Category Archives: Newsletter

AFC’s Advocacy Day: Mark Your Calendar for April 3, 2013

AFC makes it easy for you to tell your legislators why the arts deserve to be funded. Please join us on Wednesday, April 3 at the Colorado State Capitol to connect with policymakers and other arts advocates. The day will kick off with breakfast and advocacy training session, followed by a rally. Meet with your legislators, then enjoy lunch and entertainment. Additional details about the event and information regarding how to register will be announced shortly. Please contact Aleah Menefee at info@artsforcolorado.org for more information. Space is limited for this event.

Legislative Victory for the Arts in Colorado

The Colorado legislative session began on January 9, 2013, and there have already been some exciting funding developments. The Joint Budget Committee announced that an additional  $101,791 would be allocated for Colorado Creative Industries (CCI) this current fiscal year due to higher than projected revenues. Once approved by the full legislature, these funds will be made available to the CCI. If approved, the new funds will bring the total available state …

Get Ready to Vote SmART: Are You Ready?

The general election is quickly approaching, and time is running out to register to vote.  The last day to register or update your voter registration information is Tuesday, October 9th. If you have recently moved, it is critical that your personal information is up-to-date. Believe it or not, registering is quick and easy, and can be done online through the following site.

Once your voter registration information is current take the next step and  conduct research about the candidates that could potentially represent you before heading to the polls. Votesmart.org is an excellent resource that provides objective research about candidates and elected officials. On the Project Vote Smart site, you can access voting records, candidates’ contact and biographical information, issue petitions, interest group ratings, public statements, and public finance campaign records. To find information about a candidate or elected official, enter his or her name into the search bar on the site. The information provided will help voters gain an understanding of the specific issues, including the arts, that candidates …

When it comes to the subject of arts advocacy and democracy in general, Steven J. Tepper believes in posing provocative and challenging questions. Tepper is the Associate Director of the Curb Center for Art, Enterprise, and Public Policy and professor in the Department of Sociology at Vanderbilt University. In his recent book Not Here, Not Now, Not That: Protesting Art and Media in America, Tepper challenges his readers to analyze their opinions on censorship, the First Amendment, the culture wars, and arts policy.

Arts for Colorado recently caught up with Tepper and asked him about The Curb Center, the importance of creativity in the workplace, and the impact he hopes to achieve with his work.

AFC is proud to present a talk by Steven J. Tepper on Thursday, August 16th entitled Creative Work and the Work of Creativity at the Dikeou Collection, located in Downtown Denver.

In his presentation, Tepper will examine the role of creativity in the new economy as well as the challenges faced by universities in the preparation of graduates to be flexible, imaginative, empathetic, and entrepreneurial. …

Legislative Session Update

On May 10th, 2012, the Colorado General Assembly completed the 2012 session. The session proved to be successful for the Creative Industries Division (CID), as a budget of almost $1.1 million was approved, including $770,000 from the Limited Gaming Funds and an additional $300,000 from the General Fund.

A further piece of legislation, HB-1132, which would have allowed sales tax credits for businesses located in Creative Districts, died on a bipartisan vote in its first committee. Legislators assured arts advocates that their “no” votes did not indicate a lack of support for the arts, but, rather, were a product of a concern that diverting state revenues toward creative businesses would draw resources away from other state priorities, such as K-12 and higher education.

Arts for Colorado lobbyist Jennifer Mello, who presented the proposal to the assembly, will continue to work with the CID and Arts for Colorado to improve funding for the arts, creating more and better opportunities for the development of the arts in Colorado.

Please check the Arts for Colorado website next week …

While the state’s economy continues to dig its way out of the worst recession since the Great Depression, state revenues are not growing fast enough to keep up with increasing demands for state services caused, in part, by the severe recession.

That was made clear Monday when state economists presented their quarterly revenue and economic forecasts to the legislature’s Joint Budget Committee. While they projected shortfalls for this fiscal year and next, they also indicated that Colorado’s economy is showing signs of a slow but steady recovery.

Legislative Council Staff economists estimate the state will have sufficient revenue to cover the current General Fund appropriations but will need $181.5 million more to fully fund the 4 percent reserve required by state law. Another $67.2 million is needed to make up for federal Medicaid funds that are projected to come in lower than was estimated last session. This means the legislature and governor will have to cover a projected $248.7 million shortfall in the current fiscal year (through June 30, 2011).

Gov. Bill Ritter submitted a proposal in August that addresses …

Formerly known as Arts Advocacy Day, Creative Industries Day embraces all areas of the arts and creative industries. Join us for a morning of advocacy at the state capitol building followed by a celebration of the 2011 Governor’s Arts Award at the Denver Art Museum on Tuesday, March 1, in Denver. Click here to RSVP now. Agenda for Creative Industries Day: 8.00 a.m. – 8.30 a.m. REGISTRATION State Capitol, Old Supreme Court Chambers (enter at the southwest side & then to the 2nd floor). Network with fellow advocates from across the state over continental breakfast provided by Atlanta Bread Company.

8.30 a.m. – 10.30 a.m. PREPARE TO ADVOCATE Cultural leaders will talk about this year’s most important issues in the arts, arts education, creative enterprise and tourism.

10.30 a.m. – 12 p.m. MEET YOUR LEGISLATORS Let your legislators know you support creative industries in Colorado. Call them today to invite them to join us for breakfast, lunch or both. Find your legislators at bit.ly/artsforcolo.

12.00 p.m. – 12.30 p.m. PERFORMANCE IN THE ROTUNDA Enjoy performances by Fox Hollow Elementary Fifth …