The URL can be used to link to this page

Home My WebLink About07.29.26 BAC PacketBoulder Arts Commission Meeting Agenda July 29, 2026 / 6:00 P.M. Hybrid Meeting: Office of Arts and Culture at 1777 Broadway / Online Video Meeting 1.CALL TO ORDER (10 min) - Chair A.Records Attendance B.Procedural Items i.Approval of Agenda ii.Approval of the June 2026 Meeting Minutes 2.OPEN COMMENT (10 min) - Chair 3.DISCUSSION ITEMS A.East Bookend RFP (20 min) – Mark, Shihomi, Lauren B.Public Art Program (20 min) – Shihomi, Brendan i.Pearl Street 50th Anniversary: Calls and Invitationals for Art C.Commission Business (20 min) – Chair, Lauren, Sarah i.Liaison Updates ii.Work Groups 1.Accessibility 2.Sustainability 3.AI Work Group 4.MATTERS A.Grants Program (30 min) – Sarah i.Action: Arts Education Grants ii.Action: Lifelong Learning Grants iii.Action: Eligibility Question iv.Action: Grant Reports v.2026 Grant Program Step 1 5.INFORMATION ITEMS (10 min) – Lauren A.Questions about the Staff Memo B.New Arts Commission photo 6.ADJOURNMENT - Chair Next meetings at 6 p.m.: -Wednesday, August 26, 2026 -Wednesday, September 30, 2026 -Retreat: Tuesday, October 27 from 3 to 8 p.m. 1 CITY OF BOULDER BOULDER, COLORADO BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS MEETING MINUTES Name of Board/ Commission: Boulder Arts Commission Date of Meeting: June 24, 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 Palacios, 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 and Venues Senior Program Manager Melissa Mazany, Senior Operations Specialist Guests present: There were no guests present. Members of the public present: Aerica Raven, James Davis Maynard, Anton Tishkin, Ryan Nash, Sam Nelson, Sara Pike, BMoCA 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 except for Monserrat Palacios, who joined us at 6:08 pm. Agenda Item 2: CALL TO ORDER The meeting was called to order at 6:02 p.m. Caroline Kert moved that Jill Katzenberger act as Chair Pro tem. Second by Kate Cimino. The motion passed unanimously. First motion by Jeffrey Kash to approve the agenda as presented in the meeting packet. Second by Yaelaed Whyel. The motion passed unanimously. Agenda Item 3: MINUTES Item 3A: Approval of the May 2026 Meeting Minutes Whyel moved to approve the meeting minutes with the mentioned edit. Second by Kert. The motion passed unanimously. Kert requested an edit under Item 6B in the second paragraph. She shared that she would like the first sentence to read “Kert shared that she thinks it would be best for the health of the organization to allow someone else to bring in a new perspective to the Chair role.” Agenda Item 4: PUBLIC PARTICIPATION [00:09:04 Audio min.] James Davis Maynard spoke during public participation. 2 Agenda Item 5: GRANTS PROGRAM [ 00:10:58 Audio min.] Harrison shared her presentation. Item 5A: Action: Boulder Vision Grants for Individuals Cimino moved that we approve Boulder Vision grants for the following individuals: Kate Fitzpatrick, Lojohomoi Lokonobei (East Africa Alive), Allyson McDuffie, Curtis K Rogers*, Ana Balzán, Anton Tishkin (Faces of the Front Range), L. Ashwyn Collins, Maria Wietrzynska, Merlyn Holmes (Singing Visions), Julia Vandenoever, Radna Segal, Andrea Gomez, Amy Marschak, Ryan Nash, Mario Olvera (Flechas de Luz), and Aerica Van Dorn (The Bear Corridor Project). Second by Kert. The motion passed unanimously. Kash recused himself. Cimino moved that we approve a Boulder Vision grant for Jeffrey Nytch. Second by Whyel. Six were in Favor. Kash returned. Item 5B: Action: Grant Reports Kert moved that we approve the reports by Boulder Philharmonic Orchestra, Parlando School for the Arts, and The New Local. Second by Whyel. The motion passed unanimously. Kert moved that we approve the grant reports from Harveen Gill and Journey LeBeau. Second by Vinay. The motion passed unanimously. Item 5C: Action: Professional Development Eligibility Katzenberger moved that Applicant 1 is ineligible. Second by Cimino. The motion passed unanimously. Katzenberger moved that Applicant 2 is ineligible. Second by Whyel. The motion passed unanimously. Katzenberger moved that Applicant 3 is ineligible. Second by Kert. The motion passed unanimously. Item 5D: General Operating Support Liaison Assignments Vinay shared that she would like to be a liaison for ACE at Boulder JCC; in return, Palacios took Dairy Art Center. Agenda Item 6: COMMISSION BUSINESS [00:58:48 Audio min.] Item 6A: Leadership Positions Katzenberger moved that Whyel be appointed Chair. Second by Cimino. The motion passed unanimously. Katzenberger moved that Vinay be appointed Vice Chair. Second by Palacios. The motion passed unanimously. Kash moved that Palacios be appointed as board member with the Boulder Museum of Contemporary Art and Kert be appointed as board member with the Convention and Visitor’s Bureau. Second by Vinay. The motion passed unanimously. Item 6B: Work Groups i. New Group Members Sustainability: Katzenberger, Kash 3 APPROVED ON: APPROVED BY: ATTESTED: _________________________________________ ___________________________________ Board Chair Board Secretary ________________________________________ ___________________________________ Date Date AI: Kert, Cimino Disability Access: Vinay, Palacios ii. Accessibility Harrison shared an update about the Summit. iii. Sustainability Upcoming Event: Cultural Organizations Summit: Sustainability, Monday, September 14, from 12:00 pm at Junkyard Social Club. iv. AI Work Group 1. Draft Statement Review Kert and Cimino will review the statement and discuss any edits with Click. Click requested that the edits be sent before the Cultural Organizations Summit on July 16 so she can present the edited draft. Whyel shared their sentiments about AI. 2. Summit Upcoming Event: Cultural Organizations Summit: Artificial Intelligence, Thursday, July 16, from 5:00 pm – 6:30 pm at Kiln Agenda Item 8: MATTERS FROM STAFF A. Retreat Date The commission agreed on the retreat taking place on Tuesday, October 27, from 3-8 pm. B. Questions about the Staff Memo Kert shared that she would like more information and to be involved in the Artist Business Cohort project. Cimino asked about the remaining funding for the Boulder Vision grants. C. New Arts Commission photo Not everyone was present for the photo. It will be put on next month’s agenda. Agenda Item 8: ADJOURNMENT There being no further business to come before the commission at this time, Katzenberger adjourned the meeting at 7:49 p.m. Date, time, and location of next meeting: The next Boulder Arts Commission meeting will be held at 6 p.m. on Wednesday, July 29, 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. 4 TO: Members of the Boulder Arts Commission FROM: Lauren Click, City of Boulder Office of Arts + Culture, Office of Cultural and Economic Development DATE: July 24, 2026 SUBJECT: Staff Update for the Boulder Arts Commission Meeting on July 29, 2026 > To maximize access, the July 29, 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, July 28, 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 July Meeting Agenda − 3A. East Bookend RFP The City of Boulder is pursuing a development partnership for the East Bookend of Boulder Creek Park (previously named the Civic Area), a series of city-owned parcels adjacent to the park that include three landmarked buildings: the Teahouse, the Atrium, and the Storage and Transfer Building. The partnership aims to achieve the community's vision for a mixed-use destination with cultural programming, public gathering spaces, food, and year-round activity, anchored by the Boulder County Farmers Market as a core partner. A Request for Interest released in February 2026 generated nine responses, and staff are now preparing a formal Request for Proposals targeted for release in late summer 2026. The project is a key opportunity to deliver on the Boulder Arts Blueprint, directly advancing three of its goals (Public Art and Public Space, Nonprofits and Institutions, and Experimentation and Innovation) and responding to community input for affordable, accessible creative space downtown. It is not planned for arts and culture partners to be selected directly by the city; developers will be encouraged to include them in their RFP responses. This item is informational only, and the Arts Commission does not have a formal role in the process currently. − 3B. Public Art Program Public Art staff has been working closely with Parks and Recreation (Parks) staff on art activations along the Pearl Street Mall in support of two milestones taking place next year: the Mall's 50th Anniversary celebrations and the Pearl Street Mall Refresh project. Funding will come from two sources: 1% for Art funds from the Pearl Street Mall Refresh project (approximately $30,000) and Experiments in Public Art funds (approximately $20,000). 5 Staff will issue two open calls for art: one for temporary art installations on the Pearl Street Mall next summer, and one for two-dimensional artwork celebrating the 50th Anniversary. Staff will also organize two invitationals: one inviting selected artists to activate the unused newspaper boxes near 14th and Pearl, and another for a series of performance art and puppetry events along the Mall. Because all four projects are temporary or semi-permanent, staff will use the Public Art Standing Selection Panel for artist selection. This item is informational only. Staff will return to a future Boulder Arts Commission meeting with updates on selected artists or artist teams and their proposals for approval. − 3Cii. Commission Business, Work Groups 1. Accessibility. Staff are working to add Boulder cultural venues and organizations to the Colorado Disability Opportunity Office (CDOO)’s disability passport map. The map contains disability-owned or disability-focused businesses to 1) help spread awareness for the general public so they can support said sites and 2) provide the disability community with a map of ‘accessible’ sites. A website with resources is still in progress. Staff will meet with the Center for People with Disabilities to receive feedback on Arts Commission programming on Saturday, October 10. 2. Sustainability. In Attachment One, find a draft aspirational statement for the Arts Commission to review. A summit for organizations on the topic is planned for September 14 at 12:00 p.m. at Junkyard Social Club, with Jonathan Koehn, the Director of the city’s Climate Initiatives Department, and Justin Greenstein, the city’s Special Events Manager, and other special guests TBD. 3. Artificial Intelligence. An updated draft values statement can be found in Attachment Two. 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 successful Cultural Organizations Summit on AI Policy and Best Practices was held on July 16 and addressed 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. − 4Ai. Arts Education Project Grant Decisions The Cultural Grants Panel has provided their final scores for 2026 Arts Education Project Grant applications. Final scores are included in Attachment Three. 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 RECOMMENDED MOTION: “I move that we adopt the Boulder Arts Commission AI Value Statements.” 6 d. Postpone approval of individual grants pending the answers to specific questions. RECOMMENDED MOTION: “I move that we approve Arts Education Project Grants to Empower You Therapy Services, The Catamounts, Harvest of All First Nations, Luna Cultura, Ana Balzan, Kin Studio and Gallery, Trash the Runway, Scribble Art Workshop, Colorado Shakespeare Festival, Parlando School for the Arts, Boulder Opera, Be Brazil, Boulder International Film Festival, and Boulder High School PTO." − 4Aii. Lifelong Learning Grant Decisions The Cultural Grants Panel has provided their final scores for 2026 Lifelong Learning Grant applications. Final scores are included in Attachment Four. 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. RECOMMENDED MOTION: “I move that we approve Lifelong Learning Grants to The New Local and Greater Boulder Youth Orchestra." − 4Aiii. Eligibility Question. In Round 2 of the Artist Hiring Incentive Grant, staff encountered a question while administratively approving an application. A copy of the application First Congregational United Church of Christ, Boulder hiring Merlyn Holmes has been provided to the Commission through the shared documents function of the grants portal. Background: This is the third Artist Hiring Incentive Grant involving Merlyn Holmes. In 2025, Holmes was the hired artist for applicant Natural Highs' project, Transformation: A Photo Series by Merlyn Holmes. In 2024, Merlyn Holmes, LLC | DBA Creativity Alive received an Artist Hiring Grant as the applicant for SEEN @ BPL's Canyon Gallery. The Boulder Arts Blueprint's goals include increasing accessibility and supporting emerging artists and experimental work. To align the grant program with these goals, the Boulder Arts Commission approved a 2026 Grants Program schedule that allows first-time applicants to apply one week before returning applicants for first come, first served grants. Staff notes that the early application window, as written, applies to applicants rather than hired artists. In this case, the applicant organization qualifies as a first-time applicant, but the proposed artist has been supported by this grant program twice before. Staff requests the Commission's input on whether this application follows the spirit of the policy giving first-time applicants early access. 