Autumn Update

Dear Friends,

October is Arts and Humanities Month, an opportune time to update you on the progress of our future Arts Center.

The Creede Arts Center Board of Directors is working with the City of Creede to secure a site of approximately three acres in the center of town — an ideal location! Working with the city allows our nonprofit to secure public funding in addition to private funding from individuals and foundations. A public-private partnership of this sort is the most effective long-term strategy for the launch and future of the Center.

This month we also welcome Erin Yurkinas as our new Campaign Manager for the Center. Erin has a strong business and development background working with Creede non-profits as both Executive Director of the Creede & Mineral County Chamber of Commerce and Visitor Center, as well as Development Manager for Creede Repertory Theatre. Erin understands the uniqueness of our area and the impact of the arts. We are thrilled to have her join the team.

I’m proud to announce that we’ve received a $500,000 commitment from a donor who prefers to remain anonymous at this time, helping to fund our planning efforts. In addition, we’ve received a $50,000 gift from another private donor, supplementing existing planning grants from the El Pomar Foundation and our local Virginia Christensen Fund.

We continue working with an architect to bring the project design within budget and close to the spirit of Creede in its design. I’m excited that the interior will accommodate both the water media collections we anticipate, especially mine, and community education and engagement activities. A gift shop, children's center, library, and research area, along with a multipurpose room that can be used for workshops, film, concerts, and community gatherings should round out the plan.

As I think about Arts and Humanities Month—and the importance of partnerships among citizens and public officials to sustain the arts—I recall my meeting with former Governor John Hickenlooper. As we stood in his office admiring the twenty paintings of mine that hung in the state capital, he talked about his belief in the future of mountain towns. It relied, he said, on the combination of outdoor recreation, creativity (including food and chefs) and the arts. I couldn’t agree more.

Sincerely,

Stephen Quiller

President | Creede Center for the Arts