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April 21, 2026
Business for the Arts Awards
DZIRAE GOLD performing at 2026 Business for the Arts Awards Luncheon. Image by Amanda Tipton Photography
CBCA’s Business for the Arts Awards celebrate innovative cross-sector partnerships, generous philanthropy, creative businesses, corporate engagement in the arts, and exemplary 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.
Save the date for CBCA’s 2027 Business for the Arts Awards luncheon on Tuesday, April 20, 2027. Sponsorships are available now! Tables and tickets will go on sale in January 2027.
2027 Business for the Arts Awards Nominations
Nominations are open for CBCA’s 2027 Business for the Arts Awards Honorees. Please thoroughly review the 2027 Award Categories and Criteria before submitting a nomination.
Submit a nomination here! Nominations are due by end-of-day Monday, November 9, 2026.
The 2027 award honorees are selected by an independent judging panel. Award honorees will be notified in mid-December and will be publicly announced in late December 2026. All 2027 award honorees will be recognized at CBCA’s annual Business for the Arts Awards luncheon on Tuesday, April 20, 2027.
2027 Arts & Business Partnership Award Nomination
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 companies as a cohort of 2027 Arts & Business Partnership Award Honorees.
Eligibility Criteria
- For-profit businesses, government agencies, educational institutions or non-artistic organizations in Colorado are eligible.
- The focus of the nomination must be outside the entity’s day-to-day business or mission.
- Arts & culture organizations are NOT eligible for this award. If a cultural organization is partnering with a business, the business should be the nominee.
- Nominee cannot be a previous winner of a CBCA Business for the Arts Award within the last five years. Past nominees and finalists are encouraged to reapply.
2027 Next Wave Leadership Award Nomination
The Next Wave Leadership Award honors emerging professionals and business leaders 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 are already making big waves!
Eligibility Criteria
- Nominees must be Colorado residents.
- The focus of the nomination must be on activities outside their day-to-day job or business.
- Nominees must be recognized for recent work they’ve been engaged in for five years or less.
- Nominee cannot be a previous winner of a CBCA Business for the Arts Award within the last five years. Past nominees and finalists are encouraged to reapply.
- Posthumous nominations are eligible.
2027 Cultural Leadership Award Nomination
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
- Nominees must be Colorado residents.
- Nominees must be graduates of CBCA’s Leadership Arts program.
- Nominee cannot be a previous winner of a CBCA Business for the Arts Award within the last five years. Past nominees and finalists are encouraged to reapply.
- Posthumous nominations are eligible.
2027 John Madden, Jr. Leadership Award Nomination
Named for CBCA’s founding chairman, the John Madden, Jr. Leadership Award recognizes a business leader 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
- Nominees must be Colorado residents.
- The focus of the nomination must be for activities outside their day-to-day job or business.
- Nominee cannot be a previous winner of a CBCA Business for the Arts Award within the last five years. Past nominees and finalists are encouraged to reapply.
- Posthumous nominations are eligible.
2027 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.
Read the full press release about the 2026 Awards luncheon, including all the performances and creative partners.
Watch all of the 2026 Business for the Arts Awards Videos.
Catch up on past celebrations:
2026 Awards Luncheon Digital Program
2025 Awards Luncheon Digital Program
2024 Awards Luncheon Digital Program
2023 Awards Luncheon Digital Program
2022 Awards Luncheon Digital Program
Past Business for the Arts Awards
View All
22
April 22, 2025
2025 Business for the Arts Awards Luncheon
Learn More
Past Business for the Arts Awards Winners
2026
The Benson Hotel and Facutly Club
DAR Chocolate Art Bars
Fort Greene Bar
MATTER
Nocturne
Our Lady of Perpetual Motion
Semple Brown
Vermilion
Lisa Branner
Bala Thiagarajan
Morgan English
Dan Caruso
2025
Breckenridge Grand Vacations
Clear Creek Makerspace, powered by Localworks
Cultura Chocolate
Havana Business Improvement District – On Havana Street
Mexican Cultural Center
The Museum of Friends
The People’s Building
WeldWerks Brewing Co
DNA Picasso
Laura Moody
Max Hass
James A. Holmes
2024
Black Cube Nomadic Art Museum
Colorado Resiliency Arts Lab (CORAL)
Frasier Life Plan Community
Fuel & Iron Food Hall
Jubilee Roasting Co.
Klein Makerspace
The Aurora Highlands
The Underground Music Showcase (UMS)
Clelyn Chapin
Donald Rossa
Liz Hartsel
Jandel Allen-Davis, MD
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
