CASE Committee Packet Materials 2025.03.14
970-748-4065 ddempsey@avon.org
TO: CASE Committee
FROM: Danita Dempsey, Chief Cultural Officer
RE: Staff Update
DATE: March 14, 2025
SUMMARY: This report provides updates and activity on the (1) CASE Committee Member appointments
and provides a process for voting members to elect a Chair and Vice Chair. (2) T-Mobile Hometown Grant
requesting grant funds of $33,105. If awarded, the grant funding will support the implementation of the
Community Mural. (3) Seasons Mural Artist Call which closes March 31st and (4) Art Around Avon Artist Call
which closes this evening.
Additionally, and for the benefit of our newest CASE Committee members, I have again included updates on
the impact of the East Nottingham Improvements Project, specifically regarding parking and resource
recovery equipment, and have recommended temporary adjustments. This is provided in Section 4 below.
Finally, I have reiterated the importance of resuming tours of peer communities to learn about their arts and
culture centers and programs for long-term planning. This is provided in Section 5 below.
STAFF UPDATE:
1. CASE COMMITTEE MEMBERS: On February 25, 2025, Town Council appointed Justin Chesney,
for another two-year term, thank you Justin for your continued service on CASE. Additionally,
Council appointed two alternate members to CASE and directed Staff to revise Resolution No.19-12
to allow for alternates for Council review during the March 11, 2025, Council meeting. On March 11,
2025, Town Council adopted Resolution No. 25-08 allowing for a flexible Committee of seven (7) to
nine (9) voting members. Please join me in welcoming newly appointed members, Alejandro Cerda,
Kristen Dudding, Ian Grask, Amy Lewis who were appointed to a 2-year term, and Chuq Yang who
was appointed to a 1-year term. Resolution No. 25-08 and the CASE Committee Ambassador
Responsibilities are provided as ATTACHMENTS A and B, respectively.
2. CASE COMMITTEE CHAIR & VICE CHAIR: I am pleased to announce that (1) Justin Chesney
has expressed a desire to continue and therefore, be selected by fellow CASE members as the
Chair and (2) Pedro Campos has expressed a desire to continue and therefore, be selected by
fellow CASE members to Vice Chair. For the ease of the group, I have provided the duties of the
Chair and Vice Chair below.
Moreover, I would like to request the Committee allow each candidate three to five minutes to
address the group. At the conclusion, the voting members of CASE will vote for both the Chair and
Vice Chair in a public forum. Staff will record the votes and the individual with the most votes for
Chair and Vice Chair respectively, will then be selected by official motion of the Committee.
a. Chair & Vice Chair: Every meeting of the CASE Committee shall be presided over by the
Chair. If the Chair is absent the Vice Chair shall preside over the meeting. If the Chair has
970-748-4065 ddempsey@avon.org
a conflict of interest on a matter, then the Vice Chair shall preside over the meeting on
such matters. If the Chair and Vice Chair are absent, or if they both have a conflict of
interest on a matter, then a quorum of CASE Committee members shall appoint an Acting
Chair, by motion and vote, who shall then preside over the meeting or shall preside over
such matter for which the Chair and Vice Chair have a conflict of interest. The Chair shall
strive to moderate CASE Committee meetings with impartiality, shall strive to allow input
from all other CASE Committee members on matters before expressing his or her opinion,
and shall refrain from making a motion or seconding a motion until it is apparent that no
other member of the CASE Committee member will do so.
CURRENT / PLANNING ACTIVITY: Staff are working diligently to finalize talent bookings, food vendors,
family activations, safety protocols, venue design, recruit volunteers, etc. for the summer event season.
Staff will provide a thorough update on all events during the May and/or June meeting, however, below are
four brief updates.
1. SPECIAL EVENTS:
a. Egg Hunt – Mark your calendars and join us on Saturday, April 19th from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00
p.m.
b. Salute to the USA - The press release for Salute to USA headline and support talent went
out on March 3rd; announcing headliner Lettuce and support The Main Squeeze.
c. AvonLIVE! – Talent booking is approximately 70% complete and targeted to announce mid-
April. For the third consecutive year, the first AvonLIVE! will host the Battle of the Bands
competition again. The application is open now through April 11th.
d. SunsetLIVE! – Talent booking is complete and will be announced in the coming days.
