Meet our 2025-26 Equity in Arts Learning for Colorado Youth grantees and learn more about their amazing projects!
- School Partner | Denver Public Schools Transition to Independence Program
- Project Title & Overview | ArtWorks Youth Job Development Program is an eight-week paid arts internship designed to support 13-18 high school students with disabilities as they transition from school to the workforce or postsecondary education. ArtWorks provides critical skill-building in job-readiness, self-advocacy, and professional arts experience, helping participants navigate employment barriers and build confidence. Interns create and exhibit original artwork, learn gallery management, marketing, and customer service, and gain insight into disability rights and advocacy. The program culminates in the Giving Voice exhibition, where interns showcase socially conscious art projects developed with professional mentors.
- City & County | Denver
- Community Partner | True North Youth Program
- Project Title & Overview | West End Fridays is a transformative collaboration between the Ah Haa School for the Arts and True North Youth Program, designed to provide rural youth in Montrose County with free, high-quality arts education on Fridays when schools are closed. Serving students in grades 7-12 from communities like Norwood, Nucla, Naturita, Bedrock, and Paradox, this program offers monthly four-hour workshops at Ah Haa, introducing participants to a range of artistic mediums such as fiber arts, metalwork, screen printing, and ceramics. With a focus on creativity, self-expression, and community, West End Fridays removes financial and transportation barriers through True North’s support, ensuring accessibility for all students. The program also integrates culinary arts, fostering teamwork and cultural exploration. With plans to expand into spring break and summer overnight experiences at Camp V, West End Fridays cultivates artistic confidence, resilience, and a sense of belonging, enriching the lives of rural youth through dynamic creative opportunities.
- County | Montrose County
- Community Partner | Southwest Denver Coalition
- Project Title & Overview | Youth Violence Prevention through Art is a collaboration between Art Students League of Denver (ASLD) and Southwest Denver Coalition, provides Westwood youth (ages 5-18) with free, year-round visual arts workshops in a safe and supportive environment. The program improves mental health, reduces youth violence, and fosters self-expression by offering structured arts education that builds self-esteem, confidence, and social connection. Held at Westwood Community Center and Arturo Garcia Art Studio & Gallery, workshops include digital art, graffiti art, and fundamentals of drawing and painting, with participants learning from local artist mentors who reflect the community’s diverse demographics. The program encourages consistent attendance, peer bonding, and mentorship, culminating in public exhibitions at neighborhood festivals. By expanding arts access, fostering belonging, and providing mentorship, the program helps youth navigate challenges, develop creative and critical thinking skills, and explore future opportunities in the arts.
- City & County | Denver
- School Partner | Skyline Academy
- Project Title & Overview | Bridging the Gap: Equitable Arts & Culture Access for Skyline Academy Students with Special Needs is designed to celebrate each Skyline Academy Student’s specials needs as well as their strengths and learning styles through adaptable lesson plans that explore the four main artistic disciplines: dance, drama, music, and visual arts. Lessons promote creative expression for all students, with hands-on exploration for younger learners and collaborative, reflective projects for older students. Experienced Teaching Artists build authentic relationships with students, fostering a supportive environment where they can express themselves, exercise creative agency, and engage with peers. Students impact the program’s direction by providing input on each workshop, identifying their preferred artistic discipline(s), selecting their final project theme, and taking ownership of their creative process.
- Cities | Arvada, Denver
- School Partner | Summit School District
- Project Title & Overview | The Artist Immersion Education Project expands access to visual and performing arts education for Summit School District students by integrating bilingual, in-school, and after-school programming led by professional artists and teaching artists. This initiative builds on successful programs like the Artists-in-Residence program, After-school Art Club, and Hispanic Heritage Month workshops and performances, removing financial, language, and transportation barriers to arts participation. Breck Create will offer semester-long workshops and expand after-school and in-school arts programming to serve 3,500 students annually, ensuring inclusive, immersive, and accessible arts experiences at no cost to families or schools.
- County | Summit County
- Project Title & Overview | Express to Success: Highlighting Growth and Abilities for MI Students Through Improv is an improv-based program designed to support students with multi-intensive (MI) disabilities by fostering communication, social interaction, and emotional regulation through interactive theater exercises. Led by teaching artist Lainie Hodges in partnership with SPED educators, the bi-monthly program will provide a flexible, engaging curriculum tailored to MI students’ needs, helping them develop critical life skills in a joyful, inclusive environment. This initiative aims to serve as a model for expanding equitable arts access to MI students across the district and beyond.
