You Are Part Of Our Industry.  

Join Us April 12-13.

 

The Colorado Creative Industries Summit will provide inspiration, networking and learning opportunities for Colorado creatives. Artist-entrepreneurs, owners of creative sector businesses, nonprofit cultural workers, and emerging creatives will come together for this inaugural event.  

  

A SAMPLING OF OUR SPEAKERS AND PANELISTS
* Matt Morris, Denver native, songwriter and recording artist
* Daniel Junge, Oscar-winning documentary filmmaker

* Alyson Stanfield, Creative Business Coach/Writer

* Birgitta DePree, Actor/Theatre Educator

* Ladies Fancywork Society, Yarnbombers

* Scott Aller, Business Development Manager, 5280Live/Ticketmaster

* LeVar Battle, Writer, Community Curator and Digital Strategist

* donnie l. betts, Emmy-winning filmmaker

* Jolt, Public Artist, Advertisements, Graffiti Art

* Leanne Goebel, Art Writer, Critic, Journalist

* Dave Ratner, Entertainment Attorney

* Donald Zuckerman, Colorado Film Commissioner

 

The early registration rate of $95 ends on April 2. There is limited capacity, so don't miss your opportunity to learn, connect, and be inspired. Read More.

 

Creative Communities 

 

Carbondale and Lafayette Win Governor's Arts Award 

 

The Town of Carbondale and the City of Lafayette have been selected as the recipients for the 2012 Governor's Arts Award. They will be honored at the closing luncheon of the 1st Annual Creative Industries Summit on April 13 in Breckenridge.

 

"The communities being honored by this award have each made a major commitment to the arts and creativity," said Gov. Hickenlooper. "They have invested in arts centers and downtown arts districts. They have made sure their young people continue to have access to the arts in school, and they have encouraged their citizens and their businesses to support local artists and arts organizations. I offer them each my hearty congratulations for their work to promote and grow Colorado as a premier creative hub."

 

The annual Governor's Arts Award recognizes a Colorado town or city for their collective efforts to enhance their community and their economy through strategic use of the arts. Carbondale Mayor Stacey Patch Bernot and Lafayette Mayor Carolyn Cutler will be presented with the awards, which are original oil paintings by artist John Lintott of Fruita. The art selection panel chose Lintott for his vivid landscapes and use of light, saying "one feels they can step into his paintings." The artworks will hang in public locations in the respective cities, and a third painting by Lintott will hang in the lobby of the Governor's Office. Read more. 

 

 

On March 9, Gov. John Hickenlooper announced the formal certification of two new Colorado Creative Districts: Downtown Salida and Denver's Art District on Santa Fe. The districts will each receive a $15,000 grant and assistance to attract artists, creative entrepreneurs and visitors as a strategy to infuse new energy and innovation and enhance the economic and civic capital of the community. The program is administered by the Office of Economic Development and International Trade through the Colorado Creative Industries division.

In addition to the two Certified Creative Districts, five applicants were designated as Prospective Creative Districts and will each receive $8,000 and a customized package of technical assistance to enhance the likelihood that they will be certified in the future. Eight were designated as Emerging Creative Districts and will each receive $2,000 and technical assistance to further their district planning. Read more. 

 

 

Create Denver Week is a series of programs and happenings that

• showcases Denver's talented and dynamic creative community,
• recognizes the its role in making Denver vibrant and economically vital,
• catalyzes the sector to become a cohesive collective, and
• supports it by providing educational programming, inspirational dialogue and ideation.

Planning is underway. If you are interested in participating as a partner, sponsor, or presenter, please feel free to contact Create Denver Week. Read more.