7 NO RECOMMENDED MOTION − 4Aiv. Grant Reports The following Arts Education Project Grant reports have been submitted: − Boulder Ballet, Bilingual Ballet Program: Increasing Cultural Access Through Inclusive Ballet Education $3,000 − The Catamounts, Educational Residencies $3,000 − Frequent Flyers Productions, Kids Who Fly with Uni Hill & New Vista $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 Boulder Ballet, The Catamounts, and Frequent Flyers.” The following 2025 Leadership Pipeline report has been submitted: − Lee Trombly, Colby College, $8,000 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 payment. RECOMMENDED MOTION: “I move that we approve the report by Lee Trombly.” The following Community Project Grant report has been submitted: − Nathan Storey, UNDERTOW EDITIONS, $5,000 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 payment. 8 RECOMMENDED MOTION: “I move that we approve the report by Nathan Storey.” The following Boulder Vision Grant reports have been submitted: − Dance Continua Productions, Dance Continua Festival, $4,000 − Curtis K Rogers, 13 Fires, $6,000 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 Dance Continua and Curtis Rogers.” − 4Av. 2027 Grants Program Step 1 Staff seek feedback from the Commission on the proposed 2027 Grants Program budget and schedule, drafts of which can be found in Attachments Five and Six. Staff are also preparing recommendations to improve the Cultural Grants Program for the 2027 cycle, which will be presented for discussion at the August meeting. The topics planned for August are derived from panelist and applicant feedback, recommendations from the Boulder Arts Blueprint, and staff observations. Context for each topic, along with a summary of administrative changes, is included in Attachment Seven. − Eligibility: how the early application window for first-time applicants is honored, a possible one-year blackout for new GOS awardees, and how to define primarily arts and culture projects − Definitions: professional development opportunity, contemplative arts, "project" grants versus regular programming, and the Bedrock category name − Process edits: possible approaches to the AI Values Statement in 2027 materials, whether to eliminate highest and lowest scores, mid-review feedback and preliminary scores, word count limitations, potential revisions to the evaluation metrics question for Boulder Vision individual applicants, and possible guidance for panelists on reviewing organizations' financial health − Grant additions and changes: potential expansion of the Bedrock category by one organization, possibly reserving Grant Writing Fund awards for external capital grants, a potential change from the Artist Hiring Incentive Grant to an Experimentation Grant, and whether to reconsider the Boulder residency requirement At this meeting, staff are not asking the Commission to discuss these topics or provide feedback on them. Instead, staff ask that Commissioners review the list and do two things: identify any additional topics they would like staff to bring forward for discussion in August, and let staff know if 9 any of the topics remain unclear, even after reviewing the context in Attachment Seven. If a topic doesn't make sense or Commissioners would like more background before August, please let us know and staff can happily provide additional context ahead of the discussion. Commissioners are encouraged to share topics, themes, or specific changes with staff before the August meeting so staff have time to incorporate them into recommendations before final 2027 materials are due. Following this meeting, staff will develop detailed options, recommendations, grant guidelines, rubrics, and application questions to present at the August Commission meeting. > 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 June 17, and July 24, 2026, meeting packets. > 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. Staff are involved in the citywide Strategic Planning process. The Boulder Valley Comprehensive Plan major update is in the final stretch of its four-body adoption process. > Grants Program Work continues on the 2026 Cultural Grants Program, as well as planning for the 2027 Program. Artist Hiring Grant report approved administratively: − Aspen Everett/Boulder Public Library, Spotlight: A Boulder Notoriety Show, $3,500 This report showcases how the Boulder Arts Commission is supporting new and emerging artists: “One thing that surprised me when offering payment to Spotlight features via the Artist Hiring Incentive was how uncommon of an experience this was for most of the performers across all disciplines. By accessing the grant, I was able to provide an opportunity that helped reinforce taking creativity and art seriously. If we don’t treat art like an actual valuable resource, then we make it more difficult for artists to create art, and further restrict the community’s access to the arts.” Professional Development Fund reports were approved administratively: − Joy Alice Eisenhauer (ACE: Arts Culture Education at the Boulder JCC), Colorado Creative Industries Summit, Trinidad, CO, $800 − Loie Merritt, Aspen Summer Words Writers Conference, Snowmass Village, CO, $800 10 Staff received a comment in the report that, “...current industry costs far exceed the grant I received. While the grant made it possible to go, my out of pocket was still significant.” The Commission may want to consider increasing the funding per award. The following Fee Discount, Rental Assistance Report and Fee Waiver Report were approved administratively: − Band of Toughs, Five 5ths: The Big Lebowski, April 7, 2026, Rental Assistance, $1,000 − Boulder Philharmonic Orchestra, Stratos and the Boulder Philharmonic Orchestra, September 30, 2026, eTown Fee Discount − FreeForm Dance Festival, FreeForm Dance Festival, May 29 and 30, 2026, The Spark Fee Waiver We received 37 responses to the 2026 Applicant Feedback Questionnaire. There was the option to answer anonymously. The feedback can be found in Attachment Eight. The feedback was primarily positive, particularly regarding interactions with staff. We have received 105 responses to the Grant Interest form. This was created to track demand for first come, first served applications after the opportunities closed. Some responses included multiple grants, so the number of grants demanded exceeds the total number of submissions. The current demand is as follows: − Professional Development: 59 − Rental Assistance: 37 − Artist Hiring: 25 − Grant Writing Fund: 14 These numbers will inform future budgets when there is an increase in funding. As a reminder, as a liaison to General Operating Support grantees, we ask that you reach out to your assigned organizations once or twice annually to see how they are faring: if they have challenges, triumphs, or updates. You may report back to the Commission in a short (less than a paragraph) report if you’d like. Reports will be included in the meeting packets. Staff has prepared a list of standardized questions to pose to your liaison organization for consistency. − Is there a recent success or upcoming achievement you’d like to share? − What challenges are you facing? − Any collaborations with other organizations? − Commissioners will provide updates on upcoming Office of Arts and Culture events and opportunities to the organizations. In Attachment Nine, 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. 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. 11 Public Art Tours are live on the website and include a drag queen led tour, Spanish, German and Dutch language tours as well as Accessible tours have been added this season. A self-guided version of the Downtown Boulder Public Art Tour is now available. Staff are now working on including public art and urban design projects to the “Cultural Asset Map,” being created with GIS software. 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 the City Manager’s Office. The project may include the commissioning of a sculpture. Site visit scheduled for May has been pushed back. Staff have begun work on updating the Public Art Policy to remove outdated language, add one city staff member as a voting member of an art selection panel and increase the total budget amount needed to trigger the policy, among other updates. This is work that emerged from the Arts Blueprint. 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. 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): Artwork is installed! Dedication event being planned in conjunction with the reopening of the 11th/Spruce parking garage in October of this year. - Central Avenue Bridge Project: Contracting complete and moving into preliminary design. Installation should happen in the fall. - Fire Station 2 and 4: Approved by City Manager and in the contracting process. - 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 in the contracting process. - Pearl St. Mall 50th Anniversary: Staff are working with Parks to activate the mall with Experiments in Public Art activations and murals for the festivities in summer 2027. More information will be shared at this meeting. - Civic Area Park: Staff are working with Parks to plan for a permanent artwork(s) for the renovation of the park. - Barker Park: Staff are working with Parks to commission a temporary mural project for the redesigned park at 15th and Pine. 12 Experiments in Public Art: - Three temporary art/performance projects occurred in 2026. One project, “Strip Mall Movements” was performed as part of Boulder Arts Week. Two other works were presented in June and July, along Pearl Street Mall and the Bandshell in Civic Area Park. 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. Installation should happen this month. - 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. All maintenance work on “Current” is complete. Work is also complete on “Lighthouse” and “Unfolding” in North Boulder. Creative Neighborhoods: Creative Neighborhoods funding for 2026/27 has been allocated to seven new projects across five of Boulder's subcommunities. The new projects include a musical performance and mural in South Boulder; a puppet show and an artist-designed seed library in Central Boulder; a mural and relief sculpture in North Boulder; and a collaborative "birdhouse trail" project bringing artists and neighbors together to install artist-made birdhouses in front yards. Staff are now working with the selected artists and community members to move each project forward. In Attachment Ten, please find a current public art program budget. > Nonprofits, Institutions, and Infrastructure 2121 Broadway Redevelopment: The Downtown Management Commission voted to recommend that City Council approve the sale of the city-owned parking lot at 2121 Broadway to Midnight Auteur, LLC for a proposed 110-room hotel. The project proposal includes public art funding, publicly accessible gathering areas, a rooftop designed to support community connection and cultural exchange, and ground-level commercial space at below-market rates for qualifying local and independent businesses. City Council will review the final terms of the sale agreement in early August. Arts Sector Recovery Research: New research from SMUDataArts examining cultural sectors across 10 U.S. cities finds that audiences haven't fully come back: while 40% of organizations grew attendance from 2019 to 2024, 54% saw meaningful declines, and attendance overall remains 44% below 2019 levels with 31% fewer programs offered. The study also found that cities with sustained public arts funding showed stronger financial and attendance outcomes. Boulder stands out from the national trend: according to our research on GOS grantees, audience sizes here surpassed pre- COVID levels by 2024. East Bookend project: Staff are engaged in the East Bookend redevelopment project. The RFP will be discussed at this meeting. 13 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 website is now open. 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. 