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A city, bank, “micro-district” and cannabis company are being honored for supporting Colorado arts

They’re all being recognized at the CBCA’s 2019 Business for the Arts Awards.

A city, a bank, a “micro-district” and — for the first time — a cannabis company are being recognized at CBCA’s 31st Business for the Arts Awards event at the Denver Center for the Performing Arts in March.

The nonprofit arts and culture scene pumped $1.9 billion into the Denver metro economy in 2017, according to the Colorado Business Community for the Arts, and the member-based advocacy group is recognizing organizations that fuel that impact.

“The 2019 Business for the Arts Awards Honorees demonstrate the power of arts and creativity to advance Colorado’s economy and strengthen community vitality,” says Christin Crampton Day, CBCA’s executive director in a release. “Every year, we are impressed by the level of philanthropy, volunteer leadership and innovative arts/business partnerships occurring all over the state.”

Honorees are said to “have gone above and beyond to support the arts and creative industries,” according to the CBCA. Metro Denver Economic Development Corporation CEO J.J. Ament, Xcel Energy Social Investment Representative Liz Gardner and TRG Arts President and CEO Jill Robinson are among the judges who determined this year’s winners.

Denver Business Journal is also moderating a series of panels organized by CBCA that examine the intersection of art and business. Real estate, tech and cannabis have been past topics, and health care is among the future subjects to be tackled by experts through the partnership.

Winners will be formally recognized on Tuesday, March 12, 2019, at a luncheon in the Seawell Grand Ballroom at the Denver Performing Arts Complex. CBCA expects more than 700 attendees.

Here are the honorees, as described by CBCA:

Bank of America has a deep commitment to philanthropy in the arts, including sponsoring major exhibits at Denver Art Museum, grants for art conservation and their Museums on Us program.

City of Lakewood collaborated to create the 40 West ArtLine, a four-mile walking and biking arts experience, creatively connecting parks and neighborhoods to transit, businesses, and other amenities.

Colorado Harvest Company, a premium cannabis production and retail company, was a founding sponsor of Denver’s Levitt Pavilion and continues to integrate the arts into their facilities. 

Dairy Block, developed by McWhinney, Sage Hospitality and Grand American, Inc., is a unique micro-district in downtown Denver, boasting over 700 pieces of art featuring 30 Colorado artists, curated by Nine dot Arts.

The Independence Center, an independent living center that serves people with disabilities in El Paso County, has forged unique relationships with arts organizations to lift up the voices of the people they serve.

Kaiser Permanente Colorado’s recent public health awareness campaign included powerful murals promoting the importance of mental health throughout Colorado Springs and Pueblo.

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