HomeMy WebLinkAbout02.18.26 BAC PacketBoulder Arts Commission Meeting Agenda
February 18 / 6:00 P.M.
Hybrid Meeting:
Office of Arts and Culture at Penfield Tate II Municipal Building, 1777 Broadway, Room N101 /
Online Video Meeting
1.ROLL CALL
2.CALL TO ORDER
Approval of agenda
3.MINUTES
Approval of the January 2026 meeting minutes
4.PUBLIC PARTICIPATION
5.MATTERS FROM COMMISSIONERS (45 min)
A. Liaison Updates
B.Commission Work Items
i.Arts Education
ii.Artificial Intelligence
iii.Sustainability and Climate Adaptation
iv.Accessibility
6.GRANTS PROGRAM (15 min) – Sarah
A.Macky Agreement Update
B.Grant Reports
i.General Operating Support Reports
ii.Community Project Grant
7.MATTERS FROM STAFF (5 min) – Lauren
A.Questions about the Manager’s Memo
8.ADJOURNMENT
Next meetings:
Wednesday, March 25, 2026
Wednesday, April 29, 2026
1
CITY OF BOULDER
BOULDER, COLORADO
BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS MEETING MINUTES
Name of Board/ Commission: Boulder Arts Commission
Date of Meeting: November 19, 2025
Contact information preparing summary: Melissa Mazany, (303) 441-3254
Commission members present: Sheryl Cardozo, Maria Cole, Jill Katzenberger, Caroline Kert (Chair), Gaya Vinay,
Yaelaed Whyel
Commission members absent: Jeffrey Kash (Vice Chair)
Staff present:
Lauren Click, Arts and Culture Manager
Cindy Sepucha, Arts Program Manager
Sarah Harrison, Arts/ Grants Program Manager
Matthew Beutler, Arts and Culture Specialist
Guests present:
Rachel Cain
Members of the public present:
Sara Pike, Linda Lowry
Type of Meeting: Hybrid (Location: 1777 Broadway, Boulder, CO 80302)
Agenda Item 1: ROLL CALL
Matthew Beutler, Arts and Culture Specialist took roll call; all commissioners were present except Jeffery Kash.
Agenda Item 2: CALL TO ORDER
The meeting was called to order at 6:02 p.m.
First motion by Yaelaed Whyel. to approve the agenda as presented in the meeting packet. Second by Gaya Vinay.
There was no discussion. The motion passed unanimously.
Agenda Item 3: MINUTES
Approval of the November 2025 Meeting Minutes
First motion by Cole to approve the minutes as presented in the meeting packet. Second by Whyel. There was no
discussion. The motion passed unanimously.
Agenda Item 4: PUBLIC PARTICIPATION [00:02:05 Audio min.]
This item moved to item 5
Members of the public attended to observe.
2
Agenda Item 5: MATTERS FROM COMMISSIONERS [00:02:24 Audio min.]
Item 5A: Land Acknowledgement
-Kert shared the main takeaways from the packet. She stated the scenarios under which the Land
Acknowledgment should be read, an example being a grant request or grant work that would impact members
of the Indigenous community will be discussed during the meeting.
-The commission agreed to move forward with only invoking it when topics are related.
Item 5B: Liaison Roles and Responsibilities
Kert checked in about reaching out to their liaison groups, feeling comfortable with the expectations and boundaries
and offered to answer any questions.
-Lauren Click shared what they have done previously and asked how comfortable everyone is feeling,
explaining that we expect the same numbers in our operating support grantees next year.
Cole asked if Click had any concerns.
-Click replied that she wants to ensure that everybody in the arts community is getting the same kind of
contact and response and connection to their liaison.
-Kert shared how she is managing her role as liaison, understanding artists and sharing trends.
- Jill Katzenberger is interested surveying the grant recipients to gather expectations and feedback. She shared
some of the feedback she has received. She also shared that she finds it helpful to meet with the recipients in
groups. She has received positive feedback from the recipients about this as well.
Click followed up with the offer to find and book space for these meetings.
-Katzenberger offered to donate her space.
-Gaya Vinay asked about having a city staff email that recipients can cc on emails to ensure quick replies.
-Click responded that they can use the general Cultural Grants email.