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 next meetup is in August and will focus on mental health for creatives. Later sessions will cover AI tools for individual artists on September 22, artist legacy planning in October, and collaborative projects in November, with a particular focus on organizing collaborations for Boulder Arts Week. Artists Business Cohort: Staff are partnering with the SBDC to develop an 8-week intensive program combining business training with curriculum designed specifically for creative entrepreneurs. Participants will get a structured, hands-on learning experience tailored to the unique needs of artists running small businesses. Applications are due by August 18. A-Corp // Artist Corporations: In early July, staff partnered with the Boulder Chamber and Boulder County Arts Alliance to host a presentation on Artist Corporations, drawing more than 60 creatives. Staff continues outreach and education efforts around this new legal structure for artists and arts businesses. > Reputation + Identity Boulder Arts Week: Early planning has begun for the 14th Annual Boulder Arts Week, set to take place in spring 2027. Poet Laureate: Boulder's inaugural Poet Laureate program launched early July. Nominations are open through August 13, and nominated poets are being contacted to complete full applications, including work samples and relevant experience. Applications are due August 25. The announcement of Boulder's first Poet Laureate is planned for late September. 14 CU Partnership Gatherings: Staff are coordinating the next collaborative gathering with partners from CU's College of Arts and Sciences and College of Music, scheduled for early fall to coincide with students' return to campus. These events bring together local community organizations, artists, CU students, and faculty for shared conversations on audience engagement and strengthening ties between the university and the broader community. Boulder Land Acknowledgement Studio: Situated in the lobby of the future Western City Campus, the Land Acknowledgement Studio is a dedicated exhibition space featuring a rotating program of artwork exploring themes of land, memory, and reclamation. The project is stewarded in partnership with local Indigenous communities, the Office of Equity and Belonging, and the Facilities Department. Work is ongoing, and staff continue to engage additional City resources to help guide the program's development and long-term direction. 15 Attachment One Boulder Arts Commission Statement on Environmental Sustainability Adopted [Date] The Boulder Arts Commission believes that arts and culture are essential to building a sustainable future. The arts play a unique role in helping communities process change, strengthen connection, and imagine sustainable futures. Boulder's creative community has the power to inspire, educate, and mobilize and carries a responsibility to lead by example in caring for the natural world. Definition of Environmental Sustainability Sustainability refers to the responsible management of natural resources to meet current needs without compromising the ability of future generations to meet theirs. It encompasses ecological, economic, and social goals. The City of Boulder strives to be "a sustainable, thriving, and equitable community that benefits from and supports clean energy; preserves and responsibly uses the earth's resources; and cares for ecosystems." The Arts Commission embraces this vision as foundational to its own. What Sustainability Means to the Arts Commission Environmental sustainability strengthens the long-term vitality and resilience of Boulder’s arts sector. The cultural community can integrate sustainability into operations, programming, and advocacy in ways that reduce environmental harm while increasing creativity, relevance, and community connection. Environmental sustainability also advances the City’s broader climate commitments. Through its policies, grantmaking, public art investments, and partnerships, the Arts Commission can demonstrate how arts and culture contribute to community resilience and citywide systems change. Sustainability Values Statements The following commitments will guide the Arts Commission: - Lead with Creativity. Recognize that artists and cultural organizations are practitioners and innovators in environmental sustainability, and we believe artistic practice as a tool for environmental storytelling, community engagement, and systems change. - Connect Across the Community. We believe arts and culture are part of a larger civic effort, and that the cultural sector is strongest when its sustainability work is connected to the wider community and to the City’s climate commitments. - Advance Equity and Access. We believe sustainability should be within reach for organizations of all sizes, with particular care for smaller and under-resources organizations that have the most to gain. - Model What We Value. We hold ourselves to the same aspirations we share with others, and commit to reflecting these values in the Arts Commission’s own work. For the Website 16 The Arts Commission and the Office of Arts and Culture support the cultural community’s sustainable work through: - Grantmaking and programs. Integrate sustainability considerations into grantmaking, public art, programming, and encourage the cultural community to adopt meaningful, evolving practices over time. - Recognition and Peer Learning. Celebrate and elevate sustainability leadership across Boulder’s arts and cultural sector. Share success stories and technical knowledge through gatherings, summits, workshops, collaborative initiatives, and peer learning. - Access to funding and infrastructure. Support access to funding and resources including capital grants, shared infrastructure, technical assistance, and city programs. - Partner Across Systems. Collaborate with the City's Climate Initiatives office, the circular economy and zero waste programs, nature-based solutions initiatives, and other departments to connect arts organizations with city resources and opportunities. - Advance Equity and Access. Ensure that sustainability resources, opportunities, and support are accessible to organizations of all sizes, with particular attention to smaller and under-resourced organizations that may have the most to gain. 17 Boulder Arts Commission AI Value Statements 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 deflning questions of our time including technological change and artiflcial intelligence. Artiflcial intelligence is already present in our creative ecosystem, and its role will continue to evolve. These guidelines are an invitation to engage thoughtfully, with your mission and your community members at the center. 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. Understand how you are using it as a tool, and do not allow it to replace the human element of creativity. 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 dictate it. •Openness builds trust. Our community members deserve to know when and how AI is being used in art-making, programming, and decision-making. •Artists have the right to know how their work trains AI. Obtaining consent from artists to use their work is obligatory. •Equitable practices require active intention. AI systems can refiect and amplify existing biases. Minimize bias by interrogating your tools, diversifying your data sources, and centering perspectives of communities most likely to be affected. •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. Attachment Two 18 •AI use carries environmental costs. Approach AI with awareness rather than alarm, choosing tools thoughtfully and being mindful of their environmental impact. •Responsible, thoughtful adoption is the key. Empower and educate yourself and those you work with to understand best practices, set clear expectations, and hold yourself accountable while recognizing that the landscape will keep changing. •Our understanding will evolve. We know that AI today will look different tomorrow. We hold these statements as a living refiection of our community’s values, open to revisiting as the technology and our collective wisdom about it continues to grow. Mission of the AI Working Group: Our Arts Commission AI Working Group works to ensure that Boulder remains a place where creative work is supported and protected, and that everyone in the creative community can engage with artiflcial intelligence thoughtfully and with confldence, to whatever extent they choose. The Arts Commission representatives will continue working with City staff to develop our internal policies and practices, convene conversations across the cultural sector, and provide our grantees and partners with resources and tools to navigate AI responsibly. 19 2026 Art Education Project Grant Reviewer B Reviewer S Reviewer L Reviewer M Reviewer J Project Summary Applicant Request OVERALL AVERAGEBenefit to StudentsOutcomes / Evaluation Community GoalsCultural EquityBoulder FocusEncouragementTOTALBenefit to StudentsOutcomes / Evaluation Community GoalsCultural EquityBoulder FocusEncouragementTOTALBenefit to StudentsOutcomes / Evaluation Community GoalsCultural EquityBoulder FocusEncouragementTOTALBenefit to StudentsOutcomes / Evaluation Community GoalsCultural EquityBoulder FocusEncouragementTOTALBenefit to StudentsOutcomes / Evaluation Community GoalsCultural EquityBoulder FocusEncouragementTOTALEmpower You Therapy Services, LLC $5,000 36.2 6 6 8 7 6 2 35 7 7 7 6 6 3 36 7 7 7 7 6 2 36 8 7 7 8 6 2 38 8 7 7 7 6 1 36 "The Transitions Songbook" is a 16-week adaptive songwriting and ukulele residency designed for young adults (ages 18–21) with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Facilitated by a Board-Certified Music Therapist from Empower You Therapy Services, LLC, the project will directly reach a cohort of 10 students within the BVSD Transitions Program. Sessions will be flexibly delivered on-site at the Transitions Center or at our fully accessible clinic, culminating in a public community showcase. This project directly benefits a historically underrepresented population by dismantling systemic barriers to active cultural participation. It complements the classroom curriculum by blending evidence- based adaptive strategies with Colorado Academic Standards for Music (Creating, Performing, Responding). By deploying a "Mobile Adaptive Music Library" of 10 Cordoba ukuleles alongside custom color-coded chord matrices and adaptive picks, we make instrumental mastery universally accessible. Expected student benefits include enhanced musical composition and performance skills, alongside vital vocational soft skills tracked via clinical data sheets: increased self-confidence, self-advocacy, and social connection. The Catamounts, NFP $5,000 35.2 8 7 8 8 6 1 38 7 6 7 7 5 2 34 6 5 7 7 6 1 32 7 7 7 7 6 1 35 8 7 8 7 6 1 37 In The Catamounts' Residencies at Columbine Elementary, Douglass Elementary, Heatherwood Elementary, and University Hill Elementary, professional artists from The Catamounts will collaborate with classroom teachers to lead students through the process of creating and performing original, multidisciplinary pieces using their curricular subjects as source material. This year, The Catamounts are partnering with two Title I schools, Columbine and University Hill. Throughout the 2026-2027 school year, The Catamounts will conduct 45-minute workshops twice a week with each school, providing an empowering, hands-on performing arts experience for approximately 200 students. Professional artists will use theatre, music, and dance exercises to teach performance composition skills, emphasizing a common vocabulary among performing disciplines and leading students in generating original material. The pieces will be composed entirely by the students — original songs, choreographed dances, and scenes. Each classroom will focus on a specific subsection of BVSD's curriculum chosen by the classroom teachers, and students will share their work in invited performances for each school's community. Harvest of All First Nations $5,000 35 7 6 8 8 5 2 36 8 6 7 7 5 3 36 7 5 7 6 6 1 32 7 5 7 7 4 2 32 8 7 8 8 6 2 39 The Cultural Education & Environmental Justice (CEEJ) program provides Indigenous-led, arts-integrated environmental education through school partnerships across Boulder County. Through weaving, storytelling, and land-based learning, students explore climate resilience, Indigenous ecological knowledge, cultural history, and creative expression. This project will expand workshops currently offered at Heatherwood Elementary, Crestview Elementary, Boulder Community School of Integrated Studies, New Vista High School, and Fairview High School. Funding will support a transition from paper-based weaving to fiber arts using mini looms, fibers, and natural materials. Our project will directly serve approximately 150–250 students through workshops led by Indigenous teaching artist Reshawn Edison. CEEJ prioritizes underrepresented students, including Indigenous, Latino, and BIPOC+, through culturally immersive arts education centered on Indigenous histories, environmental justice, identity, and their relationship to land. Students will build creative skills, environmental awareness, cultural understanding, social and emotional learning through collaborative art-making and storytelling. Luna Cultura, art, science and culture for thriving communities, LLC $5,000 34 7 6 8 7 6 2 36 7 6 6 6 5 3 33 5 6 6 5 6 1 29 6 7 6 7 6 2 34 8 6 8 8 6 2 38 Arts education fosters holistic learning, equipping participants with tools for creativity, critical