2. T-MOBILE HOMETOWN GRANT APPLICATION: Staff is pursuing the T-Mobile Hometown Grant
to assist in the cost recovery of the “Community Mural” (i.e., mural on the Season at Avon building).
The Mural will help to further establish a creative identity and spirit for the east end of Harry A.
Nottingham Park, the crowned jewel of the Town. The community minded Mural will become a
significant landmark visually connecting the cultural hubs of the community at the intersection of
Avon’s Library, Recreation Center, and Civic Center. A full description of the Mural Project is included
in the Community Mural Briefing Sheet provided and attached as ATTACHMENT C.
b. Background - The T-Mobile Hometown Grant funds projects that foster local connections,
like technology upgrades, outdoor spaces, the arts, and community centers. The T-Mobile
Grant is open quarterly and awards up to $50,000 per town for shovel-ready projects.
Grant projects must be located in towns with less than 50,000 people and eligible
organizations are “…elected officials, town managers and employees, tribal leaders, or
non-profit organizations…”
The application process includes submitting up to five letters of support from local
government and/or community organizations, partners, or members, demonstrating
community alignment, engagement, and consensus for the project. Staff have begun
970-748-4065 ddempsey@avon.org
requesting letters of support following the guidelines outlined above. The application
deadline is March 25, 2025, and notification of award is 60 days later.
The Department Goals for 2025 include: Mural: Continue the program to commission an
artist to install one mural per year in Avon.
3. LARGE FORMAT SEASONS MURAL: The Request for Proposal (“RFP”) / Artist Call was
released on Friday, February 14th and announced via press release, direct communication with
prior applicants, and the Art Guild at Avon member database. The Artist Call closes March 31st
and there currently are nine qualified applications out of twelve submissions.
After receiving multiple communications from artists within the first 24 hours of the Call for Artists
opening, regarding the artists’ stipend, Staff has recommended reallocating $6,000 from Fireworks
in Avon event savings to go directly to the artist’s stipend increasing it from $16,000 to $22,000.
Staff presents a request for $6,000 to be reallocated within the CASE budget during the April
Budget Amendment process. For context, the square footage and related artist stipend in 2021 for
the Enjoy Life! mural at 3,726 sq. ft. was $2.68 per. In 2024, the Queen of the Valley mural at 2,900
sq. ft. was $4.13 per. This year the Season Mural at 2,240 sq. ft. was at $6.25 per sq. ft. originally
and upon Budget Amendment approval shall be $9.82 per sq. ft.
The Jury Panel consists of the following individuals and organizations:
The Project Intent, Design & Theme, and Anticipated Timeline are provided below, and the
complete RFP / Artist Call is available here.
a. Project Intent: To create a significant landmark, visually connecting Avon’s Library,
Recreation Center, Civic Center, and the eastern gateway to Nottingham Park which
inspires community, conversation, connection; and further identifies Avon as an art
Name Organization
Carrie Mae Wack Avon Library
Erich Schmidt Fortius Capital
Lisa Post Health & Recreation Committee
Nancy Tashman Health & Recreation Committee
Justin Chesney CASE Committee
Ian Grask CASE Committee
Pedro Campos CASE Committee
Kerri Thelen CASE Committee
Lynn Feiger Art Guild at Avon / VVAG
Michael Labagh Staff / Recreation Director
Danita Dempsey Staff / Admin / Panelist
Chelsea Van Winkle Staff / Admin / Panelist
970-748-4065 ddempsey@avon.org
community. The mural will use a bright and cheerful color palette to evoke joy and
positivity. Characters and scenes will be depicted in a whimsical, illustrative style to
engage viewers of all ages. The selected artist is responsible for working with Town
representatives in all aspects to include multiple iterations of design.
b. Design & Theme: The CASE Committee is seeking a design that will be a vibrant
celebration of our community's rich tapestry, weaving together elements of history,
education, discovery, and our unique mountain lifestyle. The Seasons Mural will be a
visual narrative that honors our ranching and farming heritage, embraces the dynamic
influences of Latino culture, and highlights the natural beauty and learning opportunities
within our environment.
