HomeMy WebLinkAbout05.27.26 BAC PacketBoulder Arts Commission Meeting Agenda
May 27, 2026 / 6:00 P.M.
Hybrid Meeting:
Office of Arts and Culture at 1777 Broadway / Online Video Meeting
1.ROLL CALL
2.CALL TO ORDER
Approval of agenda
3.MINUTES
A.Approval of the April 2026 meeting minutes
B.Minutes practices
4.PUBLIC PARTICIPATION
5.GRANTS PROGRAM (30 min) – Sarah
A.Action: Boulder Vision Grant for Organizations Decisions
B.Action: Grant Reports
6.COMMISSION BUSINESS (30 min) – Staff and Chair Kert
A.Liaison Updates
B.Leadership Positions
C.Work Groups
i.Accessibility
1.Action: Statement on Accessibility
2.Upcoming events
ii.Sustainability
iii.AI Work Group
1.Draft Values Statement
2.Upcoming events
7.MATTERS FROM STAFF (5 min) – Lauren
A.Questions about the Staff Memo
B.New Arts Commission photo
8.ADJOURNMENT
Next meetings at 6 p.m.:
-Wednesday, June 24, 2026
-Wednesday, July 29, 2026
1
CITY OF BOULDER
BOULDER, COLORADO
BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS MEETING MINUTES
Name of Board/ Commission: Boulder Arts Commission
Date of Meeting: April 29, 2026
Contact information preparing summary: Melissa Mazany, (303) 441-3254
Commission members present: Caroline Kert (Chair), Jeffrey Kash (Vice Chair), Kate Cimino, Jill Katzenberger,
Montserrat Palcios, Gaya Vinay, Yaelaed Whyel
Commission members absent: None.
Staff present:
Lauren Click, Arts and Culture Manager
Sarah Harrison, Cultural Grants Senior Program Manager
Matthew Beutler, Arts Grant Specialist
Cindy Sepucha, Artists Program Administrator
Melissa Mazany, Senior Operations Specialist
Brendan Picker-Mahoney, Public Art Senior Program Manager
Jake Hudson-Humphrey, Arts Specialist
Guests present:
There were no guests present.
Members of the public present:
Crystal Polis, Sara Pike, Caroline Nielson, Leah Woods, Judy Richtel, Marda Kirn, Catherine Barricklow, Leah
Brenner-Clack, Liz Compos, Allison Greene, Kathleen McCormick, Rita Valente-Quinn, Kirsten Wilson, Debbie
Stewart, Kay Harmsen-Wilson, Jen Clements, Shay Westcott, Nancy Smith, Rebecca Stetson, Amanda Berg-Wilson,
Ian Bates, Brenda Kahn, David Ensign, Jason Geving, Colleen Mylott, BMoCA, Allyson Burbeck, Colleen Mylott,
Jason Geving, Megan Mazzoni, 3rd Law Dance, Loie Rawding, Graham Hill, Lynn Segal, Mike Mills, Aadil Saxena,
Devon Forster, Tim Russo.
Type of Meeting: Hybrid (Location: 1777 Broadway, Boulder, CO 80302)
Agenda Item 1: ROLL CALL
Melissa Mazany, Senior Operations Specialist took roll call; all commissioners were present.
Agenda Item 2: CALL TO ORDER
The meeting was called to order at 6:04 p.m.
First motion by Jeffrey Kash to approve the agenda as presented in the meeting packet. Second by Jill Katzenberger.
The motion passed unanimously.
Agenda Item 3: MINUTES
Approval of the March 2026 Meeting Minutes
First motion by Jeffrey Kash to approve the minutes as presented in the meeting packet. Second by Yaelaed Whyel.
Caroline Kert requested two edits in Item 6. She asked for “substantial” to be changed to “substantive” and to read
“priorities in this document”. The motion passed unanimously.
2
Agenda Item 4: PUBLIC PARTICIPATION [00:04:51 Audio min.]
The following members of the public participating in speaking: Leah Brenner-Clack with Street Wise Arts, Allyson
Greene with Street Wise Arts, Kathleen McCormick with Create Boulder, Rita Valente-Quinn with Motus Theater,
Kirsten Wilson with Motus Theater, Rebecca Stetson with The Junkyard Social, Ian Bates with The Junkyard Social,
David Ensign with Motus Theater and Graham Hill with Street Wise Arts.
Agenda Item 5: COMMISSION BUSINESS [00:34:07 Audio min.]
Item 5A: Swearing in new Commissioner Montserrat Palacios
Lauren Click, Arts and Culture Manager, swore in Commissioner Montserrat Palacios.
Item 5A: Work Groups
i) Accessibility
1. Report
2. Draft Statement on Accessibility
Sarah Harrison shared the Draft Accessibility Statement as presented in the meeting packet.
Gaya Vinay shared an update on the other accessibility work including a report summarizing from Bedrock responses.
Harrison added that there will be an Accessibility Summit in June at Groundworks Lab, stakeholder practices
discussions, and staff will meet with the Center for People with Disabilities.
ii) Sustainability
Click reported on a recent meeting with Jonathan Koehn, Director of Climate Initiatives, attended by Commissioners
Katzenberger and Kash. Updates included a draft sustainability statement in progress, a summary report, and the
Sustainability Summit scheduled for September 14, 2026.
iii)AI Work Group
Click shared that Kert, Whyel and she met with Richard Todd, the Chief Data Officer, who leads the City’s AI work.
There will be an AI Organizational Summit on July 16, 2026, and a meetup for individual artists later in the year, and
she reached out to the City’s Communications team about establishing a plan to hire creatives.
Agenda Item 6: PUBLIC ART PROGRAM [00:43:57 Audio min.]
Item 6A: Action: Bear Creek Greenway Trail Public Art
Brendan Picker-Mahoney shared a presentation, Public Art Action Item: Process and Artist Approval, Bear Creek
Greenway Trail Public Art Project as presented in the meeting packet.. He shared the budget, pictures of the site, the
process, the voting panel members, the non-voting technical review committee, and the acquisition criteria.
He also shared a section from the request for qualifications, the four finalists and their submissions, feedback including
pros and cons, and the panel’s final selection.
Katzenberger moved that we approve this process was properly conducted and recommend that the proposal by artist
Stacia Goodman advance to the City Manager for final approval. Second by Whyel. The motion passed unanimously.
Agenda Item 7: GRANTS PROGRAM [ 00:57:15 Audio min.]
Item 7A: Action: General Operating Support (GOS) Grant Decisions
Harrison shared her Grant Program matters presentations starting with the Bedrock definition, process and rubric.
3
Kert shared a statement from Sheryl Cardozo about her experience on the GOS panel.
Harrison continued sharing the GOS panel recommendations and she laid out the grant decisions.
Kert invited commissioners with general comments and discussion. The commissioners each expressed their questions,
suggestions and concerns.
-Some commissioners mentioned that it was important to revisit the category title “Bedrock” and to better
define the meaning. Two suggestions for a new name were Bedrock Grants for Organizations and Impact
Grants.
-Vinay clarified that her "no" vote was not a reflection of distrust in the awarded organizations. She
recommended the Commission revisit the Bedrock rubric before the next round, particularly the criteria
defining anchor and essential organizations, and consider expanding the number of available Bedrock grants.
-Kash shared a desire for the distribution of the funding were spread more equally across all organizations and
categories.
Whyel moved that we approve the following Bedrock awards: Motus Theater, Streetwise Arts, and Frequent Flyers.
Second by Kert. Five in favor, two opposed.
Katzenberger recused herself before the vote.
Whyel moved that the following receive a Bedrock award: Junkyard Social Club. Second by Kert. Four in favor, two
opposed.
Vinay recused herself before the vote.
Whyel moved that the following receive a Bedrock award: Dairy Art Center. Second by Palacios. Five in favor, one
opposed.
Harrison presented the scores for the Extra-Large (XL) Organizations.
Kash moved that we award the following Extra-Large GOS organizations: Parlando, Boulder Museum of
Contemporary Art, Boulder Ballet, Roots Music Project, eTown, Groundworks Art Lab, Museum of Boulder, CO
Chautauqua Association, Boulder Ensemble Theater Company, KGNU, Boulder Philharmonic Orchestra, CO Music
Fest & CMA, and Colorado Shakespeare Festival. Second by Katzenberger. The motion passed unanimously.
Harrison presented the scores for the Large (L) Organizations.
Whyel moved that we award the following Large GOS organizations: BIFF (CO Film Society, Local Theater Co, and
The New Local. Second by Kash. The motion passed unanimously.
Harrison presented the scores for the Mid-Sized (M) Organizations.
Katzenberger moved that we award the following Mid-Size GOS organizations: The Spark, Compass Resonance,
Boulder Symphony, 3rd Law Dance, Rainbow Socks, Turning the Wheel Productions, and ACE at Boulder JCC.
Second by Whyel. The motion passed unanimously.
Kert recused herself.
Palacios moved that we award the following Mid-Size GOS organizations: Kutandara (Moon & Stars Foundation).
Second by Katzenberger. The motion passed unanimously with six in favor.
Harrison presented the scores for the Small Organizations.
4
Cimino moved that we award the following Small (S) GOS organizations: Cultural Caravan, Mi Chantli (La
Vecindad), Society for Creative Aging, The Catamounts, Boulder Metalsmithing Association, Greater Boulder Youth
Orchestra, JLF Colorado, CO Mahlerfest, NoBo Art District, T2 Dance, and Boulder Opera. Second by Palacios. The
motion passed unanimously.
Harrison presented the scores for the Extra-Small (XS) Organizations.
Whyel moved that we award the following Extra-Small GOS organizations: EcoArts Connections, Cantabile Singers,
Band of Toughs, Boulder Samba School, East Window, Boulder Taiko, Lemon Songe Cake Ballet, Flatirons
Community Orchestra, Kin Studio and Gallery, Fireside Ink Writers (CO Nonprofit Center), and Sans Souci. Second
by Vinay. The motion passed unanimously.
Harrison shared the projections for the GOS Grants.
The commissioners discussed the following items:
-Vinay noted that the funding distribution has not aligned with the Arts Blueprint’s stated goal of supporting
organizations of varying sizes and suggested that economic vitality and impact could become an additional
consideration in evaluating Bedrock organizations. Overall, they were disappointed that more small
organizations were not included in the funding recommendations.
