“Colorado Creates” Provides 125 Grants Awarded Across 33 Colorado Counties to Arts Organizations

DENVER - Today, Governor Polis and the Colorado Creative Industries Division of the Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade (OEDIT) announced that 125 arts organizations across 33 Colorado counties have been awarded $909,000 in Colorado Creates Grants. From Montezuma to Morgan County, these grants will help organizations and communities create art and cultural activities by providing general operating support. Grantees receive funding for two years, totaling $1,818,000 in awards over the funding period.

"Colorado's arts and culture scene are an important part of who we are and a major contributor to our thriving economy. As someone who grew up around artists in my family, I know firsthand the impact art can have. We are thrilled to support the great work Coloradans are doing to support art and culture," said Governor Jared Polis.

Forty percent of the recipients announced today are based in rural counties, a key focus of the Colorado Creates Grant Program. Research from the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) suggests that rural counties with arts organizations have experienced increased population growth and higher household incomes than rural counties without performing arts organizations. Two out of three rural businesses report that arts and entertainment are important to attracting and retaining workers. Additionally, 24% of awardees represent Colorado's smallest organizations, with annual operating budgets below $100,000.

"Arts and cultural production accounts for 3.7% of the Colorado economy, contributing 104,163 jobs, due in large part to Colorado's dedicated, diverse nonprofit arts and culture organizations supported through the Colorado Creates grant," said Director of Colorado Creative Industries, Josh Blanchard. "This year's Colorado Creates grant cycle was the most competitive in recent years. We applaud the talented organizations that contribute to Colorado's vibrant economy, enhancing the quality of life for residents throughout the state."

The Cortez Cultural Center is one of three recipients in Montezuma county making an important impact in their community. The Center's mission is to provide programs that enrich the lives of community members and visitors by increasing cultural awareness, promoting the arts, and educating about the area's history, diversity and natural environment. Recent programming includes Young People in Recovery, which offers weekly, multi-disciplinary arts classes, and the Book Anthology Project that promoted Literary Arts through the publication of three books of poetry and prose involving 30 regional authors on the subjects of Earth, Wind, and Fire.

In Denver County, Phamaly Theatre Company is a grant recipient and will use the funding to support their mission to be a creative home for theatre artists with disabilities; to model a disability-affirmative theatrical process; and to upend conventional narratives by transforming individuals, audiences, and the world. Their upcoming October schedule includes The Glorious World of Crowns, Kinks and Curls by Keli Goff. This production features a collection of monologues, scenes, and stories highlighting the special and sometimes complicated relationship between Black women and the way society views (and often regulates) their hair. Additionally, Phamaly's 2025 season will include partnering with Kelly Hunter of London's Flute Theatre.

A complete list of this year's grant recipients is below. Colorado Creates awards offer general operating support and funding amounts are based on the organization's cash operating income. Grants are funded through a partnership between CCI and the National Endowment for the Arts. They are awarded annually on a competitive basis. Proposals are reviewed for artistic excellence and merit, community involvement and impact, and implementation capacity. The CCI Advisory Council approved the awards announced today on Thursday, August 1, 2024.

Awarded Organizations

Adams County
Northglenn Arts and Humanities Foundation
Arts Thornton
Roshni Colorado Art Awards Inc.
Inside the Orchestra
A Child's Song
Colorado Youth Mariachi Program
Colorado Afro Latin Dance and Arts Collective

Arapahoe County
Englewood Cultural Arts Center Association
Feel the Beat, Corp.
Young Voices of Colorado
Vintage Theatre Productions, Inc
Aurora Singers
5th Element Center for Dance
Colorado Bach Ensemble

Boulder County
Rainbow Socks, Inc.
Greater Boulder Youth Orchestras
JLF Colorado
The Arts Hub
Boulder Museum of Contemporary Art
Frequent Flyers Productions
Longmont Museum
Boulder Ballet
Street Wise Arts
Parlando School of Musical Arts
Boulder Chorale
Sans Souci Festival of Dance Cinema
Ascent Vocals
Colorado Film Society

Broomfield County
The Cultural Caravan
M12 Incorporated

Chaffee County
Colorado TINTS

Custer County
Wet Mountain Broadcasting Corp.

