Colorado Business Committee For The Arts

Programs: Community developmentcolorado attorneys for the arts (cafta) is a legal referral service that connects limited income artists, cultural nonprofits and creative businesses statewide with pro bono legal assistance. Cafta celebrated its second year in 2017, witnessing tremendous growth and success. In 2017, cafta received a total of 45 initial applications for referral, which is a 20% increase over 2016. Cafta facilitated 29 referrals in 2017, which is a 45% increase in matches over 2016. The most common legal matters through cafta are related to intellectual property, contract drafting and new entity formation. In 2017, one quarter of caftas applications came from outside the denver metro area, such as colorado springs, georgetown, fort collins and durango. In addition to the referral service, cafta held nine educational presentations in 2017, reaching more than 170 people. Cafta offered its first continuing legal education (cle) credits in 2017, which was held in buena vista. Night at distributes free tickets to cultural events through cbca member companies and their employees. Night at events offer access to unique cultural opportunities, while helping to build new audiences for local arts organizations. Cbca saw the largest participation in night at events in 2017. In 2017, members enjoyed free tickets to the following events: dress rehearsal of colorado ballet, tours at denver art museum, dress rehearsal at cleo parker robinson dance, concert at lone tree arts center, musical theater dress rehearsal at pace center, performance of up with people, concert at levitt pavilion denver, concert with inside the orchestra, and admission to denver botanic gardens blossoms of light. There was an additional event for cbca patron members, which was a performance of central city operas carmen. Combined, cbca provided over 2,100 free tickets to our members, their employees and guests in 2017. On my own time (omot) are facilitated employee art exhibitions. Cbca assists companies in mounting their own employee art show. Cbca also provides professional judges, top prizes and technical support throughout the whole program. In 2017, three companies participated in omot employee art shows: kaiser permanente colorado, pinnacol assurance and prologis. Combined, there were 140 participants (employees and family members) who displayed 215 unique artworks. Kaiser also included a poetry competition with 10 entries.

community awarenessbusiness for the arts awards salute exemplary partnerships between businesses and the arts. In 2017, cbca celebrated nine different businesses for their engagement with the arts: odell brewing company, songbird cellars, trg arts, denver metro chamber of commerce, new belgium brewing, sage hospitality, denver toyota dealers association, elevations credit union and noble energy. Cbca also honored five individuals for their dedication to the arts: merry logan, tim schultz, doug tueller, kayvan s. T. Khalatbari and jackson stevens. Over 700 arts, civic, and business leaders attended the sold-out business for the arts awards luncheon in 2017. Guests were greeted with welcome entertainment: vikings from denver museum of nature & sciences (dmns) exhibit, vikings: beyond the legend; polar bears from the scientific & cultural facilities district (scfd); and student musicians from el mariachi juvenil de bryant webster. Live performances from denver center for the performing arts and the broadway touring production of an american in paris, buntport theater company, denver young artists orchestra and mudra dance studio provided lively and unique entertainment during the event. Economic activity study of metro denver culture is a biennial study that demonstrates the financial and social impact of the arts on our region. Cbca published the latest study in october 2016 using data collected in 2015 from nearly 300 arts, cultural and scientific organizations funded by the scientific and cultural facilities district (scfd) in the seven counties of the metro area: adams, arapahoe, boulder, broomfield, denver, douglas and jefferson. This economic activity study examines key metrics such as audience spending, operating expenditures, cultural tourism, jobs, philanthropy, attendance and volunteerism. The 2016 economic activity study was a vital advocacy tool in support of reauthorization of the scfd. The denver metro citizens voted to approve the reauthorization of scfd in november, 2016. In 2017, cbca continued to make public presentations to various organizations to share the 2016 economic activity study, such as: denver metro chamber of commerce, asian chamber of commerce, art students league of denver, central city opera, golden cultural alliance, and leadership jefferson county. Furthermore, applying what cbca has learned over the years with our economic activity study, cbca supported the denver theater district with data compilation and analysis regarding their financial and social impact. Leadership arts is a unique nine month training program that prepares people to serve on nonprofit boards and increase their civic engagement in the arts. Leadership arts educates, inspires and equips professionals from all sectors to be effective community leaders. The program meets monthly from september through may for half a day. Sessions are hosted at various cultural venues, including cleo parker robinson dance, su teatro, swallow hill music and museum of outdoor art. Expert speakers present on topics such as strategic planning, advocacy, governance, fundraising, legal issues and current issues in the arts. The annual board fair was hosted at the mcnichols civic center building and attended by 50 cultural nonprofits from across the metro area. Leadership arts 2016-2017 was our largest cohort ever with 57 participants, representing a variety of business sectors and career levels. This cohort graduated in may 2017 and were celebrated as our 20th anniversary class, joining 750 total leadership arts alumni who have gone on to serve in hundreds of volunteer leadership positions along the front range. In september 2017, cbca welcomed another sizable class, starting with 56 participants. Cbca partnered with jackson, a national life insurance company, to facilitate their internal board corps program at their denver office. This program was based on leadership arts curriculum and format, and facilitated by cbca staff. Leadership arts alumni network (laan) connects graduates of cbcas leadership arts program to each other and various aspects of the arts community. In 2017, laan continued to offer a subscription series with four quarterly happy hour events. These events were: rehearsal and reception at arvada center for the arts and humanities; behind the scenes tour and reception at denver museum of nature & science; tours of street art in the rino arts district; and creative activities at the denver public library. Laan also presented the cultural leadership award at the 2017 leadership arts graduation, which recognizes outstanding alumni who have made a significant contribution to arts and culture in colorado.