GODOT.
The midpoint of a much longer journey
Beginning in 2021, Godot embarked on what was initially a traditional engagement with Boulder County Public Health to address vaccine reluctance in our community.
This project is ongoing. You can see the project map above that we presented at the Public Health in the Rockies conference in zoomable detail here.
Defining our audience
Recognizing that vaccine hesitancy is not binary, we developed a spectrum to help us better discuss the participants’ headspace.
By design, we targeted participants whom we felt would fall into the “hesitant” category, which, notably, includes many people who are, in fact, vaccinated and have their children vaccinated. We conducted a series of in-depth, qualitative focus groups (9 total in Spanish and English with about 75 participants) with skeptical or hesitant individuals, gather insights, and translate those findings into a conventional public health campaign.
You can read our COVID focus group findings here that informed the larger approach,
What we heard :: Themes of uncertainty
Theme One: Understanding the Unknown.
This approach focuses on the unknown and how science interprets and communicates evidence, risk, and reward. It explores the difference between evidence and proof, the relationship between scale and experience, and the dissonance between trust in process versus faith in the individual.
Theme Two: The Community Ecosystem.
When we watch TV commercials, we are often drawn in by that Super Bowl spot that leans into the absurd. Culturally, we’ve reached a point where having a talking gecko sell us car insurance is considered completely normal. Handsome guy on a horse on a boat selling us body wash? Sure. Here, we explore how nature doesn’t just think about itself.
Theme Three: Ambivalence and The Tipping Point.
Aesthetics are still a driving, gut-level force in how people ingest information. We connect symmetry to balanced decision making, color palette to care and purpose, detail to quality of product. Sometimes it’s used for good, sometimes it’s used for evil, but it’s universal. In this approach, Godot explored the role of pure aesthetics set against the idea of learning lessons through fables.
Pivoting to Public art as message
As we dug, the project took on a life of its own. What started as a straightforward approach evolved into something much more creative and unexpected, full of wild creative twists and turns as we worked to honor the voices and spirit of the community. It became clear that a traditional campaign wouldn’t capture the depth of what we were hearing, so we shifted gears—channeling that energy into something more meaningful.
The end result justified the journey.
We gathered over 200 personal stories (75% Spanish) from the community during the pandemic and showcased them online and through art installations across Boulder County’s major metros. It was a testament to the power of creativity and community connection.
This project is ongoing.
Remembering the reality of the pandemic
Located on North Public Road, this 1990s Spanish-forward phone booth, titled Lo Siento, reflects on the loss and memories of the pandemic. Inside, it holds over 200 stories from the community, with about 80% shared in Spanish. At night, the booth takes on a ghostly presence, inviting passersby to listen to its whispered secrets.
Random selections from the story collective.
Flipping through Grandma’s Scrapbook
This installation at the Firehouse Art Center in Longmont, unlike the Lo Siento phone booth, doesn’t engage with the general public. Instead, it focuses on those within the museum—people who arrive with intent and are open to an experience, even if they just happen to wander in. On event days or during community classes, the gallery sees around 120 guests, while during quieter times, a steady stream of stragglers moves through, each encountering the art at their own pace. By staff and volunteer accounts, around 60% of visitors interact with the phone in some way. While the full installation isn’t practical to keep up at all times, the phone itself remains present in a smaller form, allowing for continued interaction.
A magic fairy garden teaching through fable
The Nederland installation, reflecting the unique community it was designed to engage, took a bold departure from the traditional story concept. At the heart of the installation was a fairy garden, composed of multi-cultural vignettes, which highlighted the universality of community and caring for others. Given the size and close-knit vibe of Nederland, the meaning behind the fairy garden quickly spread, along with the deeper intent of fostering communal responsibility and connection.
Unfortunately, the village did not survive a particularly savage winter storm that brought 4 feet of snow and 100-mile-per-hour winds. However, it lasted long enough to reach every resident of Nederland, as well as hikers passing along the top of Barker Reservoir.
