Art Saint Louis presents Sideshow, an all media juried visual art exhibition with artworks that consider and explore ideas of wonder, awe, mystery, absurdities, and oddities, as well as works that consider sideshows, circuses, cabinets of curiosity, and more. Entry deadline: January 17, 2025.
SIDESHOW
Art Saint Louis is now accepting entries for Sideshow, a juried visual art exhibit open to St. Louis regional artists 18+ who live within 200 miles of Art Saint Louis. For this large group exhibition, we invite our region’s visual artists to consider and explore ideas of wonder, awe, mystery, absurdities, and oddities, as well as works that consider sideshows, circuses, cabinets of curiosity, and more. We encourage all explorations and interpretations of this theme. Works in all media, styles and techniques are encouraged. All exhibition rules apply.
ELIGIBILITY
• Open to artists 18 years of age and older living in the St. Louis, Missouri region* and surrounding 200-mile radius. *Only artists from the St. Louis region & surrounding 200-mile radius are eligible to enter or participate in our exhibit.
• If you are not sure of the distance from where you live to our location, 2801 Locust St., St. Louis, MO 63103, you can use this handy online distance calculator.
• Artist must be resident of the St. Louis region/200-mile radius in order to submit work & participate, if selected for exhibition.
ALL MEDIA
• For this exhibition we welcome, encourage and consider artworks made of/using any and all visual art media, including but not limited to: airbrush, ceramics, collage, digital, drawing (graphite, pen & ink, etc), glass (blown glass, kilnformed, etc), illustration, jewelry, metalsmithing, mixed media, mosaics, painting (acrylic, gouache, oil, watercolor, etc), photography (analog or digital), printmaking (silkscreen & serigraph, monotypes, collagraph, etching, linocut, etc), sculpture, textiles & fiber art (beading, basketry, weaving, tapestry, embroidery, stitching, quilts, wearables, etc.), video, woodworking, and more.
• We are not considering AI-generated artworks for this exhibit.
• If your work is digital, please specify the software used to create your artwork.
• We are not able to exhibit ceiling installed artworks or floor-installed works.
• All 3-d work is displayed on platforms, pedestals/plinths, or otherwise up off of the ground.
• If you are unclear if your artwork or media is eligible, contact us. Performance-based video/time-based media is considered, however we are not able to present in-person performance-based work.
• If you are unclear if your artwork or media is eligible,
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.
EXHIBITION SPACE & DATES
• Sideshow is an in-gallery exhibit presented at Art Saint Louis, 2801 Locust Street in downtown St. Louis, Missouri 63103.
• Exhibition dates: April 12-May 15, 2025.
• Free reception & Awards on Saturday, April 12, 5-7 p.m.
• Dates subject to change.
OUR JURORS
Serving as our Jurors for this exhibit are St. Louis-based artists Neeka Allsup and Bryan Walsh.
• Bryan Walsh, artist, owner, Fifteen Windows Gallery, St. Louis, MO, which Bryan opened in February 2024. BFA Miami University, Oxford, OH (2002). Walsh is co-Founder of Screwed Arts Collective and serves as Artist Coordinator for the annual Paint Louis International Graffiti Festival, held at the Mississippi River Flood Wall every Labor Day weekend. An abstract painter, Bryan’s work has been exhibited across the U.S.
• Neeka Allsup, St. Louis-based painter and muralist. BFA, The School of the Art Institute of Chicago, Chicago, IL (2010). Neeka works with imagery from Soviet cartoons, invented nature, and dreams. Her work has been exhibited in numerous solo and small group shows across the U.S. and works are held in private and public collections. Neeka’s murals can be found locally as well as in Austin, TX. Since 2021, Allsup currently works as Shop & Marketing Specialist for Perennial, a community workshop & store that focuses on creative reuse and sustainability.
AWARDS
• Awards of Excellence are selected by the Jurors trom the final installed exhibit and include (1) $250 Best of Show Award of Excellence and (4) non-cash Awards of Excellence. We also offer 4 Honorable Mentions.
• All Award of Excellence recipients are eligible for our “Honor Awards 2027” curated exhibit presented at Art Saint Louis Summer 2027.
