We believe arts outreach is essential to cultivating
a thriving creative community
For over 50 years, the Crested Butte Arts Festival has supported community driven artistic visions.
To date, more than $100,000 has been dispensed in Artistic Enrichment Grant funding.
By bidding on an auction item, establishing a business sponsorship, or simply making a donation,
you are contributing to uplifting creative initiatives in the Gunnison Valley.
Much gratitude to the following community members
who have generously donated to our Grant Fund
Charles Talbott & Carol Sandvick
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Anne Kinder
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Allan & Diane Miller
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Lisa Butero
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Daryn & Amy Eudaly
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Rocky & Mary Lou Kimball
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Samantha & Adlai Mcmahon
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Melissa Wozniak
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Charles Talbott & Carol Sandvick ~ Anne Kinder ~ Allan & Diane Miller ~ Lisa Butero ~ Daryn & Amy Eudaly ~ Rocky & Mary Lou Kimball ~ Samantha & Adlai Mcmahon ~ Melissa Wozniak ~
Randi & Anthony Stroh
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Cyndee & Mark Turner
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Bev & Chuck Funderburk
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Jennifer Williams & Michael Kienast
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James & Judy Gibbs
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Randall & Patty Kob
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Randi & Anthony Stroh ~ Cyndee & Mark Turner ~ Bev & Chuck Funderburk ~ Jennifer Williams & Michael Kienast ~ James & Judy Gibbs ~ Randall & Patty Kob ~
2026 Artistic enrichment grant Awardees
Leath Tonino -
Poems with Wings: A Literary Field Guide and Map to the Birds of Crested Butte
For every species on the “Birds of Western Colorado Forest Service Lands” checklist... I'm writing a poem!
There are 300-plus species. Ultimately, I will gather the poems together into a book, as a sort of literary field guide of our regional landscape.
Six Points - Art Show and Creative Programming
The mission of Six Points is to enhance the lives of their clients so they may reach their highest potential. Six Points arts programming provides supplies and instruction to participating disabled clients, allowing them to explore creation in several different art mediums. Finished pieces are ultimately prepared for group exhibition and offered for sale. Art sales creates supplemental incomes for clients, resources which are a fantastic addition to daily living needs, but also provides them with an increased sense of independence, a connection to the local art community and a greater sense of self-worth.
Crested Butte Community School - After School Enrichment
CBCS After School Enrichment programs have provided a consistent and sustained programming of high-quality creative activities for K-12 students. Throughout the school year, the Enrichment Program offers over 30 different after school clubs including - art, drama, authors & creative writing, costumes and creativity, improve, film-making, creative constructions, radio production, fiber arts, video editing, and more!
Trailhead Children’s Museum - Alpenglow Art Bar
The Alpenglow Art Bar brings an open-ended visual arts experience into a community space throughout the Alpenglow summer concert series. The goals of the Art Bar is community engagement with the arts, specifically from children and families, creating a space for community connection and conversation, and to connect local and visiting families with experiential arts opportunities.
Gunnison Country Artists - Scenic Studio Tour
The Gunnison Country Scenic Studio Tour is a self-guided, county-wide arts event that invites the public into working studios over the course of one weekend. Participants travel between Gunnison, Crested Butte, and Pitkin to meet local artists, view finished work, and experience the spaces where art is made. By connecting audiences directly to artists, the tour promotes cultural engagement, supports local creative livelihoods, and highlights the diversity of mediums and practices within the region.
Artlaws of the Southwest - Artist Collective Pop-up’s
Base in Crested Butte, the Artlaws of the Southwest will be coming into the second year as a collective in 2026. Our project is based on creating a strong base for our collective to grow from. This summer we aim to host four pop-up events every Third Thursday of the months. We curate events for our artists to share their space and offer a lens into the life of a working artist.We also welcome the larger swath of our local artisan community to participate in creating an environment of professional growth.
Sampling of Previous
Artistic Enrichment Grant recipients
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Kissidugu Foundation - Youth Cultural Arts Camp
Six Points - Art Show and Creative Programming
Crested Butte Community School - After School Enrichment Program
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Firebird Theatre - Special Effect Makeup
Crested Butte School or Dance - Original Choreographic Works
Trailhead Children’s Museum - Community Creators Weekend Workshops
Hayden Lilly Daiber - “Dammed Rivers” photography project
Heather Bischoff - “Weather Vain” multi-media installation project
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Crested Butte Community School art students received instruction from street art muralist - Bimmer Torres, on how to collaboratively paint an iconic and impactful mural from concept to creation. The Crested Butte Center for the Arts coordinated bringing this inspiring project to life, and the mural remains on display at the CBCS campus.
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The Wheels of Intention community collaboration was envisioned by Caroline McLean who conceived of the project while on a pilgrimage to Bhutan in 2017. Caroline’s vision of giving back to her mountain community became clear – install prayer wheels to Crested Butte! The project brought twenty four separate artists, non-profit organizations & business sponsors together in collaboration to produce eight uniquely crafted prayer wheels, displayed throughout Crested Butte. Tour the Wheels
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The Trailhead's Art Bar is a place to create, tinker, and play. The Art Bar was a popular attraction at the festival, and it continues to be a huge hit. The Trailhead also worked with the Wheels of Intention project to teach youngsters about the wheels and help them make their own (slightly different) versions- see them in the photo below. These upcycled plastic wheels were decorated and created by kids and actually spin!
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Artkitect Joe Bob Merritt is a visionary community conspirator, who has been Vinotok Grump Master since 2010, responsible for designing, planning, crafting and executing the ceremonial Grump effigy. In 2021 we funded a grant request from Vinotok to design and fabricate their central alter. The Fire Temple is a nomadic space/place/form wherein meaning making cultural rituals are literally "held together" by way of the place making nature that occurs during the act of fabricating round spaces by the hands of artists.
Additional Focuses of Annual Arts Outreach
The CBAF further uplifts our local community by producing the following programs
Art Alley
The children’s Art Alley tent is a mainstay of the festival. In keeping with tradition, we continue to prioritize funding experiential art-making activities for youth and their families, offered free of charge during the festival weekend.
Community Entertainment Stage
The CBAF exclusively hires local performing artists to perform on the Community Entertainment Stage. Through this locally driven initiative, our goal is to uplift and showcases the broad spectrum of performing arts talent in our community.
Flags of Intention
The 2025 CBAF will feature the Flags of Intention community based art project. Participants will ink block print images onto stringed prayer flags and further inscribe their flag with positive words of intention. Completed flag strands will be strung in auspicious locations around our valley, imprinting their blessings on the wind, amplifying peace and spreading good wishes across our community.