Delta County
Valley Youth Orchestra
Grand Mesa Arts Center
Blue Sage Center for the Arts

Denver County
Denver Young Artists Orchestra Association
El Sistema Colorado
RedLine Contemporary Art Center
PlatteForum
Creative Strategies for Change
The Denver Brass, Inc.
Lighthouse Writers Workshop
The Art Garage
Su Teatro
Phamaly Theatre Company
Art Students League of Denver
CherryArts
Denver Center for the Performing Arts
Presenting Denver
Youth on Record
Art from Ashes Inc.
New Dance Theatre
Words To Power
Center for Visual Art, MSUD
Access Gallery
Rocky Mountain Arts Association
Colorado Chamber Players Inc.

Douglas County
Parker Symphony Orchestra
Audience of One Youth Theater Inc.
Performing Arts Academy
Lone Tree Arts Center

Eagle County Bravo
Colorado at Vail-Beaver Creek
Vilar Performing Arts Center

El Paso County
Green Box Arts Project
Colorado Springs Children's Chorale
Imagination Celebration
Cottonwood Center for the Arts
Youth Documentary Academy
Concrete Couch

Garfield County
Voices
Andy Zanca Youth Empowerment Program (AZYEP)
5Point Adventure Film Festival

Grand County
Rocky Mountain Folk School
Rocky Mountain Repertory Theatre

Gunnison County
The Trailhead Children's Museum

Huerfano County
Spanish Peaks Community Foundation
Museum of Friends
Spanish Peaks Arts Council, Inc.

Jefferson County
Mirror Image Arts
Tesoro Cultural Center
The E Project dba Benchmark Theatre
Morrison Theatre Company
LuneAseas
Arvada Center for the Arts and Humanities
Evergreen Chamber Orchestra
City of Lakewood - Heritage, Culture & the Arts Division
Denver Digerati
The Center for the Arts Evergreen
Colorado Environmental Film Festival

La Plata County
San Juan Symphony
Stillwater Music
KUTE, Inc.

Larimer County
KRFC 88.9 FM Radio Fort Collins
Fort Collins Mural Project
Foundation Music School
Wildfire Community Arts Center
Howdy Neighbor Events

Las Animas County
Arthur Roy Mitchell Museum

Mesa County
Grand Junction Symphony Orchestra
Delta Egyptian Theater
The Art Center of Western Colorado

Mineral County
Creede Repertory Theatre Inc.
Creede Arts Council Inc. Creede Musical Arts Collective Inc.

Montezuma County
Cortez Cultural Center Inc.
Southwest Farm to Yarn Collective
Willowtail Springs Nature Preserve and Education Center

Montrose County
Magic Circle Players

Morgan County
Center for Arts and Community Enrichment (CACE)

Otero County
Picketwire Players

Ouray County
Weehawken Creative Arts
Ouray County Performing Arts Guild

Pitkin County
Roaring Fork Public Radio
Music Associates of Aspen, Inc.

Pueblo County
Pueblo Symphony Association Inc.

Routt County
Friends of Perry-Mansfield
Steamboat Dance Theatre
Steamboat Art Museum

San Juan County
Silverton Creative District

San Miguel County
Rocky Mountain Arts

Summit County
Theatre SilCo
National Repertory Orchestra Inc

Weld County
Colorado Dance Collective Adult Repertoire Company
Community Radio for Northern Colorado The Colorado Sound

About Colorado Creative Industries

Colorado Creative Industries is a division of the Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade. Established to capitalize on the immense potential for our creative sector to enhance economic growth in Colorado, the mission of Colorado Creative Industries is to promote, support and expand the creative industries to drive Colorado's economy, grow jobs and enhance our quality of life. For more information, visit oedit.colorado.gov/colorado-creative-industries.

About Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade

The Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade (OEDIT) works with partners to create a positive business climate that encourages dynamic economic development and sustainable job growth. Under the leadership of Governor Jared Polis, we strive to advance the State's economy through financial and technical assistance that fosters local and regional economic development activities throughout Colorado. OEDIT offers a host of programs and services tailored to support business development at every level including business retention services, business relocation services, and business funding and incentives. Our office includes the Global Business Development division; Colorado Tourism Office; Colorado Outdoor Recreation Industry Office; Colorado Creative Industries; Business Financing & Incentives division; the Colorado Small Business Development Network; Cannabis Business Office; Colorado Office of Film, TV & Media; the Minority Business Office; Employee Ownership Office; and Rural Opportunity Office. Learn more at oedit.colorado.gov.

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