ENTRY DEADLINE & APPLICATION LINK
• All entries for this show are accepted online here: https://artist.callforentry.org/festivals_unique_info.php?ID=14493
• The deadline to enter this exhibition was January 17, 2025, 11:59 p.m. MST.
WHAT IS A JURIED EXHIBITION?
• A juried exhibition is a competitive exhibit process. The artworks that you submit will be in competition all artworks submitted for consideration for this exhibit.
• Some artworks will be selected for the final show, while others will not be selected.
• If you do not want to compete in order to have your work considered/exhibited, then please do not submit your artworks for our juried exhibition.
THE JURYING PROCESS
ARTWORK AVAILABILITY
• Please only submit artworks for jurying that are available for exhibition.
• Do not double-book your artwork, submit it or commit it for other exhibits that overlap with our exhibit dates.
• If you sell work that you've submitted for our show, either notify us that it is no longer available and we will remove it from jurying or ask that you please make sure that the buyer is agreeable to loan it to you for exhibition if selected by the Jurors for our show.
• Please only submit work for jurying if you are able to follow through with the rules of entry/art & exhibit guidelines.
ABOUT ART SAINT LOUIS
• Located in St. Louis' Midtown Alley and Locust Street Business District, Art Saint Louis is home to one of the most popular and frequently visited exhibition spaces in the entire St. Louis, Missouri region.
• Highlighting each exhibition, Art Saint Louis opening receptions are a cultural mainstay in downtown St. Louis and are followed throughout the run of each exhibit with extensive viewing hours six days a week—Monday through Saturday—and an average of over 500 visitors per week.
• Our new home at 2801 Locust Street was created Summer of 2024 and builds upon the organization’s 40-year success in connecting St. Louis regional artists and audiences. Our beautiful and spacious Gallery boasts a year-round series of original professionally-juried group exhibitions showcasing the best of the region’s contemporary visual art.
• Uniquely designed as a gallery/café hybrid, the space is also the one and only café home of Catalyst Coffee Bar, owned and operated by Art Saint Louis, making our space a cultural and social destination like no other in the St. Louis region.
• Find Art Saint Louis on Facebook and Instgram to view highlights from our previous exhibits in our photo albums.
APPLY FOR OUR EXHIBIT
• The direct link to the online entry is https://artist.callforentry.org/festivals_unique_info.php?ID=14493
• PLEASE NOTE that this is an online entry process. All entries are to be submitted through CallforEntry.org/CaFÉ. We do not accept entries by email for this show.
• All entries must be received by CaFÉ by 11:59 p.m. January 17, 2025.
• Late entries are not accepted.
SPECIFICATIONS--ALL ARTWORKS
• Limit 5 original artworks in all media, styles, and techniques that specifically respond to exhibit theme, Sideshow.
• Artworks created/completed between 2021—2025. We will consider works completed 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, and 2025 for this exhibit. Works from before 2021 are not considered.
• Works not previously exhibited in any exhibit in any Art Saint Louis exhibit.
• NO ceiling installed work.
• NO artworks that sit directly on Gallery floor. Anything intended to be displayed directly on the floor would need to be presented on a plinth, platform or pedestal.
• 2-d works must be framed or, if not framed, pre-approved* alternate presentation (*email:
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).
• For artists with works on canvas, please note if selected for exhibition, your canvas can be gallery-wrapped, strip-framed or framed. We cannot exhibit unstretched canvas.
• Textiles & quilts must have accompanying pre-drilled hanging bars or similar installation apparatus provided by artist for display of artwork. NO shower rods or curtain rods. Garments & wearables, artist to provide display form or mannequin.
• Size limits: Final installation size on all 2-d and wall-displayed/hung work and 3-d work not to exceed 6’ (72”) wide x 6’ (72”) high, this includes frame. NO exceptions.
• Weight limit: 2-d & 3-d works not to exceed 30 lbs.