Vinay brought up making the liaison roles accessible by not adding too many strict guidelines. Instead have the
guidelines as more of a suggestion.
Sarah Harrison added that she can be the contact for anyone who may be interested in being a liaison but is feeling
intimidated or has any questions. She then listed off the questions to be sent out to recipients.
-How often do you want to talk to your liaison?
-What has been most beneficial?
-What would you like to see in the future
-What could be better?
-
Item 5C: Liaison Updates
Katzenberger went to Band of Toughs, “Gin & Gothic” show. She is planning a workshop with Groundworks,
Frequent Flyers has show coming up on Valentine’s Day, and Frequent Flyers Director, Nancy Smith, is in a show
with Katzenberger at the Junkyard. She added an update about the Junkyard Community Grant Project 2025, they
completed the mural project with Bimmer Torres in January.
Cole asked about if Kari stepping down from Groundworks. Katzenberger will be following up.
Vinay shared her updates
-Kutandara expressed gratitude for receiving a Town Waiver grant. They are hosting a concert on May 3 at
eTown (6PM doors, 7PM concert) celebrating Zimbabwean artists, educators, and leaders. They are
collaborating with the Boulder Chorale for its 60th anniversary and participating in Boulder Arts Week. They
are seeking a new location due to odor issues from a neighboring business. They are launching a four-week
class and developing a marimba program for neurodivergent youth and caregivers.
3
-Street Wise Arts launched an expanded partner program with Boulder Housing Partners at Tantra Lake,
offering free youth arts programming. They are starting a year-long public art and permaculture initiative
(including workshops and on-site food forests) and launching a community mural program with Age Well,
funded in part by a Boulder Arts Commission grant. They are also participating in Boulder Arts Week.
-Chautauqua is progressing on winterization improvements, aiming to be ready by 2027 and prepared for
Sundance. Updates include a seasonal interior tent, heating and air conditioning upgrades, and plans to keep
the space open an additional 200 days per year while preserving its historic character in summer.
-The Dairy Arts Center has a new two-week pop-up exhibition curated by a young Boulder resident, featuring
international artists.
-The Music Project is hosting new VIP and “secret” concert programming, along with expanded weekend
events, and welcomes attendance and support.
Whyel Shared
-The Spark is doing a production of “Alice in Wonderland”, running from February 14-22, 2026
Kert shared
- Mariposa Collective is presenting “Resonance” this weekend (Friday and Saturday at 7:30 PM, Sunday at
2:00 PM). They were offered complimentary tickets but will be paid for instead. As an add-on General
Operating Support grant recipient, they expressed strong gratitude, noting the funding is helping build staffing
sustainability. They were also briefed on the grant calendar and upcoming Blueprint initiatives and are excited
to stay engaged.
-A visit to The Dairy Arts Center highlighted its robust film programming, including Jeff Cash’s film series
and an additional series featuring approximately 700 films annually, reaffirming the strength of its film
offerings.
-Staff hosted a well-attended information session (25 participants) for community members interested in
serving on city commissions. Attendees learned about expectations and were encouraged to connect with
current commissioners. The event was successful and is expected to become an annual initiative, with a
possible future session focused on running for office.
-Overall, there is strong positive feedback from the arts community, with increased awareness of grants,
improved engagement, and appreciation for staff leadership and outreach efforts.
Cole shared
-Boulder Museum of Contemporary Art (BMoCA) is hosting its spring exhibition opening tomorrow evening.
The North Boulder Campus project is progressing well and is currently in schematic design, expected to be
completed by the end of May. BMoCA is also recruiting for an Artistic Director position, with the job posting
currently live and generating interest.
-Colorado Music Festival has concerts scheduled this weekend, including a piano concert on Friday.
Appreciation was expressed for sponsorship support.
Cardozo shared
4
- The main update is receiving Visit Boulder’s full meeting calendar for the year. Since meetings are held in
person at 3:00 PM and not offered remotely, having the schedule in advance will help avoid travel conflicts
(particularly commuting from Aurora) and improve attendance this year.
Vinay added
- In response to earlier concerns about Sundance partnering with nonprofits, there is a strong example of
collaboration underway: Boulder Symphony is working with Sundance on a performance that will provide
live scores for scenes from five different films. This demonstrates active efforts to build meaningful nonprofit
partnerships.
