One of the elements that make Greeley unique is its creative community. With more than 500 pieces of city-owned public art, a thriving creative district, and many artists who bring visual vibrancy to the community’s indoor and outdoor spaces, Greeley is ground zero for public art at its best.
In Greeley, art shows up in unexpected places such as in alleyways, utility cabinets, over an irrigation ditch, on manhole covers, on storm drains, and in public restrooms. This makes discovering art in the community an adventure; an interactive public art map is available for you to explore and learn more. New art is added each year. Below are a few new pieces in Greeley’s public art collection that you should check out.
Union Colony Civic Center Restroom: InStall Art
The Union Colony Civic Center (UCCC), 701 10th Ave., is Northern Colorado’s premier performing arts venue, owned and operated by the City of Greeley. Regional artists Julie Dillon and Mario Echevarria turned their original artwork into designs covering the Union Colony Civic Center restroom stalls in public restrooms. Local vendor, Raven Sign Studios, printed the artwork on vinyl and wrapped the metal dividers on the first and second floor to add hidden artistic treasures when visiting the UCCC. See a show and check it out!
Utility Cabinets
Since 2017, the City of Greeley has been adding art wraps to utility cabinets outdoors. The works are spread out in many parts of the community, including downtown, near UNC, and west Greeley along major roadways.
This fall, five new utility cabinet art wraps are being installed, bringing the total number to 20 and even more are coming in 2022.
Two of the new utility cabinet art wraps have already been installed; one at 16th Street and 17th Avenue near Northern Colorado Medical Center by artist Dina Fisher. The second piece can be seen on the southeast corner of 4th Street and 35th Avenue, near Franklin Middle School by Gema Ortega, a student artist who attends that school.
Uptown Trees
The Uptown Trees project began in 2014 as part of an effort to revitalize Greeley’s downtown. It’s a series of 28 interpretive sculptural trees between 10th Street and 17th streets along 8th Avenue. The City of Greeley has an open call for artists to submit designs for the 2022 Uptown Tree project. Artist proposals are due to Kim Snyder, City of Greeley Public Art, by Wednesday, Oct. 6, 2021. A few trees in the project, ‘Unity’ by Roberto Roma, and “Geometry of Flight’ by AJ Davis, have been removed, leaving space for two to three Uptown Tree sculptures to be installed in 2022. Additional trees are planned to sprout up in 2023.
Let Us Know What You Think
My Greeley wants to hear your stories on visual art in Greeley. Are you an artist who would like to share how you contribute to Greeley’s creative community? As a resident or visitor, what public art pieces are your favorites? How does art make Your Greeley feel like home?
