It’s official – Gov. Jared Polis proclaimed that Colorado will now recognize Music Advocacy Day each Oct. 1. The state's inaugural Music Advocacy Day was celebrated on Wednesday with a small ceremony at the Capitol.
Nationally, Music Advocacy Day began in 2015 as a grassroots movement, organized by the Recording Academy. It aims to connect Academy members in each state with their elected representatives for policy discussions relating to the livelihoods of songwriters, performers and studio professionals.
In previous years, Advocacy Day has resulted in progress such as the HITS Act, which eases the financial burden for independent artists, and the NO FAKES Act, which protects artists’ rights in the age of AI.
Colorado music industry professionals say the proclamation, though symbolic, spotlights the importance of music on the state’s economy. They hope it will lay the groundwork for policy change — and formation of a Colorado Music Office — moving forward.
A 2018 study by Michael Seman, then-director of creative industries research and policy at the University of Colorado Denver, estimated that Colorado’s music industry contributed over $1.4 billion to the local economy, creating over 16,000 in jobs.
“By naming Red Rocks, Levitt Pavilion, and Fiddler’s Green, the Governor underscored how deeply music is tied to both our economy and our communities,” Colorado-based Recording Academy member Davon Williams, who originally proposed the proclamation, said in a statement. “I pushed for this recognition because our venues and creators are cornerstones of the state’s identity. This proclamation helps spotlight how strong our music community truly is.”
The venues were singled out in the proclamation because they each represent a unique part of music’s place in Colorado. Red Rocks is an international tourism destination, Fiddler’s Green has been an anchor point for major tours since its inception in 1988, and Levitt Pavilion builds community through music, providing more than 50 free concerts and events each year.
“It’s gratifying to see how the music industry has grown to support the increasing appetite of audiences and boundless creativity of our locals,” said Jessi Whitten, director of audience and partnerships at Levitt Pavilion, and a host for Colorado Public Radio’s Indie 102.3. “Access to music contributes to community vibrancy and mental health, so music advocacy is ultimately an investment in collective wellness.”
Also named in the proclamation is the Colorado Music Industry Alliance, an organization founded in 2023 as a unifying body of music professionals, dedicated to strengthening and advancing Colorado’s music industry.
“(Music) is not just culture and it's not just art. It's jobs, it's tourism, it's small businesses, workforce development,” CMIA founder and recording artist/songwriter DNA Picasso told CPR News. “For far too long, the music scene out here has been seen as this invisible industry … and cities don't really look at it as the economic driver or respect it as the economic driver that it really is.”
He said the state needs more defined music initiatives. And he’s willing to fight for that.
“We have to all be active participants in the change we want to see,” he said. “Our voices are much stronger when we're together.”
Though the proclamation is purely symbolic, DNA Picasso said, “It's really just the beginning, you know?”