thinking, problem- solving, and socio-emotional resilience—skills essential for navigating today’s complex contexts. This is particularly vital for highly vulnerable communities, such as migrants, Spanish speakers, and survivors of domestic violence. The initiative comprises seven distinct programs tailored to different demographic groups, exploring three-dimensional design through the lens of "Caring for Our Common Home." Beyond technical and artistic instruction, the classes incorporate elements of well-being, material exploration, collective reflection, collaborative work, and community building. The program also addresses curricular goals by engaging participants in learning, exploring, and creating based on contemporary principles and applications of art and three-dimensional design. The project aims to reach 100–120 participants, resulting in individual and collective artworks to be displayed in a virtual gallery and—if feasible—showcased at a one-day collective event. Classes are free and include refreshments, helping to remove barriers to accessing arts education. Attachment Three 20 Ana Balzan LLC $5,000 33.4 6 5 7 7 5 3 33 7 6 6 7 4 2 32 6 5 6 6 5 3 31 6 5 7 6 6 3 33 8 7 8 7 5 3 38 This project provides hands-on ceramic arts education for students participating in the Free and Reduced School (FRS) after-school program within Boulder Valley School District at Creekside, Crest View, and Columbine Elementary Schools. Through accessible ceramic classes, students will explore creativity, self-expression, and foundational hand- building techniques including slab, coil, and pinch methods.The program complements existing after-school enrichment by introducing students to ceramics, a medium often unavailable in school settings due to the cost of materials, kiln access, and firing. Students will develop fine motor skills, patience, problem-solving abilities, and creative confidence. This project will serve approximately 50 students and primarily benefits underserved students, including children from low-income, Latino, Spanish-speaking, and culturally diverse families facing barriers to arts access. All materials, tools, underglazes, kiln firing, and transportation of equipment are provided by the artist in a safe and supportive environment. Kin Studio and Gallery $5,000 33.2 8 7 5 8 6 1 35 5 5 6 5 5 1 27 7 5 7 7 6 1 33 7 6 7 7 6 1 34 8 7 8 7 6 1 37 Kin Studio and Gallery will build on its 2025 success in partnership with NoBo Arts District and Rocky Mountain Equality, engaging returning/new queer youth ages 13-18 into the studio to further advance their skillsets with internships as studio assistants to a professional artist, designed to build artistic confidence and community. Starting with a course of 5 intensive workshops—totaling up to 32 hours—youth will explore the medium of tufted textiles and video/sound installation, the practice of mounting an exhibition, along with 5-7 creative input sessions on new events being planned at the gallery—all while assisting a professional artist in a working studio environment. The project will serve 5-10 students and centers LGBTQ+ youth, a population often underrepresented in arts education. It complements classroom learning by supporting Colorado Academic Standards in Visual Arts and Career & Technical Education through hands-on, project-based learning. Participants will work as a team, learning how to share space, take creative direction, and contribute to a collective artistic vision. The experience nurtures identity, creative exploration, and a sense of belonging in the arts. Trash the Runway $4,485 33.2 8 6 7 7 6 1 35 6 6 7 6 5 3 33 6 4 6 6 6 1 29 7 6 6 6 6 1 32 8 7 8 7 6 1 37 Trash the Runway hopes to expand its core six-week program with supplemental workshops designed to deepen the experience for enrolled designers and broaden access for the wider community, contingent on funding. Trash materials manipulation workshops would be open to any interested middle or high school student prior to the application process, serving as a creative entry point and pipeline for future designers. Elementary-aged participants may also be included. These workshops build foundational skills in working with unconventional materials, complementing TTR's curriculum. For enrolled designers, workshops would include storytelling, stage presence, confidence building, and mental health strategies, led by youth therapists TTR has partnered with previously. These sessions address the whole young person, building resilience and self-awareness alongside creative skills. Hybrid formats would extend select workshops to community members who cannot attend in person. TTR anticipates reaching 30-50 additional students, with scholarships available to ensure cost is not a barrier. Inviting students from Boulder Housing Partners, EFAA and mobile homes, continues TTR's commitment to serving young people facing persistent challenges. Scribble Art Workshop $5,000 33.2 7 7 8 7 6 2 37 7 6 6 7 5 2 33 5 5 6 6 5 2 29 7 5 6 7 6 2 33 7 7 7 6 6 1 34 As mentioned above, the Rainbow Press project is one which has been run in University Hill Elementary School for many years. In recent years, the program was only available to certain grades because it was largely being managed by one teacher (who is retiring this year) and a parent volunteer. Essentially, students wrote their stories in their classrooms, then parents would take those written stories, type them up and bind them into books for families to receive at the end of the school year. Our goal with this program is to revive Rainbow Press program in a variety of ways: Move story production and book-binding into the art classroom with our teaching artist and the school's art teacher as a graphic novel unit. Teachers have expressed that they don't have time to manage the writing of these stories and using graphic novels as an entry point would largely benefit students who are multi-lingual. Expand the rainbow press program to the entire school as opposed to serving only specific grades. Over time, this will enable families to see how these books will evolve and change over time as students complete their rainbow press books in each grade level. Instruction and curriculum will be adapted for each developmental stage. Parlando School for the Arts $5,000 32.8 R R R R R R R 6 6 6 5 5 1 29 6 6 6 6 6 1 31 7 7 7 7 6 1 35 8 7 8 7 6 0 36 Parlando's MORE for Colorado (Music Outreach for Resources and Education) brings supplemental music instruction into BVSD classrooms during the school day, at no cost to students, schools, or families. Working with BVSD's Arts Coordinator, Aubrey Yeh, we identify schools where access to high-quality music education is most constrained by funding, family resources, or both. We then partner with each school's music teacher to deliver small-group and 1:1 instruction aligned with the Colorado Academic Standards for Music. During the 2026-27 academic year, this grant would support five BVSD partner schools that serve majority low-income and/or BI&POC student populations: Casey Middle, Centennial Middle, Columbine Elementary, University Hill Elementary, and Whittier Elementary. Across these schools, MORE will create 26,000+ student interactions, building technical skill, ensemble participation, and a sense of belonging that travels with students into high school and beyond. Program-wide, MORE has grown nearly 10x over the last decade, with 51% of classes taking place in Boulder. Further, our partnership with Boulder Housing Partners (funded separately) extends access by removing the dual barriers of cost and transportation. 21 Colorado Shakespeare Festival $5,000 32.4 6 5 7 5 6 0 29 7 6 7 6 5 0 31 7 6 7 7 5 0 32 7 7 7 7 6 0 34 8 7 8 7 6 0 36 In 2026-27 the Colorado Shakespeare Festival’s Shakespeare & Violence Prevention program will tour bilingual productions of "Julius Caesar" (grades 6-12, exploring planned attacks, isolation and recruitment to violence) and "The Comedy of Errors" (grades 3-5, focusing on the cycle of violence and conflict resolution) to schools throughout Colorado. Each performance is paired with classroom workshops in which students roleplay creative solutions to conflict (guided by violence prevention research). A $5000 grant from BAC will provide this program to 5 Boulder schools at no cost to them, reaching 500-800 students. Note: approximately 39% of students at these 5 schools come from low income families; 44% are non-white. (CO Dept. Education) This partnership between the Colorado Shakespeare Festival and CU’s Center for the Study and Prevention of Violence (CSPV) has reached more than 145,000 Colorado students since its 2011 launch. Schools receive a study guide (available in English and Spanish) prior to the visit with lesson plans and CSPV resources. This innovative educational program combines performance, Shakespeare’s language, and CSPV research to empower students to build healthy communities. Boulder Opera $5,000 32.2 7 7 6 7 6 1 34 5 6 6 4 5 0 26 7 6 7 6 6 1 33 7 6 6 6 6 1 32 8 7 8 6 6 1 36 The Lion and the Mouse is an immersive children's opera designed for students in grades 1–3 that combines live theater, professional classical singing, and interactive music-making. Through partnerships with Boulder-area elementary schools, including Title I schools, the project will reach approximately 3,000 students, many of whom have limited access to live performing arts experiences. The program complements elementary music, literacy, and social- emotional learning curricula by introducing storytelling through music while exploring themes of kindness, cooperation, and interdependence. Adapted from Aesop's classic fable, the opera demonstrates how every individual plays an important role in a community. Students participate in a hands-on "Orchestra of Sound" workshop where they create weather and animal sounds using their voices and bodies. Working in teams, they develop creativity, listening skills, collaboration, and confidence before performing alongside professional artists during the opera. By bringing the program directly into schools at no cost, Boulder Be Brazil- Brazilian Music Colorado $5,000 32 6 5 7 7 5 3 33 4 4 4 4 4 2 22 6 6 7 7 6 3 35 7 6 6 5 6 3 33 7 7 8 6 6 3 37 "Coisa Mais Linda" is a new intergenerational Brazilian choir that introduces students and community members to Brazilian music, language, and cultural traditions through active participation in choral singing. This grant will provide critical start-up funding to help launch and establish the choir, creating a sustainable cultural program that will continue serving the community beyond the grant period. The project complements classroom learning by connecting music, language, history, and cultural studies through rehearsals and public performances. The choir is expected to engage approximately 15–20 singers, including youth and adults, and reach more than 500 audience members through performances and community events, while also enriching local venues and cultural spaces with diverse, high-quality artistic programming. Benefits include improved musical and performance skills, increased cultural awareness, stronger social connections, enhanced self-expression, and greater confidence. Through music, students and audiences alike will experience the richness of Brazilian arts while contributing to a more vibrant, inclusive, and connected Boulder. The ensemble creates rare intergenerational bonds that deepen the learning experience. Boulder International Film Festival $5,000 31.8 7 5 6 6 6 0 30 7 6 6 5 6 0 30 7 5 7 7 6 0 32 7 5 7 6 6 0 31 8 7 8 7 6 0 36 Our four programs, Cinema to Schools, the Teen Short Film Competition, Workshops, and Free Films at BIFF, develop media literacy, critical thinking, creative skills, and civic engagement. Films spanning climate science, social justice, history, disability, and STEM often align with existing curriculum, extending and deepening what students are already learning in the classroom. All programs are completely free, prioritizing access for underrepresented students. Cinema to Schools reaches local schools including Fairview and New Vista in 2026, where 24% of students identify as minorities and 26% are economically disadvantaged. Our Teen Short Film Competition welcomes submissions from all students regardless of ethnicity, gender, disability, or social class. Students benefit from rare direct dialogue with filmmakers and film subjects, hands-on creative workshops taught by Oscar-nominated filmmakers, and the opportunity to present their own work at a major film festival, experiences that build creative confidence, interdisciplinary thinking, and pathways to careers in the arts. Boulder High School PTO $5,000 31.6 7 6 7 7 6 2 35 6 5 5 5 5 2 28 6 5 6 7 6 2 32 5 5 5 6 6 2 29 7 6 7 6 6 2 34 Project “Wellness Wall” will support Boulder High School’s Wellness Center. This project involves a local Colorado artist who will collaboratively design a mental-health themed mural for the Wellness Center. The completion of the mural is structured as a paint-by-numbers style art piece that students can self-select to help complete. The mural wall is on an inside patio of the Wellness Center. Up until now, the patio space has been under-utilized by students, and our goal is that this mural will create an inviting safe place for students. Bianca Maestas, the project muralist, identifies as a Latinx woman with Indigenous ancestry. She is a sixth-generation Coloradan artist and muralist that supports many non- profit organizations. We hope that having a Latinx artist will encourage participation by our Latinx community at school, though participation in the mural project will be open and encouraged to the entire student body at BHS. The emphasis in the Wellness Center at BHS is on taking care of our mental health, thus, all populations within the school will benefit from the project, particularly those who experience mental health disadvantages, whether due to mental health diagnoses, neurodivergence, or experiences with trauma. 