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Fremont Center for the Arts asks Cañon City for $40,000 after downtown move draws surge in visitors
Summary
Fremont Center for the Arts, which moved into a downtown Cañon City space in May, told the Vision Committee it has welcomed more than 5,000 visitors since opening and is requesting $40,000 for 2026 to stabilize staffing and expand youth programming.
Kathy Finny, president of the Fremont Center for the Arts board, told the Vision Committee on Sept. 17 that the nonprofit’s May move to 521–523 Main Street has sharply increased foot traffic and community engagement. "With the purchase and move of our 521 523 Main Street address, we have seen and welcomed 5,000 plus visitors to our gallery and events," Finny said.
Finny described FCA as a long-running regional arts hub with programs that include weekly classes, youth outreach, free and low-cost exhibitions, and monthly "First Friday" art walks that routinely draw large crowds. She said FCA’s new downtown location has allowed people to spend more time at events — increasing bar and café sales and membership interest — and that the organization has showcased more than 150 artists since reopening.
The center is requesting $40,000 in community agency funding for 2026, down from larger requests in prior years. Finny told council members the money would go toward staff compensation, program expansion for children and families and to help FCA remain competitive in hiring after losing key staff earlier this year. She said the center is open seven days a week and is still refining its operating model following the move.
Finny also described current finances and near-term fundraising: FCA leaders reported roughly $18,000 in annual sales from the cafe/bar and estimated net operating income there in the low hundreds per month. She said the organization has applied for $500,000–$600,000 in grants made available by owning the building, and noted approximately $250,000 in recent repairs to the roof and interior paid as part of the reopening effort.
Council members pressed for additional detail on the 5,000-visitor figure and the period it covered; Finny said FCA opened in May and that monthly traffic at the new site has already exceeded what they saw at the prior location. Members asked for clearer P&L tracking that separates the old and new locations; Finny and the FCA treasurer said they would refine accounting displays for city staff and follow up with the requested detail.
The presentation was informal and informational; the committee’s budget workshop is scheduled for October, when staff and council said they will examine operating budgets and capital requests in greater depth.
