DENVER — The sidewalk outside RedLine Arts Center in Denver is a familiar scene in the Queen City of the Plains.
Rows of tents covered with tarps to protect against the seemingly endless February snow line the block.
“Our brothers and sisters on the street who may not have a mailbox are still our neighbors,” said J.C. Futrell, Director of Education at RedLine. “They may not have a roof over their head, but they live in this community and they contribute to this community.”
The nonprofit contemporary arts center is home to a rotating showcase of art, events, and artists.
“Even though we’re a contemporary arts center, we’re a social justice arts center as well,” said Futrell.
In the back of the building, beyond the artist in resident exhibit and the library is an open room with plenty of table space called The Reach Studio.
“This space initially was opened for artists experiencing homelessness, but it’s grown into much more than that,” said Futrell. “It’s a place where any community artist can come in and feel safe, and feel seen.” The studio is open Tuesday and Saturday afternoons from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.
This space is a creative outlet for artists like Charles Tunstall.
“Times have been tough and I found myself homeless,” said Tunstall.
The painter has been coming to Reach Studio since 2013. He keeps coming back for several reasons.
“The safety, the security, the floor space, the community. Community, that’s the big one," he said.
The studio provides him with supplies, storage for his work, and opportunities to sell his pieces. Tunstall doesn’t paint for the money.
“There’s been people who come up to me and said, ‘Oh I really love that panting, but I don’t have any money.’ I ask if they have a home. That’s the only qualification that I have in order to give them the artwork.”
Futrell said, for many artists like Tunstall, the art is the most important thing in their lives.
“The artwork finding a home, and the artists not necessarily having one that artwork can serve as a reminder that there are people out there who still need our help," he said.
On Feb. 14, RedLine opened their tenth annual Reach Studio exhibition. This year the work focuses on Afro-futurism.
“We’re really diving into what the idea of afro-futurism is,” said Futrell. “Tackling some of the issues revolving around the African diaspora -- around the trans-Atlantic slave trade, and what that looks like for people of color overcoming colonialism. What does our world look like post colonialism or without colonialism?”
The exhibition runs through March 29.
SUGGESTED VIDEOS | Colorado Guide