Colorado Creative Industries

Are you a local changemaker collaboratively working to build a better Colorado through arts and culture? CCI is now accepting applications for CO Change Leaders, a leadership program designed to build effective, ethical leaders and leadership pipelines for stronger communities working together across the state. Applications are open through July 05, 2026. Apply or send to leader in your community! Learn more about program commitments, timeline, and structure by tapping the link in our bio.

Happy New Year, Colorado! We're excited to kick-off 2026 by sharing the Colorado Creative Industries Program Calendar packed with funding, leadership and creative opportunities across the state. Looking forward to another year supporting the creative work happening in every corner of Colorado! Key Dates to Know: - Jan. 10: Poetry Out Loud registration closes. - Jan. 12: Community Revitalization Tax Credit preliminary application opens and closes on Feb. 17, 2026. - Jan. 27: Folk and Traditional Arts Project Grant application opens and closes April 14, 2026. - Feb. 3: Co Creates Grant application opens and closes May 5, 2026. - May 5: Colorado Change Leader application opens and closes July 5, 2026. - June 4-5: The 2026 CCI Summit will be in Trinidad and registration opens early 2026. Tap the link in our bio to explore program guidelines, timelines, and apply through the OEDIT Portal at ColoradoCreativeIndustries.org

The OEDIT Portal Applicant Guide for Colorado Creative Industries provides step-by-step instruction for setting up an account, managing existing accounts, submitting reports and viewing submitted materials. We strongly recommend setting up your account early, confirming access ahead of application deadlines, and drafting your application responses in a separate document. After reviewing the guide, if you are still encountering any technical issues or need additional support, please contact CCI Grants and Accessibility Manager Katy Zeigler, at [email protected].

Announcing the 2026–27 Equity in Arts Learning for Colorado Youth Grantees!⁠ ⁠ Now in its third year, this statewide initiative represents a growing commitment to arts education, with a cumulative investment exceeding $1.3 million in support of Colorado youth. This grant program is made possible through the groundbreaking collaboration —led by the Bonfils-Stanton Foundation (@bonfils_stanton ), Colorado Creative Industries (@CO_Creatives ) and Denver Arts & Venues (@denverarts ), in collaboration with grant administrator Think 360 Arts for Learning. This work is grounded in the belief that access to the arts is fundamental to a vibrant, inclusive and thriving Colorado. ⁠ ⁠ This year, 24 organizations across 11 counties were selected for the 2026–27 funding cycle. These grantees represent a diverse range of programs designed to engage youth through meaningful arts experiences, particularly those who have been historically underserved.⁠ ⁠ Funded initiatives include paid arts internships for youth with disabilities, culturally rooted programs supporting Indigenous communities, and restorative theatre projects for justice-involved youth. Together, these projects aim to dismantle systemic barriers, support youth identity, mental health, academic success, and workforce readiness, and amplify the essential role of the arts in education across Colorado. ⁠ ⁠ 💬 Governor Polis emphasized the importance of this work, stating: “Colorado is a state for inspiring art. Talented poets and artists call Colorado home, and our strong arts and culture scene brings people from all over the world to our wonderful state to collaborate, share, and be inspired. Assisting young artists helps the next generation of creators to capture the beauty in Colorado.”⁠ ⁠ 🔗 Read the full press release and learn more about the 2026-27 grantee cohort at: /equity-in-arts-learning-2026-announcement/⁠ ⁠ #equityinartslearning #EALgrant⁠

Celebrating community and creativity at @cleodance ! In honor of Economic Development Week, we’re highlighting how strategic partnerships and investments drive growth and opportunity across Colorado. A perfect example is our support forCleo Parker Robinson Dance, where economic development meets cultural preservation to create a thriving community hub. The new Center for the Healing Arts expansion was supported by OEDIT's Community Revitalization Grant, administered by OEDIT's @co_creatives (CCI) division, demonstrating how investing in the creative economy builds a stronger, more resilient state. The impact of this work is felt through vital workforce development and community support: •Workforce Development: Through the STREAM program, Cleo Parker Robinson Dance provides technical theater internships to over 100 students annually, teaching essential skills in lighting design, sound engineering, and stagecraft. •Career Pipelines: By offering apprenticeships approved by the Department of Labor, they are training a pipeline of technicians who go on to work at major venues like Ball Arena and the DCPA. •Organizational Support: CPRD acts as an incubator for smaller organizations, providing necessary front-of-house and back-of-house support to help them grow. Economic development is about more than buildings; it's about job creation, inspiration, and creating a sense of place. Thank you, Cleo Parker Robinson Dance, for your incredible contributions to Colorado! Link in bio to learn more about how our Colorado Creative Industries’ resources are strengthening the vitality of visual, performing, and literary arts through promotion, resources, and funding opportunities.👆 #COEconDevWeek26