ART AROUND AVON: The fourth biennial Art Around Avon Request for Proposal (“RFP”) / Artist
Call was released on December 5th and announced via press release and direct communication
with prior/current artists in the program and the Art Guild at Avon member database. There are
currently thirty-one qualified submissions representing seventeen artists. The Jury Panel begins
their review on Tuesday, March 25th. The Artist Call closes today at midnight and the complete
RFP / Artist Call is available here.
The Jury Panel consists of the following individuals and organizations:
3. PRIVATE RENTALS AND SPECIAL EVENT TEMPORARY RESTRICTIONS: Due to the
restricted access to Town venues associated with the East Nottingham Park Improvements
Project, rentals and/or Special Event Permit issuance is not available between April and October
2025, for the affected areas. An exception could be considered should the Town be presented with
a ticketed single day or multi-day concert / festival opportunity. A written report was provided to
Council on this subject on the February 11, 2025, Council Meeting. The full report is available on
page 92 of the Council Packet Materials.
Furthermore, to fully accommodate the impacts of the East Nottingham Park Improvements project,
the Recreation Center west parking lot will be temporarily used for (1) storage and staging of
Name Organization
Christine Sena Art Guild at Avon / VVAG
Patti Dixon Art Guild at Avon / VVAG
Ruth Stanley Town Council / CASE
Kathy Ryan Health & Recreation Committee
Lisa Post Health & Recreation Committee
Nancy Tashman Health & Recreation Committee
Carley Hansen Planning & Zoning Commission
Carrie Mae Wack Avon Library
Chelsea Van Winkle Staff / Admin / Panelist
Danita Dempsey Staff / Admin / Panelist
970-748-4065 ddempsey@avon.org
portable restrooms, handwashing stations, and barricade fencing (2) parking for Rec. Center users
with ADA needs, Town personnel and vehicles and (3) Avon Library personnel.
4. PEER COMMUNITY TRAVEL & RESEARCH CULTURAL PLANS: Staff began contacting
organizations and peer communities identified on the January 16, 2025, CASE Committee Packet
Materials. To date, we have tentatively scheduled a tour of Breck Create in Breckenridge for
Friday, May 9th between the hours of 10:00 a.m. and 12:00 p.m. Staff will be sending calendar
invites to CASE in the coming days. And, as discussed during the January CASE Committee
meeting, one of the Department Goals includes the following:
a. Culture and Arts Plan: Conduct an inclusive community stakeholder process to develop a
Culture and Arts Plan to present to Council for adoption. The community stakeholder
process will involve all existing non-profits and community groups which support culture
and arts in the Avon region. Utilize the grant award from the National Endowment for the
Arts to retain consulting services to assist with developing the Culture and Arts Plan.
Research similar culture and arts plans, programs, and facilities in other communities. The
CASE Committee will serve as the primary committee to review drafts of a Culture and Arts
Plan and will recommend a complete draft Culture and Arts Plan to Council.
As we are embarking on the development of a Culture and Arts Plan, I am again providing the
Committee with example Plans for examining over the next several months. The Example
Strategic Plans link below provides access to a folder containing Plans from communities, some
like Avon such as Town of Silverthorne (update 2024), and Steamboat Springs and others unlike
Avon such as Golden, Grand Junction and Colorado Springs.
Example Strategic Plans
FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS:
1. National Endowment of the Arts Grant Update, if applicable
2. Art Around Avon Sculpture/Artist Selections
3. Community / Seasons Mural Artist Selection
4. 2025 Special Event Calendar Update
Thank you, Danita.
ATTACHMENTS:
Attachment A – Resolution No. 25-08
Attachment B – CASE Committee Brand Ambassador Responsibilities
Attachment C – Community Mural Briefing Sheet
ATTACHMENT A
CASE COMMITTEE
BRAND AMBASSADOR
Brand Ambassador for Avon’s Culture, Arts & Special Events Page 1
Updated: April 2020
POSITION TITLE: BRAND AMBASSADOR
DIVISION: CULTURE, ARTS & SPECIAL EVENTS
DEPARTMENT: GENERAL GOVERNMENT
POSITION TYPE: VOLUNTEER
MONTH AND YEAR: APRIL 2020
GENERAL STATEMENT
Avon is requesting the CASE Committee act as ambassadors representing our brand at Town produced
and third-party produced culture, art, special events and activations. Ambassadors ideally will have
flexibility in their availability to attend multiple events during their two-year term.
