Space to Create Colorado

Program Summary

Space to Create Colorado is the first state driven initiative for affordable housing for artists and creative sector workers in the nation. The Program assists communities with the development of affordable live-work and commercial spaces through award of predevelopment grant funding. Selected projects are eligible for matching funds from the Boettcher Foundation.

In its inception, Space to Create Colorado set out to designate nine rural communities for Space to Create projects. In 2015, Trinidad Art Space was announced as the first Space to Create community.

Following Trinidad, Colorado Creative Industries selected Ridgway, Grand Lake, Grand Junction, Carbondale and Salida as Space to Create communities.

Each project is led by the local government and customized to meet local community needs and goals. After Space to Create projects are placed in service, artists and creatives can apply for residency. Non-residential spaces are available for creative enterprises and organizations that serve critical communities.

Map of Space to Create projects in Colorado

Overview

Type: Consulting/technical assistance and grant

For: Municipalities with Colorado Creative Districts

OEDIT division: Colorado Creative Industries

Communities selected were prioritized based on readiness, public will, local resources, and housing demands.

The following communities have been selected for Space to Create Colorado projects:

Trinidad
Ridgway
Grand Lake
Salida
Carbondale
Grand Junction

CCI is not currently accepting applications for the Space to Create program. Approved Space to Create projects are typically expected to follow a timeline like the one below:

Feasibility and market studies – seven months.
Predevelopment, including site control, architectural work, and securing financing – one to two years.
Construction – one to three years.

Applications to be a Space to Create community are not open at this time. Please reach out to nikolas.huebler@state.co.us with inquiries.

You will need to contact the community’s project lead organization to find out how it is accepting applications for future tenants. The entire Space to Create process takes several years to complete. Communities typically start accepting applications closer to the date of the grand opening of the building.

The following communities have been selected as Space to Create communities: