Summer 2023 Donor Report: RedLine’s Regranting Program

Grants support artists and art projects throughout Colorado. Learn how RedLine helps facilitate social change throughout the state.

In 2016, RedLine Contemporary Art Center began partnering with leading community foundations to further our work of supporting artists and community through a statewide regranting initiative. 

RedLine works in collaboration with independent funders, members of the philanthropic sector, local government, and other community stakeholders to support a diverse range of ground-breaking grant projects for Colorado artists and creatives. 

In the 7 years since, our regranting work has expanded in several ways to support artists and arts organizations. To date, RedLine has regranted over $30 million to artists, organizations, and communities to use art as a vehicle to bring awareness and change to communities throughout Colorado.

Regranted funds empower artists and communities to work together to initiate positive social change. Projects funded by this program engage with important socially engaged issues such as public health, poverty, and incarceration rates. 

RedLine is proud to help facilitate art and dialogue by bringing together independent funders, members of the philanthropic sector, local government, and other community stakeholders to support this diverse range of ground-breaking projects. 

RedLine acts as the administrative arm for several grant programs including Arts in Society, the INSITE Fund, the Greene Fellowship, the FEMA ArtWorks program, and other rotating, artist-responsive grants and fellowships.

Depending on the specific program, RedLine manages different facets of grant administration. This can include managing the application process, as well as reviewing paperwork, plans, budgets, and more.

RedLine's regranting programs are community responsive, meaning the structure and processes evolve as we receive feedback from the artists and organizations with whom we collaborate. The selection panels change annually, and are intentionally designed to reflect the communities accessing our programs—not just in Denver, but across the entire state of Colorado.

In 2022:

• Arts in Society awarded 23 project grants

• INSITE Fund supported 10 artist-run projects

• The Greene Fellowship awarded 4 artists

• FEMA Artworks selected one artist duo project. 

RedLine's regranting programs exemplify our commitment to supporting artists by directly funding artist driven projects, prioritizing funding for artists in often underrepresented communities, and providing infrastructural support and capacity building for grantees. 

Learn more about how our regranting program at RedLine supports socially engaged art in Colorado’s creative ecosystem—and what you can do to help! 

Arts in Society 2022 Grantee Highlight: Warm Cookies of the Revolution

Sesame Street (Baghch-e-Simsim باغچهٔ سم سم, "Sesame Garden") in Colorado for Afghan Kids
Aurora, Colorado

Three recently resettled Afghan artists are leading a collaborative production of a Sesame Street-style show, for Afghan refugee children now living in Colorado.

Meet our 2022-2023 Arts in Society Grantees >

INSITE Fund 2022 Grantee Highlight:
Gold King & Associates with Steven J. Yazzie

"Gold King & Associates: Denver" takes the form of a real estate sign, giving the appearance that the property may be for sale.

If an interested party calls the phone number on the sign, they will hear a poem, quote, excerpt from a story, or personal writing addressing environmental concerns about urbanization, land use, over-development, colonization, or any range of expressions related to human impacts on the land. 

At the end of the voice recording, the caller may leave a message of their own, which will be archived in the form of an audio file and transcription in an email.

Meet the 2022 INSITE Fund grantees >

FEMA ArtWorks 2022 Project Highlight:
“Floodline Chime Pavilion”
By artists Nathan Hall and Drew Austin

In collaboration with RedLine Contemporary Art Center, artists were invited to submit proposals that communicated our relationships with natural hazards, along with potential impacts across all segments of the community. The intended outcome was to inspire thought on how individuals can mitigate risk.

Hall and Austin proposed their artwork titled Floodline Chime Pavilion, a mobile windchime pavilion constructed of playable chimes that outline the contours of the floodplain in the Denver neighborhoods of Overland Park, Rosedale, and Ruby Hill.

Participants will be able to play the various pitches of the chimes using strikers made from wood washed in by floodwaters and listen to short poetic music works from singers that illuminate the risks. 

By interacting with this work, residents physically come to terms with the flood risk existing in their neighborhood. The installation will be set up in parks and green spaces for one-day public events and supplemented with short performances of mitigation-themed compositions for choir and chimes.

Learn about the FEMA ArtWorks Call for Climate Resiliency Photography and Storytelling >

Support RedLine’s Mission to Empower Artists

Looking ahead, RedLine’s regranting programs continue to seek funding partners who are eager to uplift Colorado artists and impact communities in meaningful ways. 

If you’d like to learn more about how to support RedLine, set up an appointment with our Director of Development Scott Anderson.

RedLine has a goal to raise $150,000 by July 31st, 2023. You can choose where your support goes—to our Artist Residency fund, Exhibition fund, Reach program fund, and more!

On Display at RedLine