Commonwheel Artists Co-op was started in 1974 in Manitou Springs. A group of young artists promoted 3 summer art fairs on Memorial Day Weekend, 4th of July and on Labor Day Weekend.
In 1975, they took over a tiny building that housed the "Maybe Shop" and formed a cooperative membership gallery where they could sell their artwork.
The gallery quickly grew and expanded into a much larger building where it still exists today.
After a a few years, first two summer festivals were retired in favor of having just one Art Festival on Labor Day Weekend that they could focus all their energy on building into the Premier Art Festival in the Pikes Peak Region.
Now in its 46th year, the Commonwheel Artists Labor Day Art Festival is proud to be known for creating a smoothly run, well organized highly juried Art Festival that entices art patrons to visit and patronize our artists for successful sales each year.
The Art Festival celebrates Fine Art and Contemporary Crafts in many forms, providing the finest visual and performing arts experience in the Pikes Peak Region. This unique Art Festival features live local entertainment, giant soap bubbles, a hands-on art project tent for children and more!
Visitors tend to bring their whole families for a weekend of juried fine art and contemporary crafts, unique food vendors, kids activities & live original local music
