2024 REPORT TO THE COMMUNITY
BRECKENRIDGE ARTS DISTRICT
ABOUT BRECKENRIDGE ARTS DISTRICT
The Breckenridge Arts District is a hub for creative experiences, bringing together studios, galleries, performance spaces, historic landmarks, public art, restaurants, cafes and other creative businesses that animate and populate a vibrant cultural corridor in downtown Breckenridge.
Inspired by a field trip to Anderson Ranch in Snowmass Village in 2001, the Town of Breckenridge recognized the potential of preserving and repurposing historic homes, barns and shops and developed the District as active, creative spaces for visitors and residents to reflect and celebrate Breckenridge’s culture.
Named a Certified Colorado Creative District in 2016, it receives support from the State of Colorado, which regularly cites Breckenridge as an entrepreneurial example for other Creative Districts to emulate.
ARTS DISTRICT MAP 5 VENUES • 14 FACILITIES
DISTRICT MANAGEMENT MODEL
THE ROLE OF BRECK CREATE
Ten years ago, in 2014, the Town of Breckenridge formed Breck Create as an independent non-profit organization to take over management of its public art assets, including a 33-piece public art collection and five major cultural arts venues made up of 14 facilities and historic structures.
While much of Breck Create’s public funding goes toward the maintenance and operations of these assets, Breck Create also plans programming to complement the work of longstanding Breckenridge-based cultural organizations. Breck Create operates under a pioneering business model that leverages public funding with patron-generated revenue and funding collaborations.
With an emphasis on authenticity, culture and singularity of place, all Breck Create programs and services are designed to promote community building, placemaking, and economic development in Breckenridge.
BRECK CREATE AT A GLANCE MISSION
To deliver inspiring creative experiences that enrich the quality of life for all residents and quality of place for visitors.
WHAT WE DO
1. Operate and provide SERVICES to enable commercial and non-profit organizations to use Town of Breckenridge cultural assets
2. Produce and provide PROGRAMS such as performances, classes, community events, festivals and exhibitions to complement offerings of other organizations
PROGRAMS
PROGRAMS
ROLE OF BRECK CREATE
Breck Create’s primary programming objective is to populate two of the Breckenridge Arts District’s major venues - Old Masonic Hall and the Campus of historic art studio spaces – with multidisciplinary art experiences that:
1. Align with the Town’s Community Goals and Event Strategies
2. Serve critical community needs
3. Drive earned and contributed revenue from private sources.
The following framework guides programming choices and fundraising priorities to meet the goal of creative placemaking in the heart of Town. As of 2020, when tourism spiked with the pandemic, Breck Create spends majority of resources on “intimate” and “social” art programming as opposed to the more destination driving “Big Art.”
INTIMATE ART
Classes and opportunities for creative expression, education and skill-building alongside teaching artists and professionals of the highest quality in small studio settings and private homes.
EXAMPLES: Fine Art + Studio Craft Curriculum, House P(art)y events.
SOCIAL ART
Art and events that stimulate meaningful social engagement and invite interaction between people of all ages, cultures and creeds. This programming seeks harmony of entertainment and raising awareness around issues important to Breckenridge, including environmental stewardship and social equity. EXAMPLES: AirStage Après, Old Masonic Hall Exhibitions, Breck Create Presents, Annual Fundraising Party.
SUMMER CAMP PARTICIPANT TESTIMONY
“My daughter loved her time at Breck Create this past summer! The instructors really encouraged her creativity. She came home beaming with excitement about the amazing projects she created, and she made some great friends too. We’re already looking forward to signing her up again next summer!”
BIG ART
Large-scale visual and performance art to emphasize cultural, natural and historical narratives of Breckenridge. These signature experiences aim to leverage the Town’s unique partners and assets to foster pride of place and set Breckenridge apart from other mountain destinations. EXAMPLES: Public Art Collection, BIFA
CORE PROGRAM ACTIVATION
BRECKENRIDGE EVENT COMMITTEE STRATEGIES
ARTS DISTRICT Destination
Fine Art + Craft Curriculum Year-Round 308 days/year; 30 Hours/week
Precious Plastics Remakerspace Year-Round 117 days/year; 9 Hours/week
Old Masonic Hall Exhibitions + Activations Year-Round 243 days/year; 42 Hours/week
Visiting + Local Artists in Residence Year-Round 191 days/year; 10 Hours/week
Camps and after school programs Summer, Wednesdays 135 days/year; 8 Hours/week
Special Events: Jul 4, Town Party Summer 2 days/year
AirStage Après Summer 10 day/year
FESTIVALS
Community, Destination
Community, Destination
Community, Destination
Día de Muertos Shoulder (October) 2 days/year Community
Breckenridge International Festival of Arts (BIFA) Late Summer 10 day/year
COMMUNITY (OFF-DISTRICT)
School-based Programs Fall/Winter/ Spring 54 days/year
AirStage Neighborhood Block Parties Summer 3 days/year
RIVERWALK CENTER PRESENTS Winter/ Summer 12-18 days/year
PUBLIC ART COLLECTION Year-Round 365/year
Destination, Revenue, Community
Community, Revenue
Destination, Media, Branding
CORE PROGRAM ACTIVATION KEY
COUNCIL + COMMUNITY GOALS
Balanced, year-round economy
Hometown feel and authentic character
Leading Environmental Stewardship
More Boots + Bikes, Less Cars
BRECKENRIDGE EVENT COMMITTEE STRATEGIES
DESTINATION
Increasing and maintaining visitation, media and branding REVENUE
Building business in lodging, retail and restaurants COMMUNITY
Enhancing the quality of life through animation, goodwill and education
DÍA DE MUERTOS PARTICIPANT FEEDBACK
It was such an amazing day, thank you again for putting all that together and making all Hispanics feel so special, loved and valued on top of showcasing our wonderful culture to our kids and community.”
PROGRAM IMPACT HIGHLIGHTS
PRECIOUS PLASTICS RE-MAKERSPACE
1,976 LBS of plastic were diverted from the landfill
713 LBS
were converted into art and other items
OLD MASONIC HALL EXHIBITIONS
100% of artists engaged were Women, LGBTQ+ and/or people of color
BRECKENRIDGE
INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL OF ARTS (BIFA)
9735
People attended free BIFA events
PUBLIC ART COLLECTION
33
pieces in the Public Art Collection #1
question from the Welcome Center: “Where is the troll?”
WHO BRECK CREATE SERVES
2024 TOTAL PROGRAM PARTICIPATION (Projected)
36,000
2024 BRECK CREATE PROGRAMS PARTICIPATION BY ZIP
51% 47% SUMMIT COUNTY RESIDENTS VISITORS
SERVICES
SERVICES
ROLE OF BRECK CREATE
The Town of Breckenridge charges Breck Create with the management and operations of five major cultural venues (made up of 14 buildings) with the core tenant of enabling local non-profits’ and community organizations’ use first and foremost. Working in tandem with the Town’s Facilities Department on physical plant maintenance, Breck Create oversees each buildings’ operating infrastructure and unique performance capability, safely moving tens of thousands of patrons through its many doors each year.
As caretaker of the community’s venues, Breck Create provides several shared services on behalf of the Town, including ticketing and registration services, production services and technical performance system maintenance. The organization manages facility usage agreements for five resident companies and oversees the Town’s In-Kind Facility Usage Grant Program.
