Widely used for historic preservation and film, state tax credits offer a unique policy mechanism for advancing the creative economy and incentivizing industry investments. Colorado offers a recent example for the arts sector. In June 2025, Colorado Creative Industries (CCI) announced $10 million in Community Revitalization Tax Credits for 10 projects across the state. Each…
The COVID-19 pandemic caused significant income losses for independent artists and creative workers, especially those reliant on gigs and contractual jobs. This trend is concerning not only because of the hardship it caused for these workers and their families, but also because the creative economy relies on the robust production and engagement of artists across…
State arts agencies (SAAs) are continuing to respond to the changing dynamics of the pandemic, which severely disrupted audience attendance patterns for live and in-person arts events. To address this issue, some SAAs are undertaking promotional campaigns to encourage the public to visit cultural venues and participate in the arts. Iowa, North Carolina and New…
In June 2021, the state of Colorado enacted S.B. 21-252, creating the Colorado Community Revitalization program to fund creative projects that would spur economic development in mixed-use commercial centers. Colorado Creative Industries (CCI), in collaboration with the Colorado Department of Local Affairs Division of Local Government, is in charge of administering the grant program and…
In addition to supporting general public participation in the arts during COVID-19 shutdowns, state arts agencies are finding creative ways to address the specific needs of students and children. Colorado and Iowa offer two examples. Colorado Face Mask Design Challenge Face masks, while useful in helping to limit the spread of COVID-19, may be unsettling…
State arts agencies are making rapid changes to their grant programs to help the arts field adjust to unforeseen circumstances stemming from COVID-19. These tactics include accelerating grant payments, extending deadlines, waiving matching requirements, converting project awards to operating support, and revising budget parameters to allow more flexibility in how award dollars are used. Some…
Arts in Society is a two-year pilot program of Colorado Creative Industries (CCI) that supports “social practice” art projects, which work with the medium of interpersonal interaction to strengthen community relationships through dialogue, inclusive action and other forms of social engagement. Each year, CCI and the program’s two funding partners—the Hemera Foundation and Bonfils-Stanton Foundation—are…
The Colorado Music Strategy is a new $200,000 public-private partnership between Colorado Creative Industries (CCI) and the Bohemian Foundation that aims to generate opportunities for live music, thereby increasing revenue for musicians and presenting organizations, enriching the state’s culture, and raising its profile as a destination for the arts. The new program includes an annual music…
This August, Colorado Creative Industries (CCI), in partnership with the Bonfils-Stanton Foundation, the Hemera Foundation and Denver’s RedLine Contemporary Art Center, launched a funding initiative that aims to support social practice projects and to build the capacity of the artists and arts organizations behind these projects. The goals of the two-year Arts in Society pilot…
Space to Create, Colorado is a state-driven effort to develop affordable housing and work space for artists and arts organizations. The brand new initiative—led by Colorado Creative Industries (CCI) in partnership with the Colorado Department of Local Affairs, History Colorado, the Boettcher Foundation and the consulting firm Artspace—will develop mixed-use buildings that merge affordable live/work…
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