• NO works that are pinned, tacked, taped, velcroed, painted on, glued, adhered, nailed, or affixed directly to/on Gallery walls. No works that use any adhesives directly on Gallery walls. Art Saint Louis uses traditional hanging hardware (hooks/nails) to hang wall-installed artworks from their wires on the back of the pieces— however, we will not nail or tack an artwork directly to a wall, nor will we use velcro, glue, 3M Command Strips, or any other adhesive-type substance to directly apply an artwork to the wall. ALL wall-installed works must hang from standard picture hanging hardware.
• No loose plexi that is clipped or nailed to wall.
• Artist must provide all equipment necessary to present video or time-based media as well as any artwork requiring electricity, incl. cords, adapters, player, monitor (min. 9"), etc. Video monitor to be exhibited/displayed on a pedestal (we cannot mount monitors on our gallery walls, sorry). We do not own video equipment.
• If your artwork utilizes organic matter,
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to specify the organic materials being used before entering our exhibit:
• We have the right to refuse any entry or artwork that does not meet our exhibition standards.
3-D WORK/SCULPTURE
• ALL rules/specifications as listed above pertaining to 2-D work also apply to 3-D work, this includes size/weight limits: 72"x72" & 30 lbs.
•
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to see if we can accommodate the size of your 3-d artwork, please.
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height, width, depth.
• Large, oversized, complicated or multi-part works must be installed by artist under direction of Art Saint Louis Artistic Director.
• We are only able to exhibit sculpture that is pedestal-displayed or wall-hung.
• Gallery owns a limited number of standard sized pedestals & will provide for display of most 3-d work.
• If your 3-d artwork is odd-sized, large, heavy, or requires a specific sized pedestal, plan on providing that pedestal, plinth or platform (one that sits at least 18" up off of the ground) yourself, please. If your work requires a display pedestal that is not standard, please ask us first as this may not be something that we are able to provide.
• 3-d works that are extremely fragile, very small, have a very small bottom/base, are unstable or that do not sit flat on a pedestal are not considered.
• Do not submit any 3-d artwork that will not fully sit flat/level on pedestal or other display surface.
• NO ceiling installed work, this includes installation works.
• NO artworks that stand directly on Gallery floor. All 3-d work must be displayed on a pedestal or platform.
SPECIFICATIONS-VIDEO WORK
• Artist to provide all equipment necessary to present video/time-based media or any artwork requiring electricity, incl. cords, adapters, player, monitor (min. 9"), etc. We do not own any video equipment.
• Video monitor to be exhibited/displayed on a pedestal (we cannot mount monitors on our gallery walls).
• If selected for exhibit, artist to install their own video equipment and work.
• Artist to provide printed document with equipment operating instructions.
JURYING & IMAGE REQUIREMENTS
• Judging is only done by JPEGs online only at https://artist.callforentry.org/festivals_unique_info.php?ID=14493
• ARTWORK LIMIT: 5 artworks. Do not exceed 5 artworks total or you risk being disqualified.
• Image limit: 10 images max. of 5 artworks total. Note that the image limit is different from artwork limit. This allows for 2 images max. per artwork, including one required full view and either one detail or one alternate view per artwork.
• If you submit more than 2 images per artwork, your work will be declined.
• Multi-paneled artworks (triptychs, diptychs, etc.) count as one artwork as long as they are presented as one unit and the total size of the artwork does not exceed our size limit. Please photograph the full artwork and submit that as one image. If you wish to include a detail view, remember that you are limited to one extra image per artwork.
• Submissions that do not comply with rules of entry will not be presented to the Jurors.
• Artworks selected for exhibition that are not accurately depicted by JPEGs.
Please make sure that the digital images of your artworks are:
• In focus.
• Cropped to feature only your artwork—please crop out include framing in your artwork image.
• Please, NO watermarks or name imprints/signatures.
• Free of a time-date stamp.
• Please photograph your 2-d work before you have it professionally framed. If the only image you have of your artwork is of the work framed, please use image editing software to crop the frame out of the image. Your artwork is what will be judged, not the frame.
Upload options for image files:
• File format: JPEG only.
• File dimensions: 1200 pixels or greater on the longest dimension.
• File resolution: 72 ppi/dpi (standard web resolution).
• File size: 5MB maximum.
