Bringing creative industries into the spotlight

In Colorado, the arts are no joke. The state ranks fifth in the nation for concentration of artists, and arts industries comprise the fifth largest cluster of the Colorado economy. Creativity is more than a perk of proper civilization – it’s a source of income for millions of architects, writers, designers, performers and more.

But culture doesn’t just bring in jobs, it also brings in audiences. Colorado attracts “cultural tourists,” who stay 50% longer and spend 36% more than other travelers. And that money compounds: every $1 in cultural spending in metro Denver creates $1.32 for other businesses, producing $392 million in “new money” (revenue from outside the region) every year.

So it’s no surprise that state officials recently created Colorado Creative Industries (a merger of the Office of Film, Television and Media, the Colorado Council on the Arts, and the Art in Public Places program), a bold move that positions Colorado to take advantage of their creative potential.

Here in Fort Collins, Beet Street has taken up the task of attracting artists to the area. Maintaining proper venues and a reliable funding strategy for artists are just a few of the issues they are tackling with input from creatives in the area. Beet Street is also amping up the volume on public, accessible art with programs like Streetmosphere, which features local artists of all types on street-corners downtown on summer weekends.

Here at One Tribe Creative, we’re proud to support creative expression in all its forms. We know, first hand, that creativity enriches a community at every level.

For more information on the economic benefits of the arts, visit www.coloarts.state.co.us.
For more information on Beet Street, visit beetstreet.org.