Item 5D: Commission Work Items
i. Arts Education
ii. Artificial Intelligence
iii. Sustainability and Climate Adaptation
iv. Accessibility
Click shared
- The committee has identified four new focus areas, including arts education. While no major updates yet,
meetings are scheduled to begin moving the work forward. Many ideas have already emerged from staff
efforts and the Arts Blueprint process.
Agenda Item 6: PUBLIC ARTS PROGRAM [00:32:55 Audio min.]
Item 6A: Experiments in Public Art: the BVCP Update Mural Project
Rachel Cain presented Project #5 in the Experiments in Public Art series, developed alongside the Boulder Valley
Comprehensive Plan (BVCP). This final project in the series is proposed as a portable, projected mural due to the lack
of a permanent wall location. The $20,000 project is envisioned at approximately 10x50 feet and designed to be
flexible—temporary, movable, and potentially used for projections, meetings, and events, with elements adaptable for
print in the final Comprehensive Plan.
The selection process began with 100 artists from the city’s mural roster. A Technical Review Committee narrowed
the list to five artists, a sixth was added, and three submitted proposals. After review, Android Jones was
recommended for approval.
Panel feedback:
• Proposal 1: Beautiful but too abstract and not Boulder-specific; difficult to extract design elements for print.
• Proposal 2 (Android Jones): Strong digital and projection experience, detailed and future-forward, adaptable
for projection and print elements; some felt it had a collage aesthetic but appreciated its urban and
technological themes.
• Proposal 3: Human and community-focused but not future-oriented; lacked a budget and digital execution
details.
Android Jones proposed managing projection directly (using his own equipment) and offered multiple installation
options, including projection mapping and printing on acrylic or aluminum panels. Discussion included considerations
around the lifespan and maintenance of digital public art, acknowledging that as an experimental and temporary
project, technological evolution is part of its lifecycle.
5
Overall, the project represents Boulder’s effort to push the boundaries of public art through innovation, flexibility, and
technology.
Cole moved that the commission approve the selected artist for Experiments in Public Art: The BVCP Update Mural
Project, Android Jones be recommended for approval and Whyel seconded. The motion passed unanimously.
Cain shared the Comprehensive Plan upcoming event dates.
Agenda Item 7: GRANTS PROGRAM [00:51:16 Audio min.]
Item 7A: Grant Reports
Harrison shared the four grant reports, The Leadership Pipeline Fund, Artist Hiring Grant, and two Community Project
Grants.
Kert moved that the commission approve the grant reports for all and Cardozo seconded. The motion passed
unanimously.
Commissioners discussed the grant reports.
Item 7B: Update on Implemented Changes
This topic will be discussed at a future meeting.
Harrison shared that staff continue evaluating this year’s grant program changes and shared several updates:
- Panel Training: A successful grants panel training was held, including a new panelist, Alfredo Reyes (Latino
Cultural Arts Center, Denver).
- Grant Writing Workshop: A hands-on workshop at NoBo Library drew 23 attendees, received positive
feedback, and will inform future programming.
- First-Time Awardees: A major shift occurred in first-come, first-served grants—76% of awardees were first-
time recipients this year, compared to 10% last year. Staff are now tracking unmet demand, noting 36
inquiries after applications closed.
- Process Improvements: To reduce confusion, future application cycles may separate first-time and returning
applicant start dates in the portal.
- Equity Alignment: Program changes reflect feedback from the Boulder Arts Blueprint and the City’s Racial
Equity Toolkit, prioritizing access for new and emerging artists and organizations. Some general operating
support recipients expressed disappointment and suggested separate budget allocations for first-time and
returning applicants. This will be added to the list for future budget discussions.
- Rental Assistance Timing: A recommended improvement is adding event date ranges to rental assistance
grants to avoid timing inequities between rounds.
- Positive Impact: First-time applicants expressed strong appreciation, many applying for a government grant
for the first time.
- Pre-Application Process: The new pre-application screening has been highly effective by streamlining
eligibility checks, building relationships, and preventing ineligible applicants from completing full
submissions.
