With federal arts funding drying up, several Denver arts organizations are saying that without the metro area’s ongoing voter-approved SCFD arts tax, they would be folding the tent right about now.
Anyone who wants to see how an already fragile arts ecosystem looks in the absence of the $83 million the Scientific and Cultural Facilities District infuses into more than 300 metro arts and science organizations every year needs only look to the north, where several Fort Collins arts organizations are facing critical funding shortages.
OpenStage, a cornerstone of the Northern Colorado arts community for more than 50 years, issued a statement Thursday saying that public arts funding from state, city and foundation sources is down 36%, and “shifting sponsor priorities have left us with a 25% shortfall…