From left, Colorado Business Committee for the Arts Director Christin Crampton Day, Silverton Creative Executive Director Lisa Branner and Colorado Business Committee for the Arts Board Chair Nancy Walsh. Branner was awarded the 2026 Next Wave Leadership Award for her work to grow Silverton's creative economy. (Courtesy of Lisa Branner)
From left, Colorado Business Committee for the Arts Director Christin Crampton Day, Silverton Creative Executive Director Lisa Branner and Colorado Business Committee for the Arts Board Chair Nancy Walsh. Branner was awarded the 2026 Next Wave Leadership Award for her work to grow Silverton's creative economy. (Courtesy of Lisa Branner)

Lisa Branner, executive director of the Silverton Creative District was named the 2026 Next Wave Leadership Award winner by the Colorado Business Committee for the Arts for her work growing the town’s creative economy.

A news release said the April 21 event drew about 600 corporate, cultural and civic leaders from across Colorado.

“It was a little trippy to walk into a ballroom that big,” Branner said. “That’s almost the population of San Juan County.”

CBCA advances Colorado communities by connecting businesses and the arts. Its awards are the only statewide recognition of their kind. The Next Wave Leadership Award is awarded to burgeoning leaders who are innovating their community’s creative economy.

“The Colorado Business Committee for the Arts is basically working at the intersection of arts and culture and business,” Branner said. “We’re looking to build the economy through the arts and support arts and culture.”

Branner said she was recognized because of her nearly decade-long effort to grow Silverton’s creative economy, whose 140 resident artists now draw in more than 3,000 people annually. Those people then, in theory, go spend money at the town’s other businesses, making it a potent economic driver.

“We’ve got over 140 people in this community that are artists or makers,” Branner said. “That’s like 20% of the population. So it’s part of who we are.”

The release said that outsized economic growth is due to Branner helping Silverton’s artists connect with businesses, government, schools and nonprofits, which in turn created more collaboration on concerts, festivals, markets and workshops.

Silverton’s 140 resident artists attract more than 3,000 visitors every year, who then spend money in the community, said Silverton Creative District Executive Director Lisa Branner. (Jerry McBride/Durango Herald file)
Silverton’s 140 resident artists attract more than 3,000 visitors every year, who then spend money in the community, said Silverton Creative District Executive Director Lisa Branner. (Jerry McBride/Durango Herald file)

Branner said Silverton’s Summer Sounds concerts, which take place from June to September, are a key example of how much the creative economy has grown.

“We’re getting – on average these days – 350 or so people at a Summer Sounds concert,” Branner said. “I remember back in the day when we were lucky if we got 30 people showing up.”

The Silverton Creative District was officially certified by the Colorado Creative District in October – the culmination of a yearslong effort by Branner and the community. The fact that it has grown into what it is shows that Silverton’s investment in its arts scene is paying off.

Branner said moving forward, the Silverton Creative District plans to keep helping grow the creative economy in Silverton, including building out more winter events to make it a yearlong cultural thread. Additionally, 2027 marks the 10-year anniversary of the Silverton Summer Sounds concert series, which Branner is planning to commemorate with an art and music festival.

But the award was not really about her, she said. Rather, she views it as a celebration of Silverton.

“My hope with the award is simply to build awareness of Silverton,” Branner said. “It’s not about me, it’s about our community, and I happen to be the tip of the spear.”

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