Colorado announced Friday it is designating four new areas as state ” ,” bringing the statewide total to 11.
The four new districts — Denver’s , Lakewood’s , downtown Colorado Springs and the — join seven areas that have already won the designation. The program began in 2011.
Seven more areas have been named candidates for the designation, including Fort Collins and Evergreen.
To be designated, districts first go through a two-year incubator program. They get $10,000 in matching grants, help with marketing and access to other resources worth $32,000. They also collaborate with state officials and other arts districts.
Bill Marino, who chairs 40 West’s board, said the program helped the district speed up its development. It now has about 60 “creative enterprises” — up more than 20 percent since it joined the program.
“We were working hard before the program, and we were going to get there one way or the other,” Marino said. “It’s like getting a coach. … They really helped us along to get better faster and achieve more sooner.”
