18 APRIL 17-23, 2025 westword.com WESTWORD | MUSIC | CAFE | CULTURE | NIGHT+DAY | LETTERS | CONTENTS | the map as a hub of nationally recognized excellence in the arts. Boulder Ballet is doing this ... [but] the dancers who move here to join Boulder Ballet from across the country can’t even afford to live in Boulder. These artists are incredibly talented, and their presence in the community is something the city should take pride in supporting.” Hubiak is also advocating for increased visibility. “When you visit San Francisco or New York, there are streets lined with fl ag- poles with beautiful banners of the opera, symphony and ballet,” she says. “I under- stand Boulder doesn’t want billboards and bus-stop posters, but Pearl Street, the Nobo Arts District, the Dairy, these central spaces have no visibility for showcasing the orga- nizations that live, breathe and work here. This is a missed opportunity and one that I feel could be easily supported.” Despite critics’ concerns, many in the arts community remain hopeful that the Blueprint will result in meaningful progress. Rita M. Rufi no Valente-Quinn, producing executive director of Motus Theater, a nomadic troupe that creates original theatrical productions to facilitate community dialogue, praised the city for incorporating feedback from general oper- ating support grantees and focusing on equity during the “bridge year” budget process. “The City of Boulder’s approach to sup- porting arts and culture demonstrates a commitment to dialogue with the arts com- munity,” Valente-Quinn says. “Moving for- ward, ensuring that BAC grants continue to align with community priorities while ad- vancing equity and inclusion will be crucial in strengthening Boulder’s arts offerings.” For many stakeholders, the Blueprint’s success will hinge not just on its vision but on its follow-through. “The last cultural plan was strong — it just wasn’t adequately funded,” Malden says. “This time, the city needs to back up its aspirations with real investment.” Click agrees that Boulder is at a pivotal moment. “We have the potential to do big changes,” she says. “Before the Sundance Film Festival announcement, we already had an incredible arts community — but now we’re shifting to an international scale and we’ll be able to do things that we might not have been able to otherwise. I’m really in- vested in being sure that our arts community is at the center of that, and I will fi ght tooth and nail to continue to elevate local art.” As the city prepares to release a summary of the questionnaire results, eyes across the arts community will remain focused on whether Boulder can truly live up to its self-proclaimed identity as an “arts town.” “To call Boulder an ‘arts town’ when arts and culture are comparatively underfunded is a misnomer,” Bird says. “But we could be an arts town! And I hope we will be. With Sun- dance coming to Boulder in 2027, we have an opportunity to put Boulder on the map as an arts destination, year-round. Our city has the creative workforce to achieve this goal, which would boost the local economy on multiple fronts. What is needed is scaffolding, in the form of arts funding, which Boulder taxpayers consistently support through their votes.” Email the author at [email protected]. Culture continued from page 16 ALWAYS IN YOUR FEED. FOLLOW US
