To believe that artist are heroes, we need to ask, who are these people? With courage in the face of danger, they combat adversity with feats of strength. It’s all about … muscle tone? Ah, no. Our heroes deploy ingenuity, a big idea and a knack for the nimble move at the right time. In artist and philanthropist Laura Merage, we see an action hero with true grit. A visionary who gets results.
If art has the power to make social change, she reasoned, then it needs the Redline Contemporary Art Center, an urban laboratory for resident visual and performing artists. Working in studios arranged around a gallery, they forge an essential connection between art, artists and the public. Us. Stepping over the red line at the door, we’re invited to let go, to welcome the unexpected, and be tempted to become a first-time buyer. A patron. Surprise! We’re supporting art.
And now, while the Redline is closed, the team is working tirelessly to connect artists with critical support through COVID-19 Crisis Resources well as an online version of the “48 Hours of Socially Engaged Art & Conversation Summit”. This two-day summit engages cultural organizations, non-profits, artists, and individuals to share their expertise on cultural responsiveness, social responsibility, and collective leadership. Learn more and submit a proposal to present at the 2020 Summit.
But it is Redline’s bold leadership in support of the “Makers For Masks” project that inspires us. Redline’s Executive Director, Louise Martorano, has galvanized funding to help Colorado artists across the state who are making 30 masks a week for eight weeks — every mask will be donated to Denver’s homeless shelters.
Please consider joining Towwn in making a donation to help the artists purchase fabric and other supplies.
Now … who’s the hero?
