coloradans."

A small number of juried awards will recognize standout works, along with People’s Choice honors, while maintaining the project’s inclusive spirit. Cash prizes of $250 and $150 will be awarded in both juried and audience categories.

The project will culminate in a summer exhibition running June 15 through July 31, aligning with local celebrations of Colorado’s 150th anniversary and the national lead-up to America’s 250th.

• WHO: Open to San Miguel County residents 16+.

• WHAT: This Is Colorado (In One Square Foot) — community art project using provided 12” x 12” canvases responding to: What does being a Coloradan mean to you?

• WHERE: Canvas pickup at Telluride Museum, Telluride Arts HQ, Town of Mountain Village Offices. Exhibition at Telluride Arts HQ + Mountain Village (TBD).

• WHEN: Pickup April 1 | Canvas return June 1 | Exhibition June 15–July 31.

• WHY: Celebrate Colorado’s 150th and America’s 250th through community creativity.

• HOW: 150–200 canvases distributed; works exhibited in a grid installation; $250 & $150 juried and People’s Choice prizes.

Spanish-language materials will be available to ensure broad community participation.

Through this collaborative initiative, Telluride Arts, the Telluride Historical Museum aims to celebrate Colorado identity through diverse voices, increase accessibility to arts participation, and create a visually compelling installation honoring this historic milestone. TMVOA support helps bring the exhibition and community celebration to Mountain Village.