Colorado Springs Community Culture Collective at the Auditorium

Creative Workforce ProgramsWith extensive groundwork and research completed during the prior year, the CSCCC expanded its efforts as they related to the Creative Workforce Programming. In tandem with the Pikes Peak Workforce Center, rigorous and ongoing efforts were made to demonstrate need, proof of concept, curriculum development, industry partners as well as funding and revenue models. This was critical work that included presentations to the State and Federal Department of Labor as well as key regional partners such as El Paso County. This work was essential to the organization if the CSCCC were to secure the Innovations Award that would ultimately be the launching of this sustainability component of the Business Model.

While working toward final stages of Design/Development of the Colorado Springs City Auditorium, the CSCCC was awarded an Innovation Grant from the Pikes Peak Workforce Center to support the launch of the Creative Workforce Programs that are an integral part of the overarching Business Plan. The real life/ real time, earn and learn programs were set into motion in spaces and sites offsite both at the City Auditorium and offsite. Mentors and student cohort were recruited from across the region. Creative sector programs were launched to address a deficit in industry sectors hard hit by the pandemic. CSCCC placed these programs under the umbrella in name only as Opus Creative Industries and successfully launched its Culinary/Hospitality Benchmark program, Media Arts and Creative Technologies, and Early Childhood Enrichment. CSCCC continues to both present and produce programming both on site at the City Auditorium and offsite at outreach sites. The Opus programs were able to begin effectively supporting some of these ongoing activities. The Opus programs were able to continue to grow and evolve as most had already begun outside of the physical plant of the Auditorium

The CSCC leadership and Board of Directors created and maintained a Development and Fundraising plan specific to the Capital side of this project. Working alongside the City of Colorado Springs leadership, the CSCCC hosted presentations both on site and across the region and state to share the vision of the future of the City Auditorium. Activities with various potential partners and donors were ongoing.