Upcoming Dates and Deadlines
6
APPROVED ON:
APPROVED BY: ATTESTED:
_________________________________________ ___________________________________
Board Chair Board Secretary
- A Cultural Organization Summit focused on private funding (corporate sponsorships and individual
donations) is planned, featuring Kristen Davidson (CU / nonprofit consultant) as a guest speaker.
- A Spring Accessibility Summit is in development, along with future summits on AI and sustainability.
- Annual reports were due February 1, and organizations must reapply (pre-applications due February 4; full
applications due February 12).
- There is a proposal to move the General Operating Support deadline next year to reduce back-to-back
submission burden.
Item 7C: Volunteers for Grant Panel meetings
Harrison assigned Cardozo, Vinay, Whyel and Katzenberger to Panel Meetings.
Agenda Item 8: MATTERS FROM STAFF [01:07:03 Audio min.]
Item 8A: Questions about the Manager’s Memo
The commission had no comments or questions about the Manager’s Memo.
Kert inquired about the commissioner interviews Click replied:
- Approximately 11+ eligible applicants applied for the Arts Commission (likely more by close). Interviews
will take place in early February, with decisions in March.
- March 25 will be the final meeting for two outgoing commissioners; a new commissioner joins in April.
- Applications and summaries will be shared with commissioners.
Boulder Arts Blueprint & Public Engagement - The final draft of the Boulder Arts Blueprint will be reviewed March 25, followed by a City Council
presentation April 9. - The Blueprint launch will take place April 12 during Boulder Arts Week.
Commissioners are invited to participate in “tastemaker” social media videos highlighting their favorite Boulder Arts
Week events.
Agenda Item 9: ADJOURNMENT [01:12:23Audio min.]
There being no further business to come before the commission at this time, Kert adjourned the meeting at 7:14 p.m.
Date, time, and location of next meeting:
The next Boulder Arts Commission meeting will be held at 6 p.m. on Wednesday, March 25, 2026. This is a hybrid
meeting to be held at The City Manager’s Office and via a Zoom webinar link.
7
________________________________________ ___________________________________
Date Date
8
TO: Members of the Boulder Arts Commission
FROM: Lauren Click, City of Boulder Office of Arts + Culture,
Office of Cultural and Economic Development
DATE: February 13, 2026
SUBJECT: Manager’s Update for the Boulder Arts Commission
Meeting on February 18, 2026
> To maximize access, the February 18, 2026, meeting of the Arts Commission will be held as a hybrid in-person
/ video meeting. The Arts Commission, members of the community, and staff may attend either in person or by
video.
The in-person meeting will be held at the Office of Arts and Culture at Penfield Tate II Municipal Building,
1777 Broadway, Room N101. Due to room capacity, there may be a limited number of seats available for
members of the community to attend in person.
− To attend, please make a request by email to rsvp@bouldercolorado.gov by Tuesday, February 17, 2026, at
12:00 p.m. Please indicate in your email if you are requesting to attend in person or by video.
> Notes on the February Meeting Agenda
- 6A. Macky Agreement Update. To facilitate and assist community cultural groups with access and
affordability of performance venues, the Boulder Arts Commission and the University of Colorado Boulder
offer up to sixteen days per calendar year of rent-free space at Macky Auditorium. The University of
Colorado Boulder requests the following addition to the grant eligibility: "Applicant must be in good
financial standing with Macky Auditorium in order to be eligible for this waiver. If applicant has an
outstanding balance with Macky Auditorium, it must be paid, in full, or have other written agreements, or a
formal payment plan in place to eligible for this waiver."
- 6B. Grant Reports. Staff will ask commissioners to vote on a motion to approve the 2025 General Operating
Support (GOS) grant reports. The sole criterion in deciding on approving and recertifying GOS reports is to
confirm that the organization continues to be able to fulfil the objectives that they described in their grant
application. The Commission received access to the reports prior to the meeting.
The following organizations have submitted reports:
GOS Extra Large
Boulder Ballet
Boulder Museum of Contemporary Art
Boulder Philharmonic Orchestra
Colorado Chautauqua Association
Colorado Music Festival & Center for Musical Arts
Colorado Shakespeare Festival
Dairy Arts Center
eTown
Groundworks Art Lab
KGNU
9
Parlando School for the Arts
Roots Music Project Foundation
GOS Large
3rd Law Dance
ACE: Arts Culture and Education at the Boulder JCC
Ape Co Movement School
Ars Nova Chamber Singers
Art Parts Creative Reuse Center
Boulder Chorale
Boulder Ensemble Theater Company (BETC)
Boulder International Film Festival
Boulder Symphony Inc.
