SouthWest Colorado Concerts awarded state grant

Colorado Create<span class="Drop cap">s awards $4,000</span>

Southwest Colorado Concerts Inc. recently was awarded a $4,000 Colorado Creates grant from the Colorado Creative Industries Division of the Office of Economic Development, according to a news release from Christine Stramel.

The award was given to the organization to support its ongoing efforts to provide a variety of high-quality, live musical entertainment to resident in the Cortez area. It is the second annual award for the concert association in CCI’s two-year cycle, Stramel, of SouthWest Concerts, said.

“We are pleased to have received this grant from Colorado Creative Industries, which helps us plan for great concerts for this season,” said Jason Witt, president of the board of SouthWest Colorado Concerts.

SWCC is an all-volunteer, nonprofit organization currently in its 63rd season of providing concerts in the Cortez area.

“According to a recent survey of audience members, the concert series attracts loyal and new attendees interested in the quality of concerts, the opportunities for musical entertainment and education, and the sense of community available at the concerts,” Stramel said.

Local funds to support SWCC are provided by local business sponsorships, season and individual concert ticket sales, donations and grants. The next SWCC concert offering will feature national recording artist Images, featuring Mancos resident Lee Bartley, who co-founded the group.

The concert will be held on Sunday, Nov. 19, at 3 p.m. at the Montezuma-Cortez High School auditorium. All concerts are held at the Ralph E. Vavak Memorial Auditorium.

Concerts for the remainder of the season feature the Mancos Valley Chorus, Wind Sync, Hot Club of Cowtown and the Glenn Miller Orchestra.

Individual concert tickets and season tickets will be available the evening of the performance.