-Kert shared an option of having the top and bottom scores removed.
-Palacios would like to see greater variety of different tier size organizations in the Bedrock category.
-Harrison stated that the term “bedrock” has been problematic in that it connotes legacy institution rather than
impactful institution.
Item 7B: Sponsorship Committee volunteer
Harrison shared that we have a committee to approve sponsorship requests. This sponsorship committee includes the
Arts and Culture staff as well as two commissioners. She asked for a commissioner to volunteer and fill the vacancy to
serve alongside Whyel. Cimino volunteered.
Agenda Item 8: COMMISSION BUSINESS, part deux [00:56:24 Audio min.]
Item 8A: Swearing in new Commissioner Kate Cimino, introductions
Click, Arts and Culture Manager swore in Commissioner Kate Cimino.
Agenda Item 9: MATTERS FROM COMMISSIONERS [02:01:28 Audio min.]
Item 9A: Boulder Arts Week recap
Cindy Sepucha shared the Boulder Arts Week presentation. She reviewed the history of Boulder Arts Week, analytics
including attendees, programs, artists and organizations, and participant sentiment. She discussed opportunities and
social media engagement.
Item 9B: Boulder Arts Blueprint and Launch Update
Click shared that the Boulder Arts Blueprint was taken back to the advisory committee and had them test the website.
A one-page document about infrastructure will be added to the executive summary. There will also be a Arts by the
Numbers page including quantitative data.
Item 9C: Questions about the Staff Memo
The commission did not have any questions.
Item 9D: New Arts Commission photo
5
APPROVED ON:
APPROVED BY: ATTESTED:
____________________________________________________________________________
Board Chair Board Secretary
___________________________________________________________________________
Date Date
Photo will be taken at the May meeting.
Agenda Item 10: ADJOURNMENT
There being no further business to come before the commission at this time, Kert adjourned the meeting at 8:18 p.m.
Date, time, and location of next meeting:
The next Boulder Arts Commission meeting will be held at 6 p.m. on Wednesday, May 27, 2026. This is a hybrid
meeting to be held at The City of Boulder’s City Manager’s Office at Penfield Tate II and via a Zoom webinar link.
6
TO: Members of the Boulder Arts Commission
FROM: Lauren Click, City of Boulder Office of Arts +
Culture, Office of Cultural and Economic
Development
DATE: May 21, 2026
SUBJECT: Staff Update for the Boulder Arts Commission Meeting on May 27, 2026
> To maximize access, the May 27, 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, May 26,
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 May Meeting Agenda
− 5A. Boulder Vision: Organizations Grant Decisions
The Cultural Grants Panel has provided their final scores for 2026 Boulder Vision: Organizations
applications. Final scores are included in Attachment One. The applications themselves were
provided to the Arts Commission in the Shared Documents folder in the grants portal for review.
During the meeting, commissioners have the options to:
a. Approve all the grants per the panel’s recommendation,
b. Approve individual grants,
c. Approve individual grants while submitting specific questions, or
d. Postpone approval of individual grants pending the answers to specific questions.
Please note that Commissioners should recuse themselves if they have a conflict of interest and
should be ready to explain their recusal.
RECOMMENDED MOTION:
“I move that we approve Boulder Vision grants for the following organizations: Boulder Taiko,
Community Roots Art Festival, Control Group Productions, The Institute for Embodied
Cosmology, Parlando, Dance Continua Productions, Boulder Samba School, Band of Toughs,
Hear Us Now See Us Now, La Vecindad dba Mi Chantli, and The New Local.”
The Boulder Chamber Foundation's Boulder Vision grant request exceeds available funding. The
Arts Commission will be asked to discuss and advise on a partial award.
7
MOTION:
“I move that we approve a Boulder Vision grant to the Boulder Chamber Foundation.”
− 5B. Grant Reports
The following 2025 Arts Education Project Grant reports have been submitted:
− Colorado Shakespeare Festival, Shakespeare & Violence Prevention $3,000
− Luna Cultura, Marionetas y títeres, proyectando nuestras voces para narrar nuestras historias
$3,000
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 reports by Colorado Shakespeare Festival and Luna Cultura.”
The following 2025 Community Project Grant reports have been submitted:
− Abby Kellems, Music From Scratch, $5,000
− Dairy Arts Center, Black Futures in Art, $10,000
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 reports by Abby Kellems and the Dairy Arts Center.”
− 6C. Work Groups
i. Accessibility. Staff drafted an Accessibility Statement for the Boulder Arts Commission for
review. The draft statement can be found in Attachment Two. The Accessibility Statement was
presented to the Commission at the April meeting and is now being brought forward for formal
adoption. The intent of the statement is to guide and support the work of both staff and the
Boulder Arts Commission, including the Cultural Grants Program, by focusing priorities and
guiding office programs. The statement also serves as an external communication tool,
signaling to partner organizations the Commission's commitment to disability justice and
setting an example for those engaged in their own accessibility and equity efforts.
8
RECOMMENDED MOTION: “I move that we adopt the Statement on Disability Access.”
ii. Sustainability. The work group met with the head of the City’s Climate Initiatives office and is
drafting an aspirational statement for the Arts Commission. An summit for organizations on the
topic is planned for September 14 at 12:00 p.m. at Junkyard Social Club, presenters TBD.
iii. Artificial Intelligence. A draft values statement can be found in Attachment Three. Staff will
open the floor for input and discussion at the meeting. The values statement is intended to
guide and support the work of the Arts Commission and staff, including the Cultural Grants
Program, and to serve as a resource for Boulder's arts and cultural organizations as they
navigate questions of AI adoption, transparency, and responsible use in their own work. A
Cultural Organizations Summit on AI Policy and Best Practices is scheduled on July 16 at
5:00pm at Kiln. It will cover City of Boulder policy and guidelines, organizational resources,
guidance on selecting the right AI tools, and how to access appropriate, safe, and useful
information as AI evolves.
> 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 were four correspondence sent
between the publication of the April 24 and May 21, 2026, meeting packets. Correspondence can be
found in Attachment Four.
> Staff Updates
> Administration and Planning
The Boulder Arts Blueprint website can be found at bouldercolorado.gov/boulder-arts-blueprint. To
read the Boulder Arts Blueprint in its entirety, please email culturalplan@bouldercolorado.gov.
Boulder Valley Comprehensive Plan upcoming meetings and events:
Public Hearings | Presentation of Recommended Boulder Valley Comprehensive Plan and
consideration of motion to adopt the Major Update | Community members may sign up to
speak directly to policymakers at these hearings
− June 4 | City Council and City Planning Board Joint Public Hearing
− June 11 | County Planning Commission and Board of County Commissioners Joint Public
Hearing
Public Hearings | Adoption of Recommended Boulder Valley Comprehensive Plan
− June 16 | City Planning Board
− June 18 | County Planning Commission
− June 25 | Board of County Commissioners
− June 25 | City Council
9
An exhibition of the collaborative artwork integrated into the Boulder Valley Comprehensive Plan
process will be on view in Experiments in Public Art: A Boulder Future at the Canyon Gallery at the
Main Library from June 8 to July 30. A reception will be held June 17 from 5-7pm.
> Grants Program
Work continues on the 2026 Cultural Grants Program.
The following Rental Assistance and Fee Waiver Reports approved administratively:
− Ars Nova Chamber Singers, RubyFIRE: Shared Visions, April 26, 2026, Dairy Arts Center,
$1,200
− Boulder Philharmonic Orchestra, Lyricism and Brilliance, March 22, 2026 at Macky
Auditorium, Macky Fee Waiver
− Dr. Mike Barnett, CU Boulder Soundworks Songwriting Student Concert, Roots Music
Project Fee Waiver
− Fairview Band Booster Organization, Fairview Band’s Evening of Jazz on March 31, 2026,
Roots Fee Waiver
− Frequent Flyers, The Light vs The Dark, April 5, 2026, Dairy Arts Center, $1,200
− ThinkBo LLC, CreativeMornings Boulder Event at Boulder Arts Week, April 12, 2026,
Junkyard Social Club, $1,000
The following Professional Development Fund Grant Report was approved administratively:
− Emily King, Association of Art Museum Curators Conference, New York, NY, $1,600
Update on Grant Interest Form. Our Grant Interest Form tracks demand for grants that have already
closed. Here is the current breakdown of responses:
− 15 Artist Hiring
− 40 Professional Development
− 24 Rental Assistance
− 10 Grant Writing Fund
In Attachment Five, please find a current grants program budget.
> Public Art + Public Space
Staff are being integrated into the planning and design process for the 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 have begun compiling an art selection panel.
Staff are working on improving and expanding the public art tour program in Summer 2026. Tours
are live on the website and a press release is being drafted.
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.
10
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. Site visit scheduled
for May has been pushed back.
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.
Staff continue to support colleagues in Planning and Development Services on improvements to
the public art permitting process. This is work that emerged from the Arts Blueprint.
Staff continue to support colleagues in the Parks and Recreation Department, Transportation
Department, and other departments on a number of projects.
Staff continue to work on Public Art Implementation Plan updates.
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
and final design phases, as well as permitting.
- Art in Parking Garages: 11th and Spruce (David Franklin): Fabrication. Permit has been
approved, and artists have begun fabrication. Installation is being planned in coordination
with maintenance work in the garage this summer.
- Central Avenue Bridge Project: Contracting complete and moving into preliminary design.
Installation should happen in the fall.
- 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. On hold until the project design is complete.
- Bear Creek Greenway: Approved by City Manager and now initiating the contracting
process.
- Pearl St. Mall 50th Anniversary: Staff is working with Parks and Rec to activate the mall with
Experiments in Public Art art activations and murals for the festivities in summer 2027.
- Civic Area Park: Staff is working with Parks to plan for a permanent artwork(s) for the
renovation of the park.
- Barker Park: Staff is working with Parks to commission a temporary mural project for the
redesigned park at 15th and Pine.
Experiments in Public Art:
- Three new temporary art/performance projects were selected and approved. One project,
“Strip Mall Movements” was performed as part of Boulder Arts Week. Staff is planning the
other two projects for this summer and has engaged a videographer to document the
projects.