22 Spoon Circus $4,950 31.4 8 7 8 7 4 2 36 5 4 5 5 2 1 22 5 6 6 7 4 2 30 7 7 6 7 4 2 33 8 7 8 7 4 2 36 We’re thrilled to have been invited back to Boulder Prep for a 2nd year, and we’re seeking funds to enhance the program. Last year we brought juggling to 30 students. This year we hope to offer more than 20 disciplines: hula hoop, diabolo, flower sticks, plate spinning, feather balance, stilt walking, tight wire, and more. We’ll engage students in more ways, allowing each one to discover skills that resonate with them. Programs open with a circle, games, and then technical instruction in various disciplines. We always leave time for a Flow Jam, a free-form play session where students practice their favorite skills. Self-directed practice allows them to take control of their education and train to be the artists and people they want to be. Finally, we host an end-of-session performance where students showcase their new skills to classmates, teachers, and families. The show is entirely student-led so they get to decide the story they want to tell. Performing in front of an audience is daunting, and it’s amazing to see our students embrace the challenge and transform it into a moment of personal triumph. The joy and confidence they gain are contagious, and our audiences leave inspired by the spirit of play and the sacred silly. Roots Music Project Foundation Inc.$5,000 30.6 8 6 8 6 5 0 33 5 6 6 5 4 0 26 7 5 6 6 5 0 29 6 6 7 6 5 0 30 8 7 8 6 6 0 35 TEMPO is an immersive music industry education program designed for youth ages 14–19 that fills critical gaps in traditional music education by preparing students for real-world creative careers. The program serves up to 36 students annually. This is a quality over quantity approach. Many other organizations may serve a larger amount of youth but what we look at here is hours that youth are engaged and the ratio that they are engaged with. Each student engages in roughly 60 hours during each course which is roughly equivalent to 2,160 hours of contact. Comparing this to an after school lesson program where a student may attend weekly for ½ hr equalling 24hrs of contact in one year. Also the engagement is often a 4:1 or 5:1 mentor to student ratio. TEMPO was intentionally designed by professional musicians who recognized that many students graduate from traditional music programs without understanding how to successfully navigate the modern music industry. What students want is practical career training, industry mentorship and real world experiences. We truly believe TEMPO complements the existing school and after school music curriculum by addressing these missing components while also offering them paid work study positions. Dandelion Arts Collective $5,000 30.4 5 5 6 6 5 2 29 7 6 5 5 5 1 29 6 5 6 6 6 2 31 5 5 5 5 6 2 28 8 7 8 6 5 1 35 Our Dancing World project focuses on bringing multicultural dance education to Boulder children and families in early childhood (8 and under) through free interactive dance presentations at the Boulder Public Library. The presentations offer interactive education, performances, and kinesthetic participation for children and their families to experience the breadth and depth of dance as a representation of culture, identity, belonging, and community. We anticipate this project will reach a minimum of two hundred fifty community members (primarily children and their families) through nine presentations during the project calendar. This project highlights vernacular dance forms from across the globe, with dance artists from underrepresented communities sharing their expertise as cultural ambassadors, artists, and activists through the art of dance. Children from across identities and cultures see themselves represented through movement, music, and culture, while also actively participating in cultural bridging while building their identity and self efficacy as movement artists through community dancing and experiential learning. Bixby School $5,000 30.2 6 7 6 7 6 1 33 5 5 5 2 5 1 23 7 7 7 6 6 1 34 5 5 5 5 5 1 26 8 7 8 5 6 1 35 This project enhances our "let's make things" program with professional-grade equipment and. Requested funds will support 30 workshops to approximately 100 students aged 2 ½ through 11, a public exhibition and three free adult:child community workshops. The project enhances our curriculum by expanding upon two social studies units exploring global and Tribal histories, exploring mathematical and scientific concepts, and supporting emotional and physical wellness.The initiative lowers barriers for underrepresented groups by providing free public workshops and bilingual (English/Spanish) community outreach to support low-income families. Additionally, clay offers a regulating, sensory- rich medium that serves as a vital learning bridge for neurodiverse students.Students gain technical skill advancement, artistic pride. Based on reflection data, we expect over 80% of students to report that clay work enhanced their social studies comprehension and served as an effective vehicle for individual identity expression. Specific learning outcomes include: (i) advanced and technical skill acquisition, (ii) increased dexterity & coordination, and (iii) increased engagement and pride. THE NEW LOCAL $5,000 29.8 4 5 5 6 5 0 25 4 5 5 3 5 0 22 6 6 6 6 6 0 30 7 7 7 7 6 0 34 8 8 8 7 6 1 38 TNL will provide approximately 450 hours of arts education to 40 scholarship-supported youth ages 4–15 during the ‘26–’27 school year through afterschool classes, homeschool programs, camps, workshops, and exhibitions. Programming includes ceramics, painting, printmaking, mixed media, fiber arts & drawing, led by professional teaching artists. TNL partners with Boulder-area schools and organizations, including Columbine Elementary, New Horizons Preschool, El Centro Amistad, Rocky Mountain Equality, and Community Roots Midwife Collective, to identify students who would benefit most from expanded access to arts education. These programs complement classroom learning by providing hands-on experiences often unavailable in traditional school settings. The project serves youth from low- income, immigrant, BIPOC, LGBTQIA+, multilingual, and other historically underrepresented communities. Scholarships remove financial barriers and create access to a welcoming environment where students can explore creativity and connect with peers. Students benefit from hands-on instruction, mentorship from working artists, and opportunities to exhibit their work publicly. 23 T2 Dance Company $5,000 29.6 6 6 7 6 6 0 31 5 6 5 4 5 0 25 5 6 6 6 6 0 29 5 5 5 7 6 0 28 8 7 8 6 6 0 35 The Color Wheel Project (CWP) brings professional dance and visual arts experiences to Boulder children. In this application, T2 works with two Boulder schools (Flatirons and Foothill confirmed), reaching 300+ K-5 students, plus a free public art day for children and families. How it works: T2's professional dancers lead in-school workshops where students create color-based artwork and their own choreography. At a free art day at the Boulder Public Library, families make art with provided materials and submit it to T2, and the dancers perform live. T2 then builds a full production around selected pieces, staged at the Dairy Arts Center, where students watch their ideas realized on a professional stage. Workshops align with CO State Standards in Visual Arts and Dance, and a bilingual (English/Spanish) study guide extends learning. The project reaches underrepresented populations through free workshops, 100 free/reduced tickets, a free art day, language access via the bilingual guide, and age diversity, bringing seniors into the audience alongside students. Students gain dance skills their schools don't offer, experience professional arts firsthand, and see their creativity taken seriously, building confidence as artists. Creativity Alive $5,000 29.4 6 7 6 6 6 0 31 5 5 6 5 5 0 26 5 5 6 6 5 0 27 5 5 6 6 6 0 28 8 7 8 6 6 0 35 The Singing Visions in the Schools Project (SV) will cultivate a creative outburst of singing, songwriting, and art-making among our students that complements their curriculum and is timely & of benefit to our entire Boulder community. We will engage over 300 BVSD students in 3 schools in the City of Boulder to help "Sing the world we want into existence." SV will help students amplify their voices and gain a sense of empowerment in a challenging world, as they acquire new skills and confidence in music, art, social justice, & envisioning the world they want to live in -- and help form. We will both teach existing songs from the Singing Resistance: Boulder songbook, as well as hold a songwriting and art for lyric boards competition to generate new material that is fresh & pertinent to our community. New songs will be created, recorded (with our partner KGNU), and used by Singing Resistance: Boulder at a variety of community events in fulfilling this mission, which will further amplify the student voices. We will create an online repository of songs for anyone to use, with many songs in Spanish as well as English. We also encourage students to take the songs home to their families and community. This program will be free of charge. Mighty Fudge Studios $5,000 29.4 7 6 7 7 6 1 34 3 5 5 3 5 2 23 6 6 6 6 6 0 30 4 5 4 5 6 1 25 8 7 8 5 6 1 35 Mighty Fudge Studios proposes a four-week Saturday Morning Cartoon Club program for youth ages 9+ focused on 2D animation, culminating in a public student film festival for parents and families. Week 1: Story development Week 2: Character design, keyframes, and backgrounds Week 3: Animation production Week 4: Final production & film festival presentation The students will develop skills in storytelling, character design, foundational animation production, and presentation skills. Students will work both independently and collaboratively to create original animated short films while developing creative problem-solving, communication, and teamwork skills. The program is expected to serve up to eight students. Participants will gain exposure to real-world creative industry practices in animation, film, and digital arts while building confidence in creative expression and public presentation. To support equitable access, grant funding will provide tuition assistance for at least two students, helping reduce financial barriers to participation. The program fosters inclusive, in-person arts learning and strengthens youth engagement with Boulder's creative community and the NoBo Arts District. Manhattan Middle School of Arts & Academics $4,800 27.6 3 5 3 3 6 2 22 6 6 4 5 6 1 28 6 5 4 6 6 2 29 6 5 5 5 6 2 29 6 6 6 5 6 1 30 Currently, our middle school offers Art 1 & 2 or Art Focus as year-long options for students. Within each course, students work with a variety of artistic mediums, for 2-3 weeks each. This means that enrolled students (approximately 275 students each year) will create one hand-built clay project per year. During the 2026/27 school year, small groups of students will begin working on the pottery wheels as enrichment opportunities beyond what the established curriculum offers. Beyond the spring of 2027, we want to expand our offerings to include a year-long ceramics course which will include wheel throwing in the curriculum. Such a course and exposure to the meditative, growth-mindset qualities of wheel throwing will enrich our current art offerings, particularly considering students' social and emotional, and occupational therapy needs. The art fees which we collect each year cannot be applied to furniture such as pottery wheels, so we are needing to be creative with funding sources. Rocky Ridge Music Center $5,000 26.8 4 5 4 6 5 1 25 5 5 5 4 5 0 24 5 4 4 6 6 1 26 7 6 4 5 6 1 29 8 7 5 4 6 0 30 We are requesting $5,000 to provide two music educators from Rocky Ridge Music Center to be on site at Boulder High School for two hours, twice a week during the 2026-2027 academic year (25 weeks altogether). Boulder High School actively works to promote an inclusive environment and serves students from