Upload options for video files:
• File formats: 3GP, WMV, AVI, MOV, ASF, MPG, MP4, M2T, MKV, M2TS.
• Resolution: minimum 620x480; max. 1920x1080.
• Aspect ratio: 4:3 or 16:9.
• Bit rate: recommended above 240 kbps.
• Frame rate: minimum 12 fps, recommended 30 fps. The frame rate of the original video should be maintained without re-sampling. In particular, pulldown and other frame-rate re-sampling techniques are strongly discouraged.
• Codec: h.264, h.263, mpeg-1, mpeg-2, mpeg-4, Windows Media Video, and motion jpeg mpeg-1 muxed, Apple Lossless
• Container: 3gp, asf, avi, mov, mpeg, mpeg-2, mp4, ogg
• Video file size: 100 MB maximum.
NEED TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE?
• Need assistance? Please visit CaFÉ's help page.
• If you are unclear about how to apply for a Call for Entry using CaFÉ, please view their handy document here
SALES & INSURANCE
• If your work is selected for this exhibit but you sell that artwork prior to the show, we recommend that you please sell it with the condition that it is available for this exhibit. If that condition isn't possible, please do not enter that artwork for our exhibit.
• Entry fee is non-refundable.
• Artworks accepted for exhibit may not be substituted. This means if that the Jurors select your work for this show and the piece is no longer available, we will not exhibit another work by you instead.
• All works submitted for this exhibit must be available for the show dates.
• All artworks must either have a sale price or be marked Not for Sale (NFS). If NFS, please provide an insurance value (50% retail).
• Works marked POR (Price on Request) are not accepted.
• Either list your piece for sale and provide sale price with your entry or list it as Not for Sale and include your 50% insurance value.
• Artwork prices are final once work is submitted for jurying.
• All sales are through Art Saint Louis with 30% donation/commission on work sold to ASL and 70% to artist.
• Artwork sale price should include Art Saint Louis' 30% commission.
• It is artist’s responsibility to deliver sold artwork to buyer after the show closes. Art Saint Louis will provide buyer’s contact information to Artist. If shipment to buyer is required, those arrangements are to be made by the artist with the buyer. Artist is to handle all shipping responsibilities on sold works with ALL related shipping costs being the responsibility of/at the expense of buyer. Art Saint Louis does not handle delivery or shipping of artwork.
• Artworks are insured at 50% of retail value during exhibit.
• Artist responsible for work in transit to/from ASL.
FRAMING & PRESENTATION for EXHIBITION
• All rules listed in above "SPECIFICATIONS" section apply.
• All work selected for exhibit must be delivered to Gallery ready to install.
• Artwork must fit within our size limits listed in Specifications section.
• 2-d works must be framed or, if not framed, pre-approved presentation.
• 2-d work must be equipped with hanging wire stretched across back of artwork.
• NO sawtooth hangers, clip-style frames or keyhole mounts.
• French Cleat mounts okay.
• Works on canvas may be framed, strip-framed or gallery-wrapped.
• NO works that are pinned, tacked, taped, velcroed, painted on, glued, adhered, nailed, or affixed directly to/on Gallery walls. No works that use any adhesives directly on Gallery walls. Art Saint Louis uses traditional hanging hardware (hooks/nails) to hang wall-installed artworks from their wires on the back of the pieces— however, we will not nail or tack an artwork directly to a wall, nor will we use velcro, glue, 3M Command Strips, or any other substance to directly apply an artwork to the wall. ALL wall-installed works must hang from standard picture hanging hardware.
• No loose plexi that is clipped or nailed to wall.
• Oversized, heavy, or installation work must be installed by artist under direction of Artistic Director.
• Artist must provide all equipment necessary to present video, time-based media or any artwork requiring electricity, incl. cords, adapters, DVD player, monitor (min. 9"), etc. Video monitor to be exhibited/displayed on a pedestal (we cannot mount monitors on our gallery walls, sorry).
• Artworks requiring electricity: Artist must provide all cords, adapters, cord protectors & equipment required to present work.
• Specific installation requirements must be resolved in advance with directions/devices provided by artist.