Announcing the 2026 @artsinsociety Grantees! Administered by RedLine and funded through a cohort of Colorado foundations and government agencies, Arts in Society is a grant program supporting art projects that create meaningful impact across sectors including health, environment, and human services throughout Colorado. Since its founding in 2017, this collaborative initiative has grown to meet more than $10 million in annual grant requests from across the state. 22 projects were funded within the 2026 grant cycle, for amounts ranging between $13,000-$35,000. Grantees include @museodenver , @radio4justice , @su_teatro , @afaphoenix , @warmcookiesrevolution , @shutter_and_strum , and many more! Learn more about the 2026 grantees through the link in our bio! ➡️ Artist Grants ➡️ Arts in Society - Thank you to all the funding partners: @bonfils_stanton @co_creatives @cohealthfdn @denverarts Bee Vradenburg Foundation Bloom Foundation El Pomar Foundation Joseph Henry Edmondson Foundation TDB Family Foundation Tiemens Foundation

@motustheater 's 2025 Arts in Society project "TRANSformative Stories" was created in response to the escalating threats of anti-transgender rhetoric and legislation facing transgender Coloradans. By bringing these autobiographical monologues to conservative-leaning and politically polarized communities and legislators, the tour invites audiences to engage deeply with the lived experiences of their transgender neighbors, and consider what it means to protect their safety and rights. Learn more about this impactful project through the link in our bio! ➡️ Along the Line Blog - Administered by RedLine and funded through a cohort of Colorado foundations and government agencies, @artsinsociety is a collaborative program that provides grants to both individuals and organizations that use art as a vehicle to promote social justice and community welfare.

As we continue to commemorate how far we’ve come as a state during our 150th year, we’re shining a spotlight on OEDIT’s @co_creatives division and its work to create a Colorado For All. The Community Revitalization Grants supported 59 projects across the state in creative districts, historic districts, main streets and neighborhood commercial centers. These projects combine creative industry workforce housing, commercial spaces, performance space, community gathering spaces, child care centers, and retail partnerships to diversify local economies and strengthen communities. Link in bio to learn more about Colorado Creative Industries 👆

The 2026 CCI Summit is officially Sold Out! We're incredibly excited to welcome a full house to the CREATE Trinidad Creative District! Didn't get a ticket? Stay connected with us by signing-up for the CCI Newsletter for the latest updates on grants, opportunities, and regional arts news. Upcoming Announcements - The release of the full CCI Summit schedule and program - The Governor's Creative Leadership Award Honorees - Plans for the 2027 & 2028 statewide convenings! Stay tuned!

🤠🚀 We are so honored to be part of the 2026 CCI Summit in Trinidad! Colorado Creative Industries has been a foundational partner in everything we do, and getting to launch Space Cowboy at the Summit — in the community that started it all for us — means everything. We are beyond excited to be collaborating with the incredible Kim Kennedy-White from History Colorado on oral history collection, the one and only Warm Cookies of the Revolution, the bARTer collective, Crisosto Apache, the Ignacio Creative District, and a whole constellation of Change Leaders from the 2025 cohort. This is just the beginning of a four-year statewide journey through all 37 Colorado Creative Districts. The frontier isn’t gone. It’s just higher now. See you on June 3! ~ Ken, Emilie, and Eva.

When poetry moves you!�Meet Selma Abdalla, Colorado’s 2026 Poetry Ourselves State Winner with @poetryoutloud.co . A student at DSST Green Valley Ranch High School, Selma’s original poem “To Her Immigrant Parents” is a lyrical exploration of borders, belonging, and the questions we inherit. Filmed at the @auroraculturalartsdistrict at @peoplesbuilding , this performance brings her words to life in a space dedicated to community and creativity. Submissions came from young writers across the state, and Selma’s voice rose to the top—honest, lyrical and deeply human. On the final day of National Poetry Month, we’re taking a moment to reflect on the power of young voices, the stories that shape us, and the questions that still ask something of us.

DB Henderson gave a passionate performance of his poems at the National Poetry Out Loud Competition, where he made it to the top 8 in the semi-regionals. Through he didn’t advance to the Finals, he proudly represented Colorado and Coronado High School - Colorado Springs District 11 this year's competition! Thanks DB!!