Whether you’re an aspiring artist or someone who “used to be creative,” Colorado Springs is full of opportunities to explore your artistic side. From pottery wheels to paint-and-sip nights, community art walks and classes to open-studio creativity, the local art scene is open, collaborative and ready to help you spark your creativity. After all, engaging in artistic activities isn’t just about making something beautiful — it’s about giving yourself permission to play, experiment and connect. Here’s where to get started to unleash your inner artist.
1. Pick Up a Brush at a Painting or Drawing Studio
Painting and drawing classes are one of the most welcoming ways to get creative — no experience required, just curiosity.
Studios like Painting with a Twist, Canvas Creations Sip and Paint and Alvarez Studio offer guided instruction in painting, drawing and fine art fundamentals. You can choose your experience, whether you want a fun night out or a more traditional studio experience focused on building skills.
2. Shape Something Real in Clay or Ceramics
There’s something grounding about working with clay. Pikes Peak Artist Collective, 22nd Street Clay and Ink & Mud Co. offer pottery classes that let you slow down, work with your hands and transform raw material into functional or artistic pieces.
3. Dive Into Mixed Media at Local Art Centers
If you crave variety, want to deepen your practice or plug into a creative community, there are some excellent local art centers full of creative opportunities. Cottonwood Center for the Arts, the Manitou Art Center, and the Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center at Colorado College and its Bemis School of Art are rich institutions. You can find classes, exhibitions and workshops in painting, printmaking, ceramics, fiber, photography and other practices. These spaces combine education with exposure to working artists, so you can grow your skills, experiment across disciplines and engage more seriously with the art world.
4. Explore Jewelry and Craft Classes
Smaller-scale creativity can be just as satisfying. Who Gives a Scrap has a wide ranging lineup of classes like crochet, knitting, paper crafts and more. Meraki Springs offers various jewelry making, wood burning, soap making and more, with private classes starting at five people. White Rabbit Beads and Ruth’s Stitchery offer classes in beadwork, jewelry making, sewing, quilting and more.
5. Try Something Unexpected — Tie-Dye, Glass, and More
Wanted to shake things up with some unusual creations? Learn to blow glass at Elev8 Premier Glass Blowing. Get funky at Captain Drips Tie Dye. And explore insect pinning and other weird options at Novis Mortem and Cronk Art and Curiosities.
6. Get Moving with Dance Classes and Social Dance Nights
Creativity lives in movement too. Social dances, usually with free lessons for beginners, are great places to get started. Latisha Hardy Dance & Co. hosts regular social dances and events like Salsa Night at Ivywild. The Loft has swing dancing every Wednesday. The Broadmoor Waltz Club has regular ballroom dancing. And the International Dance Club hosts a variety of social dances. Dance studios like Dance Wonderland and Dance Colorado offer beginner-friendly classes too.
7. Share Your Voice at Local Open Mics
Are words your expression? Open mic nights let you express yourself through music, poetry or spoken word. Venues like Jives Coffee Lounge and Rico’s Cafe and Wine Bar regularly host open mic events where beginners and seasoned performers share the stage. And Poetry719 is a vibrant and welcoming community that regularly hosts open mics and other expressive events.
8. Create with the Whole Family
Creativity is better when shared. Studios like The Playful Palette Co offer family-friendly sessions where kids and adults create side-by-side. Bemis School of Art also lots of kids classes as well as those for kids and adults to share.
9. Build a Creative Habit at Home
Classes spark creativity — habits sustain it. Set aside one evening a week to sketch, paint or revisit a technique you learned in class. Invite friends over for a creative night or keep a small art corner stocked with simple supplies for when inspiration hits.
10. Go to the Next Level
If your creativity is starting to feel like more than a hobby, the Cultural Office of the Pikes Peak Region, aka COPPeR, can help you move toward a professional path. The Cultural Office leads the way in creating a hub for artists and creatives to live, work and thrive. And their work includes connecting local artists to grants, professional development workshops and resources, exhibition opportunities, public art programs and more.
Creativity isn’t a talent reserved for a few — it’s something we can all practice for our own enjoyment, expression, healing or exploration. Whatever your level of skill, Colorado Springs offers countless ways to make creativity part of your everyday life.
