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6 FoCo spots to fuel inspiration, avoid creative burnout this school year

Ruby Secrest, Arts and Entertainment Editor

July 25, 2025

Collegian | Ruby Secrest

Colorado State University visual arts capstone student Casey Callaway works on a multimedia project, combining their painting skills with various mediums of art Oct. 21, 2024. Callaway plans on going into art conservation, as supported by their minor in chemistry, which introduces a new perspective to the art and art history major. “It’s very interesting to see the dynamics between the colleges because all of the art majors are like, ‘Why are you doing chemistry? That sounds terrible,’ and then all the chem majors are like, ‘I could never paint. … What you’re doing is so crazy,'” Callaway said. “The clash is so weird.”

Whether you’re an incoming first-year, a senior anxiously awaiting graduation or a graduate just trying to figure it all out, we all reach moments of creative burnout. While everyone has distinct styles of art, inspiration is not everlasting, and the burnout is real. So to help our fellow right-side-of-brain individuals balance life along with passion, we’d like to share our top five spots in Fort Collins to turn to when in need of an inspirational boost during the new school year.

Bizarre Bazaar

For seasoned Fort Collins creatives, the beloved Bizarre Bazaar likely sounds familiar. This local shop just off the east side of Colorado State University’s campus is an easy stop for comic book, music and scrapbook lovers alike.

Holding inspiration in vintage magazines, rows and rows of records and anything of comic and general toon style, it is the perfect place to stop by for scrapbook material, for new items to add to your empty dorm walls or to simply sit and flip through the never-ending pages. Allow yourself to get lost in all it provides, reset your mind and jot down all the new ideas this shop feeds you.

Columns of white fabric hang from the ceiling — Handcrafted fabrics hang from the ceiling at “The Hangman at Home” art exhibit, which was showcased at the Clara Hatton Gallery Jan. 28. Burlap and cheesecloth work together to create a translucent display, feeding into the narrative of Carl Sandburg’s 1922 poem. (Collegian | Ruby Secrest)

Clara Hatton Gallery

This is what we like to call “microlocal inspiration.” Located on CSU’s campus in the Visual Arts building, the Clara Hatton Gallery gives students a place enjoy art created by classmates, or maybe just by the people they walk past between classes.

The gallery is meant for the busy burnout student in need of a space that isn’t time-consuming and provides meditative creativity. We recommend taking advantage of the Clara Hatton Gallery just as one does with the Lory Student Center Panda Express; stop by in-between classes during that awkward 40-minute free time that no one really ever knows what to do with, and take in the quiet space and beautiful art created by local student artists.

a girl in bright colors sits in college class studio working. Drawing in her sketch book, surrounded by her colorful portrait paintings. — Colorado State University visual arts capstone student Carrigan Grow writes in her notebook, brainstorming ideas for future projects Oct. 21, 2024. “I remember walking through here when I was (taking) intro classes and was as so amazed by the work that was being done in here and inspired,” Grow said. (Collegian | Ruby Secrest)

Senior capstone art rooms

Similar to the Clara Hatton Gallery but more of a hidden gem is the painting and drawing capstone classes. CSU seniors work hard all year to create personal-best masterpieces, and the spaces they work in are truly inspiring and often overlooked. These classroom areas are open to the public and, of course, feature seniors working on their art. If you stumble upon it when free, it is beautiful to see the creative spaces that house the works of students.

The Lyric

Now, while it’s a bit farther off campus than the last three locations, The Lyric quite literally oozes with creative inspiration. This shape-shifting venue is the definition of “think outside the box,” taking forms as a concert venue, movie theater, playground, coffee shop, local art shop and everything in between.

Take some personal time during syllabus week for a creative recoup date. Maybe bring a friend — maybe bring six friends — and enjoy a movie night, a concert, trivia night, the drag brunches or another one of the many events that pop up daily at The Lyric. We promise you won’t come out uninspired.

