Colorado Creative Industries
Colorado Creative Industries (CCI) believes in the power of creativity to inspire human connections, create social change, and support economic vibrancy throughout Colorado. We focus on strengthening the vitality of visual, performing, and literary arts through promotion, resources, and funding opportunities.
Our mission is to promote, support and expand the creative industries to drive Colorado’s economy, grow jobs and enhance our quality of life. The creative economy subgroups are design, film and media, literary and publishing, performing arts, visual arts and design, and heritage.
Colorado ranks number 1 in the percentage of residents who personally perform or create artworks, according to the National Endowment for the Arts' Participation Study.
Colorado is recognized as a premier creative hub and a home for world-class creative businesses, productions, and experiences. It's our goal to make sure all Coloradans will have access to creative environments and experiences while preserving the state's unique cultural heritage.
Programs and Funding
Grants and Awards
These programs provide funding, support and recognition for artists, creative business and organizations.
- Colorado Creates Grant
- Arts in Society Grant
- Colorado Poet Laureate
- Governor’s Creative Leadership Award
- Folk and Traditional Arts Project Grant
Community and Economic Development
These programs work to develop sustainable communities through job creation, creative placemaking, leadership development and arts at the intersection of social issues.
- Colorado Change Leader Program
- Colorado Creative Districts
- Space to Create Colorado
- CCI Summit
- Colorado Community Revitalization Grant
Partnerships
These collaborative programs support arts education, community music programs and more.
Public Art
These programs activate public spaces, address public safety issues, engender civic pride and make art available to all citizens.
Colorado Creative Industries is creating its next strategic plan, and we need your input on what’s working well, what’s needed, and what big ideas we should consider. Join a public conversation and help shape our statewide priorities.
How’s Colorado’s arts and culture sector doing today? What are our biggest needs and opportunities? How can Colorado Creative Industries support the statewide arts, culture and creative industries ecosystem? You tell us!
Interested in a little history? Check out our recent strategic plan and performance plans in the Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade Fiscal Year 2025 Performance Plan (PDF) on page 28.
CCI has engaged the services of Taloma Partners and Regan Byrd Consulting to facilitate our strategic planning work. The planning timeline includes:
- Grounding: April - May
- Data Collection: June - August
- Strategy Development: August - September
- Refinement and Approval: September - October
Online Survey
We want to hear from you! Please complete this brief survey to share your insights, opinions, thoughts, and experiences that will shape the future of Colorado Creative Industries. Survey closes August 8, 2024.
Take the Survey in English or Spanish
In-Person and Virtual Conversations
We conducted in person planning engagements with state certified Creative Districts, Colorado Change Leaders, and a town hall coffee chat with CCI’s director, Josh Blanchard, at the CCI Summit in Pueblo May 8-10, 2024. If you missed the CCI Summit, please join us at an upcoming virtual or in-person conversation near you. Hear more about what we do and tell us what activities, resources, and supports we should prioritize.
- August 6, 2024 10-11am Virtual town hall with CCI Director, Josh Blanchard - Zoom Registration link
Accessibility: Each location is wheelchair accessible. We invite you to contact us with specific accommodations you need to facilitate your participation. We will make every effort to honor your requests. Contact Emma Acheson, 504/ADA coordinator at emma.acheson@state.co.us