Denver Westword & CATS: Small Grants, Big Canvases

A giant blue painted face and two hands rising out of the grass at Apogaea 2026, with the campground and forested hills behind.

CATS in the News

Small Grants, Big Canvases

Denver Westword spotlights how CATS puts art money straight into the hands of local art teachers.

“The benefit of their (CATS) grant is that it doesn’t have strings attached. They’re not making you jump through these hoops,” (Alisha) says. “(CATS) are saying, ‘We respect you as professionals. We want to get art in kids’ hands. We want art in our community, and we’re not going to make you go through six months of red tape to get a handful of materials that are only going to serve 10% of your students.’”

Alisha Black-Mallon, via Denver Westword

Thanks to Denver Westword for highlighting the hard work we’re doing putting money directly back into our local arts community, breaking down the barriers to fund local art and empowering art teachers.

So proud of our CATS team.

Yay art!!

Read the Westword Article

Art Teacher Micro Grants

CATS most recently (fall 2026) distributed nine $500 art teacher micro grants to local Front Range teachers, ranging from elementary and middle school art teachers to high school science (3D printing projects!) teachers + after school circus programs.

Our teacher recipients have reported that, by receiving an art grant from us, they’re actually DOUBLING their art supply budget for the school year.

This micro grant money comes directly from our GAYLA fundraising efforts.

Art You Helped Fund: Apogaea 2026

In total, CATS granted $64,632 to artists for our 2026 event.

  • Arcturus, a tall iridescent creature sculpture with a glowing crescent head, lit at night beside two smiling participants.
    Arcturus
  • A cut-steel polyhedral sphere on a pedestal casting colorful shadow patterns at night, with a glowing nautilus-shell sculpture and animal lanterns behind it.
  • Glowing blue jellyfish lamps scattered across a grassy meadow at dusk, with pine forest behind.
    Jellyfish Lights
  • W.H.O.O., a cut-metal owl sculpture with a gear-pattern chest, glowing at night beside a laser-cut poem panel.
    W.H.O.O. by Mitch Giraffe
  • Love Letters, an A-frame shade structure with a laser-cut heart mandala, draped in pink fabric and glowing pink at night over floor cushions.
    Love Letters
  • A giant rusted wire-mesh unicorn sculpture reclining in dry grass under a blue sky.
    TAR
  • Nostalgia Mobile, a glowing cloud strung with lights and plush toys, hanging over two people lying on a blanket beneath it.
    Nostalgia Mobile
  • Organicus Mechanicus, a mechanical structure with curling horns, glowing with neon and laser light under a deep blue night sky.
    Organicus Mechanicus
  • A tall cairn of stacked stones and blue glass orbs anchored on a steel base, with pines behind.
    Crystal Cairn
  • The giant blue face and hands sculpture glowing under blue light at dusk as visitors stand beside it.
  • A geometric red fox art car glowing at night, with two masked riders seated inside.
  • Three rusted-steel planters shaped like figure eights, each holding a bouquet of cut-metal flowers, under a bright sky.
  • A metal witch sculpture glowing red at night, standing on a round plate engraved with the words Who are you really.
  • Gnarled juniper trees washed in purple, blue, yellow and red light at night.
    Lightspot
  • Laser-cut metal panel lit at night reading: Through love and loss unblinking eyes see the stone, soft moss, the owl, the tree. W.H.O.O. by: Mitch Giraffe.
    W.H.O.O. by Mitch Giraffe
  • A lit gumball machine full of red orbs on a stand labeled Bubble, beneath a string of globe lights.
  • Decorated mailboxes stacked on a post beside pink drapes and a pink bean bag at the Love Letters installation.
    Love Letters
  • Hexagonal mirrored panels reflecting a kaleidoscope of repeating colorful patterns.
  • The giant wire-mesh unicorn sculpture lit red at night, with a stained-glass eye and a string of lights along its horn.
    TAR
  • A tall draped fabric installation lit purple among trees at night.
  • Close-up inside the cut-steel polyhedral sphere, its geometric openings glowing blue and purple.

Check Out More Arty Photos From Apogaea Here!

Poster for the 4th Annual Apogaea Gayla: a peacock in a lilac top hat, bow tie and heels, fanning its tail. Sat, Dec 5th, 7P- Midnight, Kirk of Highland.

4th Annual GAYLA

🐈‍⬛⚠️ 4th annual GAYLA is coming up, attend and/or donate:

  • 12/5/26
  • 7pm-10pm
  • After-Party on site (10p-12a)
  • The Kirk of Highland
Tickets + Donations Facebook Event