- City & County | Denver
- School Partner | Aurora Academy
- Project Title & Overview | CHIAROSCURO Residencies at Aurora Academy: Central City Opera, in partnership with Aurora Academy, will expand CHIAROSCURO: LIGHT IN DARKNESS into a residency program serving 50 sixth- through eighth-grade students during the 2025-26 school year. This initiative blends opera education, artistic storytelling, and mental health awareness, empowering students to create and perform original multi-scene musical productions that explore mental health challenges relevant to their community. Through professional instruction and creative collaboration, participants will gain a deeper understanding of opera’s emotional power while developing valuable communication skills and hands-on performance experiences.
- City | Aurora
- Project Title & Overview | The ArTechEd Program is an immersive 8-week digital arts initiative for 9th-12th grade students in Montbello and Far Northeast Denver, combining visual storytelling, music composition, and cinematic editing to foster self-discovery and creative expression. CBAM will expand the program through the 2025-2026 school year, offering two in-school cohorts, a summer intensive, and high school internships. Led by artists Terry Black and Kifungua Maat, students will develop digital proficiency, explore AI in the arts, and showcase their final projects, bridging the access gap in arts education and technology.
- City & County | Denver
- School Partner | Cowell Elementary, Denver Public Schools
- Project Title & Overview | KinderBop is an in-school music appreciation program at Cowell Elementary in Denver’s Villa Park neighborhood. This initiative provides vital music education to students who would otherwise lack access due to school budget constraints. Through engaging, developmentally appropriate lessons for grades K-5, KinderBop fosters creativity, introduces jazz history, and encourages self-expression through improvisation and hands-on music-making. The program’s success has sparked additional after-school and summer enrichment opportunities, demonstrating its lasting impact on students, families, and the broader community.
- City & County | Denver
- Community Partner | Community College of Aurora Department of Cinematic Arts
- Project Title | “DAVA Youth Film Program” : This project builds on the strong foundation of DAVA’s existing youth film program in partnership with the Community College of Aurora Department of Cinematic Arts. Grant funding will allow DAVA to serve more students, deepen learning with a new team of expert filmmakers from the Askkanwii Filmmaking Hub, and further expand creative career opportunities for our teens while amplifying their stories and voices on an international stage.
- City & County | Aurora, Arapahoe
- Project Title & Overview | The Accelerando Program: Tuition-Free Private Lessons and Masterclasses for Promising Young Musicians offers tuition-free private lessons and masterclasses to young musicians in the El Sistema Colorado Afterschool program, fostering technical and artistic growth. Beginning students (ages 6-8) participate in masterclasses with parental involvement, while intermediate and advanced students (ages 9-18) receive one-on-one instruction tailored to their needs. The program emphasizes independent practice, parental engagement, and a culturally responsive curriculum, culminating in student-led community recitals each semester.
- City & County | Denver
- School Partners | Center for Talent Development at Greenlee, Oakland Elementary, Hallett Academy, Whittier K-8, Columbian Elementary, Colfax Elementary, Ellis Elementary and Boston K-8
- Project Title & Overview | Education Through Music Colorado In-School Music Instruction Program integrates music education into the core curriculum of under-resourced schools in the Denver metro area, serving over 2500 students. Funds will support the placement of trained teaching artists in classrooms, provide professional development to ensure culturally responsive and inclusive instruction, and grow extracurricular music programs that create pathways for long-term student engagement. This investment will help schools build lasting music programs, ensuring that all students—regardless of background—experience the academic, social, and emotional benefits of music education.
- Cities & Counties | Denver, Aurora, Arapahoe
- Community Partners | Inclusion on Purpose, Revel, Spectrum CO, Serenity Education,
Lil’ Friends - Project Title & Overview | Bringing Feel the Beat to Colorado Movement Lab: Delivering Accessible and Inclusive Dance Classes for Youth will provide free, adaptive dance classes at Colorado Movement Lab who are Deaf, Hard of Hearing, or living with disabilities. Using vibrotactile technology, ASL, visual and tactile cues, and structured movement exercises, classes enhance social confidence, motor skills, and body awareness. Led by trained instructors with 1:1 support, students will participate in weekly sessions and showcase their progress in an in-person and virtual recital in May 2026.
- County | Denver
Flatland Makers Guild – A devision of Prairie Cultural Commons
- Community Partner | Arriba-Flagler, Hi-Plains, Stratton, Bethune and Burlington
- Project Title & Overview | Art Again: The Rural Traveling Workshop Series brings free, hands-on art education to underserved youth in Kit Carson County, Colorado, addressing the lack of creative learning opportunities in rural areas. Through summer workshops and school-year programs, students (K-12) will explore various artistic mediums, guided by professional artists and educators. The initiative fosters self-expression, resilience, and mental well-being while promoting inclusivity and community engagement. The program culminates in June 2026 with a student art exhibition at the county’s “Celebration of Summer” event, showcasing the impact of arts education and inspiring lifelong creativity.
