Ford Amphitheater opens with local artwork

Driving the news: Ford Amphitheater kicks off its 2026 season Thursday night, giving ticket holders their first look at the two fresh public art installations.

• Denver artist Malachiah Curry created the second painting, "Echoes of the Rockies," on the opposite side of the amphitheater.

Context: Haynie and Curry won a mural contest hosted by the Venu Arts & Culture Foundation, the nonprofit arm of the amphitheater's ownership group.

• "I saw the contest the day of the deadline," Haynie, 31, tells Axios. He says he finished the submission just in time to upload it at 11:59pm.
• Chosen from a pool of more than 40 entries, the artists secured the mural spots and $2,500 each from the foundation.

Zoom in: Both murals depict concert crowds — a meaningful choice for Haynie.

• "Music hits way better when it's live, and I really wanted to capture that feeling," he says.

What they're saying: Haynie hopes his mural adds to the energy and connection people feel at live shows.

• "Cherish your human experiences," he tells Axios.

Zoom in: Haynie grew up an Army brat, but he tells Axios his family fell in love with Colorado Springs upon coming here, leading him to stay.

• He graduated from Cheyenne Mountain High School, followed by UCCS in 2020.

Fun fact: This is his second public art piece.

• He also painted the electrical box on Pikes Peak Avenue between Cascade Avenue and Tejon Street as part of downtown's InterSection signal box art project in 2021.