26 Feb

Meet Amir Jackson – Keynote Speaker for Arts Advocacy Day 2016

Arts Advocacy Day 2016 is only a few days away! We had the opportunity to interview our keynote speaker, Amir Jackson, of Nurture the Creative Mind. Read ahead to get a sneak peak of what he’ll be talking about at Arts for Colorado’s Arts Advocacy Day 2016!

 

Registration for Arts Advocacy Day 2016 closes February 28th! Click here to register!

 

Can you please give me a brief overview of your work in the arts?

In 2007 I founded the nonprofit organization ‘Nurture the Creative Mind.’ The organization empowers young people and helps them establish self-value, while developing marketable skills. Since our conception we have positively impacted more than 10,000 youth within and outside of the state of Utah. I was also selected as a Change Leader in the Arts by the Utah Department of Arts and Museums and participated WESTAF’s Emerging Leaders of Color program in 2015. Art is wrapped up in my life’s purpose and plays a role in my everyday life by molding how I view and navigate the world around me.

Please share some accomplishments of your more »

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05 Feb

Arts Advocacy Day 2016 – Registration is now open!

Arts Advocacy Day Agenda 2016

Date:

Wednesday, March 2nd, 2016

Time:

7:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.

Location:

First Baptist Church

1373 Grant Street

Denver, CO 80203

(14th Avenue and Grant Street)

Parking:

Parking for a fee is located at:

1277 Logan Street

Denver, CO 80203

or

1416 Grant Street

Denver, CO 80203

Schedule of Activities:

Check-in

7:30 a.m. to 8:00 a.m.

Miller Hall, First Baptist Church

Breakfast and introductions with Majority Leader Crisanta Duran

8:00 a.m. – 8:15 a.m.

The day will kick off with a continental breakfast and introductions from Majority Leader Crisanta Duran. She will talk about her focus on personal connections to the arts and why it is important for arts advocates to build relationships with their elected officials.

Advocacy Training

Jennifer Mello, Brandeberry-McKenna Public Affairs

8:15 a.m. – 8:30 a.m.

The session will be conducted by AFC lobbyist Jennifer Mello of Brandeberry-McKenna Public Affairs. Mello has played a leading role in securing public funding for the arts in Colorado. She has also worked on numerous bills designed to create more »

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14 Dec

Craig Watson of California Arts Council

On Tuesday, December 8th, 2015, Arts for Colorado invited art advocates to attend a cocktail hour at Los Chingones to hear Craig Watson of California Arts Council to speak about the mission, vision and values of the California Arts Council and the arts advocacy success in the state of California.

Craig Watson led the effort to revitalize the relationship of the California Arts Council with the state legislature and California Governor Jerry Brown. Through his efforts and his effective collaborations with others, Watson has rebuilt the agency budget and cultivated an expanded group of dedicated legislative arts advocates.

If you weren’t able to make it, please visit these links to learn more about what Craig shared with the group. Be on the lookout for more events from Arts for Colorado with other industry professionals!

California Arts Council:

Official website for the California Arts Council

Arts-in-Corrections:

The state’s Arts-in-Corrections two-year pilot program is made possible by CDCR, which committed $2.5 million to add structured, contracted Arts-in-Corrections programs in selected state prisons. The program is administered by the California Arts Council. more »

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20 Nov

Arts for Colorado & Craig Watson of California Arts Council at Los Chingones

Join Arts for Colorado and Craig Watson of California Arts Council for a cocktail hour at Los Chingones. Craig Watson led the effort to revitalize the relationship of the California Arts Council with the state legislature and California Governor Jerry Brown. Through his efforts and his effective collaborations with others, Watson has rebuilt the agency budget and cultivated an expanded group of dedicated legislative arts advocates. In his presentation, Watson will detail how he planned and executed the strategy that resulted in this significant success.

Craig Watson will be speaking about the mission, vision and values of the California Arts Council and the arts advocacy success in the state of California.

