COMMENTARY OPINION BOULDER COUNTY IS AN ARTS COUNTY

BY ERIK MASON

It’s probably no surprise to most people who live or work in Boulder County that the arts are strong here. From large organizations such as the Colorado Music Festival to small associations like the Longmont Concert Band, dozens of arts groups call Boulder County home. In fact, the Scientific and Cultural Facilities District (SCFD) funds 68 operations headquartered in Boulder County, which is 38% more than the other five suburban counties in metro Denver. These cultural treasures not only enrich our lives but also contribute significantly to our local economy and community well-being. While the arts scene in the City of

Boulder is well-known, the arts community in the rest of Boulder County is also vibrant, with a wide variety of disciplines and groups represented. Downtown Louisville, Lafayette and Longmont all host monthly art nights in the summer where galleries are open and activities abound. Bigger festivals like Longmont’s Artwalk draw thousands.

The arts organizations in Longmont, Louisville and Lafayette showcase a wide variety of artistic disciplines and media. In visual art, we have the East Boulder County Studio Tour, Mudslingers Pottery Studio, the Collective Community Arts Center and the Firehouse Art Center, to name just a few. In performing arts and dance, there’s the Centennial State Ballet, the Arts HUB, the Longmont Symphony Orchestra and Center Stage Theatre, again just to name a few. Boulder has no monopoly on quirky arts organizations, either — the Lafayette Art UnderGround Hustle (LAUGH) holds funky art tours that invite you to “meet your local weirdos.”

Why are the arts so strong in east Boulder County? One factor is that while truly “affordable” housing is rare in Boulder County, housing in east Boulder is more attainable than any-

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SEPTEMBER 14, 2023

Volume 31, Number 4

COVER: Pulling Tape by Raymundo Muñoz with Anthony Garcia, linocut, monotype, 2022

PUBLISHER: Fran Zankowski

EDITORIAL

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF: Caitlin Rockett

ARTS & CULTURE EDITOR: Jezy J. Gray

GENERAL ASSIGNMENT REPORTERS: Kaylee Harter, Will Matuska

FOOD EDITOR: John Lehndorff

INTERN: Lily Fletcher

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS: Will Brendza, Rob Brezsny, Michael J. Casey, Dan Savage, Bart Schaneman, Toni Tresca, Colin Wrenn

SALES AND MARKETING

MARKET DEVELOPMENT MANAGER: Kellie Robinson

SENIOR ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE: Matthew Fischer

ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE: Chris Allred

SPECIAL PROJECTS MANAGER: Carter Ferryman

MRS. BOULDER WEEKLY: Mari Nevar

PRODUCTION

CREATIVE DIRECTOR: Erik Wogen

SENIOR GRAPHIC DESIGNER: Mark Goodman

CIRCULATION MANAGER: Cal Winn

CIRCULATION TEAM: Sue Butcher, Ken Rott, Chris Bauer

BUSINESS OFFICE

BOOKKEEPER: Emily Weinberg

FOUNDER/CEO: Stewart Sallo

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