As part of our efforts to recognize the incredible impact of local businesses collaborating with arts + culture organizations, we asked our members to share stories of their involvement. The following guest post was provided by Founding Board Member First Western Trust. 
Every community is a canvas. A canvas needs to be filled in with brush strokes by people who care and who see infinite possibilities to make a lasting difference.
At First Western Trust, we see art as means to inspire those in our community who are driven to make an impact, and as a way to connect with our colleagues and community.
As a company, we’ve invested in contemporary western artists, building a corporate art collection that fills the walls of our 10 offices. These artists look beyond predictable, romanticized images of the West and create works that speak to the complexities of our local communities.
Art in a business environment leads to deeper inquisitiveness, encourages intuitive capacities and awakens fresh responses in thinking, feeling, and seeing. We believe that the artwork in our collection creates a culture of creativity in our company and that it inspires our associates to bring new ideas to the forefront.
In addition to our support of local artists within our company, we partner with visual and performing arts organizations out in our community.
“Supporting the arts is important to us because it means that we are helping those organizations that expose our communities to diverse cultural experiences and inspire new ways of thinking,” said Scott Wylie, CEO of First Western Trust. “Art and art education help our communities become more creative, more inquisitive, and more vibrant.”
Working with organizations like Central City Opera, Fort Collins Symphony Guild, Childsplay, and the Denver Art Museum, we have donated our time, talent, and treasure to art organizations across our 10 western offices. These and other organizations play an important role in helping our communities learn about different cultures and forms of expression. They help us think more openly and encourage new ideas that we can use to make an impact on our communities.
We appreciate the role art play in fostering new possibilities and vibrant communities, and we are proud to support local organizations who are making a difference in our cities.
To learn more about our community work and see an example of the contemporary artists we support, we invite you to visit our community report here.