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Art Resources: Art Resources

Resource list for local artists and art organizations.

About This Art Resources Guide

This resource list aims to support arts and culture organizations, assist artists in building their business or career, offer opportunities for learning and growth as an artistic organization or artist, and provide networking avenues for individuals and organizations.

Local Resources

The Art Center

The Art Center is a hub for Western Slope artists and those who are curious about art. They offer five galleries that host work by artists around the nation and Western Colorado.

  • Exhibition Opportunities

  • Annual Members Exhibition

  • Education/Classes including for individuals with special needs

  • Events/Excursions/First Fridays

Business Incubator Center 

The Business Incubator Center supports the launch, growth, stabilization, and long-term success of business enterprises in Mesa County and the surrounding region through entrepreneurial guidance, in addition to the following:

  • Incubator Intensive Program

  • Small Business Development Center (Business Workshops)

  • Business Loan Fund

  • Commercial Kitchen Program

  • Enterprise Zone of Mesa County

  • FWorks Coworking Space

  • GJ Makerspace

GJ Creates

GJ Creates is a Colorado State Certified Creative District, housed under Downtown Grand Junction, which manages the Downtown Development Authority and Business Improvement District.  They strive to integrate arts and culture into special districts and downtown events, hire individual artists for specific projects, host artist networking groups, and work with other other cultural locations and venues downtown.  They offer the following:

  • Art on the Corner

  • Downtown Art Festival

  • Interactive VibeMap Showing Locations of Public Art Downtown 

  • Walls in the Wild Downtown Mural Program 

  • First Fridays

  • Sculpted Words

  • Terminal / Space to Create Redevelopment Project, Artist Studio, Gallery Space, and Housing

  • Advocacy involving work with Colorado Creative Industries, the Colorado Business Committee for the Arts, the City of Grand Junction, elected officials, or offices of economic development to advocate for arts and culture funding and support.  

  • Regranting for hosting calls for arts and regrant money for projects happening in Downtown.

  • GJ Creates is hosting the Colorado Creative Industries Annual Summit in 2025.

Grand Junction Arts and Culture Commission

The Grand Junction Commission on Arts and Culture is an Advisory board to the City Council and the GJ Parks and Recreation Department and it is dedicated to developing arts and culture for the Grand Valley, supporting the city's artistic resources and cultural activities, and forming strong, lasting, and dynamic connections with artists, arts organizations, businesses, government, and educational institutions throughout the City of Grand Junction.

Grand Valley Creative Alliance 

The mission of the Grand Valley Creative Alliance is to cultivate and promote the creative community through advocacy and support for local creatives, an opportunity page with updated listings of grant opportunities and open calls for artist, art business workshops, networking, and identification of property and the promotion of a community MakerSpace where creatives can make art, attend workshops, and meet.

Mesa County Libraries

Mesa County Libraries has the mission to enrich lives and build community through opportunities to learn, discover, create and connect.  We offer the following:

  • 8 locations with free Meeting Rooms and Community Rooms Reservations

  • Paid Artist in Residence opportunities with an application period in the summer

  • 970West Studio for DIY productions, studio space reservations, equipment reservations, equipment kits, classes, and art digitization

  • Art Exhibit Space for groups at Central, Clifton and Fruita 

  • Program suggestion forms

  • Call for Artists five times per year for library art shows (advertised on website and social media)

  • Thousands of Colorado-specific and national Legal Forms are available through library, spanning a variety of common concerns, such as artist agreements, contracts, bills of sale, etc.

  • LinkedIn Learning (formerly Lynda) is available to library patrons.  Choose from thousands of online courses to learn in-demand software, business, creative, and personal development skills from industry experts.  If the website or mobile asks for a Library ID, it is: mesacountylibraries.

  • Data Axle Reference Solutions (formerly Reference USA) provides the ability to research jobs, businesses, consumers, physicians, and much more.  Tutorials are available, as well.  

  • Universal Class is an online learning platform offering over 600 continuing education courses on a diverse array of topics (this cannot access with digital-access-only cards).

  • The Hobbies and Crafts Source is a DIY database of leading full-text hobby and craft magazines, hobby profiles, recipes, and videos to inspire creativity and nurture extra-curricular interests.

Fruita Arts and Culture Board 

The Fruita Arts and Culture Board endeavors to create and enhance art and culture in the City of Fruita.  Exhibit space is available at the Fruita Community Center, Family Health West, and the Civic Center Lobby. 

Palisade Art Vision

The Palisade Art Vision (PAV) allows artists to loan their work to the town for free for one year and receive an installation stipend, recognition, and promotion.  

Visit Grand Junction (Department of the City of Grand Junction)

Visit Grand Junction, the City of Grand Junction’s Destination Marketing Organization, is responsible for enhancing and promoting the city’s brand to create an attractive destination while elevating its public image as a dynamic place to live and work.  Visit Grand Junction offers the following:

Artist in Residence Opportunities

Possible Funding Sources

Possible Funding Sources:

Possible Networking Opportunities

Possible Networking Opportunities

Regional and National Resources

State Organizations:

  • Colorado Creative Industries has the mission is to promote, support, and expand the creative industries to drive Colorado’s economy, grow jobs, and enhance our quality of life. They focus on strengthening the vitality of visual, performing, and literary arts through promotion, resources, and funding opportunities.

  • The Colorado Business Committee for the Arts (CBCA) is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization that has been forging inspiring partnerships between business and the arts since 1985 through year-round advocacy, research, training and arts engagement efforts.

  • Colorado Attorneys for the Arts (CAFTA) is a pro bono legal referral service connecting artists, performers, cultural organizations, and creative businesses to volunteer attorneys. CAFTA also offers educational presentations, webinars, consultation clinics, and resources.

National Organizations:

  • American for the Arts has the mission to build recognition and support for the extraordinary and dynamic value of the arts and to lead, serve, and advance the diverse networks of organizations and individuals who cultivate the arts in America. Connecting your best ideas and leaders from the arts, communities, and business, together we can work to ensure that every American has access to the transformative power of the arts.

  • The Arts Impact Explorer is your advocacy case-making tool to educate local decision-makers about the social, cultural, educational, and economic impact of Arts and Culture in building healthy and vibrant communities.