Colorado’s Creative Community Receives a Boost

On June 14, Colorado Gov. Jared Polis signed into law HB21-1285, which allocates $18 million for the arts community and $6 million toward flm incentives — the most money the state has ever put toward the flm industry.

Given her long-standing involvement with the entertainment and labor communities, former SAG-AFTRA Colorado Local President and National Board member Sheila Ivy Traister was tapped to testify before several committees in support of the bill. Colorado Local leadership and members have fought for decades to help secure a meaningful incentive program. This new law is a major boost and will help attract more television, flm and commercial productions to Colorado, paving the way for more jobs for SAG-AFTRA members as well as increased economic development for the state.

They are grateful to prime sponsors Reps. Adrienne Benavidez and Leslie Herod and Sen. Sonya Jaquez Lewis; The Colorado Office of Film, Television & Media; Colorado Innovators of New Entertainment Media & Arts; and the entire entertainment community for its undying support in getting this bill passed.

This item originally appeared in the SAG-AFTRA magazine fall/winter 2021 issue.