ZU Arts InitiativeZU Arts InitiativeFOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Jodi Jahrling, Executive Director
ZU Arts Initiative
grow@cortezarts.org
ZU ARTS INITIATIVE LAUNCHES AS NEW NONPROFIT SERVING MONTEZUMA COUNTY ARTISTS
New Organization Formalizes Four Years of Proven Community Impact, Launching Musicians Mutual Aid Fund and Artist Support Programs
CORTEZ, CO – February 7, 2026 – ZU Arts Initiative held its first board meeting today, officially launching as a nonprofit dedicated to supporting “Local Creatives” in Montezuma County. Local Creatives includes musicians, traditional artists, and other creatives. The new organization brings a fresh approach to rural arts funding and community support.
Jodi Jahrling, who owns and operates ZU Gallery in Cortez, founded ZU Arts Initiative to formalize four years of proven community impact. The nonprofit will operate independently from the gallery’s commercial operations, though the two will continue partnering to expand artist support and programming.
ZU Gallery has hosted over 400 events since opening in September 2021. Ninety-five percent have been free to the public, and every artist has been paid fairly. ZU Arts Initiative builds on this track record, providing sustainable funding for free community programming, direct artist support, and mutual aid systems.
“ZU Gallery proved you can keep arts accessible to everyone while still paying artists what they deserve,” Jahrling said. “ZU Arts Initiative makes that permanent—a nonprofit that can pursue grants, accept tax-deductible donations, and create programs supporting artists throughout their careers.”
Mission and Vision
ZU Arts Initiative’s mission is to build sustainable cultural infrastructure in Montezuma County by providing free and radically affordable community programming, ensuring fair compensation for all artists, keeping creative dollars circulating locally, and centering radical inclusivity and community ownership.
The organization envisions cultural thriving in rural Southwest Colorado where Local Creatives earn living wages, community members have free access to professional-quality programming, young people see creative careers as viable paths, and Montezuma County is known as a cultural destination.
Programs Launching in 2026
Musicians Mutual Aid Fund: The first of its kind in Montezuma County. This fund combines immediate emergency mutual aid for working musicians (medical bills, broken gear, housing crises) with “One More Show,” a pension program providing monthly support for seasoned musicians who’ve contributed decades of service to the region.
Young Emerging Artists (YEA!): Professional development for artists ages 13-24. The program provides paid performance opportunities, gallery exhibitions where young artists keep 100% of sales, mentorship with working professionals, and business skills workshops.
Free Community Programming: Dedicated funding keeps cultural events accessible by subsidizing artist compensation for free community concerts, listening room series, cultural celebrations, and public art events.
Individual Artist Grants: No-strings-attached grants for artists to make work, take risks, buy equipment, or sustain their practice.
The Failure Fund: An annual budget for experiments that might fail. Community members pitch wild ideas, vote on which to fund, and celebrate innovation and risk-taking.
Three Currencies Membership: A shareholder model that accepts money, time, or gifts as equal forms of participation, removing economic barriers to community involvement.
Democratic Governance and Radical Transparency
Members vote on major budgetary decisions and will eventually elect board members beyond the founding positions. The founding board includes Dana Willard as Board President and Katie Burnham as Treasurer, with Jahrling serving as Executive Director and Secretary.
The organization launched a financial transparency page at cortezarts.org/financials that tracks every dollar in and out, values volunteer hours and in-kind gifts alongside cash contributions, and provides real-time updates. Community members can see exactly how their contributions support local artists and programming.
ZU Arts Initiative received fiscal sponsorship approval from Onward Foundation, Montezuma County’s community foundation, giving the organization immediate access to grant funding and tax-deductible donations.
“We’re building sustainable infrastructure for Montezuma County’s arts community that will last for generations,” Willard said. “ZU Gallery showed what’s possible when community support meets radical commitment to artists. ZU Arts Initiative makes that model permanent and expandable.”
The organization is community-funded. ZU Gallery will continue operating as a for-profit business (wine bar, photography studio, live music venue, and art gallery), while ZU Arts Initiative focuses exclusively on nonprofit programming that serves artists and expands cultural access.
ZU Arts Initiative is now building its funding base and accepting interest from Musician Members for the mutual aid fund, Legacy Keepers to support seasoned musicians, and community shareholders through the Three Currencies model. The organization is also seeking professional artists to serve as mentors for the YEA! program and musicians interested in serving on the Musicians Mutual Aid Fund committee to review pension applications and mutual aid requests. Artists interested in future grant opportunities can express interest now as the organization develops its funding.
For more information, to apply as a YEA! mentor, to join the musicians committee, or to support the organization, visit cortezarts.org or contact Jodi Jahrling at grow@cortezarts.org.
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ABOUT ZU ARTS INITIATIVE
ZU Arts Initiative is a nonprofit serving Montezuma County, Colorado. The organization builds sustainable cultural infrastructure through accessible arts programming and direct support for Local Creatives (musicians, traditional artists, and other creatives). Operating independently from ZU Gallery while partnering closely, ZU Arts Initiative provides free and low-cost community events, direct support through the Musicians Mutual Aid Fund (emergency grants and the “One More Show” pension program), professional development for young artists, individual artist grants, and membership structures that value money, time, and gifts equally. Core commitments: radical inclusivity, fair compensation for Local Creatives, democratic governance, and radical transparency. All financial information is publicly accessible at cortezarts.org/financials. Learn more at cortezarts.org.