Level Up! Scholarships
Whether you are a creative, entrepreneur, educator, and/or small business owner, what would you help you Level Up! your art practice?
In 2025, the Cultural Office of the Pikes Peak Region is now offering scholarships to creatives in El Paso and Teller counties. The Level Up! Scholarships are intended to support the growth and development of individuals in their creative careers over their lifetime. Level Up! scholarships are intended for creatives to develop themselves professionally or technically in their discipline. Through this program, COPPR is investing in leadership development, skill building, education, and the professional future of creatives in our community.
How it works:
Scholarships will be awarded for programs that meet professional development, technical skill building, and education that will be a transformative Level Up! in the creative career. Scholarships will be awarded directly to the creative applicant to cover 50% of their program fee, up to $1,000. Please submit thoughtfully, as one scholarship will be awarded per recipient per calendar year. Scholarship funds are limited and will be awarded in rounds, as funding is available. Scholarship applications are accepted and awarded on a rolling 12-month basis.
To qualify for a scholarship you must be:
- a creative who is employed by a creative business or an active practicing artist
- a creative who resides in the Pikes Peak region (El Paso or Teller County)
- 18 years or older
The Level Up! Scholarship Program was created in alignment with Arts Vision 2030 cultural plan’s goal to develop and advance diverse and emerging art leaders.
Toggle Below To Explore Suggested Local Programs
- Art Boss: A program of the Pikes Peak Arts Council that provides artists with continuing education on topics including innovation, advocacy, and business in the visual and performing arts.
- Artwork Archive: Provides artists, collectors and organizations powerful tools to manage their artwork, career or collection. They additionally provide thorough resource guides on how to start an arts business, manage your portfolio, and track nationwide opportunities for artists of all mediums.
- CaFÉ: A program of WESTAF, find calls for art of all kinds!
- Center for Cultural Innovation: Provides entrepreneurial training for individual artists and cultural workers in all disciplines to enhance their business knowledge and career prospects (note: while paid trainings are offered via Zoom, there is limited availability for non-California based artists).
- Colorado Business Committee for the Arts Resource Library: Breadth of webinars on any and all topics, from copywriting to knowing your rights as an independent artist.
- CreativeStudy: Provides subscriptions to high-quality, self-paced, video-based courses to help creatives thrive by making intelligent business and financial decisions.
- Springboard for the Arts/Art-Train: Art-Train is a virtual technical assistance program for artists, municipal agencies, and community-focused organizations in all sectors, in communities of all sizes across the nation. Trainings are free for artists and for Native, Black, Indigenous and People of Color-led and focused community-based organizations.
- Leadership Arts: For over 25 years, CBCA has built a pipeline of leaders in the arts through Leadership Arts. This unique nine-month program prepares people to serve on nonprofit boards of directors and increase their civic engagement in the arts. The Leadership Arts curriculum focuses on building the necessary skills to be an effective volunteer leader and exploring relevant topics in Colorado’s arts sector.
- Colorado Change Leader Program: The Colorado Change Leader Program teaches cultural and community leaders how to handle change in organizations, communities, and their daily lives. The institute is a biannual three-day course to prepare leaders for a certification project. If your certification project meets certain requirements, you may receive a $500 stipend to implement the project. The network provides participants a way to continue engagement with current and past participants of the program.
- Call Yourself Creative Program: Call Yourself Creative is a do-it-yourself program that helps communities organize successful Colorado Creative Districts. This online program is free of charge, self-paced, and open to anyone who wants to develop and sustain creative communities and districts. The three stages in the process help you align, connect, and activate your community.
- Signature Program: Leadership Pikes Peak’s Signature Program challenges you to step up and become a catalyst for change in our community. Armed with knowledge, tools, and connections, you’ll be equipped to address pressing community needs and drive meaningful progress. Over the course of 10 transformative months, from August to the following June, you’ll dive deep into the issues that matter most in our community and learn from industry leaders and experts.
- Adelante Leadership Institute: To ensure that Latinos and Latinas serve in greater leadership roles, the first Latino and Latina focused leadership program in Colorado Springs, the Adelante Leadership Institute (ALI) trains, supports, and elevates professional and executive Latinos to positions of influence. The ALI identifies and encourages emerging Latino and leaders to embrace community involvement, civic engagement and service on boards and commissions. The ALI provides a culturally focused platform for Latino, Latina and BIPOC leaders to network, share ideas, problem solve and form collaborative relationships.
Scholarship funding is not limited to programs listed through Level Up! Resources.
Scholarship Request Form
Level Up! Scholarships are funded by the Cultural Office, and donors to our Scholarships Special Fund, including the Tiemens Foundation. Donate today to advance the careers of local artists and creative workers!
