June 24, 2020 – Durango, CO – The Community Foundation serving Southwest Colorado announces an online giving opportunity to celebrate arts and culture organizations in La Plata County. This summer would have been the 6th annual Community Concerts in the Secret Garden at the Rochester Hotel. Over the past 5 years, the Community Concerts have raised approximately $75,000 for local nonprofits. Due to the current crowd restrictions in place to protect public health, the local music concerts are going virtual, with radio shows on KSUT, KDUR and the Point on July 1, 8 and 15, 7-8 PM, as well as small, virtual garden parties on Facebook at private locations around town.

“We knew we needed to be creative, so that this important grant opportunity wasn’t diminished during the COVID-19 restrictions,” says Briggen Wrinkle, Executive Director of the Community Foundation serving Southwest Colorado. “We looked for ways we could reimagine the events, in light of our current circumstances, to create a safe and fun strategy to positively impact local musicians, as well as nonprofits in our area.”

Ten local arts and culture nonprofits have been selected to benefit from this grant opportunity. Community Concerts Reimagined in Your Own Secret Garden will raise funds for the Be Frank Foundation, Dancing Spirit, Durango Arts Center, Durango Independent Film Festival, Durango Playfest, KDUR, KSUT, Music in the Mountains, Pine River Arts, and Stillwater Music.

In keeping with the tradition of the Community Concerts, music from local artists will be played and celebrated during the radio shows, while the work of the nonprofits is highlighted. Donations are being solicited to support the 10 benefitting nonprofits, with a goal of raising $50,000.

July 1

Badly Bent

Black Velvet

Kirk James Blues Bank

July 8

Leah Orlikowski

Farmington Hill

Lost Souls

July 15

Caitlin Cannon

People We Know

Jeff Solon

“Local nonprofits have been impacted significantly due to the pandemic, just like many other segments of our economy,” says Wrinkle. “We decided to focus this grant specifically on arts and culture organizations because we know those nonprofits rely so heavily on events for revenue. Art can be healing, inspiring, controversial, and joyful. Even in dire circumstances, the arts and collective expression is an essential fabric of our community. The Community Concerts provided a good opportunity to go virtual and ask donors to support a broad array of arts organizations in one campaign.”

Typically, grants generated from the Community Concerts average $1,600. This year, in wake of the significant impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, the goal for the radio shows and small garden parties is to raise enough money for each nonprofit to earn $5,000.

 “We want to ensure that we have thriving arts organizations in our community, because we need joy, inspiration and whimsy in this challenging time,” adds Wrinkle. “It’s the yin and yang, the balance of life. Creativity takes courage, and the inspiration provided by the arts will help us to heal. These local organizations are some of the many reasons La Plata County is such a vibrant place to live, and we hope our neighbors will support this endeavor.”

The Community Concerts are sponsored by Four Corners Community Bank and Tito’s Handmade Vodka. Donations for Community Concerts Reimagined can be made at swcommunityfoundaiton.org.

As a community facilitator, the Community Foundation serving Southwest Colorado works to increase sustainability and success for nonprofits while maximizing effective grant making for philanthropists to make Southwest Colorado a better place to live. The Community Foundation serves Archuleta, Dolores, La Plata, Montezuma and San Juan counties.