State of Art | January 2026: Art, Advocacy and What’s Ahead for Pueblo

In the first State of Art conversation of the new year, host Bree Pappan brings together three voices shaping Pueblo’s creative and civic landscape for a candid, forward-looking discussion. Artist and community advocate Tom Carrigan, artist Tia Monson, and Donielle Kitzman, vice president of the Greater Pueblo Chamber of Commerce and Visit Pueblo, explore what 2026 holds for artists, small businesses, cultural organizations and the broader tourism economy.

Recorded Jan. 9, this episode looks at how art, advocacy and economic development intersect in Pueblo, and why collaboration across sectors matters now more than ever. The conversation spans grassroots creativity and big-picture strategy, highlighting how artists and institutions are working together to tell Pueblo’s story, attract visitors, and strengthen the community’s creative economy.

From what artists can expect in the year ahead to how local organizations are elevating art as a driver of tourism and identity, this episode offers insight, optimism and a call to stay engaged. It is a timely listen for anyone invested in Pueblo’s cultural future and the role art plays in shaping place, pride and possibility.