- County | Kit Carson
- School Partner | Colorado High School Charter
- Project Title & Overview | The Latino Cultural Arts Center’s Public Art Mentoring (PAM) Program empowers high school students (ages 15-18) who have struggled in traditional educational settings by providing a 10-week immersive experience in public art creation. Through culturally responsive mentorship from established BIPOC artists, students develop artistic, professional, and social-emotional skills while contributing to four community-based public art projects. PAM expands access to arts education, fosters cultural pride, and creates career pathways in public art, serving 63 students across six cohorts in Denver and Adams County high schools between September 2025 and August 2026. Participants receive stipends, mentorship, and hands-on training in design, budgeting, and mural-making, equipping them with the confidence and skills to pursue creative careers while strengthening their communities.
- Counties | Denver & Adams
- School Partners | Denver Public School District (Contemporary Learning Academy, AUL Denver (formerly Academy of Urban Learning), 5280 Recovery High School, etc.)
- Project Title & Overview | ACCESS Mobile Recording Studios in Denver Pathway Schools, 5280 Recovery High School & 10Four Youth Center provides real-world learning experiences to students at Denver Public Schools’ pathway schools, which serve those at the highest risk of not graduating by emphasizing college and career readiness. By fostering consistent engagement through music and creative workshops, the program improves attendance and truancy rates while also supporting special populations, including students recovering from addiction, those with special needs, and formerly incarcerated youth. Funding will sustain and expand programming, enabling Mobile Studio to reach more students, equip additional teaching artists, and provide fair wages, instruments, and recording equipment to enhance workshop effectiveness and student participation.
- Counties | Denver
- Community Partner | El Proyecto de Mariachi (EPM)
- Project Title & Overview | Aspen Music Festival and School’s (AMFS) Mariachi Programs: the Aspen Music Festival and School (AMFS) nurtures a growing Mariachi program that provides culturally responsive music education to underserved youth in the Roaring Fork Valley. Through El Proyecto de Mariachi (EPM)—a free after-school ensemble—and an annual Mariachi Workshop, students receive year-round instruction, mentorship from professional Mariachi musicians, and performance opportunities at community events. The program continues to expand, aiming to increase student participation, enhance leadership development, and strengthen cultural connections through music.
- City | Aspen
- Community Partner | Tamarac Family Shelter
- Project Title & Overview | B.R.I.D.G.E. (Building Resilience & Inclusive Development and Growth through Expression): Music and Art Program for Newcomer Families at Tamarac Shelter is a year-round arts and music education program supporting refugee youth ages 4-21. Through trauma-informed art and music sessions, family choir gatherings, and mentorship opportunities, the program fosters school readiness, emotional resilience, and social connection. .R.I.D.G.E. integrates licensed therapists and youth advisory input to ensure culturally responsive, therapeutic creative expression, strengthening mental health and community belonging.
- City & County | Denver
- Project Title & Overview | ArtLab: Internship & Youth-Led Art Show empowers over 50 high school students annually from historically under-resourced communities by pairing them with professional artists to collaborate on arts and social justice projects. Providing hands-on arts education, career training, and vital resources such as stipends, therapy, tutoring, and groceries, ArtLab fosters a strong sense of belonging and self-expression. With a 98% high school graduation rate, it prepares youth for post-secondary success, particularly those from BIPOC, LGBTQIA2S+, first-generation, and neurodivergent backgrounds. A highlight of the program is the Youth-Led Art Show, where participants develop professional and leadership skills while showcasing their work.
- City & County | Denver
- School Partner | Clear Creek School District
- Project Title & Overview | Increasing Rural Youth Resiliency Through the Arts in Creek County will collaborate with community artist and grief practitioner Tara Rynders, along with artists Ashley Cornelius and Dr. Clare Hammoor, to implement immersive arts workshops using the evidence-based (Re)Brilliancy Framework. Through play, music, dance, and poetry, these workshops will foster creativity, healing, and connection among students and educators, reducing social isolation and teacher burnout. With a new Youth/Peer Council co-designing programming, the initiative will offer targeted after-school workshops for LGBTQ+ youth and high-need students, educator training sessions, and interactive arts experiences, ensuring meaningful community impact.
