Cannabis Art Exhibition Comes to Fort Collins

by North Forty News Staff | NorthFortyNews.com

Science-informed art project explores public health conversations around high-potency cannabis through community events and visual storytelling.

A traveling Colorado art exhibition focused on the health impacts of high-concentration cannabis will make a stop in Fort Collins later this month, bringing together artists, researchers, and community members for public conversations centered on cannabis, mental health, and public awareness.

The Hear/Say Art Exhibition, presented through the Tea on THC campaign, opens May 27 at the Center for Creativity in Fort Collins and runs through May 31. Organizers say the exhibition combines scientific research with visual art to encourage discussion about the effects of high-potency THC products and changing cannabis culture in Colorado.

The Fort Collins opening reception is scheduled for Friday, May 29, from 3:30 to 5:30 p.m. at the Center for Creativity, located at 200 Mathews Street. Admission is free and open to the public.

The exhibition is part of a statewide public education effort led by the Colorado School of Public Health and Initium Health following the passage of Colorado House Bill 1317, which directed researchers to study the health effects of high-potency cannabis products and develop evidence-based public outreach programs.

According to organizers, the exhibition uses a “science-informed art model,” allowing artists to interpret public health research through painting, sculpture, photography, mixed media, and installation work. The project aims to create conversations that go beyond traditional public health messaging.

“What I appreciate about this exhibition is its commitment to exploring an issue from multiple perspectives,” returning artist Beth Johnston said in the release. “It empowers the public to make informed decisions through clear data and medical insight, while also intentionally creating space for nuance, dialogue, and lived experience.”

Dr. Annie Collier, associate professor at the Colorado School of Public Health and project director for Hear/Say, said the exhibition encourages audiences to examine how public perceptions of cannabis compare with current scientific understanding.

Colorado was the first state to legalize recreational cannabis in 2014, and Northern Colorado communities continue to see ongoing conversations around cannabis use, mental health, youth education, and public health policy.

Additional exhibition events and community art sessions are planned in Colorado Springs throughout June.

More information about the exhibition schedule and participating artists is available at Hear/Say Art Colorado.

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Attribution: Information provided by Initium Health and the Colorado School of Public Health.