Learn how Colorado is pioneering the future of creative entrepreneurship with Meredith Badler, Deputy Director of the Colorado Business Committee for the Arts (CBCA).  With the creative sector generating $19.7 billion for the state's economy and supporting over 120,000 jobs, Badler discusses why artists must view themselves as small business owners while society continues to value the intrinsic power of their craft.
Badler also highlights the critical infrastructure CBCA provides to help creators protect and scale their work, including pro bono legal assistance through Colorado Attorneys for the Arts and grassroots legislative updates via the Colorado Arts Action Network. Discover how over a decade of peer learning at the statewide CCI Summit has fostered collaboration between rural mountain towns and urban centers, ensuring that grassroots projects in every corner of Colorado continue to thrive. Subscribe to our channel for more in-depth interviews with the innovators, advocates, and leaders powering Colorado's creative economy.

Discover the strategic leadership and daily execution behind rural municipal revitalization with Veronica Maes, Director of Create Trinidad, Main Street Director, and Communications Coordinator for the City of Trinidad. In this interview from the Colorado Creative Industries Summit, Maes outlines how steady consistency, relationship building, and community buy-in helped transform a historic industrial hub into a designated creative district and a state-recognized Space to Create community.
Maes shares practical economic models that directly fund working artists, including a municipal agreement where Create Trinidad receives 20% of civic building rental fees to finance artist micro-grants. She also details summit initiatives like the 200-piece local centerpiece program that returned 90% of art sales directly to creators, alongside popular town events like First Fridays and the Trinidad Art Fest. Learn how resourcefulness and civic partnerships keep historic communities vibrant without relying strictly on mass tourism.

Go behind the lens with independent filmmaker Ty Bradford as he breaks down the creation of his genre-bending horror-comedy feature "UCK". Speaking at the Colorado Creative Industries Summit, Bradford discusses how a premise about small-town carpet cleaners discovering subterranean creatures serves as a Trojan horse for an emotional father-son story and a nuanced coming-out narrative. He explains how documentary research influenced his approach to narrative fiction and why genuine vulnerability is critical to making cinema that resonates with audiences.
Bradford also details his decision to utilize 100% practical special effects, detailing his on-set collaboration with practical effects veteran Todd Debreceni and the unique performance energy physical effects bring to a cast and crew. He candidly tackles the modern hurdles facing independent filmmakers, from assembling dedicated Colorado crews to the uphill battle of theatrical roadshow distribution in a market increasingly dominated by proprietary streaming algorithms.

Celebrate decades of grassroots cultural advocacy and community leadership with Tami Graham, recipient of the Governor's Award for Arts and Community Action. In this conversation from the Colorado Creative Industries Summit, the former CCI council member reflects on four decades of community engagement across Durango, Mancos, and Ignacio, including her role in founding the Mancos Creative District and producing over 100 community events and concerts. Graham shares how humble listening and authentic relationship-building form the cornerstone of sustainable cultural development.
Graham also details the impact of the Native Lens Project, an Indigenous-led documentary collaboration between KSUT Tribal Radio, Rocky Mountain Public Media, and Fort Lewis College. She discusses how providing direct training and distribution platforms empowers Indigenous creators to tell first-person stories on their own terms, examining complex issues of identity and heritage. Learn why collective artistic gatherings provide essential moments of connection and joy, and hear Graham's advice for mentoring the next generation of creative leaders

Explore how mountain destinations are harmonizing heritage tourism with municipal creative planning in this interview with Talia Siens, Arts and Cultural Program Director for Visit Estes Park and the Estes Arts District. Recorded at the Colorado Creative Industries Summit, Siens outlines her role bridging local working artists with the region’s destination management organization, highlighting how the community’s state-certified creative district status is elevating cultural programming. She showcases the area’s dynamic creative offerings, ranging from historic venues like the Park Theatre to local music festivals and gallery walks.
Siens reveals major cultural preservation and capital expansion projects taking shape throughout the valley, including the restoration of the historic Stanley Home Museum and Whimsydoodle’s artisan spaces. She also discusses the major announcement that Estes Park will host the Colorado Creative Industries Conference in 2028, coinciding with the anticipated opening of the Stanley Film Center.

