AN UPDATE ON THE 2026 COLORADO BOOK AWARDS
Due to the loss of federal funding, the timeline for the 2026 Colorado Book Awards has not yet been set. We will be posting updates as soon as possible regarding when submissions will open.
What's New
Upcoming Facilitator Training [1]
Join us for Facilitator Training on November 5 and 6 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. in Denver for individuals interested in facilitating community conversations. Participants will learn how to facilitate conversations and practice new skills and techniques. This two-day training is priced at $300 per participant. Please complete the interest form [2] by October 27, 2025.
Nominations Open for Colorado's Next Poet Laureate [3]
Nominations are now open for the next Poet Laureate of Colorado. This celebrated position serves as an ambassador for poetry, engaging with communities across the state, conducting readings and workshops, and inspiring a love for the art form. The deadline for nominations is October 27.
Congratulations to the winners and finalists, and thank you to everyone who participated in the silent auction and donated! Visit the Colorado Book Awards [5] page to view the full list of winners and finalists. We are pleased to announce that more than $65,000 was raised through these efforts, and we are delighted to see the passion our community holds for protecting access to books, cultural traditions, and artistic expression in Colorado. Please help us keep the momentum by becoming a humanities champion, and consider donating to #SaveColoradoStories [6].
MAKING A DIFFERENCE, TOGETHER
Big news: We are excited to announce that we've met the $50,000 match from the Federation of State Humanities Councils with support from the Mellon Foundation! This is a powerful step forward, and together we are protecting access to books, cultural traditions, artistic expression, and community building—things we can never take for granted. Thanks to your contributions, Colorado Humanities has more time to support the growth and sustainability of all of our partners across the state, helping them direct resources, amplify local voices, and strengthen networks.
Help us continue the fight by becoming a humanities champion on Colorado Gives [6] and advocating for the subjects that matter most to you: storytelling, community, learning, or culture and heritage. You can also donate to existing fundraisers in support.
We hope you take pride in knowing that you've directly contributed to developing current and future generations of creatives, critical thinkers, and problem solvers, who will continue to honor and uplift Colorado's stories, heritage, and communities.
The humanities encompass our most cherished traditions, the free exchange of ideas, our shared histories, and our dreams for the future. We hold steadfast to the bipartisan belief that sparked the creation of the NEH: that "the humanities are not merely our, but the world's best hope."
EVENTS
PROGRAMS
Inspiring conversation and exploration of our shared cultural heritage
FACILITATOR TRAINING [1]
Learn How to Facilitate Community Conversations The Facilitator Training for Reflective Conversations prepares people to plan and facilitate conversations about vital issues and questions across different beliefs and backgrounds. Training participants will learn
THE FIVE STATES OF COLORADO [16]
Revealing the historic development of a population as diverse as the land itself. In 1861, the U.S. Congress carved Colorado’s boundaries representing no river, mountain range, tribe, or language group to enclose
COLORADO BOOK AWARDS [5]
Celebrating the accomplishments of Colorado’s outstanding authors, editors, illustrators, and photographers.
CHANGING THE LEGACY OF RACE & ETHNICITY [20]
These community conversations are designed to dive deeply into how we might change the legacy of race.
COSHARP [21]
Sustaining the Humanities through the American Rescue Plan (COSHARP) grants