On July 27, 2015, Colorado Governor John Hickenlooper formally announced Space to Create Colorado, the nation’s first state-driven initiative for affordable housing for artists. The program involves a consortium of public and private partners including the Colorado Office of Economic Development’s Colorado Creative Industries, the Department of Local Affairs, History Colorado, Boettcher Foundation and Artspace. As a lead partner, Artspace will develop affordable housing and work space for artists and arts organizations in nine rural Colorado communities.
Space to Create Colorado will advance a total of nine mixed-use projects that blend affordable live/work space for artists and their families with non-residential space for creative enterprises and nonprofit arts organizations in eight regions of Colorado. The first demonstration project will launch in late 2015, in the town of Trinidad. After Trinidad, subsequent state regions of focus will be prioritized based on readiness, public will, commitment of local resources and housing demands.
Artspace is thrilled to partner with the State of Colorado on this exciting and innovative initiative to combine affordable housing with creative workspaces and community-use facilities to create catalysts for economic development in Colorado’s rural communities.
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