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Winners of the 2006 Business for the Arts Awards Announced

Awards honor Colorado businesses that leverage the arts for success

Denver, CO (March 15, 2006) – Winners of the 2006 Business for the Arts Awards were announced today at a luncheon celebration held by the Colorado Business Committee for the Arts (CBCA). The winners of the four awards – Philanthropy Award, Innovation Award, Workforce Award, and Workspace Award were each selected from among three finalists announced earlier this year. The awards honor businesses for exemplary engagement with the arts that drives business success.

2006 Business for the Arts Awards Winners:

Philanthropy Award recognizing exemplary corporate citizenship and generosity to arts and culture:
Winner: St. Mary Land & Exploration Company
For their model corporate philanthropy program in which 1% of their pre-tax income is designated to support nonprofit organizations. Arts organizations including public television, museums, libraries and performing arts benefit from this extraordinary generosity, while St. Mary leverages their support for the creative community to attract, motivate, and retain a highly talented staff.

Finalists: First Western Trust Bank and Frontier Airlines

Innovation Award recognizing an inspired blending of business and arts that propels business achievement.
Winner: Continuum Partners – Belmar Development
For their Belmar development, a 103-acre downtown district for the City of Lakewood that brings together diverse artistic elements to make Belmar a creative hub. Continuum integrates culture into business strategy in Belmar, using arts to differentiate the development, generate destination traffic and draw media attention that builds value.

Finalists: PianoOne and Wild Oats Supermarkets

Workforce Award recognizing creative investments in employee development and volunteerism:
Winner: Cleworth Architectural Legacy Project of the Denver Architectural Foundation
22 local architectural firms provide volunteers and support for the Cleworth Architectural Project, benefiting over 900 students. Architects and designers guide the students in planning, designing, and building scale models. While students benefit from this creative learning adventure, the architects and designers enjoy an enriching volunteer experience that inspires and invigorates their work.

Finalists: Barker Rinker Seacat and Holland & Hart

Workspace Award recognizing exceptional design that advances business objectives:
Winner: Zeppelin Development – Taxi
Creative vision has allowed Zeppelin Development to turn the 9-acre site of the former Yellow Cab terminal into the innovative TAXI development. TAXI is designed as a vibrant urban environment: interactive, user-friendly, synergetic, kinetic, and fun, where businesses can be part of a creative community. TAXI is also influencing development of the River North neighborhood.

Finalists: Kaiser Permanente and McStain Neighborhoods

Christie Hefner, Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer of Playboy Enterprises Inc. and a member of the Board of Directors of the National Business Committee for the Arts, joined over 700 business, cultural, and civic leaders at this arts-infused celebration. Named one of the 100 Most Powerful Women in the World by Forbes Magazine in 2005, Hefner’s keynote focused on the benefits of business/arts partnerships. “It is clear that the quality of arts and culture is essential to building a community that people want to live and work in,” Hefner noted.

In addition to lead sponsors Ernst & Young, LLP and Pinnacol Assurance, supporter of the luncheon include Kaiser Permanente, The Publishing House, Xcel Energy, CBS4, Post-News Community, St. Mary Land & Exploration Company, and ColoradoBIZ Magazine.

Winners received one-of-a-kind sculpture awards specially commissioned from nationally recognized Denver artist Martha Daniels. Martha Daniels is represented by William Havu Gallery, Denver, Colorado .

Colorado Business Committee for the Arts (CBCA) helps Colorado companies capitalize on the arts for their innovative and creative success. CBCA is a member organization of leading companies that have a philanthropic commitment to the arts and recognize the link between our cultural vitality and business prosperity. 150 metro area businesses, with over 75,000 employees, are members of CBCA. Established in 1984 by local business leaders, Colorado is one of 11 affiliates of the National Business Committee for the Arts founded by David Rockefeller in 1967.

Colorado Business Committee for the Arts mission is to connect the business and arts communities as a vehicle for workforce creativity, economic development, and business prosperity.

For Event Photos, Keynote excerpts, or additional information contact:

Jan Brennan
CBCA
303-282-5129
jbrennan@cbca.org