FINAL REPORT 2014 - 2015
FLOURISHING IN THE CREATIVE ECONOMY
CAM Professor Joann Brennan was chosen to exhibit her work in the Smithsonian American Art Museum.
CU Denver’s Music & Entertainment Industry Studies Department hosted musician Todd Rundgren on the Auraria Campus last spring.
The Digital Animation Center’s short film, I Need My Monster, has earned 23 awards and has been featured in 95 film festivals all over the world.
Alumnus Tim Kimmel (’98) was nominated for a Primetime Emmy for Outstanding Sound Editing on the HBO Series Game of Thrones.
Here are some highlights on how our college is responding to rapid changes in arts, culture, entertainment and creativity:
LETTER FROM THE DEAN
The world of arts and media had many stories this past year that involved dramatic changes in the way creative workers interact, adapt and lead in the various markets represented by the three departments within our college. Three of the stories that come to mind are: The inherent difficulties of paying royalties to artists, commensurate with the value they bring to the marketplace The continuing increase of large investments made in episodic television How designers are becoming more and more involved in social change All three stories reflect and amplify the teaching, learning and creativity of the programs curricula, projects and course delivery found in the College of Arts & Media (CAM). They provide a vibrant and real context for us as we report the successes and accomplishments of our faculty, students and alumni. All that we do is with an eye on the future—so that CAM can retain our forward edge as a leading public arts and media college.
The Music Business faculty held an important conference in April 2015 that brought leading figures from the entertainment and publishing industries to address some of the most important changes in royalty payments from streaming music services. The Film and Video program continues to move forward in providing leading-edge instruction on episodic television series that have become so much a part of art and entertainment consumption by people of all ages. CAM’s reach into this field is notable and exemplified by alumnus Tim Kimmel (’98) whose sound editing was recently nominated for a Primetime Emmy for the HBO Series Game of Thrones. An influential international agency based in Denmark continues a relationship with CAM. INDEX: Design to Improve Life® sent Education Director Lotte Stenlev and Head Education Lead Lotte Haag Borg from their Copenhagen offices to CAM in October 2014 to complete a workshop on how the INDEX: Design to Improve Life® education wheel can be used in higher education to create more innovative and sustainable designers. The goal is to create and motivate designers to produce design that will lead to large-scale changes that will change the world (for the better). I was able to make a trip in May 2015 to visit these agents of change and was delighted to find CU Denver alumna Ashlee Nicole Winans (’12) working in the Copenhagen offices as a communications intern. The Academic Year 2014-15 has ended, and my time, as Dean of CAM, began on August 1, 2014—so as I write these words it hasn’t even been a year on the job. In this short time though, we all continue to witness rapid and drastic changes in creativity, art, culture, design, society and the economy—as reflected in the three story lines cited earlier in this brief message.
The College of Arts & Media remains highly accessible to students from all socioeconomic backgrounds, relevant and accountable to the citizens of Colorado and ready to face the challenges of a changing world by examining and reinventing ourselves through research, creative work, design and teaching the next generation of creators and agents of the artistic experience. Please accept my invitation to explore more in-depth, the pages of this report, the accomplishments and the highlights of CAM for this past year.
Laurence Kaptain, DMA and FRSA Dean of the College of Arts & Media University of Colorado Denver
The University of Colorado Bruce Benson, President The University of Colorado Denver Jerry Wartgow, Interim Chancellor Roderick Nairn, Provost and Executive Vice Chancellor for Academic and Student Affairs The College of Arts & Media Laurence Kaptain, Dean Joann Brennan, Associate Dean for Academic Affairs and Strategic Planning Erin Foster, Assistant Dean for Finance and Administration and Chief of Staff Tanida Ruampant, Assistant Dean for Outreach and Engagement Morag Nairn, College Coordinator College of Arts & Media Chairs David Bondelevitch, Music Entertainment and Industry Studies Brian DeLevie, Visual Arts David Liban, Theatre Film and Video Production Publication Production—Orbit Design Photography by Robert King
A YEAR IN REVIEW:
TAKE A LOOK AT SOME OF THE AMAZING THINGS GOING ON WITH CAM STUDENTS, FACULTY AND ALUMNI
Nikki Vail, 2009, BFA Painting After earning her BFA in Painting from CU Denver, Nikki went on to get her MFA from the New York Academy of Art. She now has a studio in New York and her work has been featured in several Brooklyn galleries. “CU Denver was a great place to get my education. I had great professors who knew their stuff and cared about what they were doing.”