COmpass REsonance
Frequent Flyers Productions
Junkyard Social
LOCAL Theater Company
Moon and Stars Foundation dba Kutandara
Motus Theater
Museum of Boulder
Open Studios
The New Local
The Spark A Performance Art Community
GOS Mid-Sized
Boulder Chamber Orchestra
Boulder Metalsmithing Association
Boulder Opera
Colorado MahlerFest
Greater Boulder Youth Orchestra
La Vecindad dba Mi Chantli
NoBo Art District
Street Wise Arts
T2 Dance
The Catamounts
The Cultural Caravan
Turning the Wheel Productions
GOS Small
Band of Toughs
Boulder Concert Band
Boulder MUSE
Boulder Samba School
Boulder Showing Up for Racial Justice
Cantabile Singers
Community Roots Art Festival
Creativity Alive
east window
Flatirons Community Orchestra
10
Lemon Sponge Cake Contemporary Ballet
Mariposa Collective
Sans Souci Festival of Dance
Society for Creative Aging dba VIVA Theater
The Big Dream
At the meeting Commission members will vote on the approval of the reports. Commissioners have the
options to:
a. Approve all reports,
b. Approve individual reports while submitting specific questions,
c. Postpone approval of individual reports pending the answers to specific questions, and/or
d. Not approve individual reports and cancel the final payments.
RECOMMENDED MOTION:
“I move that we approve the following reports for the 2026 - 26 GOS Grants: 3rd Law Dance/Theater,
ACE: Arts Culture and Education at the Boulder JCC, Ape Co Movement School, Ars Nova, Art Parts
Creative Reuse Center, Band of Toughs, Boulder Ballet, Boulder Chamber Orchestra, Boulder Chorale,
Boulder Concert Band, Boulder Ensemble Theatre Company, Boulder International Film Festival,
Boulder Metalsmithing Association, Boulder MUSE, Boulder Museum of Contemporary Art, Boulder
Opera, Boulder Philharmonic Orchestra, Boulder Samba School, Boulder Showing Up for Racial Justice,
Boulder Symphony, Inc., Cantabile Singers, Colorado Chautauqua Association, Colorado MahlerFest,
Colorado Music Festival & Center for Musical Arts, Colorado Shakespeare Festival, Creativity Alive,
COmpass REsonance, Community Roots Art Festival, Dairy Arts Center, east window, eTown, Flatirons
Community Orchestra, Frequent Flyers Productions, Inc., Greater Boulder Youth Orchestras,
Groundworks Art Lab, Junkyard Social Club, KGNU, La Vecindad dba Mi Chantli, Lemon Sponge Cake
Contemporary Ballet, LOCAL Theater Company, Mariposa Collective, Moon and Stars Foundation dba
Kutandara, Motus Theater, Museum of Boulder, NoBo Art District, Open Studios, Parlando School for the
Arts, Roots Music Project Foundation, Sans Souci Festival of Dance Cinema, Society for Creative Aging
dba VIVA Theater, Street Wise Arts, T2 Dance Company, The Catamounts, The Cultural Caravan, The
New Local, The Spark A Performing Arts Community, and Turning the Wheel Productions.”
The following 2024 Community Project Grant (Individuals) report has been submitted:
− Ivan-Daniel Espinosa, MycoMorphosis: Dancing with Fungi (a multimedia Bio-Art installation), $4,500
Commissioners received access to the report prior to the meeting. At the meeting Commission members
will vote on the approval of the reports. Commissioners have the options to:
a. Approve the report,
b. Approve the report while submitting specific questions,
c. Postpone approval of the report pending the answers to specific questions, and/or
d. Not approve the report and cancel the final payments
STAFF RECOMMENDATION:
Postpone approval of grant report pending the answers to specific questions.
11
> Commission Correspondence
The transparency practices of the Boulder Arts Commission require that emails to three or more members of
the Commission be published in the public record. There was no correspondence sent between the
publication of the January 23 to February 18, 2026, meeting packets.
> Staff Updates
> Administration and Planning
Boulder Arts Blueprint Update:
- An executive summary of the Phase 1 and grant program review, analysis, and recommendations
are on the website.
- Work on Phase 2 is in progress. Extensive research from Phase 1, incorporating community voices,
national best practices, and citywide goals, is being translated into clear goals, outcomes, and
actions. The Arts Blueprint will align public priorities with practical tools for implementation,
including policy, funding, programming, and partnerships.
- The Arts Commission will receive the final draft at the March 2026 meeting, and it will be presented
to City Council at a Study Session on April 9. A Launch Party is scheduled for April 12 during
Boulder Arts Week.
The Boulder Valley Comprehensive Plan update is advancing through Phase 4, “A Boulder Future,” where
staff are refining proposed policy options and land-use strategies based on community input gathered over
the past year to prepare the draft plan. Upcoming steps include a community celebration of the process on
March 10 at the Dairy Arts Center, presentation to City Council and Planning Board on March 26 to review
the draft plan which will include updated policies and land use map. Staff will also return to the Arts
Commission to share the public review draft in March 2026. Adoption is anticipated this summer, followed
by implementation.
> Grants and Programs
Work continues on the 2026 Cultural Grants Program.
The Cultural Organizations Summit: Frequently Asked Questions was presented by Dr. Kristen Davidson,
Maggie Lawson (BCAA) and Sarah Harrison. It covered the following topics:
− Overall funding strategies
− How to approach a funder
− The pros and considerations of grants, sponsorships, and donations
− LLCs and Nonprofits 101
− Registration questions, venue and studio affordability
The second round of the Grant Writing Fund opens Monday, March 2.
The following Fee Waiver applications were administratively approved in advance of the meeting:
− Boulder Chamber Orchestra, Masterpiece Series Finale: A Symphonic Saga, May 23, 2026, Macky Fee
Waiver
12
− Fairview Band Booster Organization, Fairview Band’s Evening of Jazz on March 31, 2026, Roots Fee
Waiver
− FreeForm Dance Festival, FreeForm Dance Festival, May 29 and 30, 2026, The Spark Fee Waiver
− Moon & Stars Foundation dba Kutandara, 2026 Dance with the Moon Spring Concert, May 5, 2026,
eTown Fee Discount
− School of Rock Boulder, Teen Collaboration Performance for School of Rock and Kutandara, Saturday,
March 7, 2026, The Spark Fee Waiver
− Sophia Strong Studios, Cosmogenesis: The Story of Us®, eTown Fee Discount
− Trash the Runway, Trash the Runway 2026 Show, February 7, Macky Fee Waiver
The following Rental Assistance and Fee Waiver Reports approved administratively:
− Choir Music Parent Group, Open Mic- Boulder High School Singers & Musicians, April 16, 2026, eTown
Fee Discount
− Colorado MahlerFest, MahlerFest 39, May 16, 2026, eTown Fee Discount
− Colorado MahlerFest, MahlerFest 39, May 16 and 17, 2026, Macky Fee Waiver
− Fairview Band Booster Organization, Fairview Band’s Evening of Jazz on March 31, 2026, Roots Fee
Waiver
− FreeForm Dance Festival, FreeForm Dance Festival, May 29 and 30, 2026, The Spark Fee Waiver
− Rocky Mountain Revels, Christmas/ Midwinter Revels, Dairy Arts Center, $1,000
− School of Rock Boulder, Teen Collaboration Performance for School of Rock and Kutandara, Saturday,
March 7, 2026, The Spark Fee Waiver
− Starfish Film LLC, Starfish Mixer, January 31, 2026, The Riverside, $1,200
In Attachment One, please find a current grants program budget.
> Public Art Program
Staff have joined discussions regarding the Boulder Strong Memorial project, which will honor those
affected by the King Soopers tragedy. Planning has begun for a potential installation behind the East
Boulder Community Center, in partnership with Parks and Recreation and the City Manager’s Office. The
project may include the commissioning of a sculpture.
Staff are being integrated into the planning and design process for Civic Area Park led by Parks and
Recreation. Public art opportunities may be incorporated into the project, including the use of the 1% for
Art Policy to support future artworks.
Staff continue to work on Public Art Implementation Plan updates.
Staff is working on improving and expanding the public art tour program in Summer 2026.
A self-guided version of the Downtown Boulder Public Art Tour is now available. Staff is now working on
including public art and urban design projects to the “Cultural Asset Map,” being created with GIS
software.
Work continues on expanding the public art presence in social media and the newsletter.
13
Staff continue to work with the budget office on public art funding procedures in the Capital Improvement
Program and the Community Culture Resilience and Safety Tax (CCRS) allocations. This is also part of the
discussions related to the Blueprint process.
Staff continue to support colleagues in Planning and Development Services on improvements to the public
art permitting process. This is also part of the discussions related to the Blueprint process.
Staff continue to support colleagues in the Parks and Recreation Department, Transportation Department,
and other departments on a number of projects. This is also part of the discussions related to the Blueprint
process.
Public Art Commissioning Updates:
- Western City Campus (Alpine Balsam): Three artists were selected for the public art projects
throughout the site. Contracting is complete and artists are working on preliminary design phase.
- Urban Design - 19th and Upland (Anthony Garcia): Mural is complete.
- Art in Parking Garages: 11th and Spruce (David Franklin): Fabrication. Permit has been approved,
and artists will begin install in March.
- Uni Hill Public Art: On hold.
- Central Avenue Bridge Project: Contracting complete and moving into preliminary design.
- Fire Station 2 and 4: The selected proposal was approved at the November 19, 2025, Arts
Commission meeting. The selection has been ratified by the City Manager and staff is awaiting
budget updates in order to initiate the artist contract.
- East Boulder Community Center: On hold.
- Gregory Canyon Creek Project: Orientation meeting occurred on Monday, Sept. 22, 2025, and RFQ
is being drafted.
- Bear Creek Greenway: Finalist selection meeting scheduled for February 11, 2026.
- Staff have begun planning work on another Transportation project tied to streetscape
improvements at Broadway and Baseline. Will initiate in late 2026.
Experiments in Public Art:
- Three new temporary art/performance projects were selected and approved. Staff is organizing the
projects and engaging a videographer to document the projects. First project takes place during
Boulder Arts Week.
- Two exhibitions are planned for the Experiments in Public Art: the BVCP Update Series. On March
10, there will be a small display of the series together with the unveiling of the Comprehensive Plan
at the Dairy. There will be an exhibition in the Canyon Gallery at the Boulder Public Library in the
summer.
Maintenance and Conservation:
- Accessible Signage: Moving into contracting with a local signage company to produce new
plaques.
- A maintenance assessment of the 17 works of art in the collection was recently completed. Staff
are planning maintenance for several artworks in need of cleaning and waxing and are currently
initiating contracts to complete these projects.
14
In Attachment Two, please find the public art program 5-year budget.
> Creative Neighborhoods
Creative Neighborhoods project funding will be available again in 2026. Staff will collaborate with the
Community Connectors through the City’s Outreach and Engagement team to gather input on the
program’s future direction. In addition, staff are connecting with partners in the Housing and Human
Services department to help ensure the program serves and benefits all members of Boulder’s community.
> Venues
Work continues to provide support on the proposal from the Boulder Museum of Contemporary Art
(BMoCA) to relocate their facility to a new location in the NoBo Art District.
The Venue Study was completed and published on our website in December. The Cultural Assets Map has
also been made public, and staff are currently making improvements to enhance its usability and overall
user experience. Additional components are being added, including Creative Neighborhoods projects and
publicly visible non–city-owned murals. Once finalized, the map will serve as a valuable tool for identifying
gaps and opportunities in access to arts and cultural spaces across Boulder.
> Professional Artists
The next Artist Meet-Up is a joint effort with Boulder Arts Week (BAW) and will take place online on March 4
from 5 to 6:30 p.m. The focus will be marketing for BAW. The BAW management and social media team will
share an overview of their promotional efforts and offer ideas, tools, and resources that individual artists
and participating organizations can use to more effectively promote their programming as part of BAW.
