BMoCA and Longmont Museum are excited to announce a partnership to present an ambitious exhibition that invites artists to collaborate with Boulder County farmers. Tentatively entitled agri+CULTURE, the exhibition draws on the inspiration and expertise of farmers and nature. Exhibiting artists will create new works that invite visitors to explore their own connections to the land. This multi-venue exhibition will be presented in the summer of 2023. 

The National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) has approved a $45,000 Grants for Arts Projects award in support of agri+CULTURE. This project is among 1,125 projects across the United States totaling more than $26.6 million that were selected during this second round of Grants for Arts Projects fiscal year 2022 funding.

NEA Chair Maria Rosario Jackson, PhD said, “The National Endowment for the Arts is proud to support arts and cultural organizations throughout the nation with these grants. The arts contribute to our individual well-being, the well-being of our communities, and to our local economies. The arts are also crucial to helping us make sense of our circumstances from different perspectives as we emerge from the pandemic and plan for a shared new normal informed by our examined experience.”

agri+CULTURE will bring together over 15 local, regional, and national artists with Boulder County farmers to create and share connections with the land. The exhibition will highlight the vast experiences that encompass farming in the Front Range. By partnering farmers who have an intimate connection to the land with artists who bring these stories to life through visual works, visitors will be able to consider their own relationship with the natural world.   

Opening at various locations June 8-11, 2023, agri+CULTURE will include exhibitions at both BMoCA and Longmont Museum as well as site-specific artworks at three area farms. 

Confirmed participating artists at the two museum locations include Libby Barbee, Nicole Banowetz, Margarita Cabrera, DesertArtLAB, Futurefarmers, Victor Yañez-Lazcano, Patrick Marold, Dylan McLaughlin, Mia Mulvey, Sarah Sense, Sam Van Aken, and Jessica Zeglin.

The art takes to the land with projects being developed at Ollin Farms, Milk & Honey Farm at the Boulder Jewish Community Center (JCC), and the Boulder County Agricultural Heritage Center by artists Margarita Cabrera, Futurefarmers, and Rena Detrixhe.

“BMoCA has been developing the concept for this exhibition for many years, and we are thrilled to partner with Longmont Museum and the NEA to make this concept a reality,” said David Dadone, Executive Director of BMoCA. “The exhibition will foster collaborations between artists and farmers that will lead to new works of art that inspire all members of our community to think about our relationships with the land in new ways.”

“Our hope with this exhibit is that people will visit BMoCA, the Longmont Museum, and our three satelite farms to fully experience this deep collaboration between artists and farmers in all of its locations,” said Kim Manajek, Director of the Longmont Museum. “Our land is art, and this art is land.” 

About BMoCA 

Celebrating its 50th anniversary in 2022, Boulder Museum of Contemporary Art (BMoCA) inspires creativity and fosters community through contemporary art. BMoCA is a non-collecting institution that presents exhibitions and programs that stimulate active participation in the global dialogue about contemporary art. 

The museum serves over 140,000 people each year with 15–25 exhibitions and over 200 programs presented for audiences of all ages and backgrounds. BMoCA’s 7 unique education outreach programs engage audiences of all ages with creative and contemporary art experiences with a focus on ensuring participants gain knowledge about the themes and techniques of contemporary art while appreciating their own abilities to create art. 6 of the 7 education programs are offered free of charge.

BMoCA is located at 1750 13th Street in downtown Boulder, Colorado. The museum is open 11am–5pm Tuesday–Sunday. Admission $2 for adults; free for youth under 12 and BMoCA members. Admission for all is free on Saturdays. BMoCA.org / 303.443.2122.

About Longmont Museum

The Longmont Museum is a center for culture in Northern Colorado where people of all ages explore history, experience art, and discover new ideas through dynamic programs, exhibitions, and events. Regional history, internationally-known artists, and hands-on learning are all part of the mix of exhibitions at the Longmont Museum. Permanent exhibits document the 14,000 years of human history in Longmont and the people who helped to create this community. Special exhibits in the Museum’s main gallery, Portal Gallery, and Swan Atrium change several times a year. Learn more at www.longmontmuseum.org or visit us at 400 Quail Road, Longmont CO 80501.