By Alissa Johnson
The Colorado Creative Industries (CCI) Division of the Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade (OEDIT) announced today that 25 artists and arts organizations across Colorado have been awarded Folk and Traditional Arts Project Grants. From Archuleta to Larimer counties and Huerfano to Denver counties, these grants will help preserve, celebrate and document the local artistic traditions and heritage of unique Colorado communities.
“We are thrilled to celebrate the culture and heritage of communities across our state and help ensure these traditions continue into the future,” said OEDIT Director, Eve Lieberman. “The recipients announced today embrace the values and traditions from past generations through their preservation of folk and traditional arts, offering all of us the opportunity to realize the rich history our state holds.”
The Folk and Traditional Arts Project Grant was developed in response to a two-year planning process with a stakeholder group engaged in Colorado’s folk arts. A total of $75,000 is being awarded to 25 artists and art organizations, funded in part by a partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA).
Here are just a few of the community projects that will receive CCI support:
Alamosa County
Sangre de Cristo National Heritage Area – Las Posadas – $3,000
To create a film vignette showcasing the history of Las Posadas procession within the villages of San Luis.
Archuleta County
Town of Pagosa Springs – Arborglyphs – $3,000
Preserving and highlighting the rich tradition of sheepherding in Pagosa Springs, with a particular focus on the unique cultural practice of creating arborglyphs — carvings made by sheepherders on aspen trees.
Montezuma County
Southwest Colorado Canyons Alliance – Traditional Native American Arts – $3,000
Supporting Four Corners Indigenous Art Market, a vibrant celebration of Native artistry and cultural heritage that brings together talented artisans from many of the 26 Tribes and Pueblos traditionally associated with Canyons of the Ancients National Monument.
Willowtail Springs Nature Preserve and Education Center – Native American Storytelling Installation – $3,000
Celebrating and documenting the stories of Native storytellers in an installation at the Willowtail Springs Nature Preserve and Education Center TreeHouse Gallery.
Mancos Creative District – Folk and Traditional Art Classes – $3,000
Hosting classes at the Mancos Public Library where the community can learn about folk and traditional art from four artists of different cultural backgrounds.
The Folk and Traditional Arts Project Grants seek to enhance community well being, cultural identity, economic vitality, and sense of place, especially in areas that are often underrepresented in the contemporary art space. Funds will support the creation, presentation, or teaching of folk and traditional arts, and/or the documentation of folk or traditional arts and cultural heritage through community archiving, oral histories, photojournalism, video or other creative works.
As part of the grant’s preservation efforts, all funded projects will be archived in the State Archives and made accessible to the public through History Colorado.
“Folk and traditional art holds a deep connection to the cultural identity and history of a community. We are grateful to these artists and organizations for serving as a living record of their community’s traditions, and sharing their talents to celebrate Colorado’s unique background.” said CCI Director, Josh Blanchard.
About Colorado Creative Industries
Colorado Creative Industries is a division of the Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade. Established to capitalize on the immense potential for our creative sector to enhance economic growth in Colorado, the mission of Colorado Creative Industries is to promote, support and expand the creative industries to drive Colorado’s economy, grow jobs and enhance our quality of life. For more information, visit oedit.colorado.gov/colorado-creative-industries.
Alissa Johnson writes for Colorado Creative Industries.