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Art groups adapt to the off-season

Patrick Fort
/
Aspen Public Radio

Off-season is down time for a lot of places in the upper valley. Many restaurants are open less frequently, or close down all together. It’s also harder to go to see a show, band or play. It isn’t just hard on patrons though. Venues have trouble bringing performers in as well.

The Wheeler Opera House has to be flexible in what shows it will book. One week it will be screening movies and the next, a series of concerts and comedians.

But when the off-season comes along, the calendar pretty much dries up. For the people who run the place, it’s the opposite.

Gena Buhler, the executive director of the Wheeler Opera House, said she goes into full planning mode when the venue’s schedule slows down.

“We’re starting to do a lot of our Mountain Summit Mountain Festival planning as well,” she said. “Then looking at all of the things that you had to put aside during the winter season — those start happening now.”

There are so many ideas and plans that get pushed aside during the busy times of the year that only get to be discussed during the off-season.

A few miles down the road, Nancy Wilhelms is is also hard at work preparing the Anderson Ranch Arts Center for its summer events. Even though the artists-in-residence have gone, she said feels like she gets busier.

“When I first came here, I ran right into everybody’s expectation that if campus wasn’t loaded with people, then of course all you people at Anderson Ranch are taking time off, and nothing’s going on and things are slow,” said Wilhelms.

Like at the Wheeler Opera House, things ramp up at Anderson Ranch, too. They actually have a dedicated day when they do landscaping work. It’s a little different though at the ranch. Art exhibits last for a month at a time and there are occasional speaking engagements. But even though it may seem like nothing is going on, things are ramping up behind the scenes.

“We don’t have many people on campus right now, so it’s much quieter from that point of view,” Wilhelms said. “But in the office, it’s at its highest activity level.”

Anderson Ranch is also preparing for its 50th anniversary festivities, which happen later this summer.

Buhler said she struggles with getting artists who can draw enough people while being able to keep the price down during a time when locals are getting less work and fewer tips.

“When you’re looking to fill 500 seats, or even 250 seats is a good off-season draw for us,” Buhler said. “It’s a balance and it’s trying to figure out who can come, who’s not here. It’s kind of a crapshoot the way it goes.”

 

Patrick Fort grew up in the suburbs of Pittsburgh, nurturing a love for ice hockey and deli sandwiches. After moving to Colorado in 2010 to attend the University of Colorado to study music, Patrick discovered his love for journalism. In 2013, Patrick created and hosted the award-winning radio program Colorado Stories, a news program that covered CU and the surrounding community. An avid mountain and road cyclist, Patrick also referees youth ice hockey. He loves '60s pop bands and and trying new recipes ranging from milk-braised carnitas to flourless cakes.
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