MIX Performs in Denmark Under the direction of Erin Hackel, CU Denver’s A Cappella group MIX has seen some great success in their travels over the past year. With a sprinkle of appearances over the nation and a few performances abroad, the students have been given the chance to grow as vocalists, as well as young artists. Recently, MIX was asked to perform in Denmark at Aarhus Vocal Festival. Out of hundreds of performing groups, MIX was the only one representing the United States. Look for your copy of Studio at the end of the year for a recap of MIX’s trip to Denmark.
Rian Kerrane, Associate Professor
Mitch Dickman,
2005, BFA Film, Theatre & Television Mitch formed Listen Productions out of a deep passion and dedication to create art that promotes communication and makes a positive impact in society. Dickman directed Rolling Papers, a documentary about Colorado’s historic recreational marijuana legalization. The film premiered at South by Southwest (SXSW), where it was received with great response and quickly picked up by Alchemy, a leading independent film distributor.
Born in Galway, Ireland, Rian received her BA in Fine Arts from the University of Ulster at Belfast and her MFA from the University of New Orleans. Rian is currently Associate Professor and Area Head for the Sculpture Program here at CU Denver. A noted sculptor in cast iron, mixed media and installation, Rian has shown in sculpture gardens, museums and galleries in the United States, Ireland, Italy, Austria, and Mexico.
Brock Byrd,
2016, BFA Film, Theatre & Television Brock was enjoying his time skiing at Copper Mountain when he got on a ski lift next to the Director of Photography for the hit TV show, The Walking Dead. Brock shared that he is a film student and his new friend went out of his way to score him an internship on set during the summer. “They shoot on actual film… which is something I’ve always wanted to do.”
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CAM IS THE 2ND FASTEST GROWING COLLEGE ON CU DENVER’S CAMPUS
UP
21%
4
24%
UP
TOTAL ADMITS
UNDERGRADUATE APPLICATIONS
+
121%
UP
TOTAL CAM APPLICATIONS AND ADMISSIONS
SELECTIVITY
This past year, CAM has seen significant growth in prospective student interest. This, along with overall steady school growth, has allowed CAM to be more selective in the admittance process. With our growing national presence, we predict this growth to continue in years to come.
APPLICATIONS:
Support CAM Students
UP 32% ADMITS:
INCOMING FRESHMEN
UP 24% SELECTIVITY:
UP 141%
APPLICATIONS:
UP 32% ADMITS:
UP 13% SELECTIVITY:
UP 29%
TRANSFER STUDENTS
Creating access to arts education with
1000 MORE Scholarships At the University of Colorado Denver, more than 14,000 students pursue their passions through education – and you can help “1000 MORE” students follow their dreams in the Mile High City. Join in CU Denver’s largest scholarship initiative ever, as we work together to provide financial support for 1,000 more CU Denver students every year and triple private support for scholarships by 2020. Join us in creating access to arts education by selecting College of Arts & Media when you visit www.cufund.org.
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BUILDING A NATIONAL PRESENCE The College of Arts & Media is rapidly gaining traction as the leading public arts college in the nation. With strong programs like LYNX Summer Camp drawing in students from outside of Colorado, we’re projecting huge national growth.
WHO’S CHECKING OUT CAM? We’re seeing an increase in out-of-state applicants to CAM. In fact, this past year we’ve seen a 49%
increase in admitted out-of-state students.
Students joined us from the following states:
94 students from 16 states and Mexico joined us this summer for LYNX Summer Camp to learn about the Music Industry, Movie Production, Photography, and Digital Animation & 3D Graphics.
LYNX 2015 STUDENTS: 56%
FROM COLORADO
44%
FROM OTHER STATES AND MEXICO For information about College of Arts & Media Admissions and LYNX: The National Arts and Media Camp contact David Walter david.walter@ucdenver.edu
Arizona California Colorado Connecticut Illinois Indiana Louisiana Massachusetts New Jersey New Mexico North Dakota Pennsylvania South Dakota Texas Utah Wisconsin
We even had a student from Mexico this summer! 7
THE POWERFUL FEELING OF DONATING You don’t have to be a millionaire to be a donor. Whether you donate money or time, giving back is beneficial for you and the recipients.
