Carbondale hosted the 2016 Colorado Creative Industries Summit last week. The annual event brought more than 300 people from creative fields to the town. Last year’s event was held in Fort Collins.
Amy Kimberly, the executive director of the Carbondale Council on Arts and Humanities, says the event went off without incident. Kimberly joked that they held a bonfire without burning any buildings down.
Kimberly’s main takeaway from the summit was how she feels closer to creative districts across the state. There is a greater sense of camaraderie with the other locations. The creative district program usually focuses on smaller communities as a way to help them bolster their economies and cultures with the arts. Salida and Telluride are two of the certified districts.
Currently, Kimberly is waiting to hear back from Colorado Creative Industries regarding their application to become a certified creative district. Right now, they’re just a candidate. Carbondale should find out next month if it becomes a certified creative district. It would be eligible for state funding if selected.