Step inside the technical and business realities of post-production and film infrastructure with Shawna Schultz, co-owner of Mass FX Media and 38th & Post, and Vice President of the Colorado Film and Video Association (CFVA). In this conversation from the Colorado Creative Industries Summit, Schultz details how her Denver-based studio transitioned from documentary visual effects on major streaming projects like The Social Dilemma to investing in a full-scale physical finishing theater and color-grading facility. She explains why in-person creative collisions and dedicated brick-and-mortar spaces remain essential for taking independent feature films over the finish line.
Schultz also outlines the FAMCO (Film and Media Community of Colorado) initiative, a statewide effort designed to align film professionals, municipal leaders, and state agencies behind an actionable economic roadmap. Drawing on a multi-city town hall process, she details the "flywheel concept" used to launch 18 actionable initiatives, including regional producer accelerators and local investor clubs. Learn how competitive film incentives, local capital, and unified workforce development can establish Colorado as a self-sustaining film production center.

Discover how art, cultural heritage, and authentic human connection build bridges across communities with Ousmane Ndoye, founder of Diasporic Voices. Recorded at the Colorado Creative Industries (CCI) Summit in Trinidad, Ndoye shares his personal journey from a small West African fishing village to Colorado, detailing how he spent decades advocating for multicultural expression and broader recognition for immigrant artists. He redefines the concept of "diaspora" as a universal human experience of carrying one’s roots, DNA, and unique story wherever one travels—whether moving between continents or between American states.
Ndoye highlights his collaborative partnership with Colorado Creative Industries, recounting how the agency opened doors to funding and institutional support when other doors were closed. He outlines his grassroots mission to expand artistic engagement beyond metropolitan corridors like Denver and Aurora by launching cultural initiatives in rural communities like Pueblo and Sterling.

Explore the compelling intersection of clinical medicine, psychological health, and the arts with Dr. Marc Moss, pulmonary critical care physician and researcher at the University of Colorado. Speaking at the Colorado Creative Industries Summit, Dr. Moss details an innovative study funded by the National Endowment for the Arts that paired creative arts therapists with healthcare workers suffering from severe stress and burnout following the COVID-19 pandemic.
Dr. Moss unpacks the rigorous randomized clinical trial evaluating four modalities—visual arts, dance/movement, writing, and music—which yielded a remarkable 36% reduction in anxiety symptoms, with positive psychological effects persisting for an entire year post-intervention. Learn how these creative interventions broke down traditional hospital hierarchies, how the protocol is scaling to educators and high-stress industries, and why institutional creative practice is becoming essential for workforce retention.

Discover how community real estate trust models are safeguarding artists against displacement with Louise Martorano, Executive Director of CAST (Community Arts Stabilization Trust) Colorado. Recorded during the CCI Summit, Martorano details the landmark acquisition of the historic East Street School in Trinidad, funded through a grant from the Colorado Health Foundation, which created 13 permanent, affordable live-work artist studios and community exhibition spaces.
Drawing on nearly two decades of leadership at RedLine Contemporary Art Center, Martorano breaks down the economic realities of the artistic workforce, explaining why subsidizing studio real estate provides crucial relief that prevents artists from having to choose between food and their creative practice. She also discusses how CAST provides legal and financial assistance to help artist collectives acquire permanent equity, transforming commercial vacancies into vibrant cultural infrastructure.

Step inside Colorado's strategic vision for film production and festival growth with Colorado Film Commissioner Lauren Sloan. Interviewed at the Colorado Creative Industries Summit, Sloan discusses the recent integration of the Colorado Film Commission and Colorado Creative Industries under the Governor’s Office of Economic Development and International Trade (OEDIT), creating a unified front for statewide creative media expansion.
Sloan breaks down how Colorado is leveraging the upcoming Sundance Film Festival as an economic springboard to attract feature film and commercial productions to every corner of the state. She details Colorado's groundbreaking film festival tax incentive—the only one of its kind in the nation—and explains her mission to ensure that top-tier resident crew members, from cinematographers to technicians, can build sustainable, full-time careers without having to leave the state for work.

