In a city short on performance venues, landing a spot at Boulder’s Dairy Arts Center can be a game changer for local creatives. But with its calendar booked months in advance, competition for space at the multidisciplinary complex is fierce.
That’s why the Dairy has launched a new co-production program for emerging artists. The initiative offers free rent at the Dairy, staff support and up to a $5,000 stipend to help bring their creative vision to life.
“We’re in a position now to be more open and generous in our opportunities than in the past when, to balance our books, we had to say, ‘Rent our space or not,’” says director of programs Glenn Webb. “We hope this will help us discover more aspects of the arts community in Boulder.”
Successful applicants will receive one to three days of theater rental, as well as access to technicians, front-of-house staff, marketing consultation, operational tips and box office assistance. While all types of public art and culture events are welcome to apply, the center is prioritizing live performances that have never been staged.
“This may not necessarily be the first show for [these artists], but hopefully they can leverage this opportunity in the future to get more work,” says development manager Shay Wescott. “We’ve had some pretty big productions at the Dairy, and we hold some weight, but we’re still a space that’s grounded in our community.”
‘Less about ticket sales’
Previous projects at the Dairy Arts Center provided valuable learning experiences that influenced the new co-production program.
Path to Excellence, a grant initiative offering stipends for local stage productions through the Boedecker Foundation, highlighted the need for more integrated support beyond funding. Designed to make the center more accessible for local artists, the program provided crucial financial assistance but stopped short of helping creatives holistically navigate the challenges of producing a show independently.
Creative Nations, which opened as a permanent exhibition space for Indigenous artists at the Dairy in 2022, recently confirmed to executive director Melissa Fathman that it intends to spin off into an independent 501(c)(3) organization.
“That is the mark of true success: working together to create an idea, investing in it and then off they go,” Fathman says. “They can have that space forever, but soon they will be on their own, so what do we do next? The very supportive community working with us on these things suggested that we do a version of that, but as a micro-grant.”
So Fathman and her team began work on the co-production program. Webb suggested the initiative be structured as a revenue-sharing arrangement, with the Dairy taking on some financial risks in exchange for a percentage of ticket sales. He described it as “sort of a grassroots socialist model” that allows artists to focus on their creative work without the burden of high upfront costs.
“For us, success in this program is less about ticket sales or what buzz organizations generate — it’s more long-term,” Fathom says. “Ideally, this is such a great experience that artists can level up what they are doing, like Creative Nations has been able to do, to become a sustainable nonprofit or a regular producing partner at the Dairy.”
A foot in the door
Applications for the co-production program are open through Sept. 27. A volunteer advisory committee, consisting of community members with varied expertise in the arts, will review the applications in October. Finalists will be invited for in-person interviews the following month, where they’ll have the opportunity to present their vision and discuss the logistical aspects of their proposed projects.
“It’s all about finding the right balance between someone who has a really strong vision and someone who is flexible,” Wescott says. “We aren’t here to tell you how to make your art, but we are here to help you figure out how to present it from a logistical standpoint.”
Final decisions will be announced Dec. 2. Successful applicants will then work with the Dairy’s operations staff to finalize venue reservations and sign a contract for a co-production to be staged between July 1, 2025, and June 30 of the following year.
“I will know this program has been a success in five to 10 years if some of these artists are a more robust part of the community,” Webb says. “Hopefully, this will help influence the overall tone of arts organizations in Boulder and how they support artists and support diversity to help foster new voices. We want to make sure the arts community in Boulder will continue to feel vital despite the economics of rising rents.”
Interested in putting on a rent-free stage show at the Dairy Arts Center? Applications for the co-production program are open through Sept. 27.