You play an important role at Avon’s events and belong to a team that makes a positive difference in our
community, the success of our events and our ability to meet our strategic goals. Your ability to build and
sustain loyal, long-term relationships within our business, residential and visitor community is paramount.
You are the "Bridge between our municipal staff and our community."
KEY CHARACTERISTICS OF A SUCCESSFUL EVENT AMBASSADOR:
o Friendly, approachable and outgoing
o Knowledgeable about our community - 'Be Invited In'
o Knowledgeable about Avon’s event and it’s event policies & resources
o Highly personable and engaging
o Ability to build relationships
o Dynamic leadership skills
o Passionate for Avon
o Influential
RESPONSIBILITIES AND DUTIES:
Key responsibility is to further the success of our events by engaging with community members through
personal and genuine interactions.
o Attend multiple events and activations during two-year term as requested by the committee and/or
events team.
o Approach and welcome attendees during the event/activation.
o Bring the CASE Committee vision, culture, and values to life in every interaction by sharing expertise
and enthusiasm for Avon’s events.
o Develop relationships with our community members and visitors and encourage them to return to
experience other events.
o Maximize event attendance by driving awareness of events through your resources and/or channels
o Stay up to date on Town initiatives, programming and services.
o Share feedback, experiences and ideas with the CASE Manager via email and with the CASE
Committee during scheduled public meetings.
o Follow all policies, processes, and relevant government regulations
o Perform other related duties as assigned and required by the committee and/or events team
ATTACHMENT B
Community Mural Project in the “Heart of Avon”
Please contact Danita Dempsey, Chief Cultural Officer, Town of Avon, ddempsey@avon.org, 970-748-4065
Overview: The Community Mural Project will help to further establish a creative identity and spirit for the east end of Harry
A. Nottingham Park; the crowned jewel of the Town. The community minded Mural will become a significant landmark
visually connecting the cultural hubs of the community at the intersection of Avon’s Library, Recreation Center, and Civic
Center. This culturally significant eastern gateway to Nottingham Park should inspire community, conversation, and
connection.
The enhancement of public spaces and places by integrating the creative work of artists improves the pedestrian
experience and promotes vibrancy, creativity, and livelihood in the community. The presence of and access to public art
enlivens public areas and their grounds and makes them more welcoming. It creates deeper interaction with the places
where we live, work, and visit. Public art illuminates the diversity and history of a community, and points to its aspirations for
the future.
Project Intent: To create a significant landmark, visually connecting Avon’s Library, Recreation Center, Civic Center and
the eastern gateway to Nottingham Park which inspires community, conversation, connection; and further identifies Avon as
an art community. The mural will use a bright and cheerful color palette to evoke joy and positivity. Characters and scenes
will be depicted in a whimsical, illustrative style to engage viewers of all ages.
Design & Theme: The Cultural, Arts and Special Events Committee, appointed members by Avon Town Council, is
seeking a design that will be a vibrant celebration of our community's rich tapestry, weaving together elements of history,
education, discovery, and our unique mountain lifestyle. The Mural will be a visual narrative that honors our ranching and
farming heritage, embraces the dynamic influences of Latino culture, and highlights the natural beauty, recreational and
learning opportunities within our environment.
Community Engagement: Since 2021, all public art installations have been the result of a collaborative process that
includes a diverse group of residents, business owners, citizen committees, arts and education organizations, and leaders
from the Eagle County School and Library Districts. This collective effort involves reviewing, scoring, and selecting works
and artists through a comprehensive jury process.
Community Impact: Large murals, like the Community Mural, really bring our community to life. They make our streets
more beautiful, give us all a sense of pride and belonging, and even draw in visitors who want to see our unique art. These
murals spark conversations about important issues and turn our public spaces into vibrant, engaging places where we love
to spend time. In the end, they help make our neighborhood a better place to live for everyone.
The Community Mural will be a dynamic and engaging artwork that not only delights viewers but also educates and
inspires them. By celebrating our past, present, and future, this mural will become a cherished landmark that embodies the
spirit of our community connecting the “Heart of Avon” to its neighborhoods and civic core. As the fourth mural installed in
recent years, it reflects the Town's ongoing commitment to nurturing and growing our community’s passion for public art
through a variety of visual art offerings.
Avon Recreation Center Avon Elementary School Avon Pedestrian Mall Area
ATTACHMENT C