WHY DO PEOPLE GIVE? Talk to anyone who has donated to an organization and they will tell you the same thing… it’s all about the feeling of gratitude. The act of helping others can create an improved sense of well-being. It just feels good! Knowing that you sacrificed something such as time, finances, or property in order to help others in need can give you a sense of purpose in life and inner satisfaction. When it comes to the College of Arts & Media, your donation will go a long way in improving the academic careers of our students and our school.
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BECOME A DONOR Join the CAM community and inspire the next generation of creatives! Your support of scholarships, visiting artist residencies or LYNX Summer Camp will extend CAM’s reach and deepen students’ educational experience.
Donna Bogard
(Retired)
Established the Donna Bogard Scholarship in Voice in 2007 Donna was a vocalist for years, but her passion has always been working with students. With a Bachelor’s, Master’s and PhD in Music Education, all earned at the University of Colorado, Donna taught in what is now the Music Entertainment and Industry Studies Department for 30 years. Now Donna is retired, but her love of working with students didn’t stop with her teaching. In 2007, the Donna Bogard Scholarship in Voice was set up to award select vocalist students who met the requirements set by the school and Donna herself. She even sits in on auditions to help select the students who will be awarded with the gift that bears her name.
GIVE ONLINE AT
WWW.CUFUND.ORG
Thank you for making a difference in the life of a student!
GIVE ONLINE AT WWW.CUFUND.ORG OR CONTACT Noelle DeLage 303.315.2026 noelle.delage@ucdenver.edu
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CAM ALL OVER USA Associate Professor Maria Elena Buszek participated in “Teaching the History of Modern Design: The Canon and Beyond” at Drexel University in Philadelphia.
Denmark MIX was invited to perform at Aarhus Vocal Festival 2015.
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Mexico Associate Professor Melissa Furness was selected as an ambassador of the 2015 Biennial of the Americas.
Spain Associate Professor Jeffrey Schrader was chosen to be a participant in “The Alhambra and Spain’s Islamic Past” in Granada (Spain).
THE WORLD China Associate Professor Hans Rosenwinkel has visited China many times to film for his series Xpedition China: Search for Shangri-La.
COUNTRIES WE’VE VISITED: Denmark Singapore China France Italy Ireland Japan Mongolia Bahamas Mexico Kingdom of Tonga Philippines England
Ireland Associate Professor Rian Kerrane frequently travels to Ireland and even takes students with her for a fully immersed study abroad experience.
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THRIVING IN COLORADO'S CREATIVE SCENE The creative economy is growing rapidly and CAM is right in the center of it all
CU Denver students have been involved with the Telluride Film Festival’s Student Symposium for more than 25 years.
Colorado has been ranked the #1 state in the U.S. for attending live performing arts events, with over 59.2 percent of adults in Denver reporting they went to a visual arts event in the last year, topping the national average of 39 percent. www.denverpost.com
www.telluridefilmfestival.org
The Santa Fe Art District, just blocks away from the CU Denver campus, features more than 90 member art galleries, studios, theatres, and other creative industry organizations. www.artdistrictonsantafe.com
Denver’s creative sector consists of 3,613 enterprises and employs 20,398 people in the city, and those numbers are growing.
Imagine 2020: Denver’s Cultural Plan is a city-wide initiative to increase involvement in the arts for schools and local talent.
www.artsandvenuesdenver.com
artsandvenuesdenver.com
Denver has 8 art districts, more than 120 galleries,160 performance venues and approximately 180 film-related businesses. www.denverpost.com
THE CREATIVE ECONOMY What’s the key to a thriving creative economy? The support of a strong community and a lot of talent. The Colorado creative economy is growing rapidly and CAM is right in the center of it all. In Denver alone, the creative economy consists of 3,613 enterprises and employs 20,398 people in the city, and the numbers are still growing. With eight arts districts, more than 120 galleries, 160 performance venues and approximately 180 film-related businesses, everyone at CAM has the opportunity to gain real world experience.
Their work with CAM extends beyond scholarship funds. Illegal Pete’s Virgil Dickerson, who ran his own record label for 18 years, has worked with CAM interns for the past 4 years. “I’ve seen the students go to L.A., New York, and Nashville, but I also see them working here in town. As the music industry grows in Colorado, there will be more placements for students.” Dickerson, along with other professionals in the Colorado creative economy, work closely with the faculty and students at CAM because they know how important it is for the young artists to have a great start in the industry. We are expecting nothing but positive results for CAM in Colorado's thriving creative economy.