Attendees will receive two free drink tickets for beer or wine. This event is free, but please RSVP as space is limited!

RSVP HERE!

For more information on the California Arts Council, visit here.

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29 Sep

Matt Wilson of MASSCreative at The District

On Monday September 21st, 2015, Arts for Colorado invited art advocates to attend a cocktail hour at The District to hear Matt Wilson of MASSCreative speak on the arts and creative economy in Massachusetts.

Founded in 2012, MASSCreative works with creative leaders and entrepreneurs, working artists, arts educators, and arts and cultural supporters to empower creative organizations and the public with a powerful voice to advocate for the resources and support necessary to build vibrant and connected communities.

Arts, culture and creativity can build vibrant communities through their powerful impact. Through their many achievements since 2012, MASSCreative has three signature accomplishments that have allowed their surrounding arts communities to flourish in new and powerful ways:

Successful advocacy campaigns that have increased the Commonwealth’s investment in the creative community by more than $33 million, which is a 67 percent increase in funding since 2012. Broadened active support for the arts community by recruiting 350 MASSCreative organizational members and engaging 20,000+ artists, arts and cultural leaders and supporters in political action. Raised public awareness of the arts and cultural sector more »

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16 Sep

AFC & Matt Wilson of MASSCreative at The District

Join Arts for Colorado and Matt Wilson of MASSCreative for a cocktail hour at The District.

Date:

Monday, September 21st, 2015

Time: 

5:00 p.m. – 6:30 p.m.

Location:

The District

1320 E 17th Ave

Denver, CO 80218

RSVP HERE

MASSCreative works with creative leaders, working artists, arts educators and arts and cultural supporters to empower creative organization and the public with a powerful voice to advocate for the resources and attention necessary to build vibrant, connected, and creative communities.

Matt Wilson will speak on how arts and creative economy advocates organized and succeeded in securing new resources for the arts and creative economy in Massachusetts. A short Q&A will follow.

Attendees will receive two free drink tickets for beer or wine. This event is free, but please RSVP as space is limited!

About Matt Wilson:

Hired as MASSCreative’s first Executive Director in March of 2012, Wilson directs the advocacy campaigns and organizational development more »

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23 Jul

Arts for Colorado attends The Deeply Co

The Deeply Co is a traveling music and art show featuring local artists in every city the event comes to and is hosted by singer-songwriter Jillian Edwards. On July 22nd, the show settled on a private rooftop and penthouse in the Capitol Hill area of Denver, CO. Janae, the WESTAF/AFC representative, was offered the opportunity to attend the night and observe one of the many creative events passing through the city. The intimate evening had food and drinks, laughter and chatter, music and art, and two dogs who made many new friends from the audience. One could look around and see the crowd was mixed with friends of the host, fans of Jillian and strangers who just wanted to be a part of the night. It was the perfect example of how art can bring a community together.

While folks waited for the show to start, they had the opportunity to browse the work of Leah McEachern of Surely Prints. Her work captured bold florals in reds, pinks and oranges. Once the crowd had more »

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02 Jul

Meet the AFC Board Members: John Epps

John Epps is an Arts for Colorado member residing in Denver, CO.

Can you please give me a brief overview of your work in the arts?

I just completed my 30th year in arts education in Colorado. I began as a K-12 music teacher in Calhan, then for 18 years in the Falcon School District teaching different combinations of middle school and high school choir, band and drama. The last 10 years I have done district arts coordination for Douglas County Schools and Denver Public Schools. I will be teaching vocal music at Hamilton Middle School in Denver this upcoming school year.

 

How did you find yourself in the arts?

I started band in 5th grade, and later took piano lessons, sang with the choir and performed in musicals. I have been blessed with supportive parents who encouraged my varied musical interests. I knew as a high school music student that I wanted to make music my life’s work. I worked with my peers and younger students discovering that I could share my passion for music.

more »

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