Boulder arts proponents are calling the upcoming Nov. 7 municipal election a generational opportunity to secure long-term arts and culture funding without having to raise existing taxes.

Ballot Initiative 2A will ask local voters whether to reauthorize an expiring sales tax that could potentially double city funding to local arts and culture nonprofit organizations each year.

Boulder Weekly has reported that the city currently ranks 168th in per-capita government funding for the arts.

“The scariest thing about this Halloween for me is the prospect of Boulder saying no to arts funding – again,” Nick Forster, CEO of the nationally syndicated radio program “eTown,” wrote in an email today.

Ballot Initiative 2A would extend an existing .15% sales tax — which city officials estimate will generate about $7.3 million in 2024 — for another 20 years beginning Jan. 1, 2025, according to the Boulder Reporting Lab. Currently, that revenue flows into the city’s General Fund and the city has broad discretion in terms of spending.

Arts for Boulder said the city is currently spending just 0.3 percent of its $513.5 million 2023 budget on the arts, or about $1.5 million. That’s $17 per capita, compared to an average of $43 in comparably-sized cities.

The measure has no real organized opposition, though some have asserted that the money might be better spent on housing, transportation or homelessness.

“There’s a lot of misinformation out there. But the truth is that if 2A passes, it will provide much better support for our creative community without raising taxes or necessitating cuts in city services,” Forster said.

Almost all public comment has been in favor.

“When a city embraces cultural awareness and art, the result is revenue, vibrancy and prestige,” said Jude Landsman of the Boulder County NAACP.

Miners Alley sets an opening date

It’s nearing crunch time in Golden, where Miners Alley Playhouse is finally about to slowly start opening up Golden’s first performing-arts center and cultural hub in the heart of downtown Golden.

The first phase of the new Miners Alley Performing Arts Center will open to the public Dec. 2 with a homegrown production of “The Great American Trailer Park Christmas Musical.” That’s the seasonal sequel to one of the company’s big hits of last season, and it will play through Dec. 31 in what will initially open as a 157-seat mainstage theater inside the former Meyer Hardware building at 1103 Arapahoe St.

Over time, the theater will expand to a 300-seat capacity. Additional plans are in the works to fill the 15,000 square feet with an educational center, as well as public meeting and event space.

Everything depends on a delicate public-private partnership and continued, incremental fundraising over the next few years, starting with an annual gala slated for Nov. 3 that has a goal of raising the next $180,000.

Currently, the now 20-year-old Miners Alley Playhouse is performing “The Cherry Orchard” through Nov. 5 in its 130-seat boutique theater at 1224 Washington Ave.

Denver Film Fest dance card filling up

Look for a full Denver Film Festival deep dive here on Sunday. In the meantime, a few more lineup nuggets have trickled in: The festival, which is big on awards, will honor an entire creative from one specific film for the first time. The new 5280 Award will go to filmmakers, writers and producers who collaborate to take the filmmaking form to new heights. The inaugural winners are the team from “Spider-Man: Across the Universe.” That’ll happen at 5:30 p.m. Nov. 7 at the AMC 9.

Also: Emmy Award winner Larry Wilmore (to me, forever known as the sensitivity trainer Mr. Brown on “The Office”) will produce a live recording of his podcast “Black on the Air” at 10 a.m. Nov. 10 from the Jacquard Hotel in Cherry Creek.

Jason Mraz with the Colorado Symphony

Jason Mraz with the Colorado Symphony? “I’m Yours.” The symphony’s latest pop crossover event will take place next July 28 at Red Rocks. Tickets go on sale at 10 a.m. Thursday with presale code DISCOSUN. Otherwise, 10 a.m. Friday, Oct. 27.

Everything’s coming up comedy

Much good comedy is coming to (or from) Colorado and is now on sale. A taste, in chronological order:

• The Grawlix (Adam Cayton-Holland, Ben Roy and Andrew Orvedahl): Saturday at the Bug Theatre

• Kathleen Madigan: Nov. 11 at the Paramount Theatre

• Marc Maron: Nov. 17-18 at Comedy Works South

• Paul Reiser: Nov. 17 at Gates Concert Hall (University of Denver)

• George Lopez: Feb. 24 at the Paramount Theatre (presale code GL24)

• Ari Shaffir: Feb. 29-March 2 at Comedy Works downtown

• Mike Birbiglia: March 29 at the Paramount Theatre (presale code: MB24)

Briefly …

The new program director at KUVO Jazz is Shane German, who has more than two decades of nonprofit public media experience. German, who comes from a public radio station in Duluth, Minn., “is a fierce advocate for indie artists” and has “a proven track record of advocating for performance rights and securing uncollected royalties on behalf of recording artists,” said KUVO General Manager Nikki Swarn …

The wildly successful “Denver Walls” mural festival attracted 158,000 to the RiNo Art District between Sept. 22-Oct. 3. Combined, they took in more than 40,000 square feet of murals that consumed 365 gallons and 3,500 cans of paint. In addition, $7,500 in scholarships were awarded to local students supporting arts education …

After two years at the Belmar Shopping Center in Lakewood, the Denver Center’s offbeat holiday freakout known as “Camp Christmas” is coming home to its original location at the Stanley Marketplace, where it all began back in 2019 – and drew 70,000 curiosity-seekers. “Camp Christmas” is hard to describe. It’s not a play with a narrative story; it’s more of an immersive experience where you wander through, as they say it, “a 15,000-square-foot, 360-degree kaleidoscope of yuletide cheer.” This year’s highlights include an “Unway” — that’s a reverse fashion show where audiences walk around and view holiday fashions while the designers and models remain stationary. “Camp Christmas” runs Nov. 16-Dec. 24 at 2501 Dallas St. in Aurora. Tickets start at $5. Info at denvercenter.org …

Acclaimed humorist David Sedaris never seems to be gone from Denver long. He’ll be back Nov. 7 for an evening of comic essays at Boulder’s Macky Auditorium. Info at ticketmaster.com …

Jennifer Holliday, the Tony-award-winning actress who gained fame for her role as Effie White in the Broadway musical “Dreamgirls,” will perform a special concert with the Denver Gay Men’s Chorus called “Neon Lights” March 29-30 at the Ellie Caulkins Opera House. Info at axs.com … (Meanwhile, the Lone Tree Arts Center is presenting “Dreamgirls” – sans Hudson – through Oct. 29. Info at lonetreeartscenter.org …

Director Dennis Law, best known for bringing sprawling, culturally authentic musicals like “Terracotta Warriors” to the Denver Center, is now collaborating with legendary choreographer Cleo Parker Robinson to stage “Mozart Requiem Evermore” from Oct. 26-29 at Central Presbyterian Church, 1660 Sherman St. Info at mozartrequiemevermore.com.

And finally …

The mayor’s office sent out a news release Wednesday headlined: “Mayor Mike Johnston Makes Historic Progress During First 100 Days in Office.” And yet he still hasn’t named a new executive director for the city’s vital Department of Arts & Venues. A massive selection committee provided its three finalist recommendations more than six weeks ago. Among them was (at the time) the incumbent, Ginger White Brunetti, who was told she would not be retained at the end of September.