State of the Arts – Faegre Baker Daniels
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 Member Faegre Baker Daniels.
FaegreBD is a sponsor of the VIP Evening Series for Denver Center for the Performing Arts (DCPA). We find our sponsorship of the DCPA not only a unique opportunity to entertain our clients, prospective clients and friends of the firm, but also a meaningful way for us to contribute to the health and livelihood of the theater in Colorado. Theater has been one of humanity’s earliest and most communal forms of entertainment and societal enrichment. We are proud to support DCPA as they help to further enhance community awareness, education and appreciation of the arts.
Our firm also works closely with the Denver Ballet Guild, and has handled several pro bono matters for Colorado Lawyers for the Arts.
It is extremely important for Faegre Baker Daniels to be a good corporate citizen and give back to the communities in which we live and work. Our firm’s contributions to the Colorado community are significant and varied, and include a mix of pro bono legal services, firm-sponsored community service projects and charitable giving through the Faegre Baker Daniels Foundation. With each contribution of time, talent and treasure, we hope to further enrich our community and continue to work in tandem with other area business to make a lasting difference for future generations.
State of the Arts – CBS4
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 Member CBS4.
CBS4 has been committed to the arts for easily over two decades. Our primary contribution to the arts has been through creating awareness for Denver’s vibrant arts and cultural communities and by informing viewers about the broad range of organizations, exhibitions, and programs available to the everyone in the community.
CBS4 has been proud to partner with a number of different arts organizations over the years including the Denver Art Museum, the Denver Center for the Performing Arts, the Butterfly Pavilion, the Biennial of the Americas, the Colorado Symphony and numerous others. CBS4 has partnered with VISIT Denver to support Denver Arts Week each year and in March 2015 we were delighted to be able to sponsor Boulder Arts Week.
We understand how important arts and culture is to our economy and we believe art, culture and creativity positively impacts individuals and communities in so many meaningful ways. We believe our coverage and support of the arts brings value to all of our viewers throughout the state and beyond.
In 2013, CBS4 was honored to receive the Philanthropy Award from the Colorado Business Committee for the Arts (CBCA). CBS4 has been a longtime member and sponsor of CBCA because we support their mission of serving as a catalyst for Colorado’s business community to leverage the arts for economic vitality.
photo credit: Colorado-8 via photopin (license)
State of the Arts – Creative Strategies Group
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 Member Creative Strategies Group.
As one of Denver’s premiere event marketing and sponsorship agencies, Creative Strategies Group (CSG) has had the privilege to work with an array of Denver and Colorado’s arts and cultural organizations. Over the years we have had enjoyed working with the Colorado Symphony, Colorado Ballet, the Colorado Performing Arts Festival, Colorado Dragon Boat Festival, Capitol Hill People’s Fair as well as the 2006 CowParade public art display and auction. Our current arts and culture clients include the new Cherry Arts Festival at the Stanley, Breckenridge’s International Snow Sculpture Championships and the Cherry Creek Arts Festival – one of our longest running clients.
Arts and culture events bring people together, spark their imaginations, invite creativity and personal expression. At CSG, we enjoy creating bridges between the arts organizations and businesses through sponsorships that allow for relevant and organic experiences and unique ways for businesses to connect with attendees of these shows. We build win win relationships. Arts organizations rely on revenue from these sponsorships to continue their programming. Corporations and businesses value the opportunity to build a relationship with attendees and the community at large has a wide array of arts and culture programs to enhance their lives. Further, vibrant cultural scenes have a positive impact on the state’s economy and overall quality of life for employees which in turn attracts business to relocate to the Mile High City.
One of our more recent and on-going collaborations is with Arrow Electronics and the Cherry Creek Arts Festival (CCAF). Arrow re-located to Denver a few years ago and wanted to get involved. However, there are not Arrow “products” in stores. They are known as the Innovators always thinking five year’s out. Through some great brainstorming sessions between the CSG team, Arrow’s Corporate Communications visionaries, and the creative leads at the Cherry Creek Arts Festival, the Arrow Five Years Out Art Challenge was created as the activation for Arrow Electronics’ presenting sponsorship of the CCAF. It is an international challenge to inspire artists to take the concept of innovation and express what five years out looks to them. Through a competitive selection process, seven finalists are each awarded a $5,000 commission to create a forward-thinking piece. All of the innovative pieces of art are on display at the CCAF in Arrow’s Innovators Club. One of the seven artists is awarded the Innovation Award and a $10,000 grand prize annually.
This is a great example of a global corporation finding a new hometown, supporting an arts organization, inspiring creativity and vision for artists around the world and providing them with real opportunities and recognition while strengthening the cultural fabric of Denver.
State of the Arts – First Western Trust
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.
