We bring together artists, entrepreneurs and educators from CU Boulder and communities statewide to grapple with how the arts and humanities can address key social, economic and environmental issues. To strengthen these efforts, we have developed programs to connect campus and community expertise and also work to create and sustain partnerships. Our goal is to share diverse experiences, perspectives and approaches to the arts and humanities.

We invite you to get involved! Contact Lisa Schwartz about developing community partnerships, giving talks to Colorado communities, opportunities for graduate student engagement and information about funding through our office and other sources.

Current Programs

Engaged Arts and Humanities Graduate Student Scholars

This program helps arts and humanities graduate students apply the tools of their academic disciplines and their unique interests to community-engaged projects and funds this work.

Inclusiveness and Equity Series

Our office and the Boulder County Arts Alliance offer workshops and presentations about Indigenous healing, climate change and the arts, cultural appropriation and appreciation, "white savior practices" and more. 

Creative District Leadership Convening

CU Boulder faculty, staff and students meet annually with Colorado arts leaders to discuss how urban and rural communities can use the arts to address social and economic issues. 

Partnerships

Contact Lisa Schwartz to discuss how we can support your project's development and help connect your community work with partners.

Find out how we foster campus and community relationships and bridge rural and urban Colorado.

We partner with Boulder County Arts Alliance to address diversity, equity and inclusion for arts organizations, artists and patrons. 

We can connect you with partners in rural Colorado communities, or help you further develop your work in these areas. 

San Luis Valley   

Mountain West and Western Slope 

Southeast Colorado

 

Our office partners with the Colorado Creative Industries (CCI) and statewide creative districts in order to support creative placemaking and economic development. We partner with CCI and the CU Boulder Community Engagement Design and Research Center (CEDaR) to develop evaluation methodologies together with creative districts. Target partner districts include Carbondale, Crested Butte, Ridgway, Salida, Steamboat, and Trinidad.  

Imagining America: Artists and Scholars in Public Life is a national consortium of more than 100 higher education and community cultural organizations working to advance democracy and participation in higher education. CU Boulder’s membership in Imagining America represents how our office champions engaged scholarship, teaching and creative work in the arts and humanities and across the disciplines through institutional level partnerships and professional development opportunities. Read more about CU Boulder's involvement with Imagining America.

Related News and Events

CU Boulder Playback Theatre performs at a Creative District Leadership Convening

Creative District Leadership Convening 2019

Our office and Colorado Creative Industries brought together 30 creative district leaders and CU Boulder faculty, staff and students to discuss how communities are addressing economic and social issues. 

Lisa Schwartz and Jenny Briggs

New national initiatives tap outreach program managers

Thanks to their expertise connecting university resources to community needs, program managers from CU Boulder’s Office for Outreach and Engagement have been selected to participate in two, new national leadership programs.

Colorado creative district leaders came to CU Boulder in October to connect with each other and campus researchers and explored NEST Studio for the Arts.

Lightning talks spark creative connections

A 2018 campus conference brought together Colorado Creative District leaders who foster economic growth through the arts and CU Boulder researchers, igniting ideas for addressing communities’ social and economic issues.