11
- A culminating exhibition is planned for the Experiments in Public Art: The Comp Plan
Update series at the Canyon Gallery at the Boulder Public Library in the summer.
Maintenance and Conservation:
- Accessible Signage: contracting is complete, final planning for placement and fabrication
of new plaques for 16 artworks in the collection. Fabrication of new signage has begun.
- A maintenance assessment of the 17 works of art in the collection was recently completed.
Staff have completed a contract with a conservation firm to clean two artworks in the
collection. One artwork, “Current” is complete. Work to begin on “Lighthouse” in the
coming weeks.
Creative Neighborhoods:
- Six Creative Neighborhoods projects are being installed and activated this year, with two
now complete in the East Boulder and Southeast Boulder subcommunities.
- The next round of Creative Neighborhoods funding will open on May 27 to community
members from the five Boulder subcommunities that currently have two or fewer projects,
and on June 10 to the rest of the community. Promotion is being done in partnership with
the City's Outreach and Engagement team and Community Connectors to ensure equitable
access for all community members.
In Attachment Six, please find the public art program 5-year budget.
> Nonprofits, Institutions, and Infrastructure
East Bookend project: Staff are engaged in the East Bookend redevelopment project. The RFP will
be discussed at the Arts Commission meeting in July. The City is seeking an innovative partner or
team of partners to redevelop city-owned properties on the "East Bookend" of the downtown Civic
Area through purchase or lease agreements, as part of a broader effort to realize the Civic Area
Plan's vision of a food and culture-focused hub.
Staff are contributing to discussions around the formation of a Downtown Development Authority.
In both efforts, staff are working to ensure that arts and culture are integrated into project planning
and development from the outset.
Better Together Initiative: In partnership with Boulder County Arts Alliance and Community
Foundation Boulder County, staff launched the Better Together Initiative on May 21. It is a training
and grant program designed to help arts organizations collaborate more strategically, such as
establishing shared back of house services. The grant program supporting collaborative work is
hosted through the Community Foundation and will open in June.
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.
Work continues to support the arrival of the Sundance Film Festival to Boulder in January 2027.
12
The Venue Study is complete and available on our website. The Cultural Assets Map is now public,
with updates underway including the addition of Creative Neighborhoods projects and publicly
visible non–city-owned murals. The map is a key resource for identifying gaps and opportunities in
arts and cultural access across Boulder.
> Entrepreneurship + Workforce
Artist Meet Ups: The most recent Artist Meet Up took place on May 12 at Tinker Studio, hosted in
partnership with the Small Business Development Center (SBDC). The session focused on
branding for creative professionals and drew a strong turnout of 36 attendees.
Artists Business Cohort: Staff is currently working with the SBDC to build out the Artists Business
Cohort. It is an 8-week intensive program combining SBDC business training with complementary
curriculum specifically designed for creative entrepreneurs. The program will offer participants a
structured, hands-on learning experience tailored to the unique needs of artists running small
businesses. The program will launch in fall 2026.
Artist Corporations: City Council took an official support position on Colorado Senate Bill 26-133,
the Colorado Artist Company Act, at the state level. The Act creates a new type of limited liability
company built specifically for artists and creative workers, requiring artists to maintain at least
51% ownership of all voting securities and guaranteeing that each company's stated artistic
mission is enshrined in its founding documents. The bill passed the Colorado House of
Representatives 49-14, following an earlier 31-3 vote in the Senate. It now awaits the Governor's
signature. Staff testified on behalf of the City of Boulder in support of the Act, reflecting the city's
commitment to strengthening the economic infrastructure for creative workers, a priority directly
aligned with the Arts Blueprint.
> Reputation + Identity
Boulder Arts Week: BAW 2026 wrapped up with the Boulder Buzz Award going to the Boulder
Metalsmithing Association. Pre-planning for the 14th Annual Boulder Arts Week 2027 is now
underway, with the event slated for early spring 2027.
CU Partnership Gatherings: Staff is working to arrange the next collaborative gathering with
partners in CU's College of Arts and Sciences and College of Music, planned for early fall when
students return to campus. These gatherings bring together local community organizations,
creatives, CU students, and faculty to explore audience engagement strategies and strengthen the
connection between campus and community.
Boulder Land Acknowledgement Studio: Located in the future Western City Campus lobby, the
Land Acknowledgement Studio is a dedicated exhibition space featuring a rotating art program
centered on land, memory, and reclamation. The initiative is managed in partnership with local
Indigenous communities, the Office of Equity and Belonging, and the Facilities Department.
Planning is ongoing, with staff actively connecting with additional City resources to help shape the
management and direction of the project.
13
Boulder Vision Grants: Organizations
Reviewer J Reviewer A Project Summary
Organization Request OVERALL AVERAGECommunity GoalsCultural OfferingsCultural EquityOutcomes/ EvaluationBoulder FocusEncouragementTOTALCommunity GoalsCultural OfferingsCultural EquityOutcomes/ EvaluationBoulder FocusEncouragementTOTALCommunity GoalsCultural OfferingsCultural EquityOutcomes/ EvaluationBoulder FocusEncouragementTOTALCommunity GoalsCultural OfferingsCultural EquityOutcomes/ EvaluationBoulder FocusEncouragementTOTALCommunity GoalsCultural OfferingsCultural EquityOutcomes/ EvaluationBoulder FocusEncouragementTOTALCommunity GoalsCultural OfferingsCultural EquityOutcomes/ EvaluationBoulder FocusEncouragementTOTALBoulder Taiko 12,000$ 35.7
8 8 8 7 6 2
39
7 6 6 6 5 2
32
7 7 7 6 6 2
35
7 7 7 7 6 2
36
8 8 7 7 6 2
38
7 7 7 6 6 1
34
Boulder Taiko 20th Anniversary Concert: One Legacy 〜一伝〜 is a cross-cultural collaboration and commissioned performance
initiative currently in development and produced throughout 2026. The project brings master taiko artist Kenny Endo and ensemble
(Hawaii), Boulder Taiko, Boulder Taiko Ensemble, Lilac, Taiko with Toni, and Mokomba (African dance ensemble) into collaboration,
culminating in an original work that intertwines cultural forms from across the globe. This celebratory event builds on Boulder Taiko’s
Harmony of Rhythms performance series from the previous two summers, expanding cross-cultural collaborations developed in recent
years, including partnerships with Mokomba and other global percussion artists, into a more integrated and large-scale format for the
organization’s 20th Anniversary. Through rehearsals and artistic exchange, this collaboration explores rhythm as a shared cultural
language across Japanese, African, and global drumming traditions. The premiere will take place August 16, 2026, at the Boulder
Theater. The initiative includes two public workshops offering taiko fundamentals and intermediate/advanced techniques, as well as a
potential pre-concert mini-workshop at the Boulder County Courthouse Lawn.
Community
Roots Art Festival
/ CRAFt 12,000$ 35.3
8 7 8 6 5 1
35
7 8 8 7 5 3
38
7 7 7 5 5 1
32
7 7 8 5 6 1
34
8 8 7 7 6 1
37
7 8 8 7 5 1
36
The Community Roots Arts Festival (CRAFt) is an annual, community-driven event dedicated to empowering, celebrating, and amplifying
the voices of creatives of color in Colorado. As the first festival of its kind in the state, CRAFt provides a platform for artists and
performers of color to express their creativity, challenge oppressive systems, and foster meaningful connections. The 2026 festival
marks the sixth anniversary. From 2021 to 2025, CRAFt grew significantly, with creative participants increasing from 24 to 87 and
attendance rising from 500 to over 1000 people. In 2026, we anticipate a 15-20% rise in attendance and aim to feature at least 75
creatives of color. Key elements of this event include eliminating vendor fees, providing marketing support such as free headshots,
business cards, and social media, providing free equipment to the creatives, and ensuring equitable compensation for performers.
Additionally, we welcome all attendees free of charge to engage by donating, purchasing art, enjoying performances, sponsoring, or
uplifting the vibrant voices in our community.
Control Group
Productions 7,500$ 34.7
6 8 8 7 4 2
35
6 7 7 7 4 3
34
5 7 6 6 4 2
30
5 8 7 7 5 2
34
8 8 8 7 5 2
38
7 8 8 7 5 2
37
The Truth About 250-150 is an Indigenous-led initiative confronting Colorado’s legacy of violence, land dispossession, and erasure of
Native peoples. The project is a truth-telling intervention that challenges the state’s narratives surrounding Colorado’s 150th
anniversary and the U.S. 250th. Through a traveling exhibit, performance art, and visual storytelling, the project reclaims public memory
and creates space for dialogue, healing, and accountability. A collaboration among Wakáška Yuza, Create áyA, and Control Group, the
project features an immersive museum-style exhibit on Control Group's Breathing Healing Bus, highlighting pivotal events including the
Sand Creek Massacre, the extermination of the buffalo, and the Meeker Incident, while showcasing contemporary Indigenous art and
performance. The exhibit integrates historical storytelling with somatic healing through breathwork, guided meditation, and reparative
action prompts. A youth photojournalism exhibition mounted in and on tipis presents contemporary Indigenous perspectives through
Native youth eyes. A community zine extends the experience beyond each event. The Boulder project includes multi-day pop-ups of the
exhibit.
The Institute for
Embodied
Cosmology 12,000$ 34.3
8 8 8 6 6 2
38
5 7 6 6 5 2
31
6 7 6 5 6 2
32
8 7 7 7 5 1
35
7 8 6 5 6 1
33
7 8 7 7 6 2
37
Only five to ten percent of plays ever reach production. Cosmogenesis is one of them - and August 2026 is when Boulder brings it home.
The Institute for Embodied Cosmology requests $12,000 to fund the Boulder premiere of Cosmogenesis at CU Boulder's Fiske
Planetarium, August 28–30, 2026. Total budget: $44,000. This grant represents 27.3%. Cosmogenesis is a new art form: live theater, 360-
degree fulldome projection, aerial dance, and an original soundtrack inside a planetarium dome. The audience sits inside the cosmos
as the 13.8-billion-year story of the universe unfolds around them. Created by Boulder-based psychotherapist and filmmaker Rebecca-
Sophia Strong, the work follows Lotus, a 19-year-old on the verge of dropping out, who stumbles into a planetarium classroom and is
transformed by her relationship with a black, female cosmology professor. The framework - secure attachment to the universe - gives
young people a story large enough to hold both their suffering and their creative spark. The world premiere nearly sold out; its film won
Best 360 at an international festival; the curriculum is active at CU Boulder now. Fiske is committed as venue and creative partner.