over 30 countries through its Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Education (CLDE) program. Boulder High School has a total minority enrollment of 34%. In addition, about 30% of the student population is considered economically disadvantaged. This program provides high- quality instruction, performance experiences, and artistic collaboration to approximately 70 students in the orchestra. It also creates stronger community connections through public performances, contributing to Boulder’s vital arts community. We will obtain qualitative data from the students through survey tools and feedback sessions with the educational staff, allowing us to adjust programming and track program effectiveness year-over-year. 24 Talk to the Camera $5,000 26.4 6 7 5 5 4 2 29 5 6 6 5 4 1 27 5 5 6 5 4 2 27 5 5 5 5 4 2 26 5 5 5 4 3 1 23 Talk to the Camera seeks support to offset operational costs for its summer filmmaking and digital media camps and provide need-based tuition assistance for participating students. The project will serve 240 elementary and middle school students through hands-on instruction in filmmaking, animation, scriptwriting, editing, and on-camera communication. The curriculum complements classroom learning by reinforcing communication, collaboration, storytelling, and critical thinking while offering access to specialized arts instruction often unavailable in traditional school settings. Through project-based learning, participants work collaboratively to create original films, broadcasts, and other media projects that strengthen both creative and technical skills. This project expands access for underrepresented and financially impacted students by reducing tuition barriers through scholarship support. This is especially important in filmmaking and digital media, where arts enrichment opportunities are often cost-prohibitive. Expected outcomes include increased confidence in self-expression, stronger public speaking and teamwork skills, foundational technical competencies, and greater access to contemporary arts education. Connected by Music $5,000 24.4 6 6 6 4 3 0 25 3 3 3 4 2 0 15 6 6 6 5 6 0 29 5 5 5 5 4 0 24 8 3 8 4 6 0 29 CbM will partner with MtL to hold a 1-day workshop in Oct. 2026 at RMP, offering an artistic business-skills session to 12-15 musicians to activate their creative and economic value as change agents. The Musician Changemaker Accelerator (MCA) will help build artists’ capacity for entrepreneurial program development and community mobilization, cultivating their often-overlooked value as strategic leaders. MCA has been positively assessed by Americans for the Arts and is supported in part by the Mellon Foundation. Participants are introduced to 3 key areas of social change entrepreneurship: 1) Developing a values-driven artistic statement; 2) Bringing an idea to concept; 3) Identifying and attracting good-fit partners/funders. MCA operates at the intersection between music, entrepreneurship, and community action, acting as a force multiplier to create new connections not otherwise obvious. Presentations from 3 Boulder thought leaders from local businesses, creative organizations, and nonprofits will be integrated into the day. 5-6 local community/business coaches (Boulder SCORE Chapter and/or artist affinity group) will be paired with participating artists to facilitate their continued learning and development after the Workshop. 25 Lifelong Learning (Pilot) Grant Final Scores Reviewer B Reviewer S Reviewer L Reviewer M Reviewer J Program Offerings Program Title Request OVERALL AVERAGEProgram OfferingsOutcomes/ EvaluationCultural EquityBoulder FocusEncouragement PointsTOTALProgram OfferingsOutcomes/ EvaluationCultural EquityBoulder FocusEncouragement PointsTOTALProgram OfferingsOutcomes/ EvaluationCultural EquityBoulder FocusEncouragement PointsTOTALProgram OfferingsOutcomes/ EvaluationCultural EquityBoulder FocusEncouragement PointsTOTALProgram OfferingsOutcomes/ EvaluationCultural EquityBoulder FocusEncouragement PointsTOTALThe New Local: Clay Roots $5,000 25.4 6 6 6 5 1 24 7 6 6 5 1 25 6 5 6 6 1 24 6 5 7 6 1 25 8 7 7 6 1 29 Clay Roots is an intergenerational ceramics and cultural arts program hosted at The New Local (741 Pearl St. & 713 Pearl St.), a community-centered arts hub that serves as a welcoming third space for historically disadvantaged youth and their families. This builds on our youth ceramics program and partnership with First Moon through Community Roots, funded by Community Roots and the Colorado Health Foundation. After completing an initial 8-week session with BIPOC youth, the program will resume in fall 2026. Clay Roots expands participation beyond youth to include caregivers, grandparents, siblings, and extended family members. Youth consistently describe The New Local as a place where they feel safe, seen, and connected. Families have expressed interest in participating alongside their children, creating opportunities for shared learning, cultural exchange, and deeper relationships. At the same time, Colorado faces a shortage of safe third spaces where young people can gather to build identity, creativity, and belonging. Through Clay Roots, families will engage in hands-on ceramics workshops that incorporate storytelling, cultural traditions, and collaborative art-making. By creating together, youth and adults build stronger relationships while sharing knowledge across generations. Programming will occur four times throughout the grant period and conclude in a community art show during our Downtown First Friday at The New Local Annex. This program will serve Indigenous families and families of color in Boulder. The New Local's gallery and annex spaces provide an accessible, culturally responsive environment where participants can develop artistic skills, form meaningful relationships, and experience a sense of belonging. This program directly supports both priorities of the Lifelong Learning Grant: creating intergenerational cultural opportunities and strengthening a safe third space where youth and families can connect, learn, and thrive together through the arts. Greater Boulder Youth Orchestras: Student Leadership Council activities $5,000 25.2 8 7 5 5 0 25 7 6 5 5 0 23 7 6 7 6 0 26 8 6 7 6 0 27 7 6 6 6 0 25 The Student Leadership Council of the Greater Boulder Youth Orchestras, comprised of students representing all four large GBYO ensembles, will plan and execute musical activities for youth. Membership in GBYO is not required for participation, and activities are free. Some are designed to bridge gaps between young musicians and older generations (professional & amateur adult musicians and the retired community). Activities include:Community play along: musicians of all ages (5- 75) gather and play through easy music in a fun, no-pressure setting; intergenerational; no orchestra experience necessary; featuring special guest artists like professional musicians from the Boulder Phil. Active Listening: Students share and discuss recordings; may take place at a record store like Paradise Found Records. Discussions moderated by a GBYO mentor. Music Beyond High School: young musicians connect with college students and professionals to discuss music options after high school. Chamber music: small group performances at retirement homes and/or rec centers. Más Música: high school musicians work with the elementary school students of Escuela Bilingüe Pioneer Elementary, a BVSD Title I school. Más Música is a violin instruction program that meets after school. Additional activity: SLC students will be given a budget for their own project. Most activities will take place at Mt. View United Methodist Church. It is easy to get to, has ample free parking, and is across the street from a retirement home and a school. Some may take place at other venues like a record store, retirement home, or rec center. Activities are open to non-musicians too, especially active listening which can serve as an introduction to classical music. Attachment 4 26 Be Brazil: Brazilian Music Colorado Disconnect to Connect $5,000 25 6 7 6 6 3 28 4 4 5 5 3 21 6 5 7 6 3 27 4 4 4 5 3 20 7 7 6 6 3 29 Disconnect to Connect: A Pre-Teen & Teen Meet-Up Through Brazilian Dance is an intergenerational arts program designed to create a safe, welcoming, and screen-free third space for Boulder youth and community members of all ages. Led by Brazilian dance educator Amalia Mayer, the program uses Brazilian dance traditions such as samba and forró to foster belonging, cultural exchange, creativity, and meaningful human connection. There is a growing need for opportunities that help youth disconnect from screens and reconnect with themselves, their peers, and their communities. Many pre-teens and teens spend increasing amounts of time online and have limited access to spaces where they can build friendships, develop social skills, and engage in face-to-face interaction outside of school and home. The program also addresses growing concerns around youth loneliness and social isolation by creating regular opportunities for authentic, in-person connection and community building. The program directly supports both priorities identified in the Boulder Blueprint. As a third space, it provides youth with a welcoming environment where they can explore new interests, build confidence, and experience a sense of belonging. As an intergenerational arts program, it intentionally welcomes parents, and older community members to participate alongside youth, creating opportunities for mentorship, empathy, cultural exchange, and stronger community ties. Programming will take place once a week throughout the grant period, serving youth ages 9–18 as the primary audience while encouraging participation from multiple generations. Sessions will include Brazilian dance instruction, cultural storytelling, and community celebrations. By preserving traditional face-to-face ways of connecting and building community, Disconnect to Connect offers Boulder youth a meaningful alternative to screen-based recreation while celebrating the richness and diversity of Brazilian culture. Dandelion Arts Collective: BLOOM Creative Practices for Youth with Neurodiversity and Disability $5,000 24.8 7 5 7 5 2 26 7 6 6 3 2 24 7 5 7 6 2 27 4 5 4 4 2 19 8 6 7 5 2 28 Our BLOOM programs directly support youth mental health through creative expression. This project specifically aims to serve pre-teens and teens with special rights. Due to stigmatization and structural inequities, these youth face high risk for social exclusion, resulting in anxiety, depression, and psychological distress. This project will create a safe and consistent third community space to build friendships, co-create, and find belonging within their larger community. Differing from a disability service program, this project aims to create a true third space for self-selecting participants. Through eight, two hour gatherings between September 2026-May 2027 these free events will offer creative arts practices as a communal practice for social connection. We’ll market these events through established partnerships with youth groups, schools, and community organizations that serve teens with special rights. Each gathering will include an area of focus connecting art to a health or social topic, such as civic engagement, healthy relationships, and more. Activities may include devised theatre, cosplay, storytelling, DJing, circle singing, movement, drawing, recipe creation, board games, and crafting. Through the unique improvisational nature of our practices, we tailor our facilitation to the emergent themes and needs of the participants. Autonomy is prioritized with the freedom to participate in ways that feel inspiring and rewarding, rather than socially or sensorily draining. Art making, through a variety of mediums, will serve as a throughline for connecting to self and others. Facilitators across age and ability will share their lived experience as neurodiverse and disabled artists and/or those with a breadth and depth of experience being in community with this populations. Participants and facilitators will co-learn and create in real time, dismantling the constraints of typical power structures to create a truly intergenerational experience. Parlando: Intergenerational Youth Programming $5,000 24.5 R R R R R R 4 5 4 5 1 19 5 5 5 6 1 22 7 7 7 6 1 28 8 7 7 6 1 29 New Musical Project (NMP) is Parlando's annual festival of new musicals by emerging/underrepresented composers, now in its 5th year at the Dairy’s Grace Gamm Theater. NMP is intergenerational by design at every level: writers, cast, staff, and audience. Writers. NMP's open call draws 100+ submissions from regional, national, and international writing teams ages college through elder adults, with no agent gatekeeping. Selection prioritizes emerging/underrepresented composers; across 5 years NMP writing teams have included 36 female or non-binary writers and 27 writers of color. The festival hosts 3 tracks at different career stages: 3 winning teams (semi-staged presentations), 10 finalist teams (cabaret), and 1 student composer 18 or under (student-composer musical). Student, college, and adult writers get the same workshop time, the same intergenerational actors, and the same stage. Staff. NMP hires Colorado artists as directors, music directors, stage managers, designers, and band members. These teams are also intergenerational, pairing established Colorado artists with high school and college students honing their craft. Cast. NMP casts span ages 10 to 80+ including student actors, pre- professional actors, actors returning after years away, and community theatre actors with differing abilities (including neurodiversities). Boulder youth, working adults, and senior performers share the same rehearsal room and the same stage. Audience. NMP audiences come from the same range. Outreach prioritizes Boulder Housing Partners residents, Boulder senior communities, BVSD students, and partners serving people with neurodiversities (Community Link, FRIENDS of Broomfield, IMAGINE!, Temple Grandin School). For Boulder youth, the festival is also a creative third space where their writing and performing is taken seriously by adult artists. Frequency. Year-round writer development; 2 weeks of intensive summer workshops; 4 festival performances over 2 days in August 2027. 