Augment Grant Recipients

Ethan Hale Music Guitar Lending Program

This project will build a small inventory of beginner-friendly, affordable guitars for students to borrow or purchase as they begin their musical journey. Proceeds from sales will be reinvested to grow the collection, creating a self-sustaining cycle of access and opportunity.

Atari Safari EP Recording Project

Atari Safari, a band established in 2019, will use this grant to record a 5–7 song EP of their curated favorites, with most funds supporting studio time. The project will culminate in pressing CDs and limited vinyl, followed by a community album release show.

Painting a Song

This project is to record an original song and pair it with a music video featuring a time-lapse of an acrylic painting. This project combines music and visual art to create a unique, multidisciplinary experience.

Songs from San Miguel, Vol 2:
A Roudy Retrospective; 50 years looking back at Telluride from the Saddle

This project, Songs from San Miguel, Vol. II, builds on the artist’s 2024 grant with a focus on legendary local cowboy Roudy, whose storytelling, humor, and music have shaped both the region and the artist’s creative journey. Blending documentary film, field recordings, acoustic music, and spoken word, the project will preserve Roudy’s voice and spirit through an EP, short film, and community screening that celebrate the people and stories of San Miguel County.

Tyler Simmons Solo EP; Title TBA during the project process

On July 6, 2025, the artist will collaborate with A/V engineer James Mirabal to record and film four original songs at the historic Ophir Town Hall. Linked by relative key signatures yet diverse in style and movement, the songs reflect deeply on life’s toughest challenges.

UNFAMILIAR SKIES – EP

For this project, Anneke Dean recorded Unfamiliar Skies EP, her first formal collection of solo songwriting, featuring six original songs written over the previous three years and produced in Ridgway with Derek Jones before mastering for digital release. She shared the project with the community through a free album release party in Telluride, while also using the recordings to expand her solo booking opportunities and apply for songwriting contests across the Western Slope.

MOVE SLOW – MUSIC VIDEO WITH TELLURIDE DANCE COLLECTIVE

Aubrey Mable is a self-taught singer/songwriter who makes up 1/2 of the indie-folk duo, LVDY. The band plans to use these funds to create a music video for their new song, “Move Slow,” releasing later this spring. The ultimate vision is a choreographed dance in collaboration with members of the Telluride Dance Collective. LVDY plans to work with a local creative agency for art direction and film services.

SONGS FROM SAN MIGUEL

Brendan “B” Forrest, a guitarist, singer-songwriter, composer, producer, and educator, recorded an acoustic album with support from this grant, created in Telluride and other San Miguel County locations to capture how the landscape shapes the soundscape of the music. He shared the project with the community through physical and digital distribution and hosted a local release show in collaboration with a Telluride venue.

NEW VINTAGE (DELUXE)

Edgar “EQ” Quiroz, a songwriter, producer, and CEO of La Familia Music Group, recorded NEW VINTAGE (DELUXE) with support from this grant, expanding his debut EP New Vintage with four new tracks to build on its momentum. He distributed the project to reach a wider audience, aiming to secure publishing opportunities and placement in movies, video games, commercials, and more.

APRÈS NOVA: NOCTURNAS NOVAS

Brothers Oliver Henry and John Max Henry, the electro-jazz-funk duo Après Nova, recorded their second album Nocturnas Novas, showcasing the evolution of their musical style while blending jazz and electronic dance music. They shared the project through live performances and collaborations with local artists, contributing to both their artistic legacy and community cultural engagement.