• Art Saint Louis reserves the right to install accepted works in a manner deemed necessary for a well-designed exhibition or for security purposes.
ENTRY FEE
• Entry fee is non-refundable.
• Entry fee payment does not guarantee acceptance.
• Artist may submit up to 5 artworks for the entry fee.
• $25/Non-member entry; OR
• $10/Art Saint Louis Member entry.
• Fee payable by credit card or PayPal through CallforEntry.org or by check mailed to Art Saint Louis, 1223 Pine St., St. Louis, MO 63103.
ENTRY FEE SCHOLARSHIP UNDERWRITING
▪ To provide as much opportunity as possible for artists at work in our region, Art Saint Louis is pleased to offer scholarship underwriting of entry fees for individuals for whom such entry fees might otherwise be a financial barrier to participation in our exhibit. All fees are waived.
▪ To be considered for scholarship underwriting, please email
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relaying your request, including the title of the exhibition. No explanation required of applicant.
▪ A limited number of scholarships are available and will be awarded at the sole discretion of Art Saint Louis.
▪ Requests for scholarship funds do not guarantee approval or scholarship underwriting.
COMMUNICATIONS RE: EXHIBIT
• All communications to artists regarding to this exhibition are made by email.
• Please be sure that you have a working email address.
• Please also be sure that your CallforEntry.org/CaFÉ contact information is current.
• Save
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and
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to your email contacts.
EMAIL SUBSCRIPTION
By submitting artwork to an Art Saint Louis juried exhibit, artist-entrants acknowledges that they will be subscribed to our email list, which includes notices about our exhibit opportunities, receptions, and special events. You can opt out of this list at any time by unsubscribing.
MEMBERSHIP IN ART SAINT LOUIS
Membership in Art Saint Louis is open to all and is not required to have your work considered for or juried into this exhibit. However, membership does have its benefits, including discounts on entry fees--the reduced Art Saint Louis member entry fee for this show is $10 and the non-member fee is $25. Benefits of membership include discounts on entry fees to juried exhibits, a weekly e-newsletter, a Membership & Resource Directory, access to a Members Only area of our website, 10% discount on all art purchases in the Gallery, 15% on all Catalyst Coffee Bar purchases, and additional opportunities. Click here for more info on membership.
VOLUNTEERING FOR EXHIBIT - REQUIRED
• As a non-profit artists' organization, Art Saint Louis relies on volunteer support to help present our exhibitions.
• All exhibiting artists are required to volunteer 2 hours time to the production of this exhibit or may contribute $10 worth of goods for the gallery or opening reception, help out in the Gallery as a Monitor on a weekday, or you can buy-out volunteer time at $10/per artist.
• Volunteering, donating goods or buying out volunteer time is required for all ASL exhibitions.
• Volunteer sign-up is upon delivery of accepted artworks for exhibit to the Gallery.
• Cash, contributions of goods, or in-kind services are tax-deductible to the extent allowable by law.
PUBLICITY
• Art Saint Louis reserves the right to photograph all exhibited works for web use and publicity purposes.
• Art Saint Louis reserves the right to use digital images submitted for jurying for publicity of exhibition including but not limited to email, web use and social media. Accepted artists will be required to send high resolution JPEGs of accepted artworks to Art Saint Louis for exhibition records/paperwork and publicity.
• In addition to sharing your featured artwork from our exhibit on our website, press releases, and social media, including but not limited to Facebook and Instagram.
DELIVERY of ACCEPTED WORKS FOR EXHIBIT
• Artworks juried into exhibit are to be hand-delivered to Art Saint Louis Gallery by appointment only on Friday, March 28, 2025, 8:15 a.m.-3:15 p.m. or Saturday, March 29, 9 a.m.-2:30 p.m. We're closed Sundays, between shows, and holidays.
• Shipped artworks accepted delivered to Art Saint Louis March 24-28, 8:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m.
• Shipped work must include pre-paid return shipping label.
• We cannot pick-up your shipped work from a shipper—item must be shipped directly to Art Saint Louis.
• All costs to ship & return ship are prepaid and are artist's responsibility.