Reviewer B Reviewer S Reviewer L Reviewer M
Attachment One
14
Parlando 10,000$ 33.3
8 8 7 7 6 0
36
5 5 5 6 5 0
26
7 7 7 7 6 0
34
6 6 6 7 6 0
31
8 8 8 8 6 0
38
7 7 8 7 6 0
35
There is an arts access equity gap faced by families with financial and transportation challenges. For many families, the logistics of
getting to a music lesson can be just as prohibitive as the cost itself. This project addresses both barriers at once. Parlando has
partnered with Boulder Housing Partners (BHP), which manages 41 residential facilities across the City, to embed weekly, year-round
music instruction directly inside affordable housing communities. Programming includes private lessons and group classes for ages 4
through adult within 3 BHP community spaces. We anticipate serving up to 100 students per week by the end of 2026. Instruction is
offered on a sliding scale so families pay only what they can afford. This grant would expand the program to 6 BHP sites by June 2027,
doubling neighborhood access points and projected student interactions from 3,990 to 7,980 annually (see Budget). Three Parlando-
owned pianos have been placed in these facilities for: -Teaching -Practice between lessons (addressing family space/budget concerns) -
Non-Parlando community events By embedding music education directly within affordable housing communities, this project
transforms residential spaces into neighborhood cultural hubs.
Dance Continua
Productions 4,000$ 33.2
8 7 7 7 6 1
36
7 7 6 5 5 2
32
6 6 6 5 5 1
29
7 7 7 5 6 1
33
7 8 7 5 6 1
34
7 8 6 7 6 1
35
This June, Dance Continua Productions will present the Dance Continua Festival, featuring The Heartbeat Symphony at The Spark
Boulder. This two-day event brings together artists and technologists from Boulder’s uniquely interdisciplinary community to create and
share new work at the intersection of performance and innovation. The festival centers on a three-part dance performance developed by
eight collaborators from distinct disciplines, alongside interactive installations activated before and after the performance. These
elements invite audiences to engage directly with the creative process, fostering connection, curiosity, and shared exploration across
artistic and technical fields. Designed to be inclusive and accessible, the installations offer multiple modes of engagement for
individuals with a range of physical, sensory, and cognitive abilities. The event’s flexible format, community-oriented ticketing, and open
social environment further support participation from a broad and diverse audience. Following the performance, the space transforms
into an afterparty with live music, food and drink, and continued access to the installations, creating an environment for conversation,
collaboration, and ongoing creative exchange.
Boulder Samba
School 10,000$ 33.2
6 6 7 6 6 1
32
7 7 6 6 5 2
33
6 7 7 5 6 1
32
6 6 6 6 6 1
31
8 8 7 7 6 1
37
7 7 8 5 6 1
34
Colorado Brazil Fest (CBF) is one of the largest, most prestigious and musically diverse Brazilian Festivals in the U.S. Hosted by the
Boulder Samba School (BSS), an organization dedicated to promoting the rich heritage of Brazilian music, dance, & culture since 2009,
this multi-day event draws 1,500 - 2,000 participants annually from across Colorado and the surrounding states. This year’s festival will
present a concert series running from June through July, culminating in the main festival weekend, August 6–9. The program will feature
innovative music and dance performances by renowned Brazilian artists, presented in collaboration with local musicians and
multicultural drum and dance ensembles.
Band of Toughs 10,000$ 33.0
8 7 8 7 6 0
36
5 5 6 6 4 0
26
7 7 7 6 6 0
33
6 6 7 7 6 0
32
8 8 7 7 6 0
36
7 7 8 7 6 0
35
Bar at the End, a devised, immersive, site-specific theatrical work, blends Western and semi-apocalyptic themes. Audiences will
embark on an interactive quest to reach the last oasis, with puzzles, challenges, & performance encounters that culminate in a final
gathering at the “Bar at the End.” Drawing inspiration from The Broken Earth Trilogy, The Tempest, and Silverado, the work inherently
interrogates systems of power and who wields it; the politics of land, settlement, and ownership; and the marginalization of those cast
as “other.” Through participatory storytelling, audiences navigate tensions between revenge and justice while experiencing how
unstable environments and dominant narratives shape human behavior. The piece foregrounds mythmaking as a tool of control and
reimagines survival through the formation of found family and community. We will engage 15-20 local, multidisciplinary artists,
centering creators from historically marginalized communities, including those who are BIPOC, LGBTQ+, women, neurodiverse, have a
disability, and 40+. Building on our recognized innovation, this project expands interactive theatre practices while contributing to
Boulder’s evolving cultural landscape.
Hear Us Now See
Us Now 10,000$ 32.8
7 8 8 7 5 2
37
7 7 6 6 5 3
34
6 7 6 6 5 2
32
6 8 6 7 4 2
33
7 7 6 6 5 2
33
5 6 6 4 5 2
28
We would like to offer a series of classes at no cost, focused on sharing Indigenous knowledge passed down through generations
through the medium of filmmaking. These sessions will emphasize the importance of collaboration in filmmaking, including proper
etiquette when working with cultural subjects and communities. Through hands-on learning, participants will explore visual storytelling
as an immersive and meaningful practice, helping to inspire and empower the next generation of creators.
La Vecindad dba
Mi Chantli 12,000$ 32.7
6 7 8 6 6 2
35
6 7 7 5 5 2
32
5 5 7 4 6 2
29
7 6 6 4 6 2
31
7 8 7 6 6 2
36
6 7 7 5 6 2
33
Every Wednesday from 9-11pm, local poets gather at Mi Chantil for Writers' Block. It's a free writing workshop, organized and facilitated
by Mi Chantli owner Carlos “Changa” Hernandez. Every week Changa either hosts, or invites a guest poet to give prompts. Poets spend
40 minutes writing & 40 minutes sharing and listening to each other's work. Every week there are 5 - 20+ poets in attendance. The group
has been dynamic from year to year. Writer’s Block has been going since December of 2016. Even when Mi Chantli took over the space
from Block 1750 and rebranded, Writer’s Block has remained - due to the continued presence of Changa. With the 10th anniversary of
Writer’s Block approaching, we request funds for a project for the Boulder poetry community. We will begin by workshopping new
poems to be included in a self-published Poetry Zine. In early December (either 12/2 or 12/9), we will present the Zine at a celebratory
event with special guest poets. In addition to past and current Writer’s Block participants, we will invite other literary folks to join us at
this event. We will have an Open Mic with featured artists, an emcee and musical accompaniment from Von Disco. There will also be
time for writing together at this event.
Attachment One
15
The New Local 12,000$ 32.0
6 7 7 6 6 0
32
6 6 5 5 5 0
27
7 6 7 6 6 0
32
5 6 7 7 6 0
31
8 8 7 7 6 0
36
7 7 7 7 6 0
34
Sundays on West Pearl (SOWP) is a socially engaged, place-based arts initiative that activates TNL’s lawn & indoor spaces as a site of
civic participation, cultural exchange & collective artmaking. The program expands belonging by centering historically excluded
communities in the heart of the city. Each Sunday, artists from TNL’s juried roster of 290+ local, women creatives facilitate free,
collaborative, process-based experiences that foster connection across age, language & lived experience. These experiences include
printmaking, textile arts, botanical dyeing, folk traditions & more. In 2025, SOWP engaged 720 participants through hands-on artmaking
& 630 visitors through free gallery experiences (1,350 total engagements, a 55% increase from ‘24). Free gallery access is central to
TNL’s mission, removing financial barriers & providing an approachable entry point to the arts. In 2026, we anticipate a 27% increase in
participation. SOWP builds on TNL’s year-round programming -including classes, art camps & school partnerships - and extends this
work into an inclusive, recurring, public event. The program also features performances by BETC & Parlando, creating opportunities for
local performing artists & student musicians.
Boulder Chamber
Foundation-
Transportation
Connections
($12000)
*$8,500
available 32.0
6 6 4 5 6 1
28
7 7 5 7 6 2
34
6 7 6 6 6 1
32
5 6 5 6 6 1
29
8 7 8 8 6 1
38
6 6 6 6 6 1
31
This project supports a city-wide First Friday initiative by activating Boulder's transit network. Public transport will serve as a cultural
connector, motivating residents and visitors to ride the Skip and HOP buses or walk between First Friday art events between Downtown
Boulder and the NoBo Art District. Currently, attendees tend to stay within a single district, limiting artists' collective reach. This project
bridges that gap through coordinated cross-district promotion, transit-centered wayfinding, and collaborative programming that gives
each district a compelling reason to send visitors to the other. Key elements include: coordinated artist activations that incentivize multi-
stop exploration, co-branded transit and walking guides for both districts, and outreach targeting underserved audiences who may not
be engaging with Boulder's First Friday ecosystem. By integrating mobility routes with cultural experiences, the project advances
Boulder's Accessible & Connected community goal while generating measurable increases in transit ridership, cross-district
attendance, and inter-organizational collaboration. The result is a more equitable, economically vibrant, and artistically rich First Friday,
for everyone.
Local Theater
Company $ 12,000 31.8
8 8 7 7 6 0
36
7 6 6 6 5 0
30
5 7 5 5 6 0
28
6 5 6 5 6 0
28
8 8 7 6 6 0
35
7 7 7 7 6 0
34
LOCAL LISTENS: HOME engages Boulderites to build an inclusive narrative about barriers to housing affordability. This three-phase
project focuses on the impact of housing affordability on manufactured home communities, artist communities, hospitality industries,
and university faculty and students. LOCAL LISTENS is a year-long, community-centric practice that engages participants in personal
storytelling to illuminate questions that are often politicized. Phase One: Community Story Circles + Visual & Audio Portraits. Free,
facilitated story engage participants. Commissioned playwrights begin developing two short plays. Participants are identified for visual
and oral portraits to be displayed throughout the year with partner KGNU (radio) and at local businesses. Phase Two: Plays in Progress
Celebration | Visual and Oral Portrait series: KGNU broadcasts five episodes featuring story circle participants and policy makers. LTC
hosts a Plays-in-Progress celebration. In this free public gathering, audiences see first glimpses at scenes from the plays. Phase Three,
Local Lab New Play Festival: Professional artists produce workshop productions of the plays during a ticketed festival event.
