The 10-Year Cultural Plan for the Pikes Peak Region
WE ARE: A collaborative and increasingly diverse community.
Creativity and self-expression are intrinsic to our history and identity.
Arts Vision 2030 is the regional community’s cultural plan. It was developed by, of, and for the community, under the stewardship of the Cultural Office of the Pikes Peak Region, the Bee Vradenburg Foundation, and a diverse steering committee of 24 local creative leaders, with expert guidance from ThereSquared, LLC and Stilwell Cultural Consulting, LLC. The process touched 4,500 people and 664 made direct contributions to the plan. Now, no one organization or person alone can fulfill it. Instead, it will take the entire regional arts and cultural community, along with cross-sector partners and local leaders, to make it happen.
The following Declarations and Opportunities present a living framework to guide collaboration, strategy, investment, vision, and more.
We, the arts and creative community of the Pikes Peak region, DECLARE that …
We must empower a JUST, INCLUSIVE AND EQUITABLE Pikes Peak region. We commit to holding doors open for one another, including all voices, and advancing historically underrepresented artists, creatives, and audiences in our communities.
We are strongest when we COLLABORATE. We commit to connecting across our communities, sharing resources, and amplifying one another’s creativity.
Artists, creatives, and arts entities deserve the opportunity to thrive and prosper here. We commit to developing diversified FUNDING AND RESOURCE strategies to fortify and embolden our creative lives.
The arts are critical to our region’s identity and authenticity. We commit to promoting our region as an ARTS DESTINATION for both experiencing art and making art.
We are powerful together and our voices matter. We commit to speaking up and wielding our influence to CHAMPION CREATIVE INTERESTS in local and regional decisions.
Leadership within our creative community is vital to our survival and growth. We commit to developing and advancing DIVERSE AND EMERGING ARTS LEADERS.
SPACES AND VENUES are critical for sharing our creative gifts. We commit to building, expanding, and maintaining accessible, thriving spaces for artistic expression.
The arts foster creativity, innovation, and life skills and are essential to being human. We commit to supporting HIGH-QUALITY ARTS EDUCATION and access to arts experiences for every student across the region.
Click here to download the entire set of Arts Vision 2030 Declarations for printing, display, and easy reference!
Additional Highlights of the Cultural Plan
The full cultural plan includes 40 pages of in-depth information about the current arts & cultural community of the Pikes Peak region and what it envisions for its future, based on months of research. Below are some other highlight sections not to miss!
The cultural plan’s story unfolded in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic and a racial reckoning across the United States. Read the story of how these historic events shaped the resulting vision.
Throughout the Arts Vision 2030 community engagement phase, over 600 people shared their experiences, thoughts, concerns, ideas, and dreams for arts and creativity in the region. Here’s what we found.
The population of both Teller and El Paso counties has grown and continues the trend of becoming more racially and ethnically diverse. By 2030, projections show the region topping 800,000! Explore the infographics.
The creation of a cultural plan is just the beginning. The opportunities laid out in Arts Vision 2030 are a living framework with opportunities that are “Within Reach” and “To Reach For”. Read more about looking forward.
Performance Video
Watch the highlights from the release event including the vision poem, “The Time is Now“, and the Arts Vision 2030 Declarations as performed on October 27, 2021. Local arts personalities featured are Pikes Peak Poet Laureate, Ashley Cornelius, and the following members of the Steering Committee in order of appearance: Sarah Sheppard Shaver, Ryan Bañagale, Jodie Bliss, Cynthia Chung-Aki, Sally Hybl, Jordan McHenry, Michelle Rozell, Becca Sickbert, Ashley Cornelius, Susan Pattee, Lynne Hastings, Marc Benning, Herman Tiemens, and Chris Alvarez. Angela Seals, the Local Project Manager, and Arts Vision 2030 Co-Chairs David Siegel and Andy Vick also share important remarks.
Arts Vision 2030 Appendix
- Colorado Demography Office El Paso County Community Profile Report 8.26.2021
- Colorado Demography Office Teller County Community Profile Report 8.26.2021
- COVID-19 Pandemic National Impact on the Arts AFTA Research Update 8.23.2021
- Creative Vitality Suite Arts Snapshot Report COS MSA 2019
- Creative Vitality Suite Arts Snapshot Report El Paso County, CO + Creative Economy Charts
- Creative Vitality Suite Arts Snapshot Report Teller County, CO + Creative Economy Charts
"The Time is Now" by Ashley Cornelius
The Arts Vision 2030 leadership team commissioned Ashley Cornelius, Pikes Peak Poet Laureate 2021-2023 and an Arts Vision 2030 Steering Committee Member, to write our vision poem. It inspired the aspen grove on the cultural plan’s cover.
Special Thanks to ...
The Arts Vision 2030 Leadership Team:
- Angela Seals, Local Project Manager and Deputy Director, Cultural Office of the Pikes Peak Region
- Andy Vick, Steering Committee Co-Chair and Executive Director, Cultural Office of the Pikes Peak Region
- David Siegel, Steering Committee Co-Chair and CEO, Bee Vradenburg Foundation
- Kendall Peterson, Co-Lead Consultant, ThereSquared, LLC
- Jill Stilwell, Co-Lead Consultant, Stilwell Cultural Consulting, LLC
