Business for the Arts Awards

Local Up with People alumni, Up With People “Party ’Round The World” performing at 2018 Awards Luncheon. Image by Amanda Tipton Photography

CBCA’s Business for the Arts Awards celebrate innovative cross-sector partnerships, generous philanthropy, creative businesses, and stellar leadership across the state. The annual awards luncheon is the only statewide event honoring companies and individuals for their outstanding business partnerships and engagement with the arts.

The 2024 award honorees are selected by an independent judging panel and will be announced in December 2023.  All 2024 honorees will be recognized at CBCA’s annual Business for the Arts Awards luncheon on Tuesday, March 12, 2024.

Nominations can be submitted at cbca.org/2024-award-nomination-form.
Nomination deadline: Friday, November 10, 2023

2024 Award Categories

ARTS & BUSINESS PARTNERSHIP AWARD

The Arts & Business Partnership Award Honorees are exemplary companies that have gone above and beyond to support the arts and creative industries. Honorees embody the mutual benefits of business and arts partnerships. They make Colorado a better place to live, work, and play through innovative collaborations, arts integration into business practices, creative workplaces, economic development in the creative sector, arts advocacy, employee engagement, and/or philanthropy.

Judges will select up to 8 diverse organizations as a cohort of 2024 Arts & Business Partnership Award Honorees.

Eligibility Criteria

  • For-profit businesses, nonprofit organizations, educational or government agencies in Colorado are all eligible.
  • The focus of the nomination must be outside the entity’s day-to-day business or mission. In the case of a creative business or cultural organization, the nomination must be for a program or partnership beyond their regular work and intersect with the business sector.
  • Nominee cannot have previously won a CBCA Business for the Arts Award within the last five years. Past nominees and finalists are encouraged to reapply.

 

NEXT WAVE LEADERSHIP AWARD

The Next Wave Leadership Award honors emerging professionals who are leading the future of our cultural community through their volunteerism, philanthropy, innovative cross-sector partnerships, and/or arts advocacy. These leaders are just starting out but already making big waves!

Eligibility Criteria

  • Nominee must be a Colorado resident.
  • The focus of the nomination must be for activity outside their day-to-day job or business.
  • Nominee must be recognized for work they’ve been engaged in for five years or less.
  • Cannot have previously won a CBCA leadership award in any category within the last five years. Past nominees and finalists are encouraged to reapply.
  • Posthumous nominations are eligible.

CULTURAL LEADERSHIP AWARD

The Cultural Leadership Award recognizes an outstanding graduate of CBCA’s Leadership Arts program who has made and/or continues to make an impact on arts & culture in Colorado.

Eligibility Criteria

  • Nominee must be a Colorado resident.
  • Nominee must be a graduate of CBCA’s Leadership Arts program.
  • Nominee cannot have previously won the Cultural Leadership Award. Past nominees and finalists are encouraged to reapply.
  • Posthumous nominations are eligible.

JOHN MADDEN, JR. LEADERSHIP AWARD

Named for CBCA’s founding chairman, the John Madden, Jr. Leadership Award recognizes an individual who has made significant contributions to advancing arts and culture in Colorado. This lifetime achievement award recognizes extraordinary leadership and a legacy of support for the arts.

Eligibility Criteria

  • Nominee must be a Colorado resident.
  • The focus of the nomination must be for activities outside their day-to-day job or business.
  • Nominee cannot have previously won the John Madden, Jr. Leadership Award or similar lifetime achievement award from CBCA.  Past nominees and finalists are encouraged to reapply.
  • Posthumous nominations are eligible.

VOLUNTEER ATTORNEY IMPACT AWARD

The Volunteer Attorney Impact Award recognizes an outstanding attorney who has provided pro bono legal services to Colorado creatives and advanced CBCA’s Colorado Attorneys for the Arts (CAFTA) program. This award honoree must be a Colorado resident who has gone above and beyond to support the creative industries through CAFTA.

The Volunteer Attorney Impact Award has a closed nomination process. The honoree is selected by the CAFTA Advisory Committee based on direct engagement in CBCA’s Colorado Attorneys for the Arts program.

Click here for more in-depth information about Award Criteria and how to submit a nomination

Catch up on past celebrations:

2023 Awards Luncheon Digital Program

2022 Awards Luncheon Digital Program

2021 Awards Luncheon Digital Program

Watch videos of past Business for the Arts Award Honorees

Past Business for the Arts Awards Winners

2023 
Colectiva
Colorado School of Mines
Fitzsimons Credit Union
Gill Foundation & Scream Agency
McWhinney
Mishawaka Amphitheatre
Modivcare
U.S. Bank
Ashley Cornelius
Deborah Malden
Brian Hanning
Merle Chambers

2022
Artwork Archive
Conscious Alliance
Colorado Chautauqua
FCI Constructors
Holiday Twin Drive-In
Meow Wolf Denver
PNC Bank
Urban Peak
Tara Rynders
Roopesh Aggarwal
Dave Rein
Richard “Dick” Carter

2021
Carbondale Clay Center
Charles Schwab
Craig Hospital
Eclectic Activation
Jack’s Solar Garden
Levitt Pavilion Denver
Pizzeria Locale
RedLine Contemporary Art Center
Jose “Chepe” Rosales
Michael Sattler
Shirin Chahal
Jeanette Trujillo-Lucero

