The Sundance film festival, one of the world’s largest independent film festivals, announced Thursday that Boulder, Colorado, will be its new home.
Sundance announced last year that it was looking to relocate from Park City, Utah, where it has been for four decades.
Boulder, Colorado, submitted a proposal, along with local and state-wide partners, including the University of Colorado, the Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade, the Colorado Office of Film Television and Media, and the Colorado Tourism Office.
The proposal had strong support from Governor Jared Polis, who said the state celebrates the arts and film industry as a key economic driver and job creator.
“Now, with the addition of the iconic Sundance Film Festival, we can expect even more jobs, a huge benefit for our small businesses including stores and restaurants, and to help the festival achieve even greater success,” he said in a statement Thursday.
The festival is expected to bring in millions of dollars to Boulder and the surrounding region, and will be a significant financial loss for Utah. In 2024, the festival estimated it brought in $132 million to Utah.
Part of Boulder’s appeal is the financial support that has been promised by the state. Representative Brianna Titone, a Democrat from Jefferson County, is sponsoring HB25-1005 which would offer tax incentives for Sundance and other film festivals.
"The film office came to us and said, ‘We’d like to offer a tax credit for the festival and the small festivals as well.’ And I said, ‘sign me up,’" said Titone.
Titone, the state’s first openly transgender lawmaker, says while economic incentives likely played a major role in the decision, Colorado’s progressive policies were also a factor.
"When you look at the community and the kinds of films, the inclusivity, the diversity of thought in the stories that are told, they’re not the kinds of stories that people feel comfortable talking about in the state of Utah or Ohio,” said Titone.
“ We don't have that here. We are very welcome. We're very open.”
Utah lawmakers recently passed a measure banning the display of Pride flags in schools and government buildings.
Boulder will officially become the home of the Sundance Film Festival in 2027.
Copyright 2025 Rocky Mountain Community Radio. This story was shared via Rocky Mountain Community Radio, a network of public media stations in Colorado, Wyoming, Utah, and New Mexico, including Aspen Public Radio.
