Steamboat Springs Arts Council

The historic Depot Art Center, originally constructed in 1908 to serve the railroad that transformed the Yampa Valley, houses the Steamboat Springs Arts Council. Eleanor Bliss, Carol Finoff, and George Tolles founded this arts organization in 1972 to foster creativity and performance in rural Colorado. After saving the building from condemnation during a 1980 campaign, the group rehabilitated it into a full-time community arts center. The facility officially became known as the Eleanor Bliss Center for the Arts in 1989 before adopting its current name.

Today, the Depot Art Center operates as a cultural hub featuring two fine art galleries and a large multi-use space in the Baggage Room. It hosts classes, private parties, meetings, and collaborations for art lovers of all ages. The council is responsible for signature local traditions including Art in the Park, Cabaret, Young At Art Creativity Camps, and Holidays in the Rockies. More recently, they have organized Snow Sculptures for the annual Winter Carnival festival.

In 2017, Steamboat Springs received certification as a Colorado Creative District. This designation led to the integration of Steamboat Creates, a program focused on advocacy and economic vitality for the creative sector. Kim Keith serves as the Executive Director, guiding the organization's mission to enhance quality of life through arts engagement. The building remains an iconic gathering place, preserving the legacy of the passenger service that ended in 1968 while continuing to bring people together through art.