Colorado art programs receive $1.8 million funding boost
Colorado ranks No. 1 in the nation for visits to visual and performing arts events. Arts is part of our culture and Bonfils-Stanton Foundation is helping it remain that way.
Bonfils-Stanton Foundation announced it will provide $1.8 million in funding to 34 arts and culture organizations.
They believe they're critical to building and sustaining a vibrant community.
"Denver has an extraordinary community of arts organizations and artists and especially in these times when they continue to recover from the impact of the pandemic and historic funding inequities, we are especially proud to be a source of consistent support to help sustain our creative vitality," said Gary Steuer, Bonfils-Stanton Foundation's president & CEO.
No Credits Productions in Aurora was awarded $12,000 to support Destination Freedom Black Radio Days.
"No Credits Productions is a film production company that creates stories that hopefully inspire. We like to cover stories that deal with people of color. I do documentaries. I do podcasts. I do storytelling," said donnie l. betts, founder of No Credits Productions. "I try to give a voice to people who have not been heard before."
betts says he uses his platform to educate and empower a community. In addition to creating entertainment, he uses his voice to teach listeners how to use their own.
"Sometimes people need to know where to go, or who to talk to. Sometimes they are afraid to speak up," betts said. "People get information from everywhere now, not just the mainstream media, but also Facebook and Twitter and Instagram, for better or worse. I want to be one of those outlets."
Now he has more resources to do it with the funding he received from Bonfils-Stanton Foundation.
"It'll help me hire more script writers, hire engineers. Hopefully, we'll get a venue that we can use now that people are starting to come back to venues," betts said.
The problem is – a lot of seats are still empty as the effects of COVID still linger in the art world.
"I think one of the challenges with audience members not coming back, I think is particularly acute, with some of the bigger institutions that have older audiences that are still a little more cautious about their health," Steuer said.
Bonfils-Stanton has been stepping up to help creators fill the gaps. Each year, the Foundation gives more than $3.5 million to arts organizations and nonprofits.
"It's really rewarding to help artists like donnie be able to make his work but also be able to make a living," Steuer said.
Below is a look at the most recent grants awarded by the Bonfils-Stanton Foundation Board of Trustees:
Access Gallery
$20,000 for general operating support to create economic opportunity for people with disabilities through the arts
The Alliance for Music Education Equity
$20,000 for general operating support
American Association of Museums
$20,000 to commission and highlight a diversity of artists to feature their work throughout the 2023 American Alliance of Museums Annual Meeting & Museum Expo
Athena Project
$15,000 for general operating support
Augustana Arts Inc
$15,000 for general operating support
Baroque Chamber Orchestra of Colorado
$15,000 for general operating support
Cleo Parker Robinson Dance
$60,000 three-year general operating support grant (payment 2 of 3)
Cleo Parker Robinson Dance
$500,000 multi-year capital grant to support the new of wing of the CPRD campus (payable over three years)
Colorado Business Committee for the Arts
$15,000 for general operating support
Colorado Children's Chorale
$40,000 for general operating support
Colorado Symphony Association
$180,000 three-year general operating support grant (payable at $60,000/year)
Curious Theatre Company
$48,000 for general operating support
D3 Arts
$22,000 for general operating support
The Denver Architectural Foundation, Inc.
$20,000 three-year general operating support grant (payment 3 of 3)
Denver Digerati
$20,000 for general operating support
Denver Film Society
$30,000 three-year general operating support grant (payment 2 of 3)
Denver's Art District on Santa Fe
$20,000 for general operating support
History Colorado
$22,400 to support the Sand Creek Massacre Knowledge-Building Seminars
Inside the Orchestra Inc
$15,000 to support in-school and community programs, and the virtual resource hub
Mizel Center For Arts And Culture
$20,000 for general operating support
Newman Center for Performing Arts at University of Denver
$105,000 three-year award to support a series of extended international artist residencies that include public performances and community engagement programs (payable at $35,000/year)
No Credits Productions
$12,000 to support Destination Freedom Black
Radio Days
Opera Colorado
$60,000 three-year general operating support grant (payment 3 of 3)
Philanthropy Colorado
$7,000 for general operating support
PlatteForum
$81,000 three-year general operating support grant (payable at $27,000/year)
Radical Arts Academy Denver
$20,000 to support the planning and implementation of arts partnerships and programming in far Northeast (FNE) Denver and other locations around the city
RedLine Contemporary Art Center
$120,000 three-year general operating support grant (payable at $40,000/year)
Rino Gives Back
$20,000 to support RiNo ArtPark's Phase 2 construction
Rocky Mountain Public Media Inc
$30,000 to support the KUVO JAZZ musician and events fund to be named in honor of Carlos Lando
St Martin's Chamber Choir
$10,000 for general operating support
Stories on Stage
$10,000 three-year general operating support grant (payment 2 of 3)
Su Teatro
$50,000 three-year general operating support grant (payment 2 of 3)
Swallow Hill Music Association
$30,000 three-year general operating support grant (payment 3 of 3)
Union Hall
$15,000 to support the Rough Gems Curatorial Program
Wonderbound
$156,000 three-year general operating support grant (payable at $52,000/year)
