Financial Support and Incentives  

 

Colorado Creates Grants Announced 

Colorado Creative Industries has awarded 132 Colorado Creates grants totaling $922,000 to organizations and government agencies in 32 Colorado counties. Colorado Creates is the agency's largest grant program, providing critical financial support that helps nonprofit cultural organizations and government agencies produce and present arts and cultural activities, bringing jobs to their communities and enhancing their quality of life. Colorado Creates grants provide a seal of excellence and help these groups leverage local and national funds. To spread limited state funds as broadly as possible, CCI requires grant applicants to "sit out" one year of funding every three years. A complete list of this year's grant recipients by county is on our website now and a full description of this year's funded activities will be posted at a later date.

Colorado as a Creative Hub

 

Colorado's Creative Economy in the Spotlight

 

Colorado's strategies to promote, support and grow our creative economy have been featured in several "not-the-usual suspects" conferences and publications lately. It's so great that our state is now being looked at as a leader in this trend. The following all featured Colorado Creative Industries as a case study:

• Americans for the Arts Conference "From Cultural Affairs to Creativity Affairs?" June 2011
• National Creativity Network Webinar, "Creative States: Three Case Studies of Creativity and Innovation Strategies in the United States" Dr. Pat Cirillo and Bob Morrison from Quadrant Research May 2011
• Downtown Colorado, Inc. "Economic Development & Creative Industry Strategies for Revitalization", May 2011
• National Governor's Association Symposium "States and Innovation: Setting the Stage for Job Creation, March 2011
• Colorado Office of Economic Development, Rural Economic Development Summit, "Growing the Arts in Rural Communities" March 2011
• Global Corporate Expansion Magazine, Creating Tomorrow's Creative Economy", Winter 2011
• Community Matters Conference "Arts and the Renaissance of Place" October 2010
• NEA's Art Works Blog, "Art Works in Colorado" July 2010

Creative Industries Division director Elaine Mariner will be attending the three-week Harvard Institute for Senior Executives in State and Local Government this month, thanks to a generous fellowship from the Gates Family Foundation. The interview panel was intrigued that Colorado is becoming known as a leader in this latest economic development trend to consider artists and creative entrepreneurs as a strategy for economic growth.  Other attendees will include legislators, transportation agency heads, fire and police chiefs, wastewater managers, and budget directors from across the country. This is another terrific opportunity to showcase Colorado as a premier creative hub.

 

 

Artists Chosen for the Ralph L. Carr Justice Center

Arts Education and Workforce Development

 

Success Through Art (StART) Schools Grants Available

  

StART grants support arts learning for K-12 students, both formal training in the arts and arts infused into other disciplines or subject areas. These awards are for schools that define, plan and implement arts education programs that are specifically aligned with Colorado Academic Standards and with their school or district learning goals. Applicants must be Colorado public schools, including charters. Although CCI requires collaborations with arts organizations for these grants, only K-12 institutions may apply. Private or sectarian schools are not eligible. The grant deadline is August 25, 2011.

 

Schools interested in applying should contact Arts Education Manager, Sheila Sears at Sheila.Sears@state.co.us or 303-892-3852 prior to application. Click here for guidelines and more information.

 

 

What can school principals do to make and keep the arts strong in their schools? This free guide from the Arts Education Partnership offers three concrete actions school principals can take to increase arts education in their schools. Each action is supported with several low-cost or no-cost strategies that other school leaders have used and found to be effective. More information. 

The National Endowment for the Arts' "Art works" grants fund arts education programs that support the following outcomes: the creation of art that meets the highest standards of excellence, public engagement with diverse and excellent art, lifelong learning in the arts, and the strengthening of communities through the arts. More information. 

Creative Communities 

 

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