Grand Valley Creative Alliance: Nurturing Creativity Here

Grand Valley Creative Alliance (GVCA) is bringing creatives together. Meant to expand on the term “artist,” “creatives” includes anyone whose work involves some sort of creative expression but may not be considered art in a traditional sense. For example, a chef or a writer may not be considered “artists,” yet the work they do is creative and should be recognized as such.

Photos courtesy of Grand Valley Creative Alliance

In 2017, the Grand Junction Cultural Strategic Plan was updated to include three goals for the area’s creative industry. From this plan, a Creative Alliance Task Force was created. In the following years, this task force was successful in designating Downtown Grand Junction as a Creative District and in creating a creative alliance whose mission is to “cultivate and promote the creative community through collaboration, education, events and programming.” In February of 2020, GVCA hosted their first event: an Art After hours to bring creatives together, network and hear about each other’s passions. As we all know, however, the COVID-19 pandemic hit the following month, which hampered the group’s ability to “bring creatives together.

Nonetheless, GVCA did not quit. During the height of the pandemic, GVCA secured funding to sponsor the Chipeta Elementary Ceramics Project, which allows every Chipeta student to participate in ceramics workshops and showcase their creations. On a city-wide level, GVCA created Community Arts Partners (CAPS), a partnership that brings together five of the city’s largest art organizations — the Grand Junction Symphony Orchestra, the Art Center, the Museum of Western Colorado, the Avalon Theatre Foundation and the Mesa County Libraries. CAPS held two arts and culture forums with City Council and D51 Board candidates and is in the process of putting together a package in support of a city-level arts and culture director.“ We really want to advocate for the arts,” Robbie Breaux, president of the GVCA Board and founding member, explains, “and an arts and culture director is the way to do that on a city level.”

Of course, the creation of art is at the core ofGVCA’s mission. To achieve the goal of bringing creatives together and promoting their art, GVCA plans to create a MakerSpace — a designated place for creatives to make art, attend classes and just hang out with their peers. Through a MakerSpace, as well as Community Arts Network (quarterly networking meetings, also referred to as CAN), creatives have the opportunity to get to know one another in a spirit of collaboration and support.

“One of the things the Grand Valley is experiencing right now is growth,” Michelle Boisvenue-Fox, library director for Mesa County Libraries and GVCA board member explains, “and the arts and culture community needs to figure out a way to grow intentionally and purposefully.” Through these collaborative opportunities, the arts and culture community can do just that.

Also coming up this fall is the Grand ValleyOpen Studio Tour (GVOST). This event is perfect for anyone who appreciates art and wants to support local creatives, whether you consider yourself a creative or not. Hosted in October, 25 local artists will open their private studios to the public. Truly a tour of the Grand Valley, GVOST begins on one end of the Valley and ends on the other, with a map provided to each ‘tourist.’ This is a chance to witness intimate art processes, home galleries and enter a creative’s artistic sanctuary.

Want to know more about what GVCA is up to this fall? Visit their website gvcreates.org for more information. Want to get involved and help cultivate and promote the creative community? Consider donating at the same website, joining a committee or simply showing up to events.

Originally published in the Fall 2022 issue of Spoke+Blossom.