Gain an executive legislative perspective on Colorado’s cultural economy with Speaker of the House Julie McCluskie. Recorded at the Colorado Creative Industries Summit, Speaker McCluskie discusses the critical partnership between state government and local creative communities, explaining how thoughtful policy frameworks allow regional economies, film festivals, and independent creators to thrive.
McCluskie highlights historic legislative victories, including Colorado's first-in-the-nation passage of Senate Bill 26-133 (the Colorado Artist Companies Act), which provides dedicated legal protections and business structures for independent creatives. She also details the multi-year effort to attract the Sundance Film Festival to Colorado and explains how state-certified creative districts are driving tourism and community pride across mountain resort corridors and rural towns alike.

Unpack the statewide economic footprint and strategic mission of Colorado's cultural sector with Josh Blanchard, Director of Colorado Creative Industries (CCI) within the Governor's Office of Economic Development and International Trade (OEDIT). In this interview from the CCI Summit in Trinidad, Blanchard reveals that Colorado’s creative industries support over 120,000 jobs, making the sector a cornerstone of statewide economic vitality.
Blanchard breaks down the evolution of Colorado’s 37 certified creative districts and highlights the landmark "Space to Create" initiative in Trinidad, which brings together capital investment from the Department of Local Affairs and the Boettcher Foundation to build affordable live-work housing and community studios for working artists. Learn why elevating artists as societal truth-tellers and community builders is key to statewide resilience.

Learn how rural communities are leveraging art, agriculture, and heritage tourism to reinvent their local economies with Jess Dervin-Ackerman, administrator of the Paonia Creative District and representative of the North Fork Valley Creative Coalition. In this interview from the Colorado Creative Industries Summit, Dervin-Ackerman details how a small Western Slope town of 1,500 is building a resilient economic future following the loss of 900 regional coal mining jobs.
Dervin-Ackerman highlights the power of cross-regional solidarity, discussing the formation of the Western Slope Creative Districts network and the economic footprint of Paonia's 25th annual Mountain Harvest Festival, which generates roughly $1 million in local spending. Discover how public grants from OEDIT and private foundations are building business capacity, fostering artisan food systems, and opening new export markets for rural entrepreneurs.

Discover the transformative power of narrative therapy, community advocacy, and personal reinvention with Jaron Cook, founder and CEO of Father's First Inc.. In this moving discussion from the Colorado Creative Industries Summit, the Change Leader Institute alumnus explains how his personal journey as a single father inspired him to establish peer circles that use storytelling and social-emotional learning to strengthen paternal bonds and support men's mental health.
Cook details his background with the Brink Literacy Project, tracing his evolution from student to community liaison and illustrating how graphic memoirs and comic books provide an approachable gateway into deep healing. He unpacks why unconventional artistic mediums serve as "sneaky therapy" for individuals navigating trauma, emphasizing how vulnerability and embracing discomfort can unlock an individual's unique creative superpower.

Explore the evolving dynamics of cultural philanthropy and community resilience with James-Allan Holmes of the Bonfils-Stanton Foundation. Speaking at the Colorado Creative Industries Summit, Holmes traces the foundation’s historic legacy supporting arts and culture since 1962, emphasizing how creative expression serves as a vital determinant of public health, quality of life, and civil discourse during divided times.
Holmes provides rare insight into modern grantmaking philosophy, detailing the critical distinction between foundation "hard power" (financial grantmaking) and "soft power" (mentorship, advising, and strategic roadmap development). He also outlines the anticipated economic boost from the Sundance Film Festival, discusses the legislative impact of the Colorado Artist Companies Act, and highlights how regional foundations are helping organizations navigate federal funding uncertainties.