• Shipped artwork is returned to artist in box in which it was shipped to us.
• Works accepted for exhibit but not delivered by 2:30 p.m. March 29 will not be presented.
PICK-UP of EXHIBITED WORKS at END OF EXHIBIT
• This exhibit ends 4 p.m., Thursday, May 15, 2025.
• Exhibited works may not be removed from ASL prior to 8 a.m. Thursday, May 16.
• Exhibited artworks are to be picked-up at the end of the show by appointment only on Friday, May 16, 8:15 a.m.-3:15 p.m., or Saturday, May 17, 9 a.m.-2:30 p.m. These are our only pick-up dates/times. We cannot store or hold on to your artwork.
• ALL exhibited works must be removed from Gallery by 2:30 p.m. Saturday, May 17.
• Shipped artworks to be picked up by shipper from Art Saint Louis May 20-25, 8:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m. only.
LEGAL
Having submitted artworks for jurying & having paid the entry fee, artist (1) accepts all conditions listed in the aforementioned rules of entry/exhibit prospectus; (2) represents, warrants and covenants that artist is not infringing on any proprietary right, copyright, patent right or any other right of any third party, and artist will indemnify Art Saint Louis and its agents, employees, affiliates, licensors, and business partners harmless from and against any and all costs, damages, liabilities, and expenses (including attorneys' fees) incurred in relation to, arising from, or for the purpose of avoiding, any claim or demand from a third party that the submission, ownership, display, sale or the presentation of your artworks violate any applicable law or regulation, or the rights of any third party. This is legal & binding. Accepted artworks may not be substituted and prices may not be changed once submitted for jurying.
C A L E N D A R
• DEADLINE to ENTER: January 17, 2025 (11:59 p.m. MST).
• Jury notifications will be e-mailed to ALL entrants—invited and not invited—October 11.
• Invited Artist Confirmation of Participation due by email to Art Saint Louis by February 21.
• Deliver all artworks by appointment only to Art Saint Louis Friday, March 28, 8:15 a.m.-3:15 p.m. or Saturday, March 29, 9 a.m.-2:30 p.m. We are closed Sundays, holidays, before & after hours.
• Shipped works accepted March 25-28, 8:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m.
• Install exhibit at Art Saint Louis in early April.
• Sideshow exhibit dates: April 12-May 15, 2025.
• Free Reception* on Saturday, April 12, 5-7 p.m. FREE *Dates/hours subject to change.
• Art Saint Louis Gallery hours: M-F 8 a.m.-4 p.m., Sat. 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Closed Sundays, between exhibits & holidays. Gallery free & open to the public.
• No artworks may be removed from the Gallery prior to 8 a.m. Friday, May 16.
• Pick-up exhibited works by appointment only Pick-up exhibited works Friday, May 16, 8:15 a.m.-3:15 p.m., Saturday, May 17, 9 a.m.-2:30 p.m.
• All exhibited work must be picked up by May 17, 2:30 p.m.
• Shipped artworks to be picked up by shipper May 20-25, 8:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m.
ENTER THIS EXHIBIT
• All entries for Sideshow are accepted online up until January 17, 2025, 11:59 p.m. CST.
• If you register for the exhibit, submitted your application and paid the entry fee, but find that you need to update or change anything related your entry, please
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by January 15 to make all changes.
QUESTIONS about Art Saint Louis or this exhibit?
Contact Robin Hirsch-Steinhoff, Artistic Director of Art Saint Louis
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. Email inquiries only—No phone calls.
QUESTIONS about the online application or other technical issues?
• If this is your first time using CaFÉ's online application process, it's in your best interest to register (free) and upload your images into an image Portfolio on CallforEntry.org at least one week prior to the entry deadline, just in case you face technical or other complications. There are no extensions to our entry deadline.
• If you require assistance and are having technical challenges with the online application process, uploading images or any other issue, CaFÉ has a HELP page you can visit for troubleshooting.
• Or, the good people at CallforEntry.org (also referred to as CaFÉ) are available Monday-Friday 8:30 a.m.-5 p.m. MST and can be reached by email at
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or 303/629-1166. You can also contact CaFÉ here.