Bordo Bello

CHALLENGE

Expand a piloted event concept into a scalable, repeatable format that engages artists and strengthens community connections

RESULTS

Bordo Bello was an annual skateboard art show hosted by AIGA Colorado, celebrating the colorful Colorado lifestyle through community, creativity, and collaboration. From 2009–2013, I served as director, partnering with a new local artist each year to define the event’s look, feel, and cultural identity. My role blended art direction and full event management—shaping everything from the visual language to the experience design, while building a structure that could grow year over year.

What began as a small show with 50 artists quickly scaled into a statewide movement. Over five years, we featured more than 1,000 artists, growing annual participation to over 200. Attendance followed suit, with more than 2,300 guests cumulatively and a final-year crowd of 800+. Sponsorships grew in parallel—from four local partners to over forty, with an impressive 75% retention rate year after year.

This growth translated into significant impact. Event profits increased from $3,000 to over $20,000 annually, with more than $60,000 donated to VSA Colorado to support arts access and education. We extended the reach nationally by auctioning boards on eBay, raising the average bid price from $50 to $125 and connecting Colorado’s creativity to a wider audience.

Perhaps most importantly, we designed the event as a repeatable platform. I developed a toolkit that allowed other AIGA chapters to replicate the model in their own communities, and even applied the format successfully to other events like Chaircuterie. Bordo Bello ultimately became more than an art show—it was a fundraising engine, a cultural celebration, and a model of creative community engagement. Its influence stretched all the way to New York, where we brought the program to AIGA’s national office to support their mentorship initiatives.

See more photos here on Flickr.