Commerce City, CO is a vibrant and diverse community that values art and culture. It is a place where art serves as a source of celebration and reflection, promoting healthy local business districts and boosting business retention and repetition. To further support the arts, the city has an ordinance that requires each capital improvement project to allocate 1% of the funds to the creation of public works of art. Murals, street pianos, and other place-making initiatives and artistic installations bring people to the streets, contributing to people's safety.
The Urban Land Conservancy (ULC) South Platte Crossing Hub shopping center (ULC) will allow the construction of a new building with 60 units of affordable housing, including several units for resident artists. This is a great opportunity for emerging artists to get their start in the city. Research has found that being inspired by a work of art can increase creativity and, in a business environment, results in better performance in problem-solving exercises. The City Council can set the parameters, involve arts organizations and release them within a limited framework.
As an expert in interactive lighting design and engineering, I understand the power of art to attract people and generate real benefits for cities and customers. To harness this potential, we must ensure that our arts and cultural institutions are inclusive. This includes art for social change (ASC), art with social commitment, arts with community participation (CEA), cultural animation, community cultural development, cultural mediation, social arts (practices) and participatory arts. The Colorado Creative Industries (CCI) division of the Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade (OEDIT) announced that community revitalization projects in Florence, Grand Lake and Commerce City have been selected to receive community revitalization grants.
Art lovers can also look to the future, as Commerce City's evolving art scene is starting to emerge. Creating designated areas in the city where artists can complement, cover up and revitalize street art means that beauty is constantly being reinvented. In conclusion, Commerce City is an ideal place for emerging artists to get their start. With its ordinance requiring 1% of capital improvement projects to be allocated to public works of art, its commitment to inclusive arts and cultural institutions, its support from the Colorado Creative Industries division of the Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade (OEDIT), and its designated areas for street art revitalization, Commerce City is an ideal place for emerging artists to thrive.
