Boulder is home to a high concentration of photographers, authors, musicians and singers, visual artists, craft artists, music directors, and composers.
Two reports released this week rank Boulder among the top arts communities in the nation. A new National Center for Arts Research report ranked Boulder the fifth most vibrant arts community among medium-sized cities. The Western States Arts Federation (WESTAF) also named Boulder as 19th in its list of Top Small Music Cities.
The National Center for Arts Research at Southern Methodist University in Dallas recently released its annual Arts Vibrancy Index Report. Ranking among the top 2% of communities on numbers of arts providers and 14th for independent artists, Boulder is home to a high concentration of photographers, authors, musicians and singers, visual artists, craft artists, music directors, and composers. This is the second year in a row that Boulder has made the list.
“It is important to remember Boulder’s artistic vitality at this time,” said Boulder Mayor Sam Weaver. “We know the economic impacts of the pandemic and recession are affecting our artists and cultural nonprofits. Even as they struggle, our artists and musicians are already lifting our spirits through their work. It’s clear that Boulder’s recovery will in no small part be supported by the creative people who live here.”
The National Center for Arts Research highlighted the investment in the arts by the municipal government and the Scientific and Cultural Facilities District, as well as the public art program, as important to Boulder’s high ranking. The rankings are determined by analyzing per capita data specifically focusing on supply, demand and public support for the arts. Supply takes into account total arts providers, demand measures the total nonprofit arts dollars in the community, and local, state and federal arts funding is used to measure public support.
Also, the regional arts agency WESTAF analyzed the concentration of professional musicians in 817 census statistical areas with populations under 500,000 where the work of musicians and singers are most impactful on the economy. Boulder was found to have a strong workforce of practicing professional musicians. This is the second time that WESTAF has identified data pointing to Boulder’s lively arts economy: Boulder was third in their ranking of Most Creative Small Cities.
For more information on the findings from National Center for Arts Research, WESTAF and other studies from the Office of Arts and Culture, visit: https://boulderarts.org/data.Â
Media Contacts:
Karl Watkins, Media Relations, 303-441-3554
Lauren Click, Program Coordinator, 720-564-2355
Matthew Chasansky, Arts & Cultural Services Manager, 303-441-4113
Published: Oct. 6, 2020Â