Sans Souci
Festival of
Dance 12,000$ 31.5
8 7 8 6 6 0
35
4 5 5 5 5 0
24
5 5 6 5 6 0
27
7 7 7 7 6 0
34
8 8 6 7 6 0
35
7 7 7 6 6 1
34
SSF proposes a new Community Dance Film Project, with 3 local dance companies/choreographers who have little to no experience in
dance filmmaking: Raw Groove and its Co-Founder Taylor Madgett Benjamin Rabe, a company member of Boulder Ballet Common
Sound (tap dance company) and its Artistic Director Justin Boccitto As part of their processes, each of these 3 collaborators will host a
series of intergenerational workshops for dancers and nondancers in Boulder (for ages 18+, with a focus on dancers 50+). The footage
gained will be incorporated into each of their films. Sans Souci staff will train each of the 3 on how to make a dance film, utilizing skills
we’ve honed from workshops over the past 10 years. We’ll team up with Boulder Dance Crew and Boulder’s Older Adult Services at
West Age Well Center to build a participant base and audiences, ensuring that performance opportunities include 100-150 Boulder
dancers, with audiences of 250-350. The final films will screen at the Museum of Boulder and the Dairy Art Center’s Boedecker Theater
in May or June 2027. They will also be entered into other national and international film festivals.
Woven Web 12,000$ 31.3
6 7 7 6 5 1
32
4 3 4 5 4 1
21
6 6 7 7 6 1
33
5 5 6 6 5 1
28
8 8 7 8 6 1
38
7 7 7 8 6 1
36
COhere Boulder is a 10-day festival (October 16–25, 2026) connecting residents with Boulder's social & natural ecosystems. The 10 days
feature roughly 30 - 50 public events including hands-on workshops, art exhibitions, climate action days, community gatherings, and
more. Woven Web creates the framework, produces the opening and closing ceremonies, and promotes the festival, while empowering
community members to host distributed events citywide. See video in Support materials for a fuller sense of the events and festival’s
culture. Our 2026 theme "We are our ecology" centers ecological interconnection through hands-on programming and eco-centric art
and speakers. We will prioritize Indigenous-led offerings that honor the profound cultural frameworks they hold for living in harmony
with the natural world, as well as highlight regenerative farmers, permaculturists, scientists, and advocates fostering cultures of
ecological connection. Our core goals are to: *Introduce attendees to ways of supporting nature-based climate solutions. *Deepen
overall social connectedness among participants. *Highlight a diverse representation of Boulder’s culture and communities.
Attachment One
16
Boulder
Metalsmithing
Association 12,000$ 31.2
6 8 6 6 5 0
31
7 7 6 6 5 0
31
5 6 6 5 6 0
28
7 7 7 5 6 0
32
7 8 7 6 6 0
34
7 7 6 5 6 0
31
Almost since BoMA was founded 17 years ago, we have run a program called Enhancing Art Through Metalsmithing. It instructs art
teachers from local schools in metalsmithing techniques so they can teach them to students in their own classrooms. This program has
been our way of reaching a large number of youth in an impactful way, because we have not allowed youth under 18 in our studio due to
safety concerns with all of the specialized equipment. By training art teachers to successfully run programs in their resource-limited
classrooms, we have introduced metalsmithing to ~5,700 local students! We plan to continue this program as long as teachers and
schools want to participate. But now, our Board is ready to take a big new step: offering youth programming AT OUR STUDIO. Board and
staff have discussed the safety concerns and researched the necessary insurance and certification requirements, and we are ready to
launch a pilot program for youth aged 8-14. This project would offer 3 one-week half day summer camps in 2026, followed by half-day
workshops on BVSD holidays. This grant would provide the start-up expenses necessary to launch youth workshops that we believe will
become self-sustaining and even generate revenue for BoMA.
Ancestral
Weavings 12,000$ 30.8
7 4 7 6 4 3
31
4 2 2 4 2 1
15
7 7 7 6 4 3
34
6 6 6 6 4 3
31
7 8 7 6 5 3
36
8 7 8 7 5 3
38
Solidarity Suppers: Stories of Land, Lineage, and Belonging is a series of six free community meals hosted at Boulder-area farms
between June and November 2026. The project reconnects residents with the local foodshed while fostering cross-cultural dialogue and
belonging. With less than 4% of food consumed in Boulder grown locally and nearly 90% of residents identifying as white, the series
addresses both food system disconnection and limited cultural representation. Each supper brings together farmers, residents, and
Indigenous and BIPOC leaders, including Native American storytellers, for bilingual storytelling, shared meals, and facilitated dialogue
in a council-style format. Led by Ancestral Weavings and in collaboration with SPIRIT of the Front Range, the project centers storytelling
and shared food as tools for community connection. Goals include rebuilding food sovereignty, strengthening cross ‑cultural
understanding, and amplifying voices historically excluded from Boulder’s civic story. Through shared meals, translation, childcare, and
equitable pay for speakers, Solidarity Suppers helps residents taste, hear, and nurture a more inclusive Boulder City rooted in belonging
and reciprocity.
Wild Heart
Dance 12,000$ 30.5
7 7 6 6 5 2
33
6 6 5 5 4 1
27
5 5 6 6 5 2
29
7 7 6 6 5 2
33
7 8 6 7 5 1
34
5 6 5 4 5 2
27
Wild Heart Dance, in partnership with Boulder Symphony, will present a reimagined production of Swan Lake that transforms Pyotr Ilyich
Tchaikovsky’s celebrated score into a contemporary interdisciplinary work for dance and full orchestra. The project reframes the
traditional narrative to emphasize agency, complexity, and embodied wisdom, offering audiences a nuanced alternative to familiar
binaries of good and evil. The program also includes two original mini-ballets composed by recent graduates of the University of
Colorado Boulder Department of Music. Commissioned by the CU Department of Music and Boulder Symphony, these works expand
the production while providing an important platform for emerging composers. This initiative advances the field by modeling how
classical repertoire can be revitalized through innovative collaboration while remaining accessible to broad audiences. By leveraging the
cultural recognition of Swan Lake, the production fosters cross-sector engagement and expands participation in the performing arts.
The result is a high-caliber, large-scale experience that deepens artistic dialogue, broadens audience reach, and demonstrates the
continued relevance of live performance in contemporary culture.
SPIRIT of the
Front Range 12,000$ 30.0
6 7 6 6 6 2
33
3 3 3 4 5 1
19
6 6 6 5 6 2
31
4 5 5 5 5 1
25
7 7 7 6 6 2
35
8 7 8 6 6 2
37
SOFTR will host Commons Teach-Ins: 9 monthly gatherings (June '26–Feb '27) using historical education, the way of Council, and
practical pathways to neighborhood cultural flourishing to reconnect Boulder City residents to the ecological commons we share. The
Teach-Ins are part of a growing Bioregional movement that relocates sources of culture, story, + decision-making to the communities
that actually live them. Topics include: the history of Indigenous dispossession from the Front Range; the paradigm of alienation from
land, labor, + relationships of care + its eco'l + soc'l consequences; how neighborhoods can organize through mutual aid, shared
culture, + proximate relationship. Guest teachers include Indigenous community leaders, elders, + scholars. Programming is offered in
English and Spanish, with intentional outreach to lower-income and Hispanic communities. The goal is not only civic education but
Beyond
Academia 12,000$ 30.0
6 5 6 6 6 2
31
5 5 4 5 5 1
25
6 6 5 5 6 1
29
4 4 6 6 5 1
26
7 8 5 6 6 2
34
7 7 7 6 6 2
35
Beyond Academia will bring our 12th annual free to the public summer Poetry Camp to downtown Boulder. Previously hosted in
Nederland, this transition will make this year’s summer camp more accessible to the general public. While this is the 12th annual
Summer Poetry Camp designed by Beyond Academia, each year we develop camp from the ground up. Poetry camp is an annual project
that is organized by an intergenerational group of scrappy and resourceful, yet often under-resourced, local poets. This will be the first
year organizing poetry camp in a designated and publicly accessible host venue in the heart of Boulder. This iteration of Camp will take
place at the Riverside, and their sister business, the Coffee Stand (right next door). 22 poetry experiences for primarily adult participants
will happen. We will host 5 poetry workshops taught by a diverse and accomplished list of professional poets. We will also host several
"field trip" events in the community. Following camp, we will perform a showcase titled “Poetry Theatre!” in the Boulder Bandshell,
demonstrating learning. This will be our third year of producing “Poetry Theatre!". This showcase includes theatrically performed poetry,
and an orchestra of live improvised music.
Attachment One
17
Drip Rhythm 12,000$ 29.7
7 6 6 7 6 2
34
5 3 3 3 5 1
20
5 5 5 5 6 1
27
5 5 5 5 6 2
28
7 7 6 6 6 1
33
7 7 8 6 6 2
36
Each Drip Rhythm moves through the following event flow: 1) we start with an opening ritual that presences our community agreements,
our prayer/intention for the dance, and to hear from our co-host initiative, 2) we dance while interactive spaces are held separate of the
dance for people to network and plug into supporting our co-host, and 3) we close with calls to action and ways to plug in. Our
objectives for each dance: 1) support bridging and trust-building between diverse communities/movements and 2) raise funds and rally
support for our co-hosts We'll achieve our objectives through hosting well curated artists and skillful, culturally competent space
holding supported by vetted volunteers. We'll also carefully develop our community network to enculture an ethos/praxis of solidarity.
Our intended impact is to create a hub for nurturing embodied solidarity in Boulder and creating a consistently fun, healing, and
restorative space for community organizers to bolster the support they receive from community and plug into community in a way that
is low input for organizers who are often struggling with resource and having the bandwidth needed to host community events like this.
