Five Points Jazz Grants

The goal of this grant is to celebrate and uplift jazz artists and jazz-related programming in the context of the DENVER CREATES: A Collective Commitment to the Arts, the city’s roadmap for a thriving arts and culture ecosystem. Grounded in research and driven by community voices, this roadmap outlines three commitments to create a more equitable and dynamic cultural landscape: 

• Commitment #1: Broaden Access to Arts and Culture 

  • Advance equity and access in arts and culture funding 

  • Reduce barriers to audience engagement 

• Commitment #2: Cultivate the Cultural Community  

  • Amplify Denver’s Cultural Successes and Reputation 

  • Build Cross-Sector Collaborations 

  • Integrate Artists in Community Decision-Making 

  • Build Arts Leadership and Education  

• Commitment #3: Support the Economic Vitality of Denver’s Cultural Sector 

  • Increase access and affordability of spaces 

  • Retain local talent and resources 

More information on the DENVER CREATES cultural roadmap can be found here. 

• • Only complete applications will be reviewed. 

  • Applications can be for new or existing projects.  

  • Projects must be jazz-related and accessible to the public. 

  • Cultural institutions, non- or for-profit entities, educational institutions, neighborhood and community-based organizations and individual artists can apply. 

  • City agencies are not eligible for funding, but can be listed as a partner on applications.  

  • Projects must take place within the designated footprint (please see activation area below). 

  • Our current policy is that an individual or entity cannot receive funding from Denver Arts & Venues for the same project or program in a single calendar year (January 1 – December 31). If you are applying with a project or program that has already received other funding for the 2026 year from Denver Arts & Venues, you are ineligible to apply in the current cycle.  

The shaded area represents where Five Points Jazz Fund activities must take place. This map is meant to serve as a reference point – if you need more information or have a specific question about location and eligibility, please reach out to Sonia Rae at Sonia.Rae@denvergov.org.

The boundaries are as follows and encompass businesses and organizations located on both sides of the street:

• 20th Avenue between Broadway and Downing Street
• Downing Street between 20th Avenue and 31st Avenue
• 32nd Street between Downing and Arapahoe Street
• Arapahoe Street to Broadway
• Broadway to 20th Avenue 

• Funded programs must take place between January 1 and December 31, 2026. 

• Grantees will participate in an onboarding call with Denver Arts & Venues to kick off the grant implementation phase and communicate key project milestones or any challenges with your grant. 

• The program must have an identified project lead who will implement and track the impact of the program.  

• If the program is significantly changed (e.g. project description, event location/s and frequency, target audience) you must contact the Program Manager to discuss these updates. Please note that if the changes affect eligibility, you may be required to return the funds.  

• If your event has a ticketed cost, please include a minimum of two comped tickets for Denver Arts & Venues staff to attend and celebrate your work.  

• If there are any events related to your program that are open to the public, we ask you to let us know by submitting this form at least 30-60 days in advance, so that we may help you promote the event.  

• Grantees will acknowledge the support of Denver Arts & Venues in all program branding and promotion. 

• Grantees must submit a Project Wrap-Up form. While we do not require comprehensive final reports, we would love to hear how your project went in your own words. We encourage you to share the impact of the program in one or more of the following ways: 

  • Photos and videos of the program 

  • Media mentions  

  • Attendance numbers 

  • Demographic information 

  • Testimonials 

  • Project reports 

Each application will be scored on Program Description (30%), Alignment with DENVER CREATES (15%), Program Impact and Relevance (10%), Program Audience (18%) and Feasibility and Planning (27%) using a review criteria. Please note that scoring will be based on the quality of the responses to the application. 

Funds will support “Her Sound, Our Story: Women Composers Honor Denver’s Jazz Legends,” an innovative project that celebrates the rich history of jazz in Denver while empowering women composers to reshape the narrative.

Funding will be used to support the grand opening celebration of CPR's new facility, hosting jazz and jazz-related performances from January 15-19, 2026.  

The Collection Place Pop-Up directly celebrates the history and future of jazz in Five Points by showing how jazz is the foundation of Black music culture in Colorado and the direct ancestor of hip hop, DJing, poetry and spoken word today.

Funds will support Jazz in the Park, a free, monthly, community-centered summer music series presented by the Curtis Park Neighborhood Association in Sonny Lawson Park.

Funds will be used to support the second annual Five Points Live! Jazz & Roots Celebration in 2026. 

Funding will support an event celebrating Oscar Brown Jr., an American singer, music composer, civil rights activist, playwright, actor and poet.

Innervision presents Jazz in the Dark, a program designed to make jazz music fully accessible to blind and visually-impaired individuals, while engaging the broader community. Through live performances, interactive workshops and digital streaming, participants experience and learn jazz in ways that emphasize auditory and tactile engagement.

Funds will support The Jazz Table, a two-night event featuring a live two-hour set from three local jazz artists, a Jazz vinyl set, a curated art exhibition of 4–5 local artists and a ten-bite tasting menu crafted in dialogue with the music.  

Funding will support THE SUMMER JAZZ SHOWCASE! ROXY RENAISSANCE! taking place July 15–17, 2026 at The Historic Roxy Theatre. The Roxy Renaissance is a three-night immersive jazz experience celebrating the sound, soul and story of Five Points. 

Funds will support a multidisciplinary exhibition and digital activation, an immersive performance space that celebrates sound, movement and memory. The exhibition will include live jazz, dance, spoken word, projection art and digital installations.