by North Forty News Staff | NorthFortyNews.com
Community-driven art event and exhibition support local programs at the Museum of Art Fort Collins
FORT COLLINS — A long-standing Northern Colorado tradition returns this spring as the Museum of Art Fort Collins opens its 22nd Annual Masks Fundraiser & Exhibition, bringing together artists and community members to support local arts programming.
The exhibition runs from April 3 through June 5, 2026, with a VIP opening reception scheduled for April 2 from 4 to 8 p.m. Community members can view and purchase the masks both in person and through an online auction at https://fly.causepilot.com/moafc/masks-2026.
Now in its 22nd year, the Masks Fundraiser has become a cornerstone creative event in Fort Collins, raising more than $2.2 million to support the museum’s exhibitions and educational programs. This year’s goal is $75,000, with early sponsorships already contributing $30,000.
More than 247 masks—designed and donated by a mix of professional and community artists, many from Northern Colorado—are featured in the 2026 exhibition. The project invites participation from artists of all backgrounds, reinforcing its role as an accessible and community-centered creative experience.
Organizers say the event highlights the region’s diverse artistic voices while directly funding programming that benefits residents across Fort Collins and beyond. Over the years, more than 4,000 masks have been created and donated, reflecting evolving styles, materials, and themes.
Alongside the fundraiser, the museum will also debut a new exhibition in the Peter D. Springberg Vault Gallery. “Minilab for Future Inspection of Color: Toward a Chromatic Forensics,” a solo exhibition by Mexican artist Juan Bastardo, explores color as a cultural, scientific, and historical artifact. The exhibition examines how pigments and digital color systems reflect broader societal and industrial influences.
The combined exhibitions offer Northern Colorado residents an opportunity to engage with both local creativity and internationally recognized contemporary art.
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Source: Museum of Art Fort Collins