2020
America’s Mattress of Western Colorado
Anythink Libraries
Centura Health
Downtown Denver Business Improvement District
Mountain Sun Pubs and Breweries
Roaring Fork Transportation Authority (RFTA)
Youth on Record
Zeppelin Development
Zach Warkentin
Kendall Smith
donnie l. betts
Rob Applegate

2019
Bank of America
City of Lakewood / 40 West ArtLine
Colorado Harvest Company
Dairy Block
Meredith Hutson
The Independence Center
Kaiser Permanente Colorado
Mariner Kemper
Dave Ratner
Armando Silva

2018
Bellco Credit Union
Cecily Cullen
Dazzle
Delta Dental of Colorado
Downtown Artery
Gensler
Caroline R. Kert
Hal Logan
Kate Perdoni
RTD & City of Aurora
Stanley Marketplace
Xcel Energy

2017
TRG Arts
Jackson Stevens
Sage Hospitality
Tim Schultz
Noble Energy

2016
Share Denver
Will Chan
Crestone Mercantile
Illegal Pete’s
Former Mayor, Bob Murphy

2015
Boulder Digital Arts
General Services Administration
Katie Kruger
Janus Capital Group
Bill Marino

2014
Arrow Electronics
Robert & Judi Newman
AspenPointe
Rakun
Gates Family Foundation

2013
CBS4
Chuck Morris
Denver International Airport
I Heart Denver Store
Newmont Mining Corporation

2012
Aspen Skiing Company
Battery621
Frederic C. Hamilton
The Westin Denver Downtown

2011
First Western Trust Bank
Platte River Ventures
VISIT DENVER
Walter Isenberg

2010
No Awards for CBCA’s 25th Anniversary. Created the John Madden, Jr. Leadership Award

2009
4240 Architecture, Inc.
Cathey Finlon
East West Partners, Riverfront Park
Pinnacol Assurance
Westword Newspaper

2008
Anchor Center for Blind Children
GE Johnson Construction
Company
Kaiser Permanente
ripcord, LLC

2007
Barker Rinker Seacat Architecture
Corporex Colorado & Mile High Development — Museum Residences
Gates Corporation
Gunnison Country Times
Mercy Regional Medical Center

2006
Cleworth Architecural Legacy Project of the Denver
Architectural Foundation
Continuum Partners — Belmar Development
St. Mary Land & Exploration Company
Zeppelin Development — Taxi

2005
Alpine Bank
Ellen Bruss and Mark Falcone
Fine Arts Foundation
JohnstonWells Public Relations
Lockheed Martin
Pinyon Mortgage Corporation

2004
Carol Ann and Gary Hixon
Garlic Mike’s Italian Cuisine
Lowry Foundation
OppenheimerFunds
Pueblo Bank & Trust

2003
Berger Funds
City of Englewood
HealthONE
Jim Copenhaver
JohnstonWells Public Relations

2002
Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce
Lester “Dusty” Loo
Northern Trust Bank
Starz Encore Group
Wells Fargo

2001
Daily Camera
East West Partners, Riverfront Park
John Hickenlooper, Wynkoop Brewing Company
StorageTek

2000
Brookfield Properties
Deloitte & Touche LLP
Kathryn Paul, Kaiser Permanente
The Denver Post

1999
Downtown Denver’s Courtyard by Marriott
SullivanHayes
Tesser LLC

1998
Colorado National Bank
Penguin Studio Press Inc
The Peak 96.5 FM Radio
The Westin Hotel

1997
Allegro Coffee
Colorado Springs Gazette
Telegraph
Deloitte & Touche LLP
Senn Lewis Visciano & Strahle PC
Target Stores

1996
Boogies Diner, Aspen
Estes Park Trail-Gazette
Public Service Company of Colorado
Syntex Chemicals
The Denver Foundation

1995
Bank One
CW Electronics
INVESCO Funds
Reynelda Muse, KCNC-TV
Denver
Telluride Times-Journal
Wilson/Johnson Creative

1994
Charles M. Schayer & Company
Douglas County Education
Foundation
McClain Finlon Advertising
Minorco USA
NationsWay Transport
Norwest Bank
Silvertree Hotel, Aspen/Snowmass
The Mission Viejo Company
United Airlines

1993
Blue Cross & Blue Shield of
Colorado
First National Bank in Trinidad
The Denver Post
The Little Nell
The Rocky Mountain News
US West

1992
Amoco Production Company
Brooks Brothers
Denver Area Honda Dealers
Association
First National Bank of Wray
Steamboat Ski & Resort Corporation

1991
Associated General Contractors of Colorado
AT&T
Fort Collins Coloradoan
Robinson Dairy Inc
US West
West Pines Hospital

1990
Colowyo
Dauer Architects
First Interstate Bank of Denver
Mervyn’s
Newmont Mining Co.
Security Life

1989
Apache Corporation
Continental Airlines
Everitt Companies
Martin Marietta
Phelps Inc
West Pines Hospital

1988
American TV &
Communications Corp
Aspen Skiing Company
Otero Savings, Colorado Springs
Pepsi-Cola Bottling Company
Target Stores
Wano/Coors Company Inc