There are things happening in the 40 West Arts District people can see -- the murals and statues that add color and character to businesses.But there's also developments most can't see, opportunities that make it possible for 40 West to grow in new directions.Recently, the district has seized two opportunities for more creative exploration. The City of Lakewood and 40 West received a $100,000 Our Town grant from the National Endowment for the Arts, and announced the formation of a lab to help inspire and educate the next generation of creative industry entrepreneuers."We're having all these great milestones for our community," said Bill Marino, chair of 40 West. "It's an honor for us to receive these investments in what we're doing."Creativity Lab of ColoradoStatewide partnerships lead to the creation of a brand-new creative business incubator, to be housed at the Rocky Mountain College of Art + Design.
The Lakewood-West Colfax Business Improvement District, 40 West Arts, the college and Colorado Creative Industries, all collaborated to develop the Creativity Lab of Colorado. The aim of the lab is to foster new creative industry businesses and new jobs, and educate entrepreneurs and the next generation.
"This was a very natural relationship for us," said Ruth Holden, chair of Business for the Creative Industries department at RMCAD. "Students will be able to work in and observe the work going on in the lab. Plus, they'll be around all these creative masterminds."
The Lab will have three focus areas: the Creative Business Incubator, providing guidance for individuals with new business or product concepts and early-stage startups; the Community Design Studio, which will work with both private enterprises and public entities to provide a guide to bringing business ideas to life; and the Institute for Creative Community Leadership, which marries community development with creative organizational dynamics.
"We want to build businesses through community transformation," Marino said. "We want to create community leadership that will serve the broader creative community in the state."
The first workshops and events associated with the Creativity Lab will be announced this month.
"In our research, we found incubators like this that are associated with colleges and education are the most successful," Holden said. "Our students will be able to have fun while learning about an industry still in development."
Our Town grantThe city and 40 West worked together to secure the $100,00 Our Town grant from the National Endowment for the Arts, which is the largest amount awarded under the Our Town program.
"The Our Town grant in an annual program, and very competitive," said Alexis Moore, principal planner with the city. "It was a really strenuous and thorough process, and we've worked with the community for years on this project."
The NEA received 240 applications this year and made awards ranging from $25,000 to $100,000.
The funds will go to the implementation of an "Arts Loop" around the northeast section of the city, highlighting 40 West and West Colfax and featuring Walker Branch, Mountair Park and Aviation Park.
"We're going to be using existing trails for the loop, so the money will go to getting iconic public art to showcase," Moore said. "We're working with a public art consultant on the project, and we're going to be at a lot of events getting the public involved."
Work kicks off this month, Marino said, with a steering community made up of a cross-section of stakeholders. He added one of the most important benefits of the loop is its support of the local economy by bringing travelers to area businesses.
"That we received the highest possible grant amount says a lot about the collaboration we have going here," Moore said. "We're re-energizing the area, and people are excited about what it can become."
from Lakewood Sentinel - Latest Stories http://lakewoodsentinel.com/stories/The-happenings-at-40-West,233347
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