Telluride Council For The Arts And Humanities

In 2024, Telluride Arts' Space for the Arts program provided space and support at our Main Street galleries for local artists, musicians, and nonprofit organizations-including The Fig, Telluride Chamber Ensemble, KOTO, Telluride AIDS Benefit, and others - hosting or co-hosting dozens of free community events. Additionally, Telluride Arts provided workspace for 15 digital media artists and professionals at a separate location in the heart of town, fostering creativity and collaboration. Our Space for the Arts program also encompasses the Telluride Transfer Warehouse, which in 2024 underwent its most significant phase of construction and structural improvements to date. This included the stabilization of its historic walls through a specialized process using low-pressure internal injection to fill masonry voids with a compatible material. This method ensured both structural stability and consistent performance with internal reinforcing, while allowing the original masonry walls to remain largely independent from the new building infill. Due to this extensive work, the Transfer Warehouse was closed to public events and activities throughout 2024. Support for this phase of stabilization was made possible largely through a $3 million Community Revitalization Grant awarded by the Colorado Creative Industries (CCI) office of the Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade (OEDIT). In 2024, Telluride Arts also received a $750,000 Save America's Treasures grant to further support the stabilization of the Telluride Transfer Warehouse. Administered by the National Park Service (NPS) in partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts, National Endowment for the Humanities, and the Institute for Museum and Library Services, these highly competitive grants are awarded annually to preserve nationally significant historic properties and collections. The Transfer Warehouse was one of only 59 projects funded nationwide in 2024 and the sole recipient in the State of Colorado, underscoring its historic and cultural importance.

Since its inception, the Telluride Arts Artist Grant Program has supported over 100 projects, providing funding for material costs and professional development opportunities for artists throughout the region. This program is made possible in part through funding from the Town of Telluride's CCAASE program. Our fiscal sponsorship program enabled organizations like Augment Music Project to serve the community in 2024 by offering unique programs and experiences that enrich Telluride's cultural landscape. In addition, Telluride Arts worked to promote and connect the local arts community through a variety of communication channels. In 2024, the organization distributed monthly e-blasts featuring updates on the local arts scene and highlighting a different local artist each month; maintained www.telluridearts.org as a central hub for regional arts, offering an artist directory, resources, and a comprehensive local arts calendar; and managed social media accounts dedicated to promoting the arts and increasing engagement across the community.