- County | Creek County
- School Partners | Carbondale Arts
- Project Title & Overview | The Stepping Stones Resident Teaching Artist program expands on the only youth drop-in center in the region’s services by offering regular, bilingual arts programming twice a week for a year, engaging over 100 youth in high-interest, culturally responsive arts education. With an emphasis on mentorship, self-expression, and mental health support, the project includes a peer mentor artist role, professional development for the teaching artist in art therapy and restorative justice, and public art installations. The program culminates in a Youth Art Showcase, allowing participants to present their work to the broader community, celebrating their voices, identities, and artistic achievements.
- City & County | Carbondale, Garfield
- School Partners | Durango 9-R School District, Bayfield School District, Archuleta School District #50 JT, and Mancos School District
- Project Title & Overview | Through their Curricular Music Partnerships, Stillwater Music will provide high-quality, equitable music education to over 450 students in Durango and surrounding rural communities, filling gaps where school music programs are underfunded or nonexistent. By delivering weekly, in-school instruction led by professional musicians, this initiative ensures that all students—regardless of financial or geographic barriers—have access to meaningful, inclusive music learning. The program enhances student learning, fosters creativity, and strengthens school music programs by providing expert instruction, instruments, and performance opportunities.
- City | Durango
- School Partners | Garden Place Academy
- Project Title & Overview | Harmonizing Futures: Expanding Access to High Quality Arts Education in Globeville will bring its Little Swallows program to eight preschool classes at Garden Place Academy, providing 32 weeks of free, high-quality music education to preschool-aged children in Denver’s Globeville neighborhood. Led by professional music artists, the program fosters early childhood development by enhancing language, motor skills, and social-emotional learning through interactive music experiences. With a curriculum aligned with Colorado Academic Standards, students engage in singing, rhythm exercises, cultural exploration, and performance opportunities. By integrating music education into the school day, SHM expands equitable access to the arts, positively impacting historically marginalized communities and fostering a lifelong love of music.
- City & County | Denver
- School Partners | Garfield County Re-2 and Garfield 16 S
- Project Title & Overview | VOICES West: Hero’s Journaling Project: VOICES is a dynamic arts program that empowers immigrant and Spanish-speaking youth in the Colorado River Valley through storytelling, theater, and community engagement. The initiative is built around four core components: VOICES Youth SpringBoard, a youth leadership team that shapes the program’s direction; the Hero’s Journaling Project, which guides participants through personal storytelling inspired by the Hero’s Journey; the ARTery Tiny Stage Series, featuring youth-led community pop-up performances; and Nuestras VOCES Theater Project, a collaboratively created production that will premiere at the Ute Theater. Through these expressive arts experiences, youth gain creative confidence, develop leadership skills, and celebrate their unique stories. The program culminates in October 2025 with public performances that amplify youth voices through powerful storytelling.
- City | Carbondale
- School Partners | El Paso County School Districts 11, 3, 2, 38, 20 and new
districts outside of El Paso County - Project Title & Overview | YDA Production Scholarships and Youth Media Matters School Screenings will support scholarships for underrepresented youth in its 2025 summer production academy and expand its Youth Media Matters (YMM) outreach program. The summer academy provides intensive, tuition-free training in documentary filmmaking, covering storytelling, production, and editing. YMM brings YDA films into high schools and universities, facilitating student-led discussions on social issues with professional moderation and mental health resource support, fostering critical conversations and community engagement.
- City | Colorado Springs
Youth Employment Academy (Arts Street Program)
- School Partners | Colorado High School, Charter-Osage Campus
- Project Title & Overview | We are La Alma: A Photographic Story is a visual arts project led by photographer Juan Fuentes, providing Colorado High School Charter students with hands-on photography education to explore identity and community. Over six to eight weeks, students will learn photography and digital editing skills, culminating in a large-scale mural and a self-portrait exhibition. This project enhances arts education, amplifies student voices, and strengthens community connections through public art.
- City | Denver
- Community Partners | Justice & Heritage Academy and the Boys & Girls Clubs of the
San Luis Valley - Project Title & Overview | Through Voice, We Live is a storytelling and digital media arts program empowering 15-20 BIPOC youth in Antonito and the San Luis Valley through free, culturally affirming arts education. YEBO, in collaboration with Justice and Heritage Academy (JHA) and the Boys & Girls Clubs of the San Luis Valley (BGCSLV), will offer workshops, live performances, and media production, participants develop personal narratives, engage in intergenerational storytelling, and gain technical skills to document their lived experiences, fostering identity, community connections, and creative expression.
- City | Antonito and the San Luis Valley