CU Denver Faculty Receives Grant to Fund DIY Music Studio

The University of Colorado Denver College of Arts & Media (CAM) is proud to announce faculty member Owen Kortz has been awarded an Arts in Society grant for $30,000.00. The grant will help facilitate collaboration between CAM and the Urban Peak Youth Homeless Shelter.

“I am grateful and excited to receive this grant,” said Kortz. “It has been amazing to get to know so many youth through the music studio at Urban Peak, and I continue to be amazed by their talent and passion.”

Since 2012, CU Denver songwriting professor Owen Kortz has worked closely with the Urban Peak Youth Homeless Shelter to create a DIY music studio for youth experiencing homelessness. Thanks to the Arts in Society grant, the music studio will enter phase-three which enables the center to continue to provide creative programming for Denver homeless youth by expanding the professional music studio at Urban Peak’s Drop-In Center. This expansion includes the creation of a paid internship for CU Denver music students to provide musical programming at the center.

“I’ve also been moved by the CAM students in the past who have volunteered their time in the studio,” Kortz explained. “It will be great to be able to support them through the internships the grant funding provides and see what amazing collaborations arise out of these amazing musicians from both communities working together.”

Owen Kortz is a founding member of the LYNX National Arts and Media Camps at CU Denver.

He has performed at concerts with Grammy-award winning, multi-platinum recording artist Ryan Tedder of OneRepublic, legendary guitarist Pat Metheny, and YouTube phenom Kina Grannis, and has recorded with the Bissonette brothers (Ringo Starr, Joe Satriani).

About Arts in Society

The Arts in Society grant program supports the integration of arts and culture into multiple disciplines critical to the health and well-being of Coloradans. The program funds collaborations across Colorado that bring together artists with professionals from a wide variety of non-arts sectors to positively impact social justice and community welfare through community-based initiatives. Arts in Society, administered by RedLine Contemporary Art Center, is funded by the following partners: Bonfils-Stanton Foundation (2017-present), Hemera Foundation (2017-present), Colorado Creative Industries (2017-present), Scientific and Cultural Facilities District (SCFD) (2020), The Colorado Health Foundation (2020) and Denver Arts & Venues (2021)