ARTISTS, MUSICIANS & PERFORMERS:
Please note that the inclusion of these links and sources does not constitute an endorsement by the Downtown Fort Collins Creative District. (updated April 2025)
NEWS AND RECENT UPDATES:
- Attend the Colorado Creative Industries Summit in Downtown Grand Junction – May 1 & 2, 2025
- The Multicultural Business & Entrepreneurship Center offers business services with consulting and technical assistance, FREE and open to all.
- Makers and Crafters Business 101 – need help with your sales tax and business organization – see our list of helpful tips for Makers and Crafters!
FAMILY RESOURCES
- Childcare-related resource and tools Early Childhood Council of Larimer County
- Larimer Child Care Fund through United Way of Larimer County
- Call #2-1-1 to connect with United Way of Larimer County’s help hotline.
FOOD
- Any needs — Call #2-1-1 to connect with United Way of Larimer County’s help hotline.
- Food Bank of Larimer County
- Hunger Free Colorado – apply for food, cash, medical assistance, or other programs
- State of Colorado Food Assistance Providers and Resources
- Vindeket Foods – a Fort Collins food/produce rescue program/storefront, providing free food boxes that can cater to food restrictions such as gluten free, vegetarian,.. (Pay what you can, volunteer)
- Locally distributed food and hygiene products open to anyone in need by Serve 6.8, a Christian nonprofit working with churches
- Food Not Bombs – Food Not Bombs is an all-volunteer movement that recovers food that would otherwise be discarded, and shares free vegan and vegetarian meals with the hungry in over 1,000 cities in 65 countries in protest to war, poverty, and destruction of the environment.
FUNDS/GRANTS/TAXES
- ALL ARTISTS:
- Emergency Help for Artists and Musicians — CERF+’s emergency assistance includes grants and/or brokered assistance, such as booth fee waivers and discounts or donations of supplies and equipment.
- Art-Train brings together artists and creatives with municipalities, agencies, and organizations to create culture-based collaborations.
- Tax Guide for Artists The Larimer Small Business Development Center has a helpful tool for artists and their taxes.
- MUSIC INDUSTRY:
- NoCo Music Event Fund – Apply for a grant for your event through Bohemian Foundation
- SPECIFIC ARTIST GROUPS:
- ArtistCommunities.org offers a list of emergency relief programs
- Discipline Specific Resources – more funding and support options we have collected for specific genres and art disciplines
- Resources for Latinx arts organizations, artists, and cultural workers – Offered by The National Association of Latino Arts and Cultures (NALAC)
HEALTH & MENTAL HEALTH
- MENTAL HEALTH:
- Support is here for you, see all the Larimer County Health Resources & Services
- Experiencing a crisis?
- Contact the Colorado Crisis and Support Line at 1-844-493-TALK (8255)
- Text “TALK” to 38255
- Visit www.coloradocrisisservices.org to access chat
- Yarrow Collective: Peer lead programs and meetups for mental health support, HARMS reduction, educational programs and more. See the Yarrow Collective event calendar
- Musicians Mental Health Meetups – Join other musicians in peer lead monthly gatherings, talking through the challenges of being a musician.
- Larimer County Emotional and Mental Health Resources
- HEALTH:
- Get FREE mental, emergency dental and health insurance locally (The Health District)
- Call #2-1-1 to connect with United Way of Larimer County’s help hotline for health and other needs.
- MusiCares – Addiction, financial coaching, and health resources for professionals in the music industry.
- FoCoMA – Fort Collins Musicians Association’s free dental clinics periodically in conjunction with MusiCares to all music industries professionals
HOUSING & UTILITIES
- Call #2-1-1 to connect with United Way of Larimer County’s help hotline
- Rent assistance from Neighbor to Neighbor
- State of Colorado Rent and Utilities Resources and Providers
JOBS
- Larimer County Economic & Workforce Development for current openings and answers about employment and unemployment
- Connecting Colorado for Job Seekers and Employers
- FoCoFreelance.com – Register here as a Fort Collins Freelancer looking for jobs or help with projects
- Fort Collins Area Chamber of Commerce member businesses job postings
- State of Colorado resources and providers for employment and jobs
LOCAL BUSINESS RESOURCES
- NETWORKING & GROUPS:
- NoCo Gigging Musician Facebook Group – join here to hear about all things concerning musicians and COVID
- ALSO see our Discipline specific page for individual Facebook groups and more!
- Become a member at the Music District – Artist Development/Education, Rehearsal Space & Equipment Use, Music Production Rooms, Music industry workspace, and workshops/events.
- Resources for arts equity, artists advocacy, inclusion for underrepresented groups, tools for tough discussions –– See this resource sheet from our Creative After Hours in conjunction with Larimer SBDC and Full Expression!
- BUSINESS TOOLS:
- Larimer Small Business Development Center offers free consulting, low cost classes, and business tools
- How Can you Support Local Business? ForFortCollins is here to help with tools, graphics and more to support your community
- See our collection of Creative Tools and Tips about virtual events, webinars, best practices, classes, podcasts and livestreaming
STATE BUSINESS RESOURCES
- COLORADO BUSINESS SUPPORT ORGANIZATIONS:
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- Colorado Creative Industries has arts grants, programs, the latest statewide resources and ways people can support the arts
- CBCA: Colorado Business Committee for the Arts has many resources for artists, arts nonprofits, as well as, the business community in general
- Colorado Nonprofit Association
- The Colorado Change Leader Program teaches cultural and community leaders how to handle change in organizations, communities, and their daily lives. The institute is a biannual three-day course to prepare leaders for a certification project with a$500 stipend.
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NATIONAL BUSINESS RESOURCES
- NATIONAL SUPPORT ORGANIZATIONS:
- Grants from Creative Capital.org
- A collection of safety nets and preparedness and response guides (NCaper.org)
- Freelancer’s Union
- FUNDING:
- Rolling deadline – AGMA Relief Fund (For Actors – AGMA members only)
- Twenty Summers: Emergency Arts Fund (EAF) no deadlines adjusted as income is received – Artist’s video is hosted on shared fundraising platform, Twenty Summers distributes proceeds.
- Patreon: a fundraising tool
