CREATE

Broomfield Out Loud wordmark

CREATE: Commission new artwork inspired by Broomfield stories

The Broomfield Out Loud project began with Phase 1: VOICE, where the Arts and History team issued a call for storytellers to share their oral histories. This phase opened in October 2023 and closed in February 2024, resulting in the collection of 65 stories from the community. Each story was recorded and added to the Broomfield historical collections. The Arts and History program assistants worked tirelessly to transcribe every story, ensuring these valuable pieces of history were preserved and accessible for future generations.

Phase 2: CREATE began in February 2024 with the selection of 10 storytellers from the collected oral histories by the Broomfield Out Loud selection panel, which was made up of program stakeholders, partners, and staff. This marked the beginning of a powerful journey to bring these stories to life through art. Following the selection of storytellers, the Arts and History team issued a call for qualifications from artists interested in participating in the project. The deadline for applications was April 30, and in May, a group of talented artists was chosen and contracted in June. These artists were then paired with storytellers to creatively interpret and express their stories through their unique artistic styles.

The culmination of this collaborative effort was the Broomfield Out Loud Showcase in October 2024, where the finished pieces were shared with the community. Both artists and storytellers were paid a commission fee for their invaluable contributions to this meaningful project, highlighting the rich tapestry of voices and creativity within Broomfield.

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Storytellers selected for the Broomfield Out Loud project

  • Chester Whiteman, Frank Medicine Water, Fred Mosqueda, Pauline Medicine Water, and Roy Dean Bullcoming
  • Dr. Carolyn Love 
  • Leslie Norcross
  • Gina Coufal
  • Lori Lane
  • Kim and Yen Touysinhthiphonexay
  • Eric De' Fraze
  • Kaleb Do
  • Gena Valdez
  • Dr. Mirwais Baheej

Artists selected for the Broomfield Out Loud project

  • Brent Learned, award winning painter and sculptor, paired with Chester Whiteman, Frank Medicine Water, Fred Mosqueda, Pauline Medicine Water, and Roy Dean Bullcoming
  • Annie Conry, quilter, paired with Dr. Carolyn Love 
  • Donnie betts, filmmaker, paired with Dr. Carolyn Love
  • John Heins, composer, pianist, clarinetist, paired with Leslie Norcross
  • Anisa Heins, painter, paired with Leslie Norcross
  • Kate Fitzpatrick, oil painter paired with Gina Coufal
  • Kristina Maldonado Bad Hand, graphic designer, illustrator, animator paired with Lori Lane
  • Arlo White, artist paired with Kim and Yen Touysinhthiphonexay
  • Janina Acevedo-Yates, photographer and artist, paired with Eric De' Fraze
  • Tessa Fuqua, painter, paired with Kaleb Do
  • Kelly Smith, mixed media hand embroidery artist, paired with Gena Valdez
  • Patrick Bim-Hockberger, composer and music teacher, paired with Dr. Mirwais Baheej

Additional artists commissioned

  • Artist Katie Vuletich was commissioned to paint portraits of each storyteller. Storytellers were given prints of their portraits. The original paintings are now in the Broomfield History collections. 
  • Story On Stage was hired to adapt the stories, shortening them for stage readings. The actors brought the stories to life through deeply emotional readings rather than full performances, focusing on conveying the heart and essence of each story.
  • The Mark Diamond Band featuring Chris Malley's Rabblefish wrote original music to help transition the performance and set up the stories during the Broomfield Out Loud Showcase