Since debuting in October, Hotel Hillcrest has become one of the emerging venues for local musicians to perform. For this year’s 4/20, however, they hosted something a bit different than usual.
Since their first event on Oct. 26, 2018, Hillcrest has hosted nine events; this year’s 4/20 being the 10th. The venue, a simple house in a Fort Collins neighborhood, is mainly run by roommates Joe Wood and Max Roesler with the help of volunteers.
Though it is typically known for its live performances that take place in the home’s two-car garage, Hillcrest took a different approach this past Saturday.
Instead of hosting a concert, they instead hosted an art show compiled of artists from all over Fort Collins.
The show included drawings, paintings, poetry, sculpture and almost any other style of art that you can think of. The house’s living room and hallway were filled with miniature galleries,ww one of which included skateboard decks repurposed into their own pieces of expression. The house’s garage, which typically hosts live music acts instead hosted a wall of poetry as well as statues.
The event was extremely enjoyable from start to finish. Not long after its start time of 6 p.m., the house was packed with people from all around Fort Collins who came to visit the show. It stayed that way until late into the night. Although the event was a great success for Wood and Roesler, the two give most of their thanks to the arts community of Fort Collins, as well as the supportive relationship they have built between each other.
“What makes this place important and what makes this place special is the people that come,” Wood said. “If nobody wanted to be a part of it and nobody came, then there’s no point.”
We put this space together for the community, and in the end the community wanted it, needed it, appreciates it and wants to be a part of this” – Joe Wood, Hotel Hillcrest Director.
Out of the approximately 30 artists showcased Saturday, only two of them are professionals with pieces in galleries, according to Wood and Roesler.
“There’s a big need for creatives to get their stuff out there, and they don’t really have an outlet to do it,” Roesler said.
Hotel Hillcrest is how Wood and Roesler provide creatives with an outlet. Artists who have not had the experience of putting their work on display were given their first opportunity to do so.
Wood and Roesler have come to view the relationship between them and the community as one big family that they get to host.
“We put this space together for the community, and in the end the community wanted it, needed it, appreciates it and wants to be a part of this,” Wood said.
The two hope to host more events like the art show as they continue to schedule and host shows at the house; citing a plan to possibly host another art show at the beginning of the next fall semester. Until then, a show is currently planned for Thursday, May 25 for Fort Collins band Slow Caves, who just recently released their debut album, “Falling” March 22.
To attend a show, one can find the Hotel Hillcrest on Instagram, and message them to receive the address for the show. As the venue takes on more art forms, they plan to expand the plethora of exciting events they have in store for the future.
Miles Parrish can be reached at entertainment@collegian.com or on Twitter @parrishm20.
