Dgo Creative District Could Generate Millions

03/18/2020

Durango’s designation as a creative district means that creative industries will be eligible for grants to infuse creativity as a major contribution to the economy.

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3/16/20 Creative DistrictDURANGO IS FILLED WITH CREATIVE PEOPLE. JUST LOOK AT THE NUMBER OF ART GALLERIES, RESTAURANTS AND ENTREPRENEURIAL BUSINESSES THAT ARE HERE. AND NOW, DURANGO'S CREATIVITY HAS BEEN RECOGNIZED AS AN ECONOMIC FORCE WTIH ITS DESIGNATION AS AN OFFICIAL CREATIVE DISTRICT BY COLORADO CREATIVE INDUSTRIES. I'M WENDY GRAHAM SETTLE, AND YOU'RE WATCHING THE LOCAL NEWS NETWORK. COLORADO CREATIVE INDUSTRIES IS A DIVISION OF THE COLORADO OFFICE OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND INTERNATIONAL TRADE THAT SUPPORTS AND EXPANDS THE ECONOMIC IMPACT OF CREATIVE INDUSTRIES, ARTISTS, AND ENTREPRENEURS STATEWIDE. A CERTIFIED CREATIVE DISTRICT DESIGNATION RECOGNIZES A COMMUNITY'S COMMITMENT TO INVEST IN AND SUPPORT THE ARTS AND CREATIVE INDUSTRIES THROUGH FUNDING, PAID STAFF, A STRATEGIC PLAN, AND A HIGH CONCENTRATION OF CREATIVE ORGANIZATIONS AND BUSINESSES. AND THE DESIGNATION COMES WITH GREATER ACCESS TO MORE STATE AND NATIONAL GRANT FUNDING, RESEARCH, AND TRAINING SUPPORT.OUR MISSION IS TO UNITE, CELEBRATE, AND EXPAND OUR LOCAL CREATIVE ECONOMY. AND THAT'S PRETTY BROAD. BUT WE SEE THESE CREATIVE EXPERIENCES AS VERY ESSENTIAL TO INDIVIDUALS LIVING HERE AND TO VISITORS. OUR COMMUNITY DEFINES CREATIVE AS ANYTHING THAT'S MADE OR PRODUCED HERE, WHETHER BY HAND OR IN THE MIND. SO THAT ENCOMPASSES A LOT OF DIFFERENT INDUSTRIES LIKE CULINARY ARTS, MANUFACTURING, LITERARY AND PUBLISHING. DEFINITELY LIKE DESIGN AND VISUAL ARTS ARE IN THERE. BUT OVERALL JUST WHATEVER GIVES DURANGO THAT, THAT SECRET SAUCE THAT MAKES IT SO WONDERFUL. SUCH A RICH PLACE TO LIVE. DURANGO'S CREATIVE DISTRICT RECEIVED A $10,000 GRANT IN SEED MONEY FROM COLORADO CREATIVE INDUSTRIES, AND THE CITY OF DURANGO PROVIDED $40,000 FOR 2020. KIRKMAN SAID THE DURANGO CREATIVE DISTRICT ALREADY HAS LAUNCHED A NUMBER OF INITIATIVES, INCLUDING STORE-FRONT ART EXHIBITS IN VACANT BUILDINGS DOWNTOWN; AN ONLINE DIRECTORY OF CREATIVE PRODUCTS SIMILAR TO ETSY; AND A SPEAKER SERIES CALLED SPARK. IT HAS ESTABLISHED A REVOLVING MICRO-LOAN PROGRAM FOR ARTISTS AND ENTREPRENEURS THROUGH THE COMMUNITY FOUNDATION SERVING SOUTHWEST COLORADO.  IT'S WORKING ON AN ECONOMIC IMPACT STUDY OF CREATIVE INDUSTRIES WITH FORT LEWIS COLLEGE. AND IT'S WORKING ON A PLAN TO DEVELOP MORE PUBLIC ARTS PROJECTS. DURANGO IS ONE OF 26 CERTIFIED CREATIVE DISTRICTS IN COLORADO. IF YOU'D LIKE TO KNOW MORE ABOUT THE DURANGO'S CREATIVE DISTRICT, VISIT DURANGO CREATIVE DISTRICT DOT ORG. THANKS FOR WATCHING THIS EDITION OF LOCAL NEWS NETWORK. IF YOU'D LIKE TO SEE THIS STORY AGAIN, VISIT OUR WEBSITE WHERE YOU CAN SIGN UP TO HAVE US DELIVER YOUR NEWS DIRECTLY INTO YOUR INBOX. I'M WENDY GRAHAM SETTLE FOR THE LOCAL NEWS NETWORK.

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