It's our 100th episode, and we're celebrating by kicking off Arts Month live from Yobel in downtown Colorado Springs! We sit down with Angela Seals and Luke Harper Prince from COPPR (the Cultural Office of the Pikes Peak Region), which is marking its 20th anniversary this year.

Arts Month brings more than 200 events across 31 days to the entire Pikes Peak Region, not just Colorado Springs. We talk about why the Springs was founded as a cultural home, how the local arts scene bridges political divides, why this year's theme is "Made for the Moment," and how to find your way into the arts even if you don't consider yourself an "arts person."

In this episode:

• Why Colorado Springs was once the largest U.S. city without a local arts agency
• General William Palmer's vision of Colorado Springs as a home, not an industry town
• How the arts bring together faith communities, activists, and everyone in between
• What would amaze someone from 2006 about today's arts scene
• The 2026 Arts Month theme: "Made for the Moment"
• Why investing in the arts matters for the local economy
• Tips for first-timers: you don't need an invitation

Arts Month picks mentioned:

• Colorado Springs Philharmonic's 100th (centennial) season
• Rocky Mountain Women's Film Festival (mid-October)
• First Friday in Downtown Colorado Springs, Old Colorado City, and Manitou Springs
• Stronger Together exhibit: 21 artists honoring 34 arts organizations
• Stronger Together open house at the Cultural Office, Saturday, Oct. 4, 1–4 p.m. (yes, there's an ice cream truck)
• PeakRadar.com for the full Arts Month event calendar

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• Rocky Mountain Women's Film Festival: Join us October 16–18, 2026, in Colorado Springs for three days of documentary, narrative, short, and animated films that honor the drive, spirit, and diversity of women.

Love the show? Leave us a five-star review, share this episode with a friend who needs to get out to Arts Month, and subscribe on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. See you next week on Springs and Things!