Legal Assistance for Artists Across Colorado and the Country

For the last decade, CBCA has been honored to connect artists and creative entities to pro bono legal services through Colorado Attorneys for the Arts (CAFTA). We are also privileged that CAFTA is in good company among two dozen similar “Volunteer Lawyers for the Arts” programs around the country.

And this past September, we got celebrate both of those things together!

10 Years of Colorado Attorneys for the Arts

CBCA launched Colorado Attorneys for the Arts (CAFTA) in fall 2015 as a way to connect artists, cultural organizations and creative enterprises with vital legal services. It should come as no surprise that most artists can’t afford to hire an attorney to review a contract, register their intellectual property or resolve a dispute. Yet that barrier can be detrimental to their work and future success.

Through CAFTA’s pro bono legal referral service, consultations and educational workshops, we are helping artists grow, protect and sustain their work here in Colorado.

And now, a decade later, CAFTA continues to have a tremendous impact across Colorado thanks to dedicated volunteer attorneys, funders and partners.

Over the past 10 years, CAFTA has:

• Made over 380 pro bono legal referrals in the arts
• Served over 2,800 Coloradans through educational presentations and webinars
• Engaged dozens of volunteer attorneys, including the 120+ volunteers currently registered with CAFTA
• Presented educational workshops and CLEs across the state from Telluride to Greeley, Pueblo to Steamboat Springs
• Served artists across all creative disciplines: visual arts, music, theatre, dance, film, creative writing, graphic design, arts education, creative placemaking and beyond!

CBCA celebrated this milestone with a 10 Year Anniversary Party on September 18 at the Center for Visual Art (CVA) – MSU Denver in the heart of Denver’s Arts District on Santa Fe. This community event was attended by volunteer attorneys, CAFTA clients, former law student interns, funders, and cultural partners. It featured live music from Halle Tomlinson and the stunning “Dance of Resistance” exhibit at the CVA.

This anniversary party was also the centerpiece of a three-day National Volunteer Lawyers for the Arts (NVLA) Conference that CBCA hosted in Denver!

National Volunteer Lawyers for the Arts (NVLA) Conference in Denver

Volunteer Lawyers for the Arts (VLA) programs range in size and shape from standalone organizations serving the entire state of Texas, Maryland, Missouri, California or New York, to programs of Arts & Business Councils in Boston, Miami or Nashville, to unique initiatives led by volunteers or law professors in Kansas City, Oregon or Iowa, and beyond! It is a highly collaborative network that has been convening in-person annually for 20 years or so to learn from each other, share best practices in the field, and support our shared missions.

In September 2025, CBCA was delighted to host the largest NVLA Conference in our network’s history here in Denver, Colorado. Over 30 people were in attendance from 18 different organizations, many attending their first NVLA gathering, plus members of our local CAFTA Advisory Committee.

Full-day sessions were hosted at law firms Holland & Hart and Fairfield & Woods on September 17 and 18. In addition to facilitated peer sharing breakouts, Creative West gave a sobering update on the state of Arts Advocacy; Corona Insights led an engaging and practical workshop on program evaluation and communicating our impact; local experts Morgan English, Casey Fiesler and Tamara Pester discussed the impact of A.I. on the creative industries moderated by Dave Ratner; and Yancey Strickler of Kickstarter fame gave a deep dive into his vision to form new Artist Corporations. There was also a private tour at RedLine Contemporary Arts Center and a dinner of street tacos in RiNo Arts District. To cap the conference off, on Friday, September 19, the whole group took a “field trip” to Red Rocks Amphitheatre and engaged in a panel discussion with Bonfils-Stanton Foundation, Colorado Creative Industries, Denver Arts & Venues, Scientific & Cultural Facilities District (SCFD) and CBCA about Colorado’s public/private partnerships and unique collaborations.

When asked for feedback afterward, one conference attendee shared, “I honestly thought this was the perfect VLA conference.”

CBCA could not have launched Colorado Attorneys for the Arts ten years ago without the support of the NVLA community. Our peers were a vital resource and support network, sharing template forms, policies and procedures, and cheerleading us along. It was a full-circle-moment for us to have the opportunity to thank these national colleagues here in our home state of Colorado and share that 10^th anniversary milestone moment alongside our local partners who make CAFTA what it is every single day.

We look forward to the next 10 years of supporting artists, creative entities and cultural organizations through Colorado Attorneys for the Arts and expanding our national impact together.