Arts & Cultural Enrichment

At The Learning Council, we harness the transformative power of the arts to bring people together and enrich lives across the North Fork Valley. Our programs inspire creativity, celebrate diversity, and welcome participants of all ages and backgrounds.

Through workshops, performances, celebrations and cultural events, we create opportunities for connection and self-expression. These artistic outlets combat isolation and strengthen community bonds, ensuring everyone can participate in our region's vibrant cultural life.

Bubbles is a magnificent 40-foot rainbow trout crafted from over 4,000 recycled aluminum cans and brought to life by a team of seven puppeteers. Born from the vision of TLC teammates Kristin and Paul, Bubbles embodies two powerful symbols: the rainbow trout, beloved icon of Colorado's rivers and communities, and the rainbow itself, representing hope, harmony, and unity in diversity for the LGBTQ+ community.

What started as an idea became a community movement. Dozens of volunteers spent months collecting cans, cutting and shaping each scale, fastening them to chicken wire, and learning the intricate choreography needed to move this shimmering giant. The outpouring of energy was extraordinary—proof that art can bridge divides and bring people together through creativity and joy.

Bubbles made their debut at Paonia's Cherry Days Parade in 2022 and has since swam through Pride festivals across Colorado, spreading delight wherever they go.

Where will Bubbles show up next? On the Big Screen! Donate today to support the Bubbles the Rainbow Trout short film.

A collective of artist-builders creating public art through traditional skills: wood carving, metalworking, stone carving, and clay work. Guided by the principle "Building Art that Builds Community" the Build Guild passes down ancestral techniques while creating artworks that honor our diverse cultural heritage.

Current Project: Rooted Memory, Flowering Beauty — a permanent monument on The Hearth's exterior honoring the sacred Ute council tree that was cut down. This living memorial weaves together the grief of the past, the vitality of the present, and a vision of a future where Indigenous culture, wisdom, and presence are honored and celebrated.

Each November, we gather at Paonia Community Garden to honor those we've lost with a traditional ofrenda, an offering that bridges the worlds of the living and the dead.

The evening includes a community ofrenda adorned with marigolds, food, candles, and photos of loved ones, a candlelit procession through Paonia's streets with larger-than-life puppets, gathering around the fire to speak the names of those we've lost, as well as music, stories, and shared remembrance.

The warmth we feel comes from both flames and fellowship, where grief and joy woven together.

Join us next year as we continue this sacred tradition.

Deep gratitude to Skye Riggs (Paonia Community Garden), Juniper Circle Productions, Western Colorado Migrant & Rural Coalition, and North Fork Valley Creative Coalition.