The Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center at Colorado College’s Agents of Care: A Collections Transparency Project exhibition space is strengthening the relationship between the Fine Arts Center (FAC) and the Colorado Springs community by increasing access to FAC collections.
Agents of Care allows FAC guests to interact with previously behind-the-scenes collection items, as well as directly learn from the museum team as they work on numerous projects, including conservation, collection-based research, the physical care and storage of museum items, and data management.
“The museum cares for over 17,000 works showcasing the rich history and vibrant contemporary cultures of the Southwest and the Americas,” says Sara Hodge, Head of Collections at the FAC. “We hold these collections in the public trust, for the benefit of communities past, present, and future, so we believe it only natural we invite those communities to be a part of the conversation in how we care for these collections.”
The idea of Agents of Care came about after the FAC team discussed increasing the museum’s practice of collections care and stewardship. It took 1,500 square feet of gallery space and transformed it into a public collections workspace. Along with community engagement, it serves as an innovative classroom space for many CC courses.
Agents of Care is an ongoing program, so guests can come back numerous times and see how the space has changed. The featured artwork changes based on the museum’s evolving collections projects, as well as the needs of CC classes.
“We encourage visitors to come up to us and ask us about what we’re working on,” Hodge says. “Collections teams usually work in basements and never really engage with the public. This can lead to our work becoming siloed and lacking the perspective of the communities we serve. This new direct engagement with the public will introduce fresh diverse perspectives that we believe will only strengthen our work and the care of the collections we safeguard.”