Trinidad is the first of nine communities announced as a beneficiary of a new state-run rural artist program.
The $50 million program called Space to Create, Colorado is an effort of Colorado Creative Industries and other foundations to provide affordable housing for artists.
CCI Director Margaret Hunt says areas with strong art communities are magnets for economic development. Hunt adds they're purposely selecting small towns.
"Space to Create is specifically targeted at rural, small town and mountain communities in Colorado because they haven’t had the same level of economic recovery as the Denver metropolitan Front Range has had."
The program will look to keep a broad definition of the word artist, and will include architects, filmmakers, and even beer brewers and liquor distillers.
The other eight communities have not yet been selected. The nine projects will launch over the course of eight years. Other communities will be prioritized based on readiness, public will, commitment of local resources, and housing demands.