The State of the Arts in Denver
Tomorrow is an exciting day for our organization: we will hold the inaugural B:CIVIC Academy, Supporting Arts + Culture: A Business Case for Community Investment, an event that will explore the impact that partnerships with arts and culture organizations have on companies and communities. Attendees will also have the opportunity to sign up for upcoming B:CIVIC volunteer days with organizations in this space.
Over the course of the next week we will share stories from our own members to highlight their partnerships with local arts and culture organizations and, more importantly, the impact those partnerships have on the community.
But first, we’d like to shed a little light on Denver’s arts and culture scene. The impressive abundance of museums, concerts, art walks and more in our city connects community members to one another and provides a distinct character for the Mile High City. Here are a few fast facts:
- The Denver Performing Arts Complex is the largest performing arts complex under one roof, and the second-largest center of its kind in terms of number of venues and seating capacity.
- The Scientific & Cultural Facilities District (SCFD) offers “Free Days” for residents of Denver to visit a variety of museums, parks and gardens. In 2013 alone residents paid 14.6 million visits to organizations funded by the SCFD, and 8,174 schools visited SCFD organizations.
- The city boasts seven art districts that offer First Friday walks. Whatever your taste is, you’re sure to find something in the wide array of paintings, photographs, pottery, jewelry, mixed media and much more that is displayed alongside the local artists themselves.
- The City of Denver displays more than 300 pieces of public art, many of which have become iconic symbols of our community. There is also an ordinance in place that requires 1% of any capital improvement project pursued by the city costing more than $1 million be set aside for public art.
Armed with this glimpse of arts and culture’s impact across Denver, it’s little wonder that local businesses want to be involved with organizations that inspire us all. Stay tuned for stories from local companies doing just that on our blog this week.
Interested in learning even more about Denver’s arts scene? Watch the video below, compliments of Denver Arts & Venues.
You’re Invited! B:CIVIC Academy: Arts + Culture
Supporting Arts + Culture: A Business Case for Community Investment
Your company’s budget is tight, and dedicating money to an organization committed to arts and culture might seem tricky. Join us to learn from local businesses and nonprofits that have forged alliances in the space, ultimately benefiting the companies AND improving the community.
Here are the details:
Date: May 14, 2015
Time: 7:30-9:30 a.m.
Location: Cleo Parker Robinson Dance: 119 Park Avenue West, Denver, CO 80205
Cost: $10 for B:CIVIC members; $15 for non-members (breakfast is included with the cost of admission)
RSVP: Click here!
About the Event:
Denver’s abundance of arts and culture inspires, entertains and connects community members to one another. Many companies might wonder: is there a business case for getting involved with the arts? More specifically, is it worthwhile for a company to invest time and money towards activities like partnering with a local museum, sponsoring community concerts or funding art scholarships?
According to many local business experts, the answer is YES.
Attend the inaugural B:CIVIC Academy on Thursday, May 14th to learn the ways in which working with nonprofits can strengthen a strategic business plan.
KEYNOTE SPEAKER
Ginger White-Brunetti
Deputy Director, Denver Arts & Venues
FEATURED BUSINESS-NONPROFIT PARTNERSHIP PANELISTS
Mark Berzins
Lead Dog, Little Pub Company
Nonprofit Partner: Art Students League of Denver
Joe Verrengia
Director, Corporate Social Responsibility, ARROW Electronics
Christina Carlson
Vice President of Development, Colorado Symphony
Christopher Ebbs
Vice President, Investments, FirstBank
Dr. Caitlin Lindquist
Program Director, Think 360 Arts
EVENT SPONSOR
Suncor Energy’s vision is to be trusted stewards of valuable natural resources. Guided by our values, we will lead the way to deliver economic prosperity, improved social well-being and a healthy environment for today and tomorrow.
About the B:CIVIC Academy
The purpose of the B:CIVIC Academy series is to provide B:CIVIC members and other leaders from the business community with the business case for a community investment strategy around a specific issue area. Academies are organized and executed by the Academy Subcommittee of B:CIVIC’s Program Committee. The representatives who planned this Academy are: Christina Frantz – Great-West Financial, Brandy Radey – Suncor Energy, Douglas Smooke – Renaissance Wealth Management, Emily Holleran – dovetail solutions, Shanda Vangas – QEP Resources and Cori Streetman – Barefoot PR.
About B:CIVIC
Business Committed to Investing and Volunteering in the Community (B:CIVIC) is a not-for-profit membership organization established in 2014 to promote and advance Colorado business philanthropy and community involvement. It enables businesses of all sizes to learn and share various ways to give back that are meaningful to employees, impactful to the community and positive for a company’s bottom line. Members participate in business development events, networking opportunities and educational resources and enjoy belonging to an organization that is dedicated to Colorado communities. Learn more at www.bcivic.org.
Founding Board Members