27 Scribble Art Workshop: Teen Portfolio and World Arts Class $5,000 22 6 7 5 5 2 25 4 5 3 2 1 15 5 5 5 6 2 23 4 5 4 5 2 20 8 6 6 6 1 27 Our programming includes 2 weekly classes running for 10 weeks. Given the large class sizes and competition to be able to even enroll in art classes in public high schools, we are confident there is an expressed need for teenagers to be able to more deeply explore art forms in a smaller studio setting with the opportunity to meet and visit the art studios of local practicing artists. Having run art studios in NYC for over 15 years, we know that giving teens access to an art studio where they can work amongst peers is instrumental in creating a third space for connection, creation and expression. Class descriptions are included below: Pre-College Portfolio Studio: This class is an intensive course for high school students (grades 11-12) designed to build, curate, and refine a competitive portfolio for art and design college admissions. This studio-based class focuses on the rigorous development of creative technical skills and conceptual problem-solving. Students are guided through the process of taking their ideas from the initial sketch phase to fully realized final pieces that highlight their personal voice and artistic versatility through discussion, critiques, visiting artists and of course, focused exploration of materials. Students will develop original work, strengthen foundational techniques, and produce a cohesive visual narrative under the professional guidance of amazing veteran BVSD art teacher, Claudia LaStella. Woven Histories: Alternative Media and Global Art: This course introduces students (grades 9-12) to alternative art mediums, experimental techniques, and global artistic traditions, fostering creative problem-solving and artistic confidence. Students will explore non-traditional materials—including fabric, found objects, and natural elements—to develop a diverse portfolio of mixed- media works. The program culminates in a final presentation of an original piece inspired by a culture or technique of the student's choice. RICK DALLAGO, ART: ART FOR KIDS $5,000 20.8 5 6 6 6 2 25 3 5 5 5 1 19 4 4 5 4 2 19 4 4 4 6 2 20 7 4 4 5 1 21 In 2021, I launched ART FOR KIDS, an afterschool art program in partnership with the Boulder School of Fine Arts because II saw the need for arts education during the pandemic lockdown, when art was particularly challenging to teach remotely. After 2 years, the BSofFA decided to discontinue the youth program, which I then took under my own wing & have continued independently ever since at the WILDERNESS ART STUDIOS in Boulder. The program is intentionally designed to be welcoming, low-pressure, & really, really fun-- ensuring that students of all levels feel encouraged to express themselves freely, take creative risks, and develop a genuine sense of belonging. Many continue working with me for years, a testament to the trust, confidence, & sense of belonging. Former students are now using artwork from ART FOR KIDS for portfolios submitted Pratt Institute & CalArts. I've organized exhibitions of student artwork at several Boulder businesses including Café Aion & Dunkin Donuts' on 28th. Seeing their work publicly displayed gives students a huge sense of pride and free donuts ART FOR KIDS also offers private art lessons for kids with emotional & social challenges. These 1-on-1 sessions demonstrate how creative expression regulate emotions, build confidence, & strengthen communication skills. My early academic background in art therapy informs this work-- Art can be a powerful conduit for conversation & connection—especially for post pandemic young people who may struggle with verbal communication or questions of identity. I also host weekly ADULT PAINTING workshops at the Wilderness Studio that contribute to a broader intergenerational arts community (many beginners) for Boulder residents to connect, create, & relief stress. Last month, we painted interpretations of The Starry Night. Boulder may have more aspiring “Bob Ross” painters per capita than anywhere else. 28 Total Grant Funding 2,000,000$ Grant Amount Number of Awards Bedrock Committed 400,000.00$ 5 Other GOS Committed 799,697.00$ 31 Total Committed 1,199,697.00$ 36 Total GOS Budget 1,580,000.00$ Total GOS to Allocate 380,303.00$ Grant Total Amount Proposed Average per Award # of Proposed Awards Bedrock 80,000.00$ 80,000.00$ ~ 1 Extra-Large 120,000.00$ 60,000.00$ ~ 2 Large 90,879.00$ 30,293.00$ ~ 3 Medium 35,302.00$ 17,651.00$ ~ 2 Small 33,174.00$ 11,058.00$ ~ 3 Extra-Small 20,000.00$ 10,000.00$ ~ 2 Total 379,355.00$ ~ 13 Current General Operating Support Funding General Operating Support Funding Proposed Proposed 2027 General Operating Support Funding Attachment FiveProposed 2027 Cultural Grant Program Funding Structure 29 Total Grant Budget 2,000,000.00$ GOS Budget 1,580,000.00$ Total to allocate 420,000.00$ Grant Total Amount Proposed Average Per Grant # of Proposed Awards Number of 2026 Awards Boulder Vision for Organizations 180,000.00$ 12,000.00$ ~ 15 12 Boulder Vision for Individuals 90,000.00$ 6,000.00$ ~ 15 17 Lifelong Learning 10,000.00$ 5,000.00$ ~ 2 2 Arts Education 50,000.00$ 5,000.00$ ~ 10 14 Rental Assistance 12,000.00$ 1,200.00$ ~ 10 20 Artist Hirning (Pending August Discussion)35,000.00$ 3,500.00$ ~ 10 14 Professional Development 29,000.00$ 1,000.00$ ~ 29 23 Grant Writing Fund 13,000.00$ 1,000.00$ ~ 13 13 Capital Grant Writing 2,000.00$ 1,000.00$ ~ 2 0 Total 421,000.00$ ~ 106 115 Non-General Operating Support Funding Proposed 2027 Non-General Operating Support Funding 30 ID TASKS START END 0 Info Sessions and Training 11/18 01/12 0.1 Info Session - Online 11/18 11/18 0.2 Info Session - In Person, Venue tbd 12/08 12/08 0.3 Grant Panel Training 01/12 01/12 1 Grant Writing Fund (Staff Approval)01/13 01/13 1.2 Applications Open for those not previously awarded a competitive grant 01/13 01/13 2 Capital Grant Writing Fund (Staff Approval)01/13 01/13 2.1 Applications Open for those not previously awarded a competitive grant 01/13 01/13 3 Rental Assistance (Staff Approval)01/20 01/27 3.1 Applications Open for those not previously awarded 01/20 01/20 3.2 Applications Open for All 01/27 01/27 4 Professional Development (Staff Approval)02/10 02/17 4.1 Applications Open for those not previously awarded 02/10 02/10 4.2 Applications Open for All 02/17 02/17 5 Artist Hiring (Staff Approval)02/23 03/02 5.1 Applications Open for those not previously awarded 02/23 02/23 5.2 Applications Open for All 03/02 03/02 6 Arts Education 02/23 04/28 6.1 Pre-Application Opens 02/23 02/23 6.2 Rolling Pre-Application Eligibility Review 02/23 03/02 6.3 Deadline for Pre-Applications 03/02 03/02 6.4 Deadline for Full Applications 03/09 03/09 6.5 Staff Review of Full Applications 03/09 03/16 2027 Grant Schedule Attachment SixProposed 2027 Cultural Grant Program Schedule 31 6.6 Preliminary Review and Score by Panel 03/16 03/30 6.7 Panel Meets to discuss Applications 03/31 03/31 6.8 Applicants Respond to Questions - If Applicable 04/01 04/08 6.9 Final Review and Score by Panel 04/08 04/20 6.91 Processing of Final Scores 04/20 04/23 6.92 April Arts Commission Meeting - Discussion and Final Decisions 04/28 04/28 7 Lifelong Learning 02/23 04/28 7.1 Pre-Application Opens 02/23 02/23 7.2 Rolling Pre-Application Eligibility Review 02/23 03/02 7.3 Deadline for Pre-Applications 03/02 03/02 7.4 Deadline for Full Applications 03/09 03/09 7.5 Staff Review of Full Applications 03/09 03/16 7.6 Preliminary Review and Score by Panel 03/16 03/30 7.7 Panel Meets to discuss Applications 03/31 03/31 7.8 Applicants Respond to Questions - If Applicable 04/01 04/08 7.9 Final Review and Score by Panel 04/08 04/20 7.91 Processing of Final Scores 04/20 04/23 7.92 April Arts Commission Meeting - Discussion and Final Decisions 04/28 04/28 8 GOS 03/02 05/26 8.1 Pre-Application Opens 03/02 03/02 8.2 Rolling Pre-Application Eligibility Review 03/02 03/16 8.3 Deadline for Pre-Applications 03/16 03/16 8.4 Deadline for Full Applications 04/01 04/01 8.5 Staff Review of Full Applications 04/01 04/08 8.6 Preliminary Review and Score by Panel 04/08 04/27 8.7 Panel Meets to discuss Applications 04/28 04/28 8.8 Applicants Respond to Questions - If Applicable 04/29 05/06 8.9 Final Review and Score by Panel 05/07 05/18 8.91 Processing of Final Scores 05/18 05/21 8.92 May Arts Commission Meeting - Discussion and Final Decisions 05/26 05/26 32 9 Boulder Vision for Individuals 04/06 06/30 9.1 Pre-Application Opens 04/06 04/06 9.2 Rolling Pre-Application Eligibility Review 04/06 04/20 9.3 Deadline for Pre-Applications 04/20 04/20 9.4 Deadline for Full Applications 05/04 05/04 9.5 Staff Review of Full Applications 05/04 05/11 9.6 Preliminary Review and Score by Panel 05/11 05/25 9.7 Panel Meets to discuss Applications 05/26 05/26 9.8 Applicants Respond to Questions - If Applicable 05/27 06/08 9.9 Final Review and Score by Panel 06/09 06/22 9.91 Processing of Final Scores 06/22 06/25 9.92 June Arts Commission Meeting - Discussion and Final Decisions 06/30 06/30 10 Boulder Vision for Organizations 05/11 07/28 10.1 Pre-Application Opens 05/11 05/11 10.2 Rolling Pre-Application Eligibility Review 05/11 05/25 10.3 Deadline for Pre-Applications 05/25 05/25 10.4 Deadline for Full Applications 06/08 06/08 10.5 Staff Review of Full Applications 06/08 06/15 10.6 Preliminary Review and Score by Panel 06/15 06/29 10.7 Panel Meets to discuss Applications 06/30 06/30 10.8 Applicants Respond to Questions - If Applicable 07/01 07/08 10.9 Final Review and Score by Panel 07/08 07/19 10.91 Processing of Final Scores 07/20 07/23 10.92 July Arts Commission Meeting - Discussion and Final Decisions 07/28 07/28 33 Attachment Seven Context for Cultural Grant Program Topics and Administrative Changes 1.Detail for Grant Program Topics −Eligibility −How to honor the intent of allowing first time applicants to apply a week early −One-year blackout period for GOS awardees: Consider whether organizations receiving General Operating Support should be ineligible for project grants during their first year of GOS funding. This idea responds to panel feedback recommending that project grant opportunities prioritize new and emerging organizations rather than the same organizations receiving multiple grants year after year. Because GOS funding was increased for all recipients in this cycle, a blackout period could help direct project funds toward a broader range of applicants while saving established grantees the time of preparing additional applications. −Whether projects need to primarily involve arts and culture (versus tangentially) for example “the art of massage” −Definitions −Professional development opportunity −Contemplative arts −‘Project’ grant (as distinct from regular programming) −Bedrock Organization −Process Edits −Use of AI −Context: How would the Arts Commission like the AI Values Statement integrated into 2027 materials. Options include adding a checkbox for applicants using AI-generated art, or incorporating it into the rubric. −Scoring −Consider eliminating highest/lowest scores. Context: With a seven-person panel, removing the highest and lowest scores would base each result on five scores and may reduce the potential impact of outliers. −Mid-review feedback −Context: Two organizations who responded to the 2026 Applicant Feedback Questionnaire noted that they missed receiving preliminary comments and scores. This year, the panel could collectively ask an applicant up to two questions and scores were shared at the end of the process. −Word count limitations −Context: Anecdotally, applicant feedback is split. About half of the applicants staff speak to wish there was a higher word count limitation, and