Lights, Camera, Boulder

As the Sundance Festival eyes a new home, Boulder steps into the spotlight with a compelling proposal

By Irene Middleman Thomas  »  Photo by Simon Goetz

The Sundance Film Festival, a program by the nonprofit Sundance Institute, kicks off the film festival calendar each year, bringing global audiences critically acclaimed films like CODA, Summer of Soul, Honeyland, Won’t You Be My Neighbor, Call Me by Your Name, Get Out, The Big Sick, Brooklyn, Little Miss Sunshine, An Inconvenient Truth and Napoleon Dynamite. 

In addition to film work, the programming also includes daily filmmaker conversations, panel discussions and more. 

The festival was founded by actor and director Robert Redford in 1981 as the “ultimate gathering of original storytellers and audiences seeking new voices and fresh perspectives.” The institute’s signature labs, granting and mentorship programs—dedicated to developing new work—take place throughout the year in the U.S.
and internationally. 

Sundance has long called Utah home, with in-person events in Park City and an online presence. But change could be on the horizon, as the festival’s location is up for review with potential relocation after 2027. For now, Park City and Salt Lake City will continue to host through 2026—but Boulder is already on the radar as a strong contender for the future.

In a dynamic collaboration between Visit Boulder, the Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade, the Colorado Office of Film Television and Media and a regional network of allies—including the City of Boulder, the Boulder Chamber, the University of Colorado Boulder and the Stanley Film Center—Boulder has emerged as a top contender in a high-stakes site selection process. 

As of September, the Sundance Institute has chosen three finalists for the final review stage: Boulder, Cincinnati and a combined proposal from Park City and Salt Lake City in Utah, the festival’s host for the past 39 years.

The Sundance Institute revealed that the finalists were chosen for their capacity to accommodate the festival’s expanding scale and their potential to embrace and nurture the vibrant, diverse community that defines Sundance. In their selection, the Institute emphasized the importance of fostering the unique culture of independent creativity that lies at the heart of both the Institute and the festival experience.

To support the proposal, the Colorado Economic Development Commission approved a one-time $1.5 million incentive. The Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade contributed an additional $325,000 to the proposal, including $250,000 from the Colorado Office of Film Television and Media, a one-time contribution of $50,000 from the Colorado Tourism Office and another one-time contribution of $25,000 from Colorado Creative Industries. 

The local/non-state match for this funding will substantially exceed one-to-one, with cash and in-kind contributions from a coalition of regional partners including Visit Boulder, Boulder Chamber of Commerce, City of Boulder, University of Colorado Boulder and Stanley Film Center.

The Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade (OEDIT) is gearing up to bolster the proposal with extra funding, joined by contributions from the Colorado Office of Film Television and Media, the Colorado Tourism Office and Colorado Creative Industries. The exact funding amounts will be finalized in the coming months.

Governor Jared Polis is enthusiastic about the proposal, as is Colorado Film Commissioner Donald Zuckerman. 

“Hosting the Sundance Film Festival in Colorado would be transformational for film, television and media in our state,” Zuckerman says. “Filmmakers from the Sundance Institute’s prestigious Directors Lab, held at the Stanley Hotel in Estes Park this May, are already expressing interest in filming here. We can think of no better partner than the Sundance Institute to help elevate this type of storytelling in Colorado and hope to welcome the festival in 2027.” 

Boulder Mayor Aaron Brockett shares the excitement. “The City of Boulder is thrilled to be considered as the new site for the Sundance Film Festival,” he says. “Boulder has a rich and diverse cultural scene currently, and Sundance would be a huge benefit to the community with a film festival that shares Boulder’s inclusive values. We had a fantastic visit recently from their site selection committee and we’re confident that Boulder will be the perfect forever home for the festival.”

Karleen Lewis, Director of Marketing and Communications for Boulder’s CVB, agrees. “Boulder has a rich and vibrant arts and culture presence,” she says. “If selected to host the film festival starting in 2027, it could boost Boulder’s reputation as a thriving arts hub in many ways—through awareness of the density of local artists and creatives that already call Boulder home, to attracting new projects, voices and perspectives.”

“Boulder has a deeply rooted background in embracing new ideas, voices and creative endeavors. Not only is Boulder a place where you can push the boundaries of creativity as a maker, but there’s a built-in audience with a community that values and appreciates the arts,” Lewis continues.

Members of the Sundance Institute selection committee will visit each of the finalist cities in the coming weeks. A final decision is expected in early 2025.