The Urban Arts Fund Steering Committee (UAFSC) will review and select UAF projects on an annual basis. The UAFSC is comprised of one member from each of these city departments: Denver Public Works, Public Art Committee, Denver Commission on Cultural Affairs, Denver Community Planning & Development, Denver Parks & Recreation, Mayor’s Office. Additionally, the Steering Committee includes at least one local artist.

Denver Arts & Venues (A&V) established the Urban Arts Fund (UAF) in response to graffiti task force recommendations by Mayor Hickenlooper’s administration in 2007. The goal was to create murals in areas that were deemed “graffiti hot spots,” and to provide positive, creative experiences for youth to deter future vandalism.  The first mural projects were implemented in 2009. With the help of more than 4,500 youth and community participants, the program has facilitated nearly 330 new murals and has helped protect more than 500,000 square feet of walls from vandalism. The UAF program is fully funded by Denver Arts & Venues, however, all projects require matching funds or in-kind donation of goods and/or services. The program may accept donations either to the program as a whole, or to individual initiatives.

• Deter Graffiti Vandalism
• Foster Meaningful, Creative Experiences for Youth
• Develop Opportunities for Artists
• Ensure Diversity, Equity, Inclusiveness and Accessibility
• Advance community building and social change

Inspired by Denver’s Cultural Plan, Denver Arts & Venues (A&V) is committed to the agency’s Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Initiative (EDI). These core values have guided the development of the Urban Arts Fund guidelines, application and selection process. We define such values as follows:

Equity: The fair treatment, access, opportunity, and advancement for all people, while at the same time identifying and eliminating barriers that have prevented the full participation of some groups. Improving equity involves increasing justice and fairness within the protocols, processes, practices and policies of institution or systems, as well as in their distribution of resources. Confronting and tackling equity issues requires an understanding of the root causes of disparities within our society. Equity is closely tied to actions and results to address historical disparities.

Diversity: Recognition and representation of individual or group differences encompassing race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, country of origin, ability, socioeconomic status, age, religion, and other area of identity.

Inclusion: Embracing differences by creating environments in which any individual or group can feel welcomed, respected, supported, and valued to fully participate. To achieve inclusiveness, recognition of implicit or unconscious bias is necessary.

A. Eligibility
Any artist or team of artists demonstrating the ability to execute a successful mural project regardless of race, color, creed, gender, gender variance, national origin, age, religion, marital status, political opinion or affiliation, or mental or physical disability. We encourage emerging artists, and artists representing marginalized communities including women, people of color, people with disabilities, and people identifying as LGBTQ+, to apply.

Denver Arts & Venues is committed to diversity, inclusiveness and equity in all programs, initiatives and decision making processes.

Preference will be given to projects with:

• A well-planned youth development and community engagement component
• First time applicants – artists and organizations who have not received funding in previous years
• Projects in neighborhoods and city council districts which currently have few or zero UAF mural projects, including, but not limited to, council districts 4, 5, 6 and 8.
  Please refer to this MAP.

B. Projects on Private Property
Projects on private property will require permission from the property owner. You may use the sample UAF Property Owner Introduction Letter as an introduction to the property owner. This letter describes the UAF Program, its benefits, and the responsibilities of the City and Property Owner.

C. Projects in Public Spaces
For projects in public spaces (example: in a city park), once approved, Arts & Venues will work with City Council representatives to garner their support of the project in their district.