Alley Cat Cafe

Of course this Fort Collins gem is on the list; how could it not be? Located in an alleyway just off CSU’s campus, the Alley Cat Cafe is a local favorite. Sit down — if you can find a seat — grab a coffee and let your creative mind linger in the imaginative environment. Where music is always playing above a never-ending number of painted ceiling tiles, the Alley Cat Cafe always allows the creative thoughts to flow out on paper.

Jerry’s Artarama

Sometimes when you’re in a creative rut, the best thing to do is shop. So last but never least, Jerry’s Artarama is where to go when you’ve zeroed in on an idea and are ready to make something out of it. This art shop is a Fort Collins staple and well loved by artists of all kinds. Offering customers a place to discover new toys and gadgets, Jerry’s fuels inspiration in the form of healthy, creative consumerism.

Reach Ruby Secrest at entertainment@collegian.com or on social media @CSUCollegian.

About the Contributors

Ruby Secrest, Arts & Entertainment Editor

Ruby Secrest is the editor of the arts and entertainment desk for The Collegian. She is a third-year student at Colorado State University, pursuing a major in journalism and media communication and a minor in film studies. Born and raised in Denver, Secrest has always had a love for fine art and live music. When joining The Collegian in fall 2023 as a writer and photographer, she took a special interest in concert photography, reporting on the live music and local art that takes place in Fort Collins. During her time at The Collegian, Secrest has sought out stories with artists and business owners who have a deep passion for their work and are interested in growth. She has been fortunate to report on local businesses, mural reveals and concerts, such as Odie Leigh, Psychedelic Porn Crumpets and last year’s Fort Collins Music Experiment festival. Secrest’s taste in art and music follows a broad range, from Picasso’s Blue Period to the early work of Annie Leibovitz with Rolling Stone magazine and music from Foxygen, Big Thief, Ron Gallo, Frazey Ford and, of course, Bruno Mars. She encourages people to have a guilt-free love of today’s top hits while also buying tickets to shows with an audience of 10. Secrest is grateful for the platform The Collegian gives young reporters and photographers and is excited to take on her new role as the A&E editor. Her goal is to encourage passion within the arts and help grow an environment within the A&E desk where any special interests of the reporters are heard and fostered, just as her mentor did for her.

Hannah Parcells, Content Managing Editor

Hannah Parcells is incredibly proud to step into the role of content managing editor at The Collegian for the 2024-25 school year. Parcells is currently pursuing two degrees: a Bachelor of Science in psychology and a Bachelor of Arts in political science with a concentration in global politics. Stubborn, opinionated and endlessly curious, Parcells has always been passionate about understanding and helping other people, and she hopes to use her education to leave the world a little better than she found it. Born into an Air Force family, Parcells spent her youth exploring the Great Plains and developed a deep love of all things nature. When she wasn’t exploring the world at her fingertips, Parcells often had her nose stuck in a book, which is how she discovered her love of science, history and, above all, a good story. Parcells stumbled headfirst into The Collegian in fall 2023 as a reporter when she transferred to Colorado State University and a friend recommended it due to her passion for writing. She fell in love with chasing down stories and became the news editor at the end of her first semester. Parcells strongly believes in the power of information and is committed to upholding The Collegian’s long history of honest reporting and encouraging readers to get out and explore the world around them. On the off chance she’s not buried in textbooks, research papers or policy analyses, Parcells can be found on a hike, listening to music or at any local bookstore or coffee shop, feeding her ongoing addiction to both caffeine and good books.

Cat Blouch, Social Media Editor

Cat Blouch is the social media editor at The Collegian. They are a fourth-year student at Colorado State University studying business administration with a concentration in marketing and a minor in statistics from Delta, Colorado. They have been on The Collegian‘s team since the summer of 2020, starting on the opinion desk and later joining the photo team. Blouch began their social media interest by working on the @colostatememes page on Instagram and looked at the social media editor position as a way to further engage with the CSU community. They are excited to find new ways to hear the voice of the student body and engage more with readers through their positions at The Collegian. Blouch enjoys the flexibility of being able to pursue creativity in multiple mediums at The Collegian. When Blouch is off the clock, you can find them engaging in other creative areas such as creating music, writing poetry or filming a video. They hope to continue their creative pursuits after college through work in marketing analytics and content creation.

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