At the Crested Butte Music Festival, our mission is to enrich, educate and inspire our community with diverse art forms that celebrate the human spirit. In 2016, our team flourished, our supporters proved to be beyond exceptional, and the Festival expanded in ways more dynamic than ever before.
Artists
Over 130 artists travelled to Crested Butte from all over the nation to perform beloved masterpieces of old and premier works anew in the Gunnison Valley.
Over 60 creative faculty, performance coaches, and production crew worked to develop young artists, design, and ensure the quality of CBMF performances.
“Cathey and I enjoy supporting the arts because they calm the spirit. In stressful times, engaging with musical or visual arts requires you to focus on experiencing that expression which then brings joy into your life. We are passionate about the educational programs of the Festival, especially the Young Artists who perform such beautiful music in the Valley.”
- Don and Cathey Humphreys
Education
All in all, over 100 students of every age participated in CBMF’s outreach programs that provide unique opportunities for personal and artistic development.
Opera children's chorus
Eleven young artists and their families traveled to Crested Butte to participate in the seventh annual Opera Children’s Chorus, complete with a showcase recital and supporting roles in La bohème.
crested butte opera studio
Twelve developing performers were selected from over 400 national applicants for their exceptional artistry to receive professional coaching from the field’s leading pedagogues and take leading roles in the festival’s production of La bohème.
Swallow hill kids camp
Six instructors from the Swallow Hill Music School in Denver taught folk and bluegrass music to 36 students from all over Colorado for a week long camp in Crested Butte.
frank vignola gypsy jazz guitar camp
In its second year, over 40 gypsy jazz enthusiasts and musicians played from dawn until well after dusk during the five day camp hosted by the Rocky Mountain Biological Laboratory. Eleven professional musicians gave 8 performances, including four late night jams with camp participants!
education & Outreach
Secondary Art teacher Ben McLoughlin and CBMF Board member and singer Ron Earl collaborated to introduce high school students to opera through arias from La bohème.
Ron explained the story and emotion in each aria, and Ben worked with his students to depict their own feelings through their artwork.
For many students, this was their first exposure to opera and an opportunity for new inspiration.
The stunning results on display during performances of La bohème demonstrate that interpreting music through art - or art through music - is a natural supplement to each curriculum, and one that combines the visual and performing arts in a unique sensory experience.
kids go free program
In 2016, over 150 tickets were used by children to experience a vast majority of Festival performances.
Attending Festival performances contributes to a meaningful and well rounded education for local and visiting youth of the rural Gunnison valley.
SUPPORT
community partners
Over 150 local businesses and community partners showed their support for the arts with generous contributions to the Festival, including items for special events, in kind services, goods, and even one of a kind paintings!
CBMF board
The generous individuals on CBMF’s board work tirelessly year round to support Festival performances and operations, host artists and events, plan and execute fundraising galas, and even completed a successful search for new Artistic Directors during the Festival season.
CBMF would like to extend its sincerest gratitude and heartfelt thanks to Tom and Stephanie Seymour, whose extraordinary generosity and passion made possible the arrival of the Mt. Crested Butte Mirror Palace in 2016, providing a much-needed home for Festival performances. Their continued dedication sees its return for another splendid summer in 2017.
2017 underwriters
financials
CBMF had a self sustaining year supported by funding from individual contributions, sponsorships, fundraising events, education fees and ticket sales.
Approximately 60% of expenses are program related and include artist travel, training, housing and fees; operations, including technical fees, food and beverage, supplies and tickets; marketing; and venue and equipment rental.
In the upcoming year, CBMF anticipates a lower overhead cost and higher percentage of expenses dedicated to programming.
In 2016, CBMF raised over $1 million in contributions that funded 42 concerts, reaching nearly 5300 people.
In a great demonstration of community endorsement, over $100,000 of in-kind income supported the Crested Butte Music Festival in 2016, including lodging discounts, donated services, goods and other donations that support festival operations and artistic programming.
CBMF received over $100,000 in grant funding from local foundations and government, state initiatives, and federal agencies to support educational programs, Time Spans performances, marketing activities, and free tickets for kids.