Through a series of serendipitous conversations, Carbondale Arts has partnered with WE-cycle, the Roaring Fork Valley’s bikeshare program that will be launched in Carbondale this summer.

WE-cycle Executive Director, Mirte Mallory shares, “Riding a bike evokes a sense of wonder and independence while giving the rider access to new places and perspectives. Art inspires similar emotions and reflections and for decades art and bikes have been part of the soul of Carbondale. As WE-cycle prepares for its much anticipated Carbondale debut, WE-cycle is enthused to align its bikeshare offering with the spirit of the community and to further connect and contribute to the vibrant public arts culture of Carbondale of which Carbondale Arts is the steward. “

*Artist Bailey Haines sits down with Carbondale Arts and WE-cycle. Image by Sarah Overbeck*

Carbondale Arts became the connector through their relationships with Town of Carbondale, RFTA, funders and their expansive network of local artists via the Carbondale Creative District directory.

A program of Carbondale Arts, Carbondale Creative District (CCD) was the driving force behind the ARTway with RFTA, a one-mile stretch of the Rio Grande Trail that runs through downtown Carbondale, featuring various art installations, community gardens and parks (with a new one, the Youth Art Park, emerging this year behind the rec center). This partnership amplifies the origin story of the ARTway, and is a method of connecting the community to the Creative District through equitable and accessible mobility.

After a process where both organizations thoroughly reviewed qualifications, the group decided to move forward with local artist and printmaker Bailey Haines. Along with her artistry, her letter of intent touched the selection team. “As an artist living in Carbondale, my work is a response to the sense of wonder and belonging that I experience in nature. Movement in all scales and forms is an inherent part of our experience here on earth, and as I consider your project, the question arises...What will these riders witness that they would otherwise miss while riding in a car or a bus?”

The bikeshare plans to be accessible to Carbondalians by mid summer.

Art in Motion: A collaboration with WE-cycle