Colorado Governor Jared Polis and the state's Creative Industries division have recently unveiled the recipients of the 2025 Governor’s Creative Leadership Awards, a gesture to honor those who've made significant contributions to Colorado’s arts and culture, according to the State of Colorado press release. In a statement formalizing the accolades, Polis noted that the arts in Colorado are being celebrated for their influence on the state’s culture and economy. "The arts commemorate who we were, celebrate who we are, and shape who we want to be," the governor was quoted.
The award ceremony is set to take place on May 2 at the Colorado Creative Industries Summit, held in Grand Junction, with stained glass pieces by local artist Roni Schwinn awarded to the winners, each featuring iconic Colorado landscapes. Representing the state’s investment and acknowledgment of creativity as a cornerstone for economic and cultural prosperity, the awards are carved into three categories: Arts and Community Action, Arts and Advocacy, and Arts and Creative Placemaking.
The honors roll recognizes Dana Valdez Maestas with the Arts and Community Action Award, acknowledging her three decades of advocacy and projects in the San Luis Valley, which range from chronicling La Sierra land grant histories to initiating arts education with local youth. Maestas, armed with a degree in Communications and Marketing from the University of Colorado, is lauded for leveraging the arts as a powerful vector for community action and dialogue. Maestas' efforts include collaborating on a historical play, creating an educational ABC book on San Luis, and working on various curricula that aim to preserve vital cultural landscapes and practices within the community.
Andy Sanchez, a native of Pueblo, Colorado, snags the Arts and Advocacy Award, being celebrated for his commitment to fostering arts and culture through his work as CEO of the Sangre de Cristo Arts and Conference Center and other collaborative efforts that focus on pushing the arts into the limelight and ensuring their continued growth, over 84,000 square feet, of art space displays his devotion to enhancing access to the arts and integrating it into people's lives for a rich community experience.
The third category, Arts and Creative Placemaking Award, recognizes the efforts of Cindy and David Starr, who have advanced the cultural landscape of Cedaredge and its surroundings by bringing the Grand Mesa Arts and Events Center to life.
