Sister Cities: Rotating Art Display
This exhibit showcases unique artifacts given to the City of Colorado Springs as part of its participation in the Sister Cities International program, The concept of Sister Cities arose in President Eisenhower’s People to People Conference Speech on September 11, 1956, where he popularized people-to-people diplomacy. The City of Colorado Springs became a member of Sister Cities International in 1962. Sister Cities International is a non-profit citizen diplomacy network seeking stronger economic and cultural ties at the municipal level between US and international communities.
The City of Colorado Springs is open to establishing sister city relationships that promote understanding and foster relationships among individuals, communities, and cities of the world through cultural, economic, educational and humanitarian activities in conjunction with local sponsoring affiliation organizations.
The City of Colorado Springs currently partners with 7 cities all over the world.
- Fujiyoshida, Japan: February 1962 - currently on display
- Kaohsiung, Taiwan: April 1983
- Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan: April 1994
- Nuevo Casas Grande, Mexico: December 1996
- Canterbury-Bankstown, Australia: November 1999
- Ancient Olympia, Greece: April 2014
- Kranj, Slovenia: May 2022
BLOTA HUNKA & BISON by Don & Charles Green
Purchased in 2000, these two steel sculptures, created by Don and Charles Green, welcome visitors near the airport's entrance: a bison and an Indian on horseback. These are beautiful works, striking both from a distance and close up, whether arriving or leaving the airport. The Indian makes an especially haunting impression on the way out, silhouetted against the sky and the open plains to the south.
Artist's Statement: The two larger than life sculptures located at the entrance to the Colorado Springs Airport were made by Don and Charles Green of Colorado Springs in 1980 and 1981. The sculpture titled "Blota Hunka", meaning warrior of the Plains, was named and blessed by Chief Talltree, a member of the Sioux Nation. Both sculptures are constructed of plate steel welded to an armature of steel rod and have been allowed to rust to achieve a natural patina that blends beautifully with their site at the airport entrance.
The Wall of Heroes
The Wall of Heroes plaque was donated March 2024 to the Colorado Springs Airport by the Colorado Springs Chorale, the official chorus of the 78th anniversary of D-Day held June 2022 in Normandy, France.
Artist's Statement: The Wall of Heroes plaque commemorates the 144 soldiers from Colorado who served and died in WWII and are laid to rest in the Normandy American Cemetery and the Brittany American Cemetery in Normandy. After a deeply moving experience of singing in their honor, the Colorado Springs Chorale created the plaque as a memorial to the WWII heroes of Colorado. The public is welcome to view the Wall of Heroes plaque in the public space of the terminal located on the second level and to the west of the main lobby next to the reception area where passengers exit the concourse.