Colorado Music
Festival and
Center for
Musical Arts 12,000$ 29.5
6 7 5 6 5 0
29
5 6 5 6 5 0
27
7 6 6 6 6 0
31
6 6 5 6 5 0
28
6 7 6 7 6 0
32
7 6 5 6 6 0
30
The Colorado Music Festival and Center for Musical Arts respectfully requests $12,000 to support our 2026 summer education
programs for learners of all ages, from infants to seniors, through a mix of free community programs and hands-on experiences.
Together, these offerings provide Boulder residents with opportunities to explore the artistry behind the Festival’s world-class orchestra
and guest artists while learning about orchestral music. Free programs provide behind-the-scenes insight into how professional
musicians prepare and interpret music through open rehearsals, pre-concert talks, and post-concert talk-backs. Free Family Day
welcomes young audiences and caregivers with a Suzuki Play-In, a bilingual Family Concert in English and Spanish, and a Family Lawn
Fair with hands-on musical activities. Participatory workshops such as Conduct Yourself with Maestro Leonard Slatkin and the Violin
Experience invite adults and youth without formal training to step onto the Chautauqua stage and explore orchestral leadership and
performance. For advanced high school musicians, the String Intensive offers chamber music, theory, masterclasses, rehearsal
observation, and performance within the professional Festival environment.
Boulder Chamber
Foundation 12,000$ 29.3
6 6 6 6 6 0
30
7 7 5 5 5 0
29
6 6 6 6 6 0
30
6 5 5 5 6 0
27
8 8 6 6 6 0
34
6 5 5 5 5 0
26
The Boulder Creative Expo is a one-day, community-focused event that connects Boulder’s creative professionals with local businesses
through an interactive trade show and networking experience. Produced by the Boulder County Film Commission, under the Boulder
Chamber Foundation, the Creative Expo will feature approx. 40 exhibitors, including Boulder filmmakers, graphic designers,
photographers, and other creative digital professionals—showing their work through demo reels, portfolios, and live presentations. The
event is free and open to the public; by design the fee for exhibitors is priced low to help reduce barriers to participation and expand
access to career pathways for students, emerging professionals, and underrepresented communities. Attendees will engage directly
with creatives and businesses, fostering connections to lead to freelance work, internships, and employment opportunities. By bridging
the gap between creative talent and industry demand, the this event supports workforce development, strengthens Boulder’s creative
economy, and creates a more connected and inclusive community. As a pilot for an annual flagship event, it establishes a sustainable
platform for collaboration, visibility, and economic growth.
Colorado
Nonprofit Center
dba Fireside Ink
Writers
Workshop 12,000$ 29.3
8 6 8 6 6 1
35
5 7 5 5 5 2
29
7 5 6 7 5 1
31
2 5 6 4 5 0
22
7 7 7 6 6 1
34
5 5 5 4 5 1
25
Fireside Ink Writers Workshop seeks funding to support one year of its no-cost, writing-in-community literary programs. Designed to be
accessible and welcoming, these offerings include weekly Lunchbreak Drop-In Writing sessions, monthly Happy Hour Draft Exchanges,
and ongoing Community Table/Co-Working studio hours. These programs represent the foundation of Fireside Ink’s inclusivity model by
empowering writers of all backgrounds to share their essential stories in community.While Fireside Ink also offers fee-based workshops,
our no-cost programs are critical entry points for newcomers while providing continuous, third-space opportunities for returning
participants, fostering both connection and sustained creative practice. This consistent, person-to-person engagement helps writers
meet, share work, learn from one another, and deepen their practice with guidance from published and MFA-level teaching faculty. If
funded by this grant, Fireside Ink can ensure that any Boulder resident can write in community and build a creative practice without
Alpine Artist
Collective 10,000$ 29.2
6 7 6 6 3 2
30
4 5 4 4 3 1
21
6 6 5 5 2 2
26
7 7 6 5 4 1
30
7 8 6 6 5 1
33
7 7 7 7 5 2
35
Embers is an immersive performance that explores the complex relationship between humans and wildfire. The show contains a series
of short stories told via dance, theater, and live music, interconnecting to form the story of a community before, during, and after
wildfire. Each "ember" illuminates a unique human experience: a moment of loss, survival, or transformation shaped by fire. These
stories reveal the lifecycle of wildfire itself, exploring how adaptation and resilience can grow out of destruction and devastation.
Embers details how wildfires not only reshape landscapes and ecosystems, but relationships and identity as well. Using the powerful
tool of storytelling through art, the social and psychological impacts of fire are given the same depth and attention as physical ones. As
an immersive experience, the performance incorporates interactive elements that invite audiences to reflect on their own stories and
learn about wildfire preparedness, prevention, and restoration. By threading together personal narratives with education, Embers has
the capacity to reach communities both logically and emotionally, effectively relaying information and inspiring needed environmental
action.
Attachment One
18
3rd Law
Dance/Theater 12,000$ 27.3
7 6 6 6 6 0
31
4 5 5 4 5 0
23
4 5 5 2 4 0
20
5 6 7 6 4 0
28
7 7 7 2 6 0
29
7 7 8 6 5 0
33
Coordinates of Connection (working title) brings collaboration to the heart of Boulder, CO. This series engages local (Boulder) and
regional (Kansas City MO) choreographers, professional dancers from both cities, as well as our Dance for Parkinson’s participants.
Culminating performances slated for April 16-18, 2027 at the Dairy Arts Center. 3rd Law will engage 2 selected choreographers
(confirmed: Claudia Anata Hubiak, Boulder CO & Winston Brown, Kansas City MO) to set a series of works together that will be
performed April 16-18 2027. Working with the same subject matter (shared investigation into non-verbal systems of language),
choreographers will have the opportunity to utilize some of their ongoing dance artists, in collaboration with 3rd Law Dance/Theater’s
company members. Choreographers will also attend our Dance for Parkinson’s classes, bringing the choreography that is being
workshopped in the professional space to these participants with the option of also performing in April. Participants that do not wish to
perform do not have to; they will have the same class experience they're accustomed to, sometimes getting to work with the same
choreography that the professional company is working on for their upcoming season.
Roots Music
Project 10,000$ 27.2
4 5 6 5 5 0
25
5 4 4 4 5 0
22
6 6 6 7 6 0
31
3 2 6 5 5 0
21
7 7 7 7 6 0
34
7 6 6 6 5 0
30
Roots Music Project (RMP) will implement a time-bound Community Music & Wellness Initiative from fall 2026 through spring 2027
designed to support community wellbeing, creative expression, and equitable access to music. This initiative integrates wellness-
focused programming, skill-building workshops, and free, inclusive community activations to create meaningful pathways for
participation. Programming includes workshops centered on music industry skills, mental health, and creative practice, alongside
queer-centered empowerment and youth development opportunities. These are complemented by a defined series of free open mics,
jam sessions, and sober-curious gatherings that provide welcoming, low-barrier spaces for connection and artistic expression.
Together, these offerings function as a cohesive community support system, fostering belonging, strengthening social ties, and creating
safe, accessible cultural spaces. By centering inclusion, representation, and affordability, the project supports Boulder residents in
engaging with the arts as a vital part of civic life, wellbeing, and community connection.
Rivr 10,000$ 26.0
5 3 5 5 3 1
22
4 4 4 5 5 0
22
5 3 2 5 1 1
17
6 6 6 7 5 1
31
5 5 6 7 6 1
30
7 7 6 7 6 1
34
Rivr Boulder Pilot: Cultural Coordination Tool is a small-scale deployment of a shared digital platform designed to make Boulder’s
cultural life more visible, participatory, and connected. The pilot will onboard 6–8 arts organizations and 35–50 artists and residents,
supporting the posting and discovery of performances, exhibitions, open mics, readings, artist gigs, workshops, pop-ups, and creative
collaborations. A musician needs the right room and audience. A small venue has an opening to fill. A visual artist wants collaborators. A
resident wants a real way into Boulder’s cultural life. Through Rivr, those paths can meet in one shared local field. Public workshops will
function as artist and organization onboarding labs where participants create profiles, post real cultural opportunities, explore local
offerings across disciplines, and connect with potential collaborators. The project concludes with a public Cultural Impact Presentation
featuring a live platform demo, artist and partner testimonials, and real examples of cultural activity generated through the pilot.
Turntable
Tuesdays 12,000$ 25.7
4 4 4 3 5 1
21
6 7 5 5 5 2
30
4 6 5 4 5 1
25
6 5 4 4 5 1
25
6 6 5 4 5 1
27
5 6 6 3 5 1
26
If awarded this grant, we will produce a documentary film about Turntable Tuesday with the purpose of shining a light on this unique
component of the Boulder music and arts scene, creating a time capsule about this special community, and inspiring and educating
people about the vinyl DJ art form. The documentary will feature video footage that will be captured throughout the grant cycle year,
including live DJ performances from the weekly Tuesday events and interviews with DJs, visual artists, dancers, and patrons of Turntable
Tuesday, as well as relevant historical footage to showcase Turntable Tuesday’s compelling story. The documentary will be filmed and
produced by Boulder County-based videographers. The project will culminate in a public screening of the documentary in Boulder's
Vision Quest Brewery on Tuesday, May 4, 2027, to be followed by a regular celebratory Turntable Tuesday DJ night.