about half feel the current limit is too onerous and feel pressure to meet the limit. −Evaluation question for Boulder Vision: Individuals −Context: Currently, both organization and individual Boulder Vision applicants are asked to respond to the same scored question: “Describe your evaluation strategy for this project and how you will collect qualitative and quantitative data. Please also include your goals for this project and how the benefit to the community will be measured.” The panel observed 34 that individuals struggled with this question as written and suggested altering the question for individual applicants to a version such as: “What will success for this project look like to you?” − Financial health guidance − Consider a debt policy or guidance for panel on organizations’ financial health (potentially incorporating into the rubric). Context: Currently, panelists are asked to look at financial materials, but financial materials are not reflected in the scoring. If financial documents are part of an application (like GOS), the panel is requesting guidelines on how to incorporate them into their reviews, particularly if they have concerns. For example, one panelist suggest that long-term and substantial debt may be a risk in terms of the investment in public funds. − Grant Additions − Expanding the Bedrock category by one organization − Context: The Bedrock category was extremely competitive this year. Staff initially proposed nine Bedrock organizations, and would like to discuss adding one organization each year, with an eventual maximum in mind. − Bedrock is included in the above ‘definitions’ section as the intent of this grant was perhaps not communicated by the word ‘Bedrock’. − Reserving Grant Writing Fund awards for (external) capital grants − Context: While BAC does not offer capital grants, staff would like to discuss dedicating two Grant Writing Fund awards to external capital funding opportunities. Capital campaigns require a niche expertise, and several organizations have expressed a desire for more resources to help them secure funding of this nature. − Change to Artist Hiring Incentive Grant − Context: The current title is misleading as $3,500 is not enough money to substantively hire an artist. The value in this grant is it benefits individual artists, whereas much of the grant program is dedicated to funding organizations. In that spirit, staff would like to raise the possibility of changing the grant to an Artist Experimentation Grant. This is in line with the Boulder Arts Blueprint goals of supporting emerging artists and experimentation. The funding amount is perhaps a better fit for seed funding for artist innovation. − Whether this grant changes or not, the Commission may want to reconsider the requirement of being a Boulder resident to apply. 2. Staff is recommending the following changes and plan to incorporate them into draft materials for the 2027 program. Staff welcomes any questions, concerns, or additional suggestions to these changes. − Allow staff to decline incomplete applications (i.e. those that do not contain all required documents) − Comply with new City-wide grant guidelines, including removing public entities and special districts from eligibility (which discontinues the Cultural Field Trip Fund), requiring that awardees be in good standing with the City, and other requirements as needed. 35 −One round of first-come, first-served grants (as opposed to two) to help applicants with their yearly planning. −Grants close at 5pm instead of midnight to be respectful of staff time −Aligning reports more with what is stated in the applications −Add AI Values Statement compliance to grant panelist agreements −Change project starting dates to three weeks after award decisions −Work sample limitations/ expectation setting. (i.e. if you upload a video of a two-hour performance, the panel is only asked to watch 3 minutes of it). −Staff will change wording in the grant descriptions as well as communications about the grants to clear up some uncertainty that occurred in 2026. ο Example: putting deadlines on first-come, first serve grants is misleading as it doesn’t emphasize that the process is rolling and funding is exhausted quickly ο Example: changing the upload currently titled ‘collateral material’ to ‘proof of BAC logo use/ acknowledgement’ to make what we are asking for clearer. ο Example: Making it clear that if you do not receive questions from the panel, that doesn’t mean you have a weak application. It simply means they found the application clear and did not have additional questions. ο Additional examples From Commissioners: −Two Commissioners per meeting 36 Attachment Eight Feedback from the 2026 Applicant Questionnaire This questionnaire was sent on July 16 to anyone who applied for a 2026 Boulder Arts Commission Grant, regardless of type or outcome. There were 37 responses overall. The feedback was primarily positive, particularly regarding interactions with staff: − “The grant process was straightforward to navigate, and the application clearly communicated the goals and intentions of the program. I especially appreciated Sarah's guidance, patience, and responsiveness throughout the process. Her advice and encouragement made the experience feel supportive and approachable, and I was grateful for her willingness to answer questions and help applicants.” − “Honestly, I found the entire process incredibly straightforward and friendly to engage with. I do have to admit that speaking with Sarah Harrison was incredibly helpful as she helped us discern which grants were relevant and the best fit for our organization to partner with the city. Sarah was available, responsive and incredibly helpful in the whole process. Engaging with Sarah and Matthew during the process made the program very human and relatable - so I highly recommend making sure there remain staff hours dedicated to direct support to artists and organizations engaging with the city grant process.” − “I found the process to be easy and an appropriate amount of work. I appreciated the transparency and especially appreciated the timely communication from staff. That is not always the case in the granting process and it really makes a difference in feeling supported and connected. Thank you!” − “When I would reach out for assistance, everyone was super responsive and helpful.” − “The feedback I got from my unsuccessful grant last year and talking with Sarah Harrison were both really helpful.” − “We have consistently found the staff to be helpful and the grant process to be thoughtful and well managed.” − “Good communication and support from Arts Commission staff.” − “The staff were very helpful and quick to respond when I had questions, which was great.” − “Staff was quick to respond and was very helpful when I had questions.” − “All in all, I've found the staff lovely to work with, and each has been incredibly helpful and communicative.” − “Staff has been very helpful and the materials are clear with regard to the process, scoring and reporting.” − “This is my first time applying for any Grant I found the process slightly confusing because of that, but I do think it was very helpful to have people from city staff who I could reach out to to ask questions that help me get through the process. The clear communication with City staff was vital to me as a first-timer.” 37 − “Most of all, communication with staff has always been excellent. Your team is kind, supportive, and prompt.” There was constructive criticism as well: − Two organizations expressed frustration with the grant schedule in 2026. Organizations didn’t know if they were eligible for Boulder Vision Grants before the deadline to apply, so some organizations’ applications had to be thrown out. Staff is taking this into account for 2027 and will have Individuals’ applications go first. − One response that was frustrated about the definition of a Bedrock Organization. − Two responses from previous applicants that they were frustrated they didn’t receive a first- come, first-serve grant because they had to wait a week to apply after the first-time applicants were able to. One suggested we reserve a certain amount of first come, first serve awards for previous applicants. − Two responses mentioned the lack of mid-review feedback. One stated, “I think that if the scoring panel requests feedback or clarifying comments from any organization in an applicant pool, then all organizations in that applicant pool should be able to provide some sort of response. While I'm not aware of results changing significantly either way, the potential exists for an organization on the bubble to provide feedback that pushes them ahead of an organization that did not get an opportunity to provide feedback. The alternative would be to do away with the clarifying responses altogether.” − One applicant felt that the addition of LOI’s wasn’t properly communicated. While they “think requiring an LOI is a thoughtful way to streamline the review process and help applicants determine whether they are a good fit before completing a full application” they were frustrated they missed an LOI deadline. − “I'd like to note that it can be slightly confusing for young organizations to know exactly where our place is in the ongoing bounty of nonprofits in our city. It is also difficult to compete with long-standing organizations who already have impressive endowments, while we are just getting off the ground and need substantial support.” − An applicant requested more time between when annual GOS reports are due and when new applications are due. Staff has taken this into account for the 2027 schedule. − One of the responses requested more information on what is meant by each Community Goal category. − “It isn’t necessarily clear that one needs a pre-application before applying for a grant, in some cases. Maybe making this language a little more obvious would be helpful?” − “More feedback for those not selected would be helpful for applying in the future.” Some additional quotes about the grant process: − “Overall, we felt the implemented changes were a huge improvement.” 38 − “Honestly, I thought the process was incredibly easy and accessible.” − “I thought the process was simple and straightforward.” − “The grant process is great.” − “The process and reporting was easy, which I appreciated.” − “It was an easy process and the team has been wonderful to work with.” − “I thought that the process was very transparent and well communicated to grantees. The grant instructions were very clear, and communication with staff was easy, with staff responding quickly to questions.” − “One potential improvement would be to allow applicants to submit video testimonials as part of the feedback process. In some cases, speaking directly to the camera may provide deeper insight into the personal and holistic impact of the grant than a written response alone.” Finally, there were thematic responses: − “It may be beneficial to delineate culture-making vs. cultural artifact grants (cultural artifacts meaning products like poetry, performances, paintings, etc.). Having a separate grant round for culture-making grants (meaning those focused on generating the culture and resiliency of Boulder - for example neighborhood villaging or community dinners) can help to fund projects that are doing good work to make it possible for the ideas behind the art to surface.” − “A technology grant would be incredibly helpful. In addition to the current stipend for performing arts venues, a stipend for visual arts venues, where artists can rent out space for exhibitions, would also be very helpful.” − “I'm grateful that the Office of Arts + Culture and the Arts Commission are demonstrably committed to improvement and collaboration with the arts community. It's genuinely heartening.” 39 Attachment Nine Current Cultural Grants Program Budget as of July 20, 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 $99,215 $99,215 17 $0 Boulder Vision: Orgs. $120,000 $120,000 $120,000 12 $0 Arts Education $50,000 $69,485 $69,485 Lifelong Learning $10,000 $10,000 $10,000 Rental Assistance Fund $24,000 $24,000 $12,000 11 $12,000 Artist Hiring Incentive Grant $49,000 $49,000 $45,500 13 $3,500 Prof. Dev. Scholarships $29,000 $29,000 $28,475 23 $525 Cultural Field Trips $6,000 $6,000 $4,000 2 $2,000 Assistance for Grant Writing $12,000 $13,000 $13,000 13 $0 TOTAL $2,000,000 $1,999,700 $1,902,190 141 $97,510 There are 8 free rentals still available for the Macky Auditorium. There are 7 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. 40 Attachment Ten Current Public Art Program 5 Year Budget as of July 20, 2026 FUNDING SOURCE PROJECT/ARTIST TOTAL APPROPRIATED AMOUNT PAID TO DATE BALANCE REMAINING 2026 TOTAL 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 $32,000 $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 $587,875 CCS: Community Culture and Safety Tax CCRS: Community, Culture, Resilience and Safety Tax Additional maintenance projects are not represented. 41