Illegal Pete’s provided enough funding to sponsor 5 scholarships to this year’s LYNX camp.
Illegal Pete’s is one of those businesses in the creative economy that recognizes the potential within CAM. With their own record label, Greater Than Collective, and their position as a leader in the local music industry, Illegal Pete’s has become a true supporter of our school and our students. Last year, Illegal Pete’s sponsored a scholarship for a student to attend the Summer Music Camp. This year, Illegal Pete’s provided enough funding to sponsor 5 scholarships to the camp.
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AND NOW FOR THE NUMBERS… WHERE DOES THE MONEY THAT SUPPORTS CAM COME FROM? FY 2015 GENERAL FUND REVENUE
$8,785,030 State Appropriations & Tuition
WHERE IS OUR MONEY GOING? FY 2015 GENERAL FUND EXPENSES
$8,785,030 Faculty & Staff
$7,600,762
$7,805,448 Operating
$910,988 Student Fees
$846,960
Hourly
$199,850 Miscellaneous Revenue
$132,622
Travel
$48,430 Financial Aid
According to the University of Colorado Denver’s Scholarship Office, 80 separate scholarships were awarded to CAM students, totaling $66,341
$25,000
OTHER CAM SCHOLARSHIPS
SNAPSHOT:
CAM SCHOLARSHIPS & AWARDS BROWN SCHOLARSHIP Garrett Blasi, Visual Arts Madalyn Drewno, Visual Arts
MIKE BARNEY MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP
William Funk, Visual Arts
Allison Raphael, Music Business Jose Francisco, Music Business
DEAN’S FELLOWSHIP Madalyn Drewno, Visual Arts Elysia Smith, Recording Arts Eugene Landini, Recording Arts
JOHN AND ROSE BERG MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP
Awarded to 13 students
DONNA BOGARD SCHOLARSHIP IN VOICE Awarded to two students
DEBORAH AND LARRY MELNICK ENDOWED SCHOLARSHIP Awarded to one student
Elysia Smith, Recording Arts James Iwata, Singer/Songwriter
DIGITAL ANIMATION AWARD
Sydney Clapp, Music Business Luke Austin, Film & Television
DEAN’S UNDERGRADUATE MERIT SCHOLARSHIP Awarded to 49 students with a GPA of 3.9 and above
DENVER'S DOWNTOWN MARRIOTT COURTYARD ARTS SCHOLARSHIP CLAIMJUMPERS SCHOLARSHIP
Elysia Smith, Recording Arts
SUPPORT CAM STUDENTS
OR CONTACT GIVE ONLINE AT WWW.CUFUND.ORG
Noelle DeLage 303.315.2026 noelle.delage@ucdenver.edu
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FACULTY & STAFF NOTABLES Jessica McGaugh Instructor
Jessica worked with FITV students to help create the documentary project The Creative Method, which won a Research and Creative Activities Symposium (RaCAS) award.
Scott Burgess
Recording Lab & Live Sound Manager
Karin Hunter-Byrd
Director, Office of Advising & Student Services Karin was awarded a 2015 Outstanding Advising Administrator Certificate of Merit by National Academic Advising Association (NACADA).
Jeff Merkel
Adjunct Lecturer Jeff won a proposal to introduce a new InWorks course, Multimodel Interaction for Music. Classes start Spring 2016.
Scott was invited to present Do You Hear What I Hear? Maximizing the artistic quality and educational value of recording your ensemble at the 69th Annual Midwest Clinic.
Thank you for everything Cindy Barringer! Our Communication Program Director, Cindy Barringer, has retired. We are so thankful for her commitment to the College of Arts & Media and wish her the best. Thank you Cindy!
Film composer and former lead singer of Oingo Boingo Danny Elfman visited the King Center for a live taping of NPR’s From the Top.
Todd Rundgren on the Auraria Campus last spring. As host of From the Top, Christopher O'Riley works and performs with the next generation of brilliant young musicians.
Campus Box 162 P.O. Box 173364 Denver, CO 80217-3364
Y T I V S I S T E A N E I R C BUS
MAKE
YOUR
National Arts & Media Camp LYNX National Arts and Media Camp is designed around today's contemporary arts industry and entrepreneurial creatives. Through hands-on experiences, students learn the fundamental principles, tools and techniques of today’s creative industry.
Watch for 2016 Dates!
LEARN MORE
CAM.ucdenver.edu/LYNXSummerCamps | 303-556-4797
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