Boulder
Community
Media 12,000$ 25.5
3 4 5 5 5 1
23
3 3 5 4 5 0
20
3 3 3 5 6 1
21
6 4 4 6 5 1
26
5 5 5 7 6 0
28
7 7 7 7 6 1
35
ArtLink Commons is a collaborative initiative led by Boulder Community Media (BCM) in collaboration with Distributed Creative,
Neighborhood Village Project (NVP), and the North Boulder (NoBo) Art District. Distributed Creative will design and implement a
community needs assessment, while NVP will engage residents and creative businesses to build a more connected, cohesive local
network. The Nobo Art District will support event coordination and shared programming. Boulder is rich in creativity, yet much of that
energy remains siloed, spread across studios, one-time events, and short-lived efforts. ArtLink complements, rather than competes
with, existing resources by linking and strengthening what is already happening. It distributes the work across partners, creating year-
round consistency without overburdening any single organization. By building a connective backbone for the NoBo Art District, Artlink
increases visibility, deepens engagement, and sustains momentum with existing assets from First Friday art walks to a growing base of
creative businesses. North Boulder is an ideal launch point. Artlink amplifies this ecosystem, making creativity accessible, visible, and
enduring for the community.
bARTer collective 10,000$ 20.8
3 5 6 3 4 1
22
4 7 4 5 3 2
25
4 3 2 2 4 1
16
2 2 2 2 2 1
11
5 7 3 2 5 1
23
6 6 7 4 4 1
28
the bARTer collective offers playful community-engagement experiences co-directed by professional artists. We invite the public to
participate in various programs such as trading a story for a local artwork. the bARTer collective believes in reImagining the
contemporary notion of exchange of currency for product or service. our action-based inquiries originate in a belief that every human
has a need to be active and creative in their community. For 2026 Boulder Vision the bARTer collective will host 3 social engagement
and exchange experiences in Boulder at various social infrastructure hubs such as: Boulder Public Library, Clinica Family Health and
City of Boulder Housing and Human Services. bARTer collective will set up for 4 hours at each site with our story collection swap using
typewriters. Each participant that shares a story will then be invited to exchange that story for a locally made work of art! Stories will be
archived digitally and shared with the Boulder Vision and published in our digital web collection. A printed catalog documenting the
event including photos and stories will be created and shared as the deliverable.
Attachment One
19
Boulder School of
Massage Therapy 10,000$ 17.0
3 2 2 4 4 1
16
2 2 2 2 4 0
12
5 5 3 4 6 1
24
2 2 2 2 6 1
15
2 2 2 3 6 1
16
4 3 5 2 4 1
19
Boulder School of Massage Therapy will offer Continuing Education courses as well as community centered massage therapy and yoga
classes. This grant will allow the school to provide a space to teach the community infant massage, prenatal yoga, couples and family
massage for home care, yoga classes for bone & structure health, and allow community members to learn a simple massage routine to
care for their loved ones. The school will invite guest teachers to conduct healing arts workshops specific to Massage CE's as well as
those that are community focused, from including beginning of life to end of life care. The school will offer trauma informed massage
and yoga to community members experiencing trauma who are cared for by MESA (Moving to End Sexual Assault), RISE Collective
(Reproductive Health, Inclusive Care, Support, and Empowerment), and other local organizations. The BSMT community event and
workshop space will provide a healing environment for our community.
Doing Good on
Purpose 10,000$ 12.2
3 3 2 2 3 1
14
4 3 2 2 3 1
15
3 2 1 1 1 1
9
3 2 1 1 3 1
11
2 3 2 1 0 1
9
3 3 2 2 4 1
15
Doing Good on Purpose Community Run, Sweat Stretch brings together multiple people from different walks of life to meet, explore the
North Boulder Arts District as well as Boulder Open Space in a safe, friendly and inclusive space. We form small groups of 5-10 teams
to discuss with local artists the importance of their work as well as how he natural surroundings inform their development and impact.
Attachment One
20
DRAFT Boulder Arts Commission Statement on Disability Access
The Boulder Arts Commission affirms creative experiences are a public utility for all community
members. We believe that creating a culture of inclusion goes beyond the baseline standards of
the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). When Accessibility exp ands beyond compliance
everyone benefits, and more community members can participate, engage, and find themselves
reflected in the creative life of Boulder.
The Boulder Arts Commission affirms that accessibility means removing the physical, financial,
cultural, and linguistic barriers that have historically prevented specific communities from
participating in and contributing to Boulder's creative life. It means designing programs, spaces,
and communications with diverse needs in mind from the star t.
The Boulder Arts Commission is committed to accessibility by continuing to encourage and
support policies and practices, convenings, tools/resources, research and research
methodologies, creative media offerings and designs, and planning processes to be increasingly
inclusive and accessible. This commitment will be utilized as a guiding principle for future decision
making.
We understand that accessibility means different things to different people . We encourage and
support a plan for gradual, phased improvements, to build better habits, and maintain openness
for the evolution of how accessibility is defined over time .
We want to acknowledge that Disability Justice work, and all equity work, isn’t complete anywhere
and remains ongoing and ever evolving. We consider accessibility as an undercurrent rather than
an endpoint.
Mission or the Accessibility Work Group: Our Arts Commission Accessibility Working Group is
tasked with the ongoing work to ensure Boulder is a place where all individuals, regardless of their
abilities or identities, can participate and thrive in the creative community. The Arts Commission
will continue working with City staff to transform our internal policies and practices, convening
accessible events, and providing our grantees and partners with resources and tools to go beyond
the baseline legal standards.
Attachment Two
21
Boulder Arts Commission
AI Value Statements
DRAFT
Artificial Intelligence: Guidelines and Best Practices for Boulder's Arts and Cultural Community
Developed by the City of Boulder Office of Arts and Culture in alignment with the Boulder Arts
Blueprint
The Boulder Arts Blueprint positions Boulder as a "living lab" for creative experimentation, where
arts and culture are empowered to engage with the defining questions of our time including
technological change and artificial intelligence. Artificial intelligence is already present in our
creative ecosystem, whether we are using it intentionally or not. These guidelines are an invitation
to engage thoughtfully, with your mission and your community members at the center.
Experimental work should be approached thoughtfully, avoiding potential harm to communities or
the reinforcement of bias, and should be authentic to the communities presenting it. That principle
applies directly to how we use AI.
Values Statements
These guidelines are grounded in the values that Boulder's arts community has articulated, in part,
though the Arts Blueprint process:
• Human creativity is irreplaceable. AI is not a creative authority. The artistry, relationships,
and lived experience that community members bring to cultural work cannot be
automated.
• Mission alignment matters. Technology choices should serve your organization's purpose,
not the other way around.
• Transparency builds trust. Our community members deserve to know when and how AI is
being used in art-making, programs, communications, and decision-making.
• Artists have the right to know how their work trains AI. Boulder's cultural community stands
with artists in asserting that consent is not optional. Include clear AI and data rights
language in all artist contracts and commissions.
• Equity must be actively protected. AI systems can reflect and amplify existing biases. Using
them well requires awareness, intentionality, and ongoing accountability.
• Experimentation is welcome; harm is not. Boulder celebrates creative risk-taking. That
spirit extends to technology, alongside a responsibility to avoid reinforcing inequity or
marginalizing communities.
• AI has real environmental costs. Use it accordingly. Every AI query consumes energy and
water. Choose the simplest tool that fits the task and ask partners to disclose their
environmental impact.
• Slow, responsible, thoughtful adoption is the key. Empower and educate yourself and
program users to know what is best, expected, best practices, and centering on
accountability of the individual rather than the tool itself.
Attachment Three
22
From:Mazany, Melissa
To:Mazany, Melissa
Subject:FW: Bedrock grant awards - please approve
Date:Thursday, May 21, 2026 2:16:30 PM
Begin forwarded message:
From: Kari Palazzari <kari.palazzari@gmail.com>
Date: April 29, 2026 at 3:58:55 PM MDT
To: Caroline Kert <carolinekert@gmail.com>, Gayathri Vinay
<gayathri.vinay@gmail.com>, Jeffery Kash <jeffreyakash@gmail.com>, Jill
Katzenberger <jill@junkyardsocialclub.org>, Kate Cimino
<katecimino@gmail.com>, Montserrat Palacios <mpalrodarte@gmail.com>,
Yaelaed_Whyel <yaelaedart@tuta.com>
Cc: "Harrison, Sarah" <harrisons@bouldercolorado.gov>, "Click, Lauren"
<ClickL@bouldercolorado.gov>, hello@streetwisearts.org
Subject: Bedrock grant awards - please approve
External Sender Notice This email was sent by an external sender.
Hello dear Arts Commissioners,
Please find below a letter I would like to submit regarding tonight’s vote.
Unfortunately, I cannot attend the meeting this evening to read this during open
comment myself, but I hope you’ll include this in your decision making.
Much gratitude,
Kari Palazzari
Begin forwarded message:
From: Kari Palazzari <kari.palazzari@gmail.com>
Date: April 29, 2026 at 2:34:02 PM MDT
To: "Click, Lauren" <ClickL@bouldercolorado.gov>
Cc: hello@streetwisearts.org
Subject: Bedrock grant awards - please approve
Hi Lauren,
Attachment Four
Commission Correspondence
23
I'm cc'ing Leah Brenner Clack because she brought to my attention
the Create Boulder letter requesting the Arts Commission postpone a
vote this evening on the bedrock grant awards. As a member of the
Arts Blueprint Advisory Committee, I'm writing to formally support a
vote this evening. Please feel free to share this letter with the
Commission, as appropriate.
Procedurally, extensive feedback and consideration has already gone
into the definition and scoring rubric for bedrock grant awards. The
details were included and discussed in multiple phases of the
Blueprint process as well as Commission meetings last September
and October. Given this, and since 2026 applications have already
been submitted, reviewed, revised, and scored, Create Boulder's
request for a last-minute postponement is inappropriate. The time for
feedback and consideration was months ago.
Substantively, the criteria proposed by Create Boulder such as
numbers of participants and people employed or served would bias
the bedrock grants in favor of larger institutions. Size was expressly
deprioritized and rejected as a primary criteria for this category. While
definitions of "essential" and "anchor" could certainly evolve in future
rounds of funding, the recommendation coming out of the Blueprint
process was to choose organizations of all sizes who align with City
goals, create long-term impact, and act as multipliers in the arts
ecosystem. The scoring rubric for this first round of bedrock grants
focused on attributes identified by the Blueprint engagement process
such as accessibility and inclusion, diversity, vibrancy, sustainability
and resilience, collaboration, and community impact. Future changes
in the application and scoring for bedrock grants may be warranted,
but these community priorities should continue to weigh heavily.
For all these reasons, I urge the Commission to proceed with
awarding the current round of GOS grants, including the bedrock
category, as the review panel as recommended.