VENUES + RESIDENT COMPANIES
• RIVERWALK CENTER, home of the National Repertory Orchestra
• BRECKENRIDGE THEATER, home of Breckenridge Backstage Theatre Company
• ECLIPSE MOVIE THEATER, home of Breck Film
• ARTS DISTRICT CAMPUS, 1-acre block of historic structures turned to art studios
• OLD MASONIC HALL, art exhibition space and ticket office
DEFINITIONS
FACILITIES
Physical assets (non-moveable items, generally)
SERVICES
Operating infrastructure to enable use of physical assets (moveable items, generally)
IMPACT STATS
31,364
CENTER USAGE OVERVIEW
RESIDENT COMPANIES & COMMUNITY ACCESS GRANTEES
• Alpine Dance
• Blue River Watershed Group
• Breckenridge Tourism Office
• Breckenridge Backstage Theatre Company
• Breck Film
• Building Hope
• Carriage House Early Learning Center
• Domus Pacis
• International Freeskiers & Snowboarders Association
• National Repertory Orchestra
• Peace Alights
• St Mary’s Catholic Christmas Mass
• Summit Concert Band
• Summit Foundation
• Team Summit
BRECK CREATE IN THE MEDIA
MEDIA BRANDING HITS
WEBSITE USERS (SESSIONS) 2019
IN THE HEADLINES:
How Breckenridge is Turning Old Plastic Snow Sleds into Art - The Denver Post
Queer, Non-Binary, Happy… Creating the Life You Want Wherever You Are: A Colorado “creative community” and arts organization brings together queer artists for an art show focused on rural landscapes and queer identities. - The Daily Yonder
Reading Gay Love Letters at Breckenridge’s Old Masonic Hall - Yellow Scene Magazine
Performance combining skateboarding, jazz to feature Summit County athletes - Vail Daily
INDIGENOUS A&E: Big art, chant music, short filmsIndiJ Public Media
36 HOURS IN BRECKENRIDGE
The New York Times
After viewing the troll, see some of the town’s 32 other public art installations on a self-guided audio tour using the free Breck Create app. “Throne,” on the Arts District Campus, is a steel-andstained-glass installation that riffs off a 1936 discovery that Breckenridge had been omitted from some 1880s U.S. maps — residents later deemed the town its own “kingdom” and the nickname stuck.”
EARNED A SPOT IN THE 2024 TOP 100 GREEN DESTINATIONS STORIES FOR PRECIOUS PLASTIC:
“Destination partners at Breck Create believes that sustainability and environmental awareness are key values in maintaining the spirit of Breckenridge. As an extension of their commitment to the natural environment, they partner with Precious Plastic–a worldwide initiative that exists to reduce plastic waste through a combination of people, machines, platforms and knowledge.”
10-YEAR SNAPSHOT
USAGE, VOLUME, REVENUE ARTS DISTRICT CAMPUS
CLASSES/OPEN STUDIO ATTENDANCE
NUMBER OF CLASSES/OPEN STUDIO
CLASSES/OPEN STUDIO REVENUE
MEMBERSHIP + SMALL GIFT REVENUE
PEOPLE + PARTNERS
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Martin Inglis, Chair
Geri Gasperut, Vice Chair
Kenneth (Ken) Nelson, Secretary
Bill Taylor, Treasurer
Steve Gerard, Breckenridge Town Council
Martin Carter
Laura Dziedzic
Jose Espino
Lesley Gregory
Shannon Haynes, Town Manager
Maya Kulick
Dave Ratner
Tim West
Tamara Nuzzaci Park, Ex officio
CREATIVE CONTRACTED SUPPORT
Darlene Beck
Nate Cordero
John Kernaghan
Angela Knightley
Joe Kusumoto
The Office of Ordinary Things
PROGRAM PARTNERS
Beaver Run Resort
Blue Iguana Productions
Breckenridge Backstage Theater
Breckenridge Grand Vacations
Breckenridge History
Breckenridge Open Space + Trails
Breckenridge Recreation Center
Breckenridge Tourism Office
Broken Compass Brewery
Building Hope Summit County
High Country Conservation
Keystone Science School
Metro State University: Chicano Humanities Arts Council
Mexican Cultural Center
Minimal Impact
Mountain Dreamers
Mountain Pride
National Repertory Orchestra
Proyecto Thrive
Summit County South Branch Library
Summit County Youth + Family Services
Summit School District
Town of Dillon
Town of Frisco
Town of Silverthorne
Wizards of the Peaks
THANK YOU!
