Help Us Tell Our Story!
the Creative alliance of Downtown aurora is Seeking a professional Creative Partner for Aurora cultural Arts District Branding. Fill Out the form and then download the RFP.
The deadline for the RFP Submission has been extended to June 19.
CADA/ACAD RFP FAQ Sheet
Updated 6.1.26
Q: What background, research, brand standards, and related discovery documents does CADA have [and plans to share] to inform the development of the new brand identity?
A: CADA has completed a strategic positioning document that was completed with the assistance of a third party consulting firm. The development of this plan included outreach with community members.
Q: What is the budget or budget range for the scope of work and deliverables detailed in the RFP?
A: $20,000-$30,000
Q: Is the funding fully secured for the complete scope of work and deliverables outlined in this RFP?
A: Funding is secured.
Q: Who are the decision-makers beyond the CADA board?
A: CADA collaborates with the City of Aurora; decisions requiring their approval will be identified and presented to the City by CADA board members.
Q: Is there a preference for firms or consultants based in Aurora?
A: No.
Q: What are the minimum and maximum expected numbers of workshops and trainings?
A: We envision the selected firm will determine and make recommendations as the work is developed and completed.
Q: What is the anticipated end date for the scope of work?
A: We anticipate the selected firm will set the timeline and schedule of this project to best meet our goals and budget.
Q: The RFP mentions sharing our creative ideas for the project. While most of this work will be part of the actual project and done after we've heard from more of the district, we would be glad to share some initial ideas. To help guide that, has your team discussed the desired tone or vibe? Any brand can take several directions. It would be helpful to know if you all have had conversations that can help guide these initial ideas.
A: Only light, visionary conversations; nothing that has resulted in an actual direction, other than the foundational principles outlined in the RFP.
Q: Is there a budget range and if so, what is it?
A: $20,000-$30,000.
Q: Several deliverables are scalable - the amount of written and recorded assets, the number and scope of brand development workshops - and we want to draft a proposal that sets these at a feasible level.
A: Our anticipation is that the Identity System(s) and Community-Centered Narrative & Storytelling are completed. Community Engagements and Tools for Implementing should be completed to a point of foundational activation/ understanding so that the board may take action as needed, and that additional funding may be secured if needed for additional projects identified.
Q: Do we need to account for translation services within our proposal?
A: No. We will identify items requiring translation services and will collaborate with the City and other entities to provide.
Read the
Aurora Cultural Arts District
Action plan 2026 - 2029
‘Our downtown, our way’: Aurora residents, business owners share hopes, fears for new Colfax authority
By Kyla Pearce | The Denver Gazette
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By Kyla Pearce | The Denver Gazette *
Westword Explores Society 303 the New Wine Bar in ACAD.
Chef An of Dan Da Named Colorado’s Chef of the Year by the Colorado Hospitality Association.
Westword Highlights 2025 HOSPY Award Winners.
People to Watch in Denver’s 2026 Music Scene
From bands that are striking the right chords to industry insiders, these are the folks to keep on your radar. Full story by Emily Ferguson.
What’s New?
Aurora Opens 1400 Dallas Arts, a Rehearsal Home for Performers
A former police station finds new life a a city-run creative hub in the Aurora Cultural Arts District | Toni Tresca
For years, Aurora’s performing artists have shared a common frustration: finding rehearsal space that’s affordable, flexible and actually designed for the work they do. This month, that gap narrowed with the opening of 1400 Dallas Arts, a new city-owned rehearsal and teaching facility dedicated exclusively to music, theater and dance at 1400 Dallas Street, just off East Colfax in the Aurora Cultural Arts District.
Operated under the mission of The People’s Building, 1400 Dallas Arts is not a performance venue and isn’t trying to be one, according to Aaron Vega, project manager for Library & Cultural Services and curator/facilities manager of The People’s Building and this new venue. Instead, it’s designed as a behind-the-scenes engine for the region’s creative ecosystem, offering hourly rental studios for artists to rehearse, teach classes, record self-tapes and create.
“Over the years of renting at The People’s Building, the reason I chose this use for 1400 Dallas Arts is because we were seeing a lot of requests for rehearsal space,” says Vega during our tour of the space. “There seems to be this zeitgeist moment where people need access to rehearsal space.”
Ollin Cafetzin
The story of Ollin Cafetzin began in 2020, when a group of individuals came together with a shared social dream: to create a space where people of color could gather for critical conversations, connection and collective growth. From that vision emerged a community-driven space rooted in culture, education and belonging.
Ollin Cafetzin offers a rich cultural experience by pairing coffee sourced from Indigenous collectives in Latin America with an extensive collection of ethnic studies books. Grounded in the belief that representation matters, the café’s mission is to reclaim comunidad through cafetzin, conexión and educación—providing a welcoming space where neighbors can see themselves reflected in both the offerings and the conversations.
This unique coffee shop and ethnic studies library is collectively run by a team of social workers, teachers and youth organizers. The founding team envisions Ollin Cafetzin as a place where activists, creatives and community members can gather to exchange ideas, build solidarity and plant seeds for transformative change.