Inspired by themes of environment and mountain culture, the 10-day festival brings together a variety of performances, exhibitions, screenings, workshops, talks and surprise collaborations, with an eclectic mix of music, dance, film, visual arts and family entertainment. Dozens of scheduled events, indoors and outdoors, ticketed and free, are showcased at venues and sites throughout town.
The 2019 festival features a variety of eco-minded performances and exhibitions, including new commissions by Rotterdam-based Sicilian artist Giuseppe Licari, American art collective The Canary Project (Susannah Sayler and Edward Morris) and Danish artist and designer Thomas Dambo who returns to Breckenridge to create a new wooden troll sculpture. In addition to outdoor installations, trailside concerts and open-air cinematic events, BIFA will also present transcontinental rockers DeVotchKa in support of their new album, multimedia artist DJ Spooky (Paul D. Miller) in a musical exploration of geological phenomena, and renowned vertical dance company BANDALOOP in a series of site- reactive performances in and around town.
Along with an eclectic mix of national and international creatives, the festival also showcases visual and performing artists from throughout the region and state, including Gretchen Marie Schaefer, Tara Rynders, Cortney McGuire, Jess Webb, Chimney Choir, Russick Smith, Kevin Larkin, Karen Lauffer, Jess Rose, Patrick O’Halloran, Kenn Lee, Beau Thomas, Leon Joseph Littlebird, Nina Waters, DeWater & Wagner, and many more.
Additionally, the Breckenridge Arts District once again serves as the heart of BIFA, bringing together studios, galleries, performance spaces, public art and historic landmarks that animate and populate a vibrant cultural corridor in downtown Breckenridge. Throughout the festival, the Arts District’s campus becomes an interactive hub of creativity, offering free workshops, demonstrations, artist talks and hands-on activities for all ages.
Juxtaposed with so much lighthearted play, this year’s festival also promises a series of ecological artworks and experiences to inspire a range of thought-provoking responses—from reflecting on how our interaction with the environment affects humankind, to environmental activism as an expression of patriotism.
“Like many of the works we have presented at BIFA in the past, our ecological series can be appreciated on a purely aesthetic level, because it will transform the landscape with the kinds of awe-inspiring spectacles our 10-day summer festival is known for,” said Robb Woulfe, President and CEO of Breckenridge Creative Arts, the event’s producer. “However, for those who wish to dig deeper, these works will also provide a jumping off point for contemplations—and ecological action—concerning our role in nature.”