The 5 Points Storefront Art Movement is a neighborhood and community development project, playing a central role in rebuilding community pride and stimulating the economy. For this project, entries are open to local artists, as well as art teachers and nonprofit directors choosing to work on this project with their youth.  Selected artists or groups will work with business and property owners to showcase their art, and build a stronger community.  As the community becomes more engaged with the storefronts they will energize the street, and gain a greater understanding of the role design and art play in urban spaces. coloradocreative.org/SAM

Financial Support and Incentives  

 

Colorado Creative Industries Grant Guidelines and Application Now Available

 

Guidelines and an online application site are now available for Colorado Creative Industries' Colorado Creates grant program. The purpose of Colorado Creates, CCI's largest grant program, is to provide critical financial support that helps nonprofit cultural organizations and communities produce and present arts and cultural activities, bringing jobs to their communities and enhancing the quality of life. For Fiscal Year 2011-2012, 132 grants were awarded totaling $908,500, reaching 32 counties across the state.

 

The funding period is July 1, 2012 to September 30, 2013, and the deadline for receipt of online applications is 4 p.m. on Thursday, June 21, 2012. Grant applicants must be Colorado 501 c 3 nonprofit organizations, departments of Colorado public colleges or universities, or government agencies. Applicants must have been providing public arts or cultural heritage programs in Colorado for at least three years by the application deadline. Read more.
 

 

2nd Annual Collaboration Award - $50,000 for Nonprofit Excellence and Innovation

The goal of the Colorado Collaboration Award is to build a platform for ongoing dialogue about best practices, challenges, and opportunities of collaboration. Applicants will be evaluated by a team of nonprofit, foundation, business, and government representatives based on the following criteria:  

• the depth of collaboration
• demonstrated and significant impact
• innovation in addressing a specific challenge or opportunity
• serving as a model others can replicate
• effective community engagement as part of the process
• operating in accordance with nonprofit best practices 

The deadline for application submissions is April 17th, 2012, by 5:00 pm. Applications and information are available at www.ColoradoCollaboration.org.   

Colorado as a Creative Hub

 

Become a Cool Hunter

 

ColoradoCreates.org will be relaunched April 12 with all new content featuring the Creative Industries of Colorado. At ColoradoCreates.org, video game production meets sculpture, and runway fashion meets culinary art, and everything in between, will collide for a cultural mash up that will be your source for all that's creative in Colorado.

 

The curator is looking for Cool Hunters from across the state to provide content (video, imagery, writing) about the best that Colorado has to offer. Cool Hunters can pick one subject area to focus on or cover a broad range of topics.
 
--Design (architecture, fashion, advertising, graphics, toys)
--Publishing (literature, poetry, nonfiction)
--Performing (theater, dance, spoken word)
--Visual (painting, sculpture, photography)
--Film & Media (film, new media, video games)
--Heritage (history, culture, traditions)
--Culinary (food, beer, wine, spirits) 

 

If you are interested in becoming a Cool Hunter, contact Leanne Goebel at Leanne@ColoradoCreates.org.  

Professional Development and Networking

 

Getting Involved with your Local Economic Development Office   

 

Artists and creative businesses are an economic asset, just like other types of businesses. In what ways can we understand and build relationships with economic development officials in our communities?

 

One place to start is the Economic Development Council of Colorado Conference April 25-27. The event will include a number of sessions on a variety of Economic Development related topics including small business support, rural economies, workforce development, urban planning, tourism, and downtown development. In addition, there will be a session on ED 101 and Business Retention and Expansion that will be free to conference attendees or $50 to non-conference attendees. Learn more about the conference, registration cost, and register online at www.edcconline.org.  

  

Apply to Perform at the 2012 Western Arts Alliance Juried Showcase

Western Arts Alliance (WAA) is accepting applications from performing artists, companies, or their agents for its Juried Showcase Program now through April 2, 2012. The Juried Showcase is a core component of the 2012 WAA Annual Conference - the largest booking conference in the West - and will take place on September 6 at the Newman Center for the Performing Arts (NCPA) in Denver, Colorado. The NCPA houses two beautiful venues perfect for showcasing all genres of performance: proscenium stage Gates Concert Hall will highlight theatre, amplified music and dance; while Hamilton Recital Hall is a chamber musician's dream - complete with a Steinway concert grand and pipe organ. You do not need to be a member to apply! Download the Application/Learn More: http://bit.ly/12WAAJuriedShowcaseAppFAQ.