SouthWest Colorado Concerts Inc., recently was awarded a $4,000 Colorado Creates grant from the Colorado Creative Industries Division of the Office of Economic Development.
The award was given to the organization to support its efforts to provide a variety of high-quality, live musical entertainment to citizens in the Cortez area.
“We are pleased to have received this grant from Colorado Creative Industries and to be acknowledged for the great concerts we’ve held in the past and planned for the future,” said Jason Witt, president of the board of SouthWest Colorado Concerts, Inc. The award is part of a two-year cycle, and will be awarded again next year.
SouthWest Colorado Concerts is an all-volunteer, nonprofit organization currently in its 62nd season of providing concerts in the Cortez area. According to a recent survey of audience members, the concert series attracts loyal and new attendees interested in the quality of concerts, the opportunities for musical entertainment and education, and the sense of community available at the concerts.
Local funds to support SWCC are provided by local business sponsorships, season and individual concert ticket sales, donations and grants. Local donations and grants recently have been provided by Onward! A Legacy Foundation, Golden Dreams Foundation, Ballantine Family Fund, City of Cortez, Empire Electric Association, Kinder Morgan Foundation, Wal-Mart Foundation and private individual donations.
The next SWCC concert offering will be a free performance by the Mancos Valley Chorus on Tuesday, Dec. 6, titled “Glimpses of Christmas.”
Three spring concerts are planned: the Dallas Brass, the Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain and the America’s Roots of Pop with the Dave Bennett Quartet. All concerts are held at Montezuma-Cortez High School in the Ralph E. Vavak Memorial Auditorium.