Sincerely,
Kari Palazzari
Attachment Four
Commission Correspondence
24
From:Mazany, Melissa
To:Mazany, Melissa
Subject:FW: Bedrock grant discussion - Arts Commission meeting on Wed. 4/29
Date:Thursday, May 21, 2026 2:15:51 PM
From: Nancy Smith <nesmith@frequentflyers.org>
Sent: Tuesday, April 28, 2026 3:13 PM
To: Caroline Kert <carolinekert@gmail.com>; Gayathri Vinay <gayathri.vinay@gmail.com>; Jeffery
Kash <jeffreyakash@gmail.com>; Jill Katzenberger <jill@junkyardsocialclub.org>; Kate Cimino
<katecimino@gmail.com>; Montserrat Palacios <mpalrodarte@gmail.com>; Yaelaed_Whyel
<yaelaedart@tuta.com>
Cc: FFP Board <board@frequentflyers.org>; Harrison, Sarah <harrisons@bouldercolorado.gov>;
Click, Lauren <clickl@bouldercolorado.gov>
Subject: Bedrock grant discussion - Arts Commission meeting on Wed. 4/29
External Sender Notice This email was sent by an external sender.
Dear Boulder Arts Commissioners,
It has been brought to our attention that there is discord within the arts community regarding
the allocation of the Bedrock grants, specifically to organizations smaller than X-Large, and
that there will be discussion at the Wednesday 4/29 meeting.
Unfortunately, I am unable to attend the meeting in person. Please accept this email in lieu.
As I’m sure you’re aware, the recent Boulder Arts Blueprint Grant Review, Analysis and
Recommendations states: “Redefine funding tiers to include a category that accounts not
only for organizational budget size but organizational impact.”
Our understanding is that the committee who scored the grants followed a rigorous process
within the scoring rubric.
Unless there has been malfeasance, changing or redoing the scoring would be illogical.
Frequent Flyers® Aerial Dance has been serving the Boulder community for 38 years. We have
uplifted (literally) more than 225,000 people.
We shouldn’t need to reiterate what we provided in the grant, since that has been vetted,
scored, and our impact ultimately recognized.
BAC funding is lifeblood for our organization and the Bedrock grant will provide a level of
support unprecedented in our history. It will have a huge impact on our community.
Attachment Four
Commission Correspondence
25
Thank you very much for you dedicated work supporting Boulder’s extraordinary arts
community.
Please let me know if you have any additional questions.
Sincerely,
Nancy E. Smith (she/her/hers)
Founder & Artistic Director
International Aerial Dance Festival
Author: Aerial Dance (Human Kinetics, 2008)
Aerial Release Technique teacher
Frequent Flyers® Aerial Dance
3022 E. Sterling Cir., #150
Boulder, CO 80301
303 245 8272
http://www.frequentflyers.org
https://www.facebook.com/FrequentFlyersAerial/
I acknowledge that I live in the unceded territory of Hinóno'éí (Arapaho) and Cheyenne nations, according
to the 1851 Treaty of Fort Laramie, and that Colorado's Front Range is home to the Ute and many other
Native peoples. Reconozco que vivo en el territorio no cedido de las naciones Hinóno’éí (Arapaho) y
Cheyenne, según el Tratado de Fort Laramie de 1851, y que el estado de Colorado al este de las
Montañas Rocosas es territorio de los Utes y muchos otros pueblos indígenas.
Opportunities to support Frequent Flyers:
As we fly in our 38th year, we are asking you to help nurture our community by supporting our
non-profit.
Thanks for your support!
Donate HERE
EVERY SONG HAS ITS DANCE. EVERY DAY HAS ITS SONG.
Attachment Four
Commission Correspondence
26
From:Mazany, Melissa
To:Mazany, Melissa
Subject:FW: Thank you from Cantabile
Date:Thursday, May 21, 2026 2:16:42 PM
From: carol.nielsen17@gmail.com <carol.nielsen17@gmail.com>
Sent: Friday, May 8, 2026 10:13 AM
To: Caroline Kert <carolinekert@gmail.com>; Gayathri Vinay <gayathri.vinay@gmail.com>; Jeffery
Kash <jeffreyakash@gmail.com>; Jill Katzenberger <jill@junkyardsocialclub.org>; Kate Cimino
<katecimino@gmail.com>; Montserrat Palacios <mpalrodarte@gmail.com>; Yaelaed_Whyel
<yaelaedart@tuta.com>
Cc: Click, Lauren <ClickL@bouldercolorado.gov>; Harrison, Sarah <harrisons@bouldercolorado.gov>
Subject: Thank you from Cantabile
External Sender Notice This email was sent by an external sender.
Dear Arts Commissioners,
Cantabile was recently awarded a 3-year General Operating Grant from the Boulder Arts
Commission. Thank you to the City of Boulder and the Commission for this valuable funding! This
support is truly a game-changer and so beneficial to our organization. It will grow our ability to bring
our art and choral music to the residents of Boulder. It also creates more opportunity for
collaborations with other arts organizations, hiring musicians and vocalists, and commissioning new
music, which is an important new initiative for our organization.
We would love to have you attend an upcoming Cantabile performance. Our final program of the
season, A Calendar of Hope, is coming up soon on Friday evening, May 15 and Sunday afternoon,
May 17 at First Congregational Church in Boulder. The program features works by young female
composer Dale Trumbore as well as major works by African American composers Florence Price and
R. Nathaniel Dett. Should you wish to attend, please let me know and tickets will be available for you
at the door before the concert.
Again, on behalf of the Cantabile board and our singers, thank you!
Carol Nielsen
Cantabile singer, past board president and grant writer
Attachment Four
Commission Correspondence
27
From:Mazany, Melissa
To:Mazany, Melissa
Subject:FW: Public comment for Wednesday"s Arts Commission meeting
Date:Thursday, May 21, 2026 2:15:37 PM
Attachments:Safe Attachments Scan In Progress.msg
From: Michael Leccese <leccesecolo@gmail.com>
Sent: Tuesday, April 28, 2026 9:39 AM
To: Caroline Kert <carolinekert@gmail.com>; Jeffery Kash <jeffreyakash@gmail.com>;
jill@junkyardsocialclu.org; Kate Cimino <katecimino@gmail.com>; Gayathri Vinay
<gayathri.vinay@gmail.com>; Montserrat Palacios <mpalrodarte@gmail.com>; yaelaedarte@tuta.co
Cc: Click, Lauren <ClickL@bouldercolorado.gov>
Subject: Fwd: Public comment for Wednesday's Arts Commission meeting
External Sender Notice This email was sent by an external sender.
Dear Arts Commission members:
I cannot attend Wednesday's meeting in person or via Zoom, but please consider these
comments regarding GOS funding.
Thank you,
Michael Leccese
3055 11th St, Boulder 80304
Attachment Four
Commission Correspondence
28
April 27, 2026
To: Boulder Arts Commission
Dear members of Boulder Arts Commission:
I’m writing to urge the Commission to reconsider awarding organizations recommended for the
new Bedrock category of the General Operating Support (GOS) grants at this Wednesday’s
meeting.
It does not seem right or fair to leave off of the highest category of funding some of Boulder’s
arts organizations that engage the most artists, residents, and audience members. Organizations
such as the Boulder Phil, Roots Music Project, eTown, Colorado Music Festival, BIFF, and the
Colorado Shakespeare Festival every year employ dozens or even hundreds of artists and serve
audiences (largely local) in the thousands. Some of these organizations operate most nights of
the year and others over many performances during their season. Some have enhanced Boulder’s
arts and culture reputation by drawing visitors from across the U.S. and even globally,
supporting Boulder’s goal of leveraging the arts to support economic vitality.
They and other organizations that have not been recognized–Groundworks, BMoCA, KGNU, the
list is long–could also be considered bedrock organizations because they provide high-quality
hands-on arts education, media, and exhibits that also provide great service to the community.
While not all of these organizations can fit into the top tier, some should surely be included.
If it takes more time to evaluate funding priorities and criteria for the Bedrock category, I request
you consider tabling approval for further study and postpone awarding this category.
Good luck with what could be a difficult decision—a sign of strength that we have so many
worthy arts organizations in Boulder.
Sincerely,
Michael Leccese
3055 11th Street
Boulder 80304
303.817.9958
Cc: Lauren Click
Arts and Culture Manager
Office of Arts + Culture
Attachment Four
Commission Correspondence
29
Attachment Five
Current Cultural Grants Program Budget as of April 15, 2026
GRANT
CATEGORY
ASSIGNED
BUDGET
ACTUAL
BUDGET
GRANTS
AWARDED
NUMBER OF
GRANTS
AWARDED
BALANCE
GOS: Bedrock $400,000 $400,000 $400,000 5 $0
GOS: XL Orgs $360,000 $733,929 $733,929 13 $0
GOS: Large Orgs $310,000 $90,879 $90,879 3 $0
GOS: Mid Orgs $203,000 $123,556 $123,556 7 $0
GOS: Small Orgs $157,000 $121,636 $121,636 11 $0
GOS: Extra Small Orgs $150,000 $110,000 $110,000 11 $0
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 $12,000 $12,000 12 $0
TOTAL $2,000,000 $2,000,000 $1,645,000 91 $355,000
There are 8 free rentals still available for the Macky Auditorium.
There are 9 rental discounts still available from eTown Hall.
There are 8 free rentals still available from Roots Music Project.
There are 10 free rentals still available from The Spark Boulder.
30
Attachment Six
Current Public Art Program 5 Year Budget as of May 18, 2026
FUNDING
SOURCE PROJECT/ARTIST TOTAL
APPROPRIATED
AMOUNT
PAID TO DATE
BALANCE
REMAINING
2026 PROJECTED
SPENDING
Multiple 11th/ Spruce Garage
(David Franklin) $166,000 $134,250 $32,750 $86,875
% for Art Bear Canyon Creek
Greenway $125,000 $0 $125,000 $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 $8,000 $28,000 $36,000
% for Art East Boulder Community
Center (on hold) $430,000 $0 $430,000 $0
% for Art Fire Station 2 $130,000 $5,000 $125,000 $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 $135,000 $165,000 $165,000
% for Art
Western City Campus
(Lobby/Atrium) (Soo Sunny
Park)
$450,000 $65,000 $385,000 $200,000
% for Art
Western City Campus
(Garage Stairwell) (Bimmer
Torres)
$100,000 $5,000 $95,000 $100,000
TOTAL $1,856,750 $465,000
CCS: Community Culture and Safety Tax
CCRS: Community Culture Resiliency and Safety Tax
Additional maintenance projects are not represented.
31