governor's arts award strong arts/strong communities

2010 Governor’s Arts Award - Deadline Passed

Past Winners
Nomination Instructions
Artist Commission

Program Overview
Since 1969, Governor’s Awards for Excellence in the Arts have honored artists and organizations, as well as corporate and civic leaders, for their significant contributions to Colorado’s cultural environment. In 2007, the Governor’s Arts Award was redirected in order to recognize a Colorado town or city for their collective efforts to enhance the vitality of their community through the arts. The 2008 award continues to reflect this new focus.

Eligibility Criteria:

Nominee must be a town or city.
Nominations may be submitted by individuals residing in Colorado, civic organizations, non-profits operating in Colorado, or a business organization operating in the state. A city may nominate itself.

Letter from Governor Bill Ritter: CCA Logo

Colorado communities have long recognized that their vitality and success requires collaborative actions by community leaders, business interests and elected officials. More recently, communities have recognized the value of incorporating their arts and culture leaders in the planning and implementation of community development strategies to achieve greater economic strength.

I am pleased to announce that nominations are now being accepted for the 2010 Governor’s Arts Award. The purpose of the Governor’s Arts Award is to recognize and honor a Colorado town or city that celebrates and uses the arts as a focal point for community development and highlights the integral role the arts play in strengthening the vitality of their local community. The community chosen will have demonstrated their creative use of the arts to enhance their quality of life, build economic prosperity, improve educational achievement, and grow cultural tourism. Examples of such efforts include city-wide festivals which celebrate our heritage and foster tourism, art-on-the-corner and percent-for-art programs which revitalize and beautify downtown business districts, and school-wide or district-wide arts learning programs that give youth a creative voice and build their life skills.

The arts truly benefit all Coloradans. On behalf of the State of Colorado, I want to thank those community leaders whose efforts have greatly improved the quality of our lives and communities.

Sincerely,

Governor Bill Ritter Jr.