Have you ever wanted to paint with an elephant? How about enjoy a private concert with your best friends, or learn to cook a delectable beef Wellington? During Arts Month, you can win a chance to do all of the above for free.
For nine years running, the Cultural Office of the Pikes Peak Region has been inviting and inspiring people to have one new cultural experience with family or friends during the month of October. This year, that’s easier than ever with more chances to win Arts Month 2022 Giveaways. “Arts Month is all about inviting new audiences to engage with local arts and culture in all its forms,” says Andy Vick, executive director of the Cultural Office. “The Giveaways program is just one of the many ways that we encourage participation in Arts Month, and create opportunities for community members to try something fun and accessible.”
For that reason, the Cultural Office has broadened its Arts Month theme weeks in recent years to include comedy and culinary arts. This year, up to 300 people can sign up to get creative in the kitchen through a series of three free, virtual cooking classes with Gather Food Studio in Old Colorado City. The classes are “The Art of Kimchi Making (Oct. 2),” “The Art of The Tart: Puff Pastry Workshop (Oct. 3)” and “Flambeed Desserts (Oct. 9).” Each class is limited to 100 participants, with one class per family.
“Including the culinary arts in Arts Month again this year was an easy decision,” says Vick. “There is a lot of artistry in cooking, baking, brewing and distilling, and we wanted to make sure local creatives in these fields were invited to participate in Arts Month.”
As for other prizes, only one lucky winner — plus three friends or family members — will be able to paint with an elephant at the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo. In addition to the artistic experience at the zoo, the winner will get to take home a one-of-a-kind piece of art created by one of the six aging female African elephants in the herd. “We call them our ‘Golden Girls,’ because they are all in their later years in life,” says Rachel Wright, public relations and social media manager at the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo.
Kimba, Jambo, Malaika, LouLou, Missy and Lucky are all pachyderm painters, using their trunks to create art.
“We’re excited to share this experience with a lucky winner who participates in the Cultural Office’s Arts Month Contest. Getting up-close with a three-to-four-ton African elephant is an incredible experience, and they seem to enjoy the painting activities too,” Wright says. “Of course, the elephants have the choice to participate or not, and we have seen that they seem to enjoy the mental stimulation, fine motor skill exercises and personal interaction this activity provides.”
Arts Month winners also may get to see the Golden Girls participating in elephant yoga, a series of exercises that helps with their strength and flexibility. Wright says the zoo’s elephant center was designed specifically to care for aging elephants. “Our goal is to help our guests make lifelong connections with our animals and to learn about them as unique individuals, which we hope will inspire [guests] to take action to protect their wild counterparts,” Wright says. “This experience is sure to do that!”
Other Arts Month Giveaways include:
Curbside Culture Experience
Here’s the chance to throw your coolest backyard party ever, thanks to a small-scale, live concert or performance through the Curbside Culture program. One winner will receive a $500 voucher toward their private dance or music performance, with styles ranging from folk and children’s music to outlaw blues, Latin Gypsy, classical, jazz, pop, rock, world and funk.
Cottonwood Art Classes
You can immerse yourself in learning a new artistic skill with a free art class at Cottonwood Center for the Arts. The downtown creative hub will give away a pair of free art classes on all five Fridays during Arts Month. Classes include pottery and ceramics, drawing and illustration, painting with watercolor, acrylic and oil, mixed media, digital art and more. You can enter as often as you want for this one.
Painting With a Twist
Want an instructor to walk you step-by-step in creating a wall-worthy painting? There’s no previous art experience necessary. Painting With a Twist Downtown is giving away a Date Night for Two and a Family Paint Night. You and that special someone can get creative and cozy at the studio with music and wine included. And a family up to six will receive a full supply kit with step-by-step instructions for a full painting night at home.
School of Rock
Students 8-18 can win the Rock Band Experience in a month of music lessons and rehearsals. Every student is placed in a band of musicians their same age and skill level, and then assigned specific songs as a way of learning key music concepts. After working on songs together in band rehearsals and individual lessons, the young musicians take the stage to perform a live show at a concert venue in Colorado Springs.
Arts Month Merchandise
You can celebrate and show your support for Arts Month with your own T-shirt, mug or drawstring bag. The Cultural Office will be selecting random winners all month long for these gift giveaways.
“Our Arts Month Giveaways provide so many tangible opportunities to engage with the arts across a wide variety of interests,” Vick says. “Whether it’s food or animals or classes or performances, winning a free prize makes it all the more fun to try a new cultural experience with your friends or family.”
Arts Month 2022 Giveaways will run throughout October, but you can enter to win already. Winners will be selected at the end of October and notified by phone or email. Find details for each giveaway and enter to win at ArtsOctober.com.
Read More
Get to Know Your Local Artists