Staff are collaborating with partners at CU Boulder to organize and co-manage a series of gatherings that
connect community arts stakeholders with CU’s arts and culture representatives, helping strengthen
alignment between campus and local creative initiatives. The next gathering is currently being planned and
will take place on April 7 during Boulder Arts Week.
> Civic Dialog / Boulder Arts Week
Boulder Arts Week planning continues. More events are being added to the calendar each day. Staff
encourages participants to submit their events as soon as possible so the BAW team has the best
opportunity to help promote them.
A Media Toolkit has been created by BAW staff to help participating organizations understand the
promotional efforts of the BAW management team and learn what they can do to elevate their own events
during BAW.
BAW management and the social media contractor will host an artist meet-up on March 4 to walk through
the toolkit and answer questions about how participants can make the most of their involvement in BAW.
15
Nominations for the second annual Boulder Arts Week Awards closed in late January, and the selection
committee is currently reviewing applications and supplemental materials to select this year’s recipients.
Voting for the People’s Choice “Boulder Buzz” Award will open during Boulder Arts Week.
In addition, staff is part of a collaborative group planning the 50th anniversary celebration of the Pearl
Street Mall in 2026.
16
Attachment One
Current Cultural Grants Program Budget as of February 10, 2026
GRANT
CATEGORY
ASSIGNED
BUDGET
ACTUAL
BUDGET
GRANTS
AWARDED
NUMBER OF
GRANTS
AWARDED
BALANCE
GOS: Bedrock $400,000 $400,000
GOS: XL Orgs $360,000 $360,000
GOS: Large Orgs $310,000 $310,000
GOS: Mid Orgs $203,000 $203,000
GOS: Small Orgs $157,000 $157,000
GOS: Extra Small Orgs $150,000 $150,000
Boulder Vision: Indv. $120,000 $120,000
Boulder Vision: Orgs. $120,000 $120,000
Arts Education $50,000 $50,000
Lifelong Learning $10,000 $10,000
Rental Assistance Fund $24,000 $12,000 11 $12,000
Artist Hiring Incentive Grant $49,000 $24,500 7 $24,500
Prof. Dev. Scholarships $29,000 $14,500 10 $14,500
Cultural Field Trips $6,000 $2,000 1 $4,000
Assistance for Grant Writing $12,000 $15,000 $9,000 9 $6,000
TOTAL $2,000,000 $2,003,000 $62,000 38 $1,941,000
There are 10 free rentals still available for the Macky Auditorium.
There are 9 rental discounts still available from eTown Hall.
There are 10 free rentals still available from Roots Music Project.
There are 10 free rentals still available from The Spark Boulder.
17
Attachment Two
Current Public Art Program 5 Year Budget as of February 10, 2026.
FUNDING
SOURCE PROJECT/ARTIST TOTAL
APPROPRIATED
AMOUNT
PAID TO DATE
BALANCE
REMAINING
2025 PROJECTED
SPENDING
Multiple 11th/ Spruce Garage
(David Franklin) $166,000 $80,125 $86,875 $86,875
% for Art Bear Canyon Creek
Greenway $150,000 $0 $150,000 $0
% for Art Broadway and Table Mesa $40,000 $0 $40,000 $0
% for Art Valmont City Park $144,000 $0 $144,000 $0
% for Art
Central Ave Bridge
Replacement
(Mario Miguel Echevarria)
$40,000 $4,000 $36,000 $36,000
% for Art East Boulder Community
Center (on hold) $430,000 $0 $430,000 $0
% for Art Fire Station 2 $130,000 $0 $130,000 $0
% for Art Fire Station 4 $120,000 $0 $120,000 $0
% for Art Gregory Canyon Creek $167,000 $0 $167,000 $0
% for Art Western City Campus
(Plaza) (Matthew Mazzotta) $300,000 $45,000 $255,000 $45,000
% for Art
Western City Campus
(Lobby/Atrium) (Soo Sunny
Park)
$450,000 $20,000 $430,000 $20,000
% for Art
Western City Campus
(Garage Stairwell) (Bimmer
Torres)
$100,000 $5,000 $95,000 $5,000
TOTAL $2,083,875 $160,875
CCS: Community Culture and Safety Tax
CCRS: Community Culture Resiliency and Safety Tax
Additional maintenance projects are not represented.
18