MasterMind Awards honor our eighth class of artistic entrepreneurs

On Saturday night, Westword introduced the eighth class of MasterMinds -- artistic entrepreneurs who are changing the cultural landscape. Since we started the program, we have given more than $130,000 in grants to artists and arts organizations. The latest winners (click on the link for profiles): Minor Disturbance; Andrew Orvedahl;...

By Patricia Calhoun

February 20, 2012

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On Saturday night, Westword introduced the eighth class of MasterMinds -- artistic entrepreneurs who are changing the cultural landscape. Since we started the program, we have given more than $130,000 in grants to artists and arts organizations. The latest winners (click on the link for profiles): Minor Disturbance; Andrew Orvedahl; Dianne Denholm; Lance Stack/the Flat Response; Hinterland.

These are not lifetime achievement awards (although some honorees have been pursuing art for decades). Our goal is to help grassroots efforts grow by providing a little cash fertilizer....and many of them have put it to very good use. Buntport was a member of the 2005 class; today it's impossible to imagine this city's theater scene without that troupe. The Denver Zine Library was also part of that inaugural class, and after several moves, it's starting a new chapter at 27 Social Centre. Sadly, some of our MasterMinds have had to move out of town -- but we have high hopes that they will return. Are you listening, Lauri Lynnxe Murphy? And see you in March, Ashara.

Here's the entire roster of these most creative classes:

2012: Dianne Denholm/Tactile; Minor Disturbance; Lance Stack/The Flat Response; Hinterland; Andrew Orvedahl

2011: Slam Nuba, Sarah Slater, Tricia Hoke, Illiterate, Tiffiny Wine

2010: Fallene Wells; Jennie Dorris; Jolt; Eric Matelski; Laura Goldhamer

2009: Brian Freeland/LIDA Project; Viviane LeCourtois; Ravi Zupa; The Denver Voice; Vicky Nolan

2008: Creative Music Works/Andrew Starr; RINO/Jill Hadley Hooper and Tracy Weil; Jason Bosch/ArgusFest; Art From Ashes/Cathleen O'Neill; Mona Lucero

2007: Jessica Robblee; Jimmy Sellars; Tony Shawcross/Deproduction, Denver Open Media; Vox Feminista; The Fabric Lab/Josh and Tran Wills

2006: Dragon Daud, aka Dave Denney; Katie Taft; Deb Henriksen; Cafe Nuba/Ashara Ekundayo; Johnny Morehouse

2005: Lauri Lynnxe Murphy; Emerging Filmmakers Project @ Bug Theater; Brandi Shigley; Denver Zine Library; Buntport Theater

Last year, the MasterMind winners also chose their first group of MasterMinds MasterMinds: Marilyn Megenity, Rick Griffith, Ginger White, Chris Loffelmacher, Mondo Guerra and Dana Cain. We'll be inducting a second class of MasterMinds Masterminds this spring; stay tuned for details. In the meantime, congratulations to all involved -- and our thanks to Metropolitan State College of Denver, the presenting sponsor of the program two years running.

Want to know more about the MasterMinds? Or are you a former winner who's fallen off our e-mail list? Post your name and e-mail address below.

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Patricia Calhoun is editor-in-chief of Westword, the alt-weekly she co-founded in September 1977. She’s been inducted into the Colorado Press Association Hall of Fame, the Association of Alternative Newsmedia Hall of Fame and the Colorado Restaurant Association Hall of Fame. She’s also received dozens of local, state and national awards for writing, including first place for feature writing and first place for column writing with the Society of Professional Journalists. Patricia is a weekly commentator on Colorado Inside Out, PBS 12's public affairs roundtable, which has